Peter M. Wade is a litigation Of Counsel in Gibson Dunn’s Washington, D.C. office. He is a member of the firm’s Securities Litigation and Law Firm Defense Practice Groups, and focuses on complex commercial and business litigation, including breach of contract actions, law firm defense matters, fraud claims, M&A litigation and fiduciary duty claims, and related shareholder class and derivative actions. Peter has had significant experience representing clients in a wide range of industries in state and federal courts and at both the trial and appellate levels, as well as arbitration. He also serves on Gibson Dunn’s New York Community Affairs and Hiring Committees.
Peter’s representative matters include:
- Securing a complete defense verdict, following a bench trial in the Southern District of New York, for global investment adviser Investcorp in a $250 million negligent misrepresentation suit brought by hedge fund Kortright Partners.
- Defeating a preliminary injunction sought by Bay Capital Finance against Barnes & Noble Education and its board, challenging BNED’s refusal to recognize a slate of director nominees for its 2019 annual shareholder meeting. Subsequently obtained summary judgment and a significant fee shifting award, which were affirmed on appeal by the Delaware Supreme Court.
- Obtaining a rare reversal of a denial of summary judgment from the New York Appellate Division, on behalf of Trust Company of the West, on grounds the plaintiff hedge fund failed to establish loss causation in a case where TCW was the collateral manager for a large portfolio of mortgage-backed securities that failed to perform in the wake of the global financial crisis. TCW successfully argued the financial crisis caused the loss, not TