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    Home /  Lawyers /  Sharon L. Nelles

    Sharon L. Nelles

    Partner

    Sharon L. Nelles Headshot Photo Portrait backdrop

    New York

    +1-212-558-4000

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    nelless@sullcrom.com

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    Sharon Nelles is the Managing Partner of Sullivan & Cromwell’s Litigation Group and a member of the Firm’s Management Committee. One of the country’s leading litigators and corporate advisers, she works with multinational companies and financial institutions to navigate matters that implicate not only civil litigation, but also regulatory and criminal issues. Sharon has decades of experience representing companies and their officers and directors in courtrooms and before government agencies, including the DOJ, the SEC, the CFTC, and every state attorney general’s office. She also frequently conducts workplace investigations and reviews for corporate clients, special committees, and boards of directors.

    Named a “Litigator of the Year” by The American Lawyer (2019), Sharon is regularly included on lists of top commercial and top women litigators in the United States. She is well-recognized for her diverse practice, which includes consumer, antitrust, and constitutional cases. Designated by Chambers USA as a Band 1 practitioner, Sharon is particularly known for her expertise in the area of securities law, having been named a “Top 10 Practitioners in Securities” by Euromoney’s Benchmark Litigation, and one of the “25 Most Influential Women in Securities Law” by Law360.

    Sharon frequently is tapped to serve as settlement counsel for her ability to forge resolutions in unique circumstances, having served as a lead architect of, among others, Volkswagen’s resolution of high-profile government and consumer litigation brought in the wake of “dieselgate,” heralded by the court and the public for its speed, scope and practicality.

    Sharon has tried cases in state and federal court throughout the United States and conducted multiple arbitrations. She received the Scheindlin Award for Courtroom Excellence from the New York State Bar Association, and the Gould Award for Outstanding Oral Advocacy from the Office of the Appellate Defender.

    Selected Professional Activities

    • President Emeritus, Federal Bar Council
    • Member, The American Law Institute
    • Trustee, Jewish Theological Seminary
    • Past President, Judges and Lawyers Breast Cancer Alert
    Read More

    Spotlight

    Chambers Crisis & Risk Management Ranks S&C Highly for 2025

    Read More

    Sharon Nelles named to Lawdragon’s ‘500 Global Leaders in Crisis Management’ List for 2025

    Read More

    S&C Obtains Trial Win for Rock Holdings in First Insider-Trading Claim Litigated to Trial in Delaware Chancery Court

    Read More

    Sharon Nelles, Cathy Clarkin, Steve Peikin, Dalia Blass, Jamie McDonald and Colin Lloyd to Speak at SIFMA’s C&L Seminar

    Read More

    A Spotlight on S&C’s Rising Litigators

    Read More
    litigatorsbrochure_spotlight
    • Experience
    • Rankings and Recognitions
    • News
    • Publications, Videos and Podcasts
    • Credentials
    • Related Practices
    Experience

    Experience

    Selected Civil Cases

    • Trial counsel for Rocket Companies’ majority shareholder, Rock Holdings, and their founder and Chairman in Delaware insider trading action. Obtained the first-ever victory on price impact in the Sixth Circuit after the Court denied class certification in a related securities fraud and insider trading action.
    • Lead and national coordinating counsel for Volkswagen in numerous federal and state actions, including a multidistrict litigation in San Francisco, as well as regulatory investigations, regarding allegations that its diesel vehicles emitted nitrogen oxides in excess of the limits imposed by applicable U.S. law. Advised on the $14.7 billion resolution with the DOJ, FTC and the multi-district consumer plaintiff committee. Also advised Volkswagen on its 3-liter class action and regulatory settlements; dealership settlements; and criminal and FIRREA settlements.

