David Salant is a partner in the New York office of Gibson Dunn. His practice focuses on complex business litigation, securities litigation, and trials. David has significant experience bringing and defending lawsuits in courts across the country, including as lead trial counsel.
Complex Business Litigation. David represents public and private companies in disputes over key strategic transactions, including domestic and cross-border mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, investment agreements, and claims of anticompetitive conduct. He has experience waging legal battles over multiple jurisdictions and involving transnational legal issues. He has also helped companies and individuals to recoup investments in start-up companies that had been procured by fraud.
Securities Litigation. David has litigated U.S. securities law disputes on behalf of issuers, underwriters, investment companies, securities exchanges, and financial professionals, including questions of adequate securities registration, alleged material misrepresentations, putative securities class actions, beneficial ownership reporting, control person liability, de-listing disputes, and short-swing profits. He has worked with investigating regulators at the SEC, FINRA, and national securities exchanges to forestall contemplated enforcement actions.
Trials. David has taken first-chair roles in a wide variety of civil and criminal trials and out-of-court proceedings. He has led jury selection, questioned many witnesses before judges and juries, and delivered opening and closing statements in a federal jury trial.
Pro Bono. David maintains an active pro bono practice focused on lawsuits to redress violations of detainees’ constitutional rights. He has presented civil rights claims to a federal jury and obtained favorable pre-trial settlement of excessive force allegations.
Education
David received his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Harvard Law School, and his Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, from Columbia University.
Prior Professional Experience
Prior to law school, David worked in the Equity Derivatives Group on the equity trading floor of J.P. Morgan Chase & Co.
Following law school, he served as a law clerk to the Honorable Naomi Reice Buchwald of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Representative Matters
- Represented The Nasdaq Stock Market in securing complete dismissal on summary judgment of putative securities class action concerning high-frequency trading.
- Represented Rio Tinto Group in securities enforcement action and parallel putative securities class action concerning multi-billion-dollar investment in Mozambique.
- Represented Piedmont Lithium in obtaining complete dismissal of putative securities class action and related shareholder derivative suits concerning lithium project.
- Representing Amazon.com in lawsuit concerning apartment building access technology.
- Represented investment firm in fully recouping from startup company investment procured by fraud.
- Represented former CEO of publicly traded technology company in eight-week securities and wire fraud trial.
- Represented former pharmaceutical company executive in forestalling criminal charges threatened by federal authorities.
- Lead trial counsel to plaintiff in federal civil rights action concerning excessive force allegations.
Capabilities
- Litigation
- Crisis Management
- Securities Enforcement
- Securities Litigation
- Transnational Litigation
- Trials
- White Collar Defense and Investigations
Credentials
Education:
- Harvard University - 2015 Juris Doctor
- Columbia University - 2010 Bachelor of Arts
Admissions:
- New York Bar
Clerkships:
- USDC, Southern District of New York, Hon. Naomi Reice Buchwald, 2015 - 2016