Stephen Shackelford

Career

After finishing first in his class at Harvard Law School and clerking for Justice Stephen Breyer on the U.S. Supreme Court, Shackelford knew he wanted to pursue a career as a stand-up trial lawyer. Litigation is his specialty—taking on and winning complex, high-stakes cases on both sides of the “v” across many different practice areas: business disputes (including breach of contract), torts (including breach of fiduciary duty, securities fraud and other fraud, RICO, tortious interference with contract, and defamation and libel), the False Claims Act, intellectual property (including patents, trade secrets and trademarks), insurance coverage disputes, and class actions.

In 2012, a year after Shackelford became a Susman Godfrey partner, he was hired to serve as Special Counsel to the General Counsel at the General Electric Company. Shackelford’s three-year stint working at one of the world’s greatest in-house legal departments yielded an invaluable education on what the most sophisticated and discerning clients look for in outside counsel. This experience dovetailed with Shackelford’s pre-law school career as an entrepreneur, providing Shackelford with a unique perspective on business and its relationship with the law, and directly impacting his effectiveness in the courtroom.

Effective Approach

Shackelford is a savvy litigator, strategic trial lawyer and relentless advocate for his clients. Clients, colleagues, and even adversaries appreciate his attention to detail, rigorous analytical skills, and ability to identify and focus on what is critical to achieving a case’s core objectives. In Chambers 2025 rankings, Shackelford is described by one client as, “a lawyer of high integrity,” and “deeply detail oriented and grounded in reality, yet inspirational in his conviction and efforts.” Shackelford proves time and again that he can adapt to curveballs, overcome challenges, and exploit opportunities.

Shackelford runs his cases with an emphasis on three key principles:

Efficiency – Shackelford focuses on what is outcome determinative and does not waste time on sideshows, especially in discovery.

Transparency – Shackelford will always give candid advice, even when it may not be the advice the client wants to hear.

Flexibility – Shackelford is not deterred when an unexpected issue arises. As one of his long-time mentors often says, when something bad happens, do not run from it, but “embrace it and reframe it.” Figure out a way to turn the bad into the good.

Work Highlights

US Dominion Inc. et al. v. Fox News Network LLC. Secured a historic $787.5 million settlement to resolve client Dominion Voting System’s defamation lawsuit against Fox News Network and Fox Corporation, just before jury trial was to commence in Delaware Superior Court. Susman Godfrey is prosecuting similar defamation claims on behalf of Dominion against Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, Mike Lindell, Patrick Byrne, One America News Network (OAN) and Newsmax TV.

GE v. Nebraska Investment Finance Authority (NIFA). Won a jury verdict from which General Electric received relief valued at over $100 million in a dispute with the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority over an investment contract involving payments at substantially above-market interest rates. Successfully argued the verdict on appeal before the Second Circuit. See GE Funding Capital Markets Services, Inc. v. Nebraska Investment Finance Authority, 767 Fed. App’x 110 (2d Cir. 2019).

R2 Investments, LDC v. Quorum Health Corporation, et al. Secured favorable settlements in a securities fraud case against two sets of defendants on behalf of R2, an investment fund affiliated with the private investment firm Q Investments.

Sabre, Inc. v. The Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania et al. Hired months before trial to represent the worldwide travel technology leader in a $100 million insurance coverage dispute. Successfully settled the case on the eve of trial.

United States ex rel. Lutz et al. v. Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings. Secured $19 million settlement with Laboratory Corp. of America on behalf of two whistleblower clients. In this False Claims Act case, our clients alleged that the lab testing giant was part of a conspiracy to pay kickbacks to doctors, in order to induce the doctors to order blood tests from two other companies.

Dov Seidman and LRN Corporation v. Chobani, LLC and Droga5, LLC. Represented LRN and its founder, Dov Seidman, in a lawsuit against William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, LLC, Droga5, LLC, and Chobani LLC, asserting claims related to Mr. Seidman’s and LRN’s “How” philosophy and platform and the “How Matters” campaign that advertising agency Droga5 created for Chobani in 2013, which launched in 2014 and concluded in 2015. Secured a favorable settlement for Seidman and LRN on the eve of trial. Chobani withdrew its application for a trademark for “How Matters.”

Bank of New York Mellon solely as Trustee for GE-WMC Mortgage Securities Trust 2006-1 v. WMC Mortgage, LLC and GE Mortgage Holding, L.L.C. Defended GE Mortgage Holding in a subprime lending lawsuit where the plaintiff claimed nearly $1 billion in damages. Co-wrote key pretrial motions that the judge granted, which decimated the plaintiff’s damages case and led to a confidential settlement a week before trial.

Bacon v. Nygard. Represents hedge fund founder, Louis Bacon, in ongoing defamation lawsuit against Canadian fashion mogul Peter Nygard, seeking to make Nygard pay for the massive “smear campaign” he orchestrated against Mr. Bacon. In addition to the main case pending in New York state court, represented Mr. Bacon in a series of other satellite litigation brought by Nygard or Nygard proxies.

Swiss Re v. GE. Represented GE in a lawsuit in New York state court concerning a highly complex dispute over a tax indemnification agreement signed as part of Swiss Re’s $6.8 billion purchase of GE’s reinsurance business in 2005.