    • Trial Counsel for Volkswagen in achieving favorable results after a three-week bench and two-phase jury trial in federal court in San Francisco, California. Following 11 days of trial, the jury rejected bellwether consumers seeking millions of dollars in damages after opting out of the landmark consumer class action settlements arising out of Volkswagen’s sale of diesel cars that violated emissions laws.
    • Lead counsel to Moody’s Corporation in achieving a $864 million FIRREA settlement with the DOJ and 21 states regarding Moody’s financial crisis-era ratings of residential mortgage-backed securities and collateralized debt obligations, ending a multi-year government investigation.
    • Lead counsel to Moody’s Corporation and its officers and directors in consolidated shareholder class action litigation concerning the company’s rating of mortgage-backed securities. Defeated class certification in trial court and U.S. Court of Appeals and obtained full dismissal on summary judgment in parallel civil litigation. Achieved non-monetary settlement of related derivative litigation.
    • Advised JPMorgan Chase through its $13 billion settlement with the DOJ and various government entities bringing claims in the wake of the financial crisis. Served as coordinating counsel, lead counsel and/or settlement counsel to JPMorgan Chase in its defense of dozens of other litigations, including class litigation brought by, among others, investors in residential mortgage-backed securities.
    • Represented RPM International Inc. in a disclosure and accounting fraud action filed by the Securities and Exchange Commission in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia in which the Staff challenged the timing of RPM’s accrual under ASC 450 for a contingent legal liability, which concluded in favorable settlement.
    • Counsel, coordinating counsel and/or settlement counsel to Microsoft in its defense of hundreds of consumer class actions brought around the country by end-users of Microsoft software and direct purchasers of Microsoft software following the DOJ’s antitrust case United States v. Microsoft.
    • Trial counsel for Microsoft in its defense of more than a dozen consumer class actions alleging anti-trust damages and business fraud claims, including a seven-week jury trial in Minneapolis, Minnesota and a sixteen-week jury trial in Des Moines, Iowa. Both cases settled on terms favorable to Microsoft.
    • Trial counsel for Microsoft in Novell v. Microsoft, an eight-week jury trial in Salt Lake City. Successfully defended against any award in favor of hometown plaintiff Novell. Obtained post-trial judgment as a matter of law that was unanimously affirmed by the U.S. Court of Appeals.

    Selected Investigations Matters

    • Representing board of global financial institution in conducting and reporting on internal investigation involving allegations of sexual harassment and other improprieties by a senior executive.
    • Representing audit committee of public technology company in investigating and reporting on alleged financial improprieties and CIFIUS violations, including advising on public disclosures, as well as coordination with the SEC and Department of Treasury.
    • Representing a major financial services provider in joint company and audit committee investigation of cross-border violation of company sales reporting practices.
    • Representing the board of major industrial manufacturer during investigation of high-profile allegations that company was falsely certifying safety compliance to federal regulators.
    • Representing multiple financial institutions in multiyear investigations by the SEC and DOJ related to the valuation of mortgage-backed securities and subprime mortgage instruments.
    • Representing multiple corporations, including a global software provider and commercial beverage distributor, in DOJ and SEC investigations concerning books and records improprieties and “channel stuffing” allegations.
    Read More
    Rankings and Recognitions

    Rankings and Recognitions

    General Litigation

    • The American Lawyer – “Litigator of the Year” (October 2019)
    • The American Lawyer – “Litigator of the Week” (January 11, 2019, and October 30, 2014)
    • Honorable Shira A. Scheindlin Award for Excellence (2019)
    • Euromoney’s Best of the Best USA Expert Guides – “Top 30 Litigators” in the United States (2019)
    • Euromoney’s Benchmark Litigation – “Top 10 Women in Litigation” (2017–2019), “National Practice Area Star in Antitrust” (2019–2023), “Local Litigation Star in New York” (2014–2023) and “Top 250 Women in Litigation in New York” (2014–2023)

