Sharon Nelles, the Managing Partner of Sullivan & Cromwell’s Litigation Group, was named to Bloomberg Law’s “Unrivaled Litigators” list for her trial accomplishments, including a win for Rock Holdings, the majority shareholder of Rocket Companies, in the first ever insider-trading claim litigated through trial in Delaware Chancery Court.
In an interview with Bloomberg Law, Sharon explained the trial strategy for defending against claims that Rock Holdings’ 2021 sale of $500 million of Rocket stock was motivated by non-public information.
“Our trial strategy was essentially set on day one: to win on the facts. Our clients were smart, engaged, and knew the narrative being told by the plaintiffs was wrong. It also attacked the reputation of a company and its leaders, including Dan Gilbert, Rocket’s founder and majority owner. These are people devoted to not only doing well, but doing good. … Once in the courtroom, we let the executives and employees tell the story through their words and highlight their integrity and motivations. … It was very gratifying when the court’s decision focused on credibility and how the testimony of Rock Holdings’ witnesses “rang true.”
Sharon explained her approach to being a great litigator: “Each year I tell new associates that to be a great litigator, you have to be a great storyteller. … Your narrative has to be persuasive, and it also has to be engaging. People have short attention spans: Don’t bore them, find the point of interest. And be yourself. You will lose trust if you are not your authentic self.”
Read Sharon’s Bloomberg Law profile: Unrivaled 2026: Sharon Nelles of Sullivan & Cromwell