Peter A. Nelson, Counsel

Peter Nelson is Counsel in the Firm's litigation department. His practice focuses on complex commercial and privacy and data security advice and litigation, including disputes related to structured finance, media and communications, consumer products, payment cards, legal services, pharmaceuticals, medical devices and biotechnology products. He has handled a wide variety of litigation and dispute resolution at all stages, including pre-litigation counseling, discovery, dispositive motion practice, arbitration, trial, and appeals, including in the Supreme Court. He is the co-author of Cybersecurity Governance: A Guide for Corporate Officers, Directors and General Counsel, part of Bloomberg Law’s Privacy & Data Security Practice Portfolio Series. Mr. Nelson was recognized as a Rising Star in the New York-Metro edition of Super Lawyers from 2015-2018.

Prior to joining the Firm, Mr. Nelson served as a Law Clerk to the Hon. Robert W. Sweet, United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, and worked for an American international law firm.

Representative Matters

Represent large legal services company in putative class action under the California Consumer Privacy Act 

Represent monoline insurers bringing claims against financial institutions for fraud and breach of contract related to the creation of and participation in residential mortgage-backed securities (“RMBS”) transactions, including extensive fact and expert discovery, trial court motions practice, and appeals to the New York Appellate Division

Represent large legal services company in response and investigation of ransomware attack

Represent a large financial institution in antitrust litigation concerning interchange fees and credit card network rules

Advise large non-profit on privacy issues related to paid media practices  

Advise industry-leading publishing company on issues concerning author royalties

Advise international environmental non-profit on privacy and data security policies

Represented an industry-leading publishing company in a putative class action filed by authors concerning payments of royalties

Represented a non-profit health organization in a contract dispute concerning the distribution of an important medical product

Represented a major pharmaceutical company in private arbitration concerning a contract dispute related to the joint commercialization of an important biologic

Represented a leading medical device company in patent litigation concerning cardiovascular stents, culminating in dismissal of all claims following a bench trial in federal court

Represented a leading manufacturer of mouthwash in a putative consumer class action concerning claims of false advertising in federal court, culminating in dismissal of all claims and a settlement

Represented a large consumer product company in connection with an investigation by the Federal Trade Commission concerning claims of false advertising

Represented two large biotech and pharmaceutical companies in a contractual dispute relating to a billion-dollar product in private arbitration

Conducted internal investigation and represented an executive in connection with a U.S. Department of Justice investigation into FCPA violations

Represented broadband cable provider in federal lawsuit to enjoin a competitor from airing false television and internet advertisements, leading to favorable settlement

Pro Bono Matters

Represent Common Cause and several cities, organizations, and individual voters in challenge to presidential memorandum seeking to exclude undocumented immigrants from the 2020 census apportionment

Represent victims of torture in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq in litigation against a private contractor, including all aspects of discovery, extensive motion practice, and multiple appeals, including appeals to the Supreme Court

Represented Common Cause, the North Carolina Democratic Party, and individual voters in North Carolina in a lawsuit challenging the 2016 North Carolina Congressional redistricting as an unconstitutional partisan gerrymander

Filed an amicus brief in the Supreme Court on behalf of Common Cause in Whitford v. Gill, a partisan gerrymandering challenge to a Wisconsin state legislative redistricting, in support of the Plaintiffs-Appellees (brief available by clicking here)

Represent Army veterans with applications for military discharge upgrades

Represented an environmental action group in challenging misleading advertisements by a large agrochemical company, resulting in the withdrawal of the challenged advertisements

Represented an artist seeking to prevent destruction of her artwork; obtained TRO in federal court leading to favorable settlement and preservation of the work

Successfully obtained asylum on behalf of two individuals facing persecution in their home countries based on their sexual orientation

Filed an amicus brief on behalf of The Innocence Project in a wrongful murder conviction case, leading to vacatur of the conviction and the release of a man wrongfully imprisoned for 17 years