    • Euromoney’s Americas Women in Business Law Awards: Best in Litigation (2017–2019) and Financial Regulation (2014)
    • Lawdragon 500 – selected as one of “500 Leading Lawyers in America” (2019–2022; 2009–2012) and as one of “500 Leading Litigators in America” (2023–2025)
    • Crain’s – “Leading Women Lawyers in New York City” (2018)
    • Best Lawyers in America – Banking & Finance (2018–2022)
    • The National Law Journal – “Litigation Trailblazer” (November 2016)
    • New York Law Journal – “Top Women in Law” (September 2016)
    • The Legal 500 United States – Recommended Lawyer for General Commercial Disputes (2016–2018)
    • The Legal 500 United States – Recommended Lawyer for International Litigation (2018)
    • The Legal 500 United States – Recommended Lawyer for Financial Services: Litigation (2013–2017)
    • The Legal 500 United States – Recommended Lawyer for White Collar Criminal Defense (2011)
    • The Legal 500 United States – Recommended Lawyer for Antitrust Litigation (2007–2009)
    • Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business – Leading lawyer in Antitrust (2007–2010) and General Commercial (2021–2025)
    • The American Lawyer – “The Young Litigators Fab 50” – 50 litigators under 45 who are expected to be “leading the field for years to come” (January 1, 2007)

    Securities

    • Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business – Nationwide – Securities: Litigation (2014–2017) and New York – Litigation: Securities (2014–2025)
    • Best Lawyers in America – Securities (2018–2025)
    • Law360 – “25 Most Influential Women in Securities Law” (April 2016)
    • Euromoney’s Benchmark Litigation – “Top 10 Practitioners in Securities” (2017) and “National Litigation Star in Securities” (2014–2019)
    • The Legal 500 United States – Leading Lawyer for Securities Litigation (2018–2020) and Recommended Lawyer for Securities Litigation (2010–2016, 2018)
    Read More
    News

    News

    • S&C Obtains Trial Win for Rock Holdings in First Insider-Trading Claim Litigated to Trial in Delaware Chancery Court

      June 9, 2025
    • Sharon Nelles, Cathy Clarkin, Steve Peikin, Dalia Blass, Jamie McDonald and Colin Lloyd to Speak at SIFMA’s C&L Seminar

      March 17, 2025
    • S&C Prevails at Class Certification for Rock Holdings in Securities Fraud and Insider Trading Action

      October 11, 2024
    • S&C Secures Latest Victory for Volkswagen in Antitrust Litigation by Prevent Group

      July 23, 2024
    • Four S&C Partners to Speak at SIFMA’s C&L Seminar March 17 to 20

      March 17–20, 2024
    • S&C Co-Chair Robert Giuffra Jr. Speaks with Bloomberg Law about Recent Win for Volkswagen

      July 5, 2023
    Read More
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    Publications, Videos and Podcasts

    Publications, Videos and Podcasts

    • S&C Sidebar – A Conversation with Sharon Nelles and Andrew Finn

      Podcasts March 26, 2025
    • S&C Sidebar – A Conversation with Sharon Nelles and Alexander Gross

      Podcasts January 29, 2025
    • S&C Sidebar – A Conversation with Sharon Nelles and Jonathan Carter

      Podcasts January 13, 2025
    • S&C Sidebar – A Conversation with Sharon Nelles and Dustin Guzior

      Podcasts November 26, 2024
    • S&C Sidebar – A Conversation with Sharon Nelles and Lenny Traps

      Podcasts November 22, 2024
    • S&C Litigators Author Chapters in Business and Commercial Litigation in Federal Court

      Books January 18, 2021
    Read More
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    Credentials

    Credentials

    Education

    • Boston College Law School, J.D., 1993
    • New York University, M.A., 1990
    • Mount Holyoke College, A.B., 1987

    Bar Admissions

    • Massachusetts
    • New York

    Clerkships

    • The Honorable Joseph A. DiClerico, Jr., United States District Court, District of New Hampshire, 1993-1995
    Read More
    Related Practices

    Related Practices

    • Litigation
    • Antitrust
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Commodities, Futures & Derivatives
    • Congressional Investigations
    • Consumer Financial Services
    • Criminal Defense & Investigations
    • Crisis Management
    • Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
    • Financial Services
    • Financial Services Investigations & Litigation
    • International Arbitration and Global Dispute Resolution
    • Products Liability & Mass Torts
    • Securities Litigation
    • Supreme Court and Appellate
    • Transportation
    • Workplace Investigations
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