LAWYER PROFILE
Victor Hou

Victor Hou

USA 2026

Chambers ranking badge
Chambers ranking badge

Ranked in 2 practice areas

About

Provided by Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP

Practice Areas

Victor L. Hou is a trial lawyer who represents companies and individuals in high stakes litigation, including cross-border investigations and parallel civil litigation, white-collar criminal defense, securities and derivative litigation, corporate governance, and general commercial litigation.

Victor represents numerous global investment banks, financial institutions and multinational corporations, and senior executives in securities, antitrust and other complex litigation, as well as in criminal and regulatory matters involving the Department of Justice, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority and state attorney general’s offices. He also regularly advises Boards of Directors on matters relating to corporate governance.

He has been teaching securities litigation at Columbia Law School since 2021.

Career

Joined firm (2007); Assistant U.S. Attorney, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Southern District of NY (2001-2007); Teaching Fellow at Harvard University (1999); Cravath Swaine & Moore (1997-2001); J.D., New York University School of Law (1997); A.B., cum laude, Georgetown University (1992).

Professional Memberships

New York Bar, U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. District Court, Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, Eastern District of Michigan, and U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second, Third and Ninth Circuits. Member, Board of Advisors of the Institute of Judicial Administration, NYU School of Law, Member, New York Council of Defense Lawyers.

Chambers Review

Provided by Chambers

Chambers Guide to the USA

Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations - New York

Band 1
Band 1

Individual Editorial

Victor Hou handles a range of sophisticated white-collar defense mandates, regularly assisting large clients facing DOJ and SEC investigations and allegations of misconduct. He is coleader of the firm's Americas litigation group.

Litigation: Securities - New York

Band 5
Band 5

Individual Editorial

Victor Hou is coleader of Cleary Gottlieb’s Americas litigation group. His practice is characterized by his adept handling of securities class actions, as well as shareholder derivative litigation.

Strengths

Provided by Chambers

  • Victor is a spectacular lawyer and a remarkable strategist.

    Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government InvestigationsChambers Guide to the USA
  • Victor is just uniquely talented in his ability to come up with creative solutions and to communicate those effectively.

    Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government InvestigationsChambers Guide to the USA
  • He is one of the finest white-collar lawyers that there is.

    Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government InvestigationsChambers Guide to the USA
  • Victor is an outstanding advocate.

    Litigation: SecuritiesChambers Guide to the USA
  • Victor understands that we are in the business of commercial relationships and is very good at helping us frame issues and come up with creative arguments. He is also very strategic.

    Litigation: SecuritiesChambers Guide to the USA
  • Victor brings tremendous experience to the table and he has been instrumental in guiding the company's strategy.

    Litigation: SecuritiesChambers Guide to the USA

Ranked Individuals at Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP (119)

California

California: Northern

California: San Francisco, Silicon Valley & Surrou

District of Columbia

New York

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