Lawyers

Akash M. Toprani is a special counsel in Sullivan & Cromwell’s Litigation Group. His practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, class action defense, government investigations and arbitrations, in a broad array of practice areas, including antitrust, commodities, securities, products liability, consumer protection and M&A disputes. Mr. Toprani has a breadth of experience representing clients in diverse industries at all levels of federal and New York state courts, from pre-complaint negotiations and motions to dismiss all the way through trials and appeals. Mr. Toprani was named by The Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch for Appellate Practice (2023).

Mr. Toprani also maintains an extensive pro bono practice, concentrated in criminal defense, prisoner’s rights litigation and asylum. Among other representations, Mr. Toprani serves as court-appointed class counsel representing detainees in the Broward County, Florida jail system, in connection with the detainees’ protections from COVID infection.

SELECTED REPRESENTATIONS

• JPMorgan Chase & Co., in complex commodities fraud actions related to alleged manipulation of U.S. Treasury and precious metals derivatives
• A multinational life sciences company, in a confidential ICC international arbitration relating to a dispute over financial representations in an M&A transaction
• Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, in a multi-district class action related to the Takata airbag scandal, the largest automotive recall in American history
• Revlon, Inc., in a securities fraud class action related to alleged non-disclosure of manufacturing issues
• A senior financial services executive, in a money-laundering investigation conducted by various government entities, including the Department of Justice, Department of Treasury, Office of the Comptroller of Currency and Manhattan District Attorney’s Office
• A global consumer products company, in an investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission relating to public financial disclosures
• Dolby Laboratories Inc., in an amicus brief filed with the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, relating to the interpretation of “FRAND” terms in licensing agreements
• Institute of International Bankers, in amicus briefs filed with the Supreme Court of the United States and the Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit on the extraterritorial application of U.S. law
• BP plc, in a securities fraud class action appeal before the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit related to disclosures about an oil spill in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska
• Barclays Bank plc, in multi-district class actions, individual actions and government investigations related to alleged manipulation of the “IBOR” financial benchmarks
• Nomura Holding America, Inc. and Affiliates in securities litigation concerning the sale of residential mortgage-backed securities