Michael Swartz

Practice Areas

Michael Swartz is a Partner in Quinn Emanuel's New York office. He is an experienced litigator specializing in complex commercial litigation as it relates to corporate control disputes. Michael's practice focuses on shareholder activist litigation, investment fund disputes, M&A litigation, and securities litigation, including class actions.

Michael prevailed in the landmark Politan Capital Management case against Masimo Corporation. As a leading trade publication reported, Masimo prevailing would have meant the “complete eradication of shareholder activism as we know it.” Michael has represented clients in the largest proxy contests in U.S. history, including Trian Partners in its proxy contest at Proctor & Gamble and Engine No. 1 in its proxy contest at ExxonMobil. He has litigated all stages of the shareholder activism process, including shareholder nomination notices, books and records demands, advance notice bylaws, pre-vote entrenchment tactics, re-opening nomination windows, universal proxy issues, vote challenges, obtaining recognition of election results and challenges to cooperation agreements.

Michael frequently represents investment managers and investors in investment fund disputes. He obtained a precedent-setting arbitration victory for a leading investment fund which derivatively recovered more than $1.5 billion in value in the cryptocurrency and digital asset investment space.

Michael’s trial experience includes securing a complete defense verdict in a four-month securities class action jury trial, and he has established significant precedent in investment fund litigation. In addition, Michael has represented several boards and companies in M&A-and proxy-related litigation and is renowned for his experience in actions brought in Delaware.

Chambers USA, The Legal 500 US. Benchmark Litigation, Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America, and New York Super Lawyers recognize Michael’s achievements on behalf of his clients. In Chambers USA, a client describes Michael as “extremely commercial, user-friendly and a sharp advocate. He is pragmatic and focused on what the client's objectives are." Another client said he "fully trust[s] his knowledge, skill and intuitiveness and his high ability to understand complex factual situations and apply them to the legal issues at hand."

Michael is a prominent and sought-after thought leader on commercial and securities litigation and shareholder activism matters, regularly publishing articles and speaking about emerging trends and important developments affecting his clients.

Michael serves as Co-Chair of the Board of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, one of the foremost civil rights organizations in the United States.

Personal

Columbia Law School, J.D., 1990

University of California, Los Angeles, B.A., magna cum laude, 1987