Robert Hora, Atara Miller and Jed Schwartz, partners in Milbank, Tweed, Hadley & McCloy LLP’s Litigation & Arbitration Group, have been recognized in the 2018 edition of Benchmark Litigation’s Under 40 Hot List, which honors the achievements of those deemed the most promising emerging talent in their respective litigation communities by peers and clients.
Mr. Hora’s practice focuses on litigation of complex commercial matters involving mutual funds, securities, commodities, and corporate governance. He recently prevailed in two high-profile cases on behalf of mutual fund investment advisers. Those cases, which alleged the advisers charged excessive management fees to a series of mutual funds, involved close to $1 billion in alleged damages. The trials, and subsequent appellate wins, represented not only complete victories on behalf of Milbank’s clients, AXA Equitable Life Insurance Company (“AXA”) and Hartford Investment Financial Services, but also set important precedent for the entire mutual fund industry, which has faced a wave of such suits. Among other matters, Mr. Hora currently represents AXA in numerous individual actions and a putative class action challenging AXA’s March 2016 adjustment of cost of insurance rates on a block of universal life insurance policies. Mr. Hora was previously recognized on the Under 40 Hot List in 2017.
Ms. Miller focuses on federal and state court litigation of complex commercial matters and bankruptcy-related litigation. Her recent achievements include successfully challenging the Department of Justice’s interpretation of Broadcast Music, Inc.’s antitrust Consent Decree in a case that impacts more than 750,000 songwriters, composers and music publishers in the more than $2 billion music performing rights industry. Additionally, she currently represents Ambac Assurance Corp. in federal litigation against the Governor of Puerto Rico and other Commonwealth officials to enjoin the diversion of monies pledged to bondholders in violation of the US Constitution. Ms. Miller was previously recognized on the Under 40 Hot List in 2016 and 2017.
Mr. Schwartz counsels companies and individuals on a wide variety of complex matters throughout the US, including commercial and securities litigation, stockholder disputes, bankruptcy matters, and regulatory investigations. He recently secured confirmation of client JD Holdings’ creditor-proposed chapter 11 bankruptcy plan of reorganization for over 70 debtors affiliated with John Q. Hammons Hotels and Resorts. Mr. Schwartz also recently secured dismissal of all claims asserted in a class action complaint against Ambac Financial Group and certain of its officers and directors and secured Second Circuit victories on behalf of Citibank and a number of its US affiliates, affirming dismissal of all claims asserted by a number of Korean exporters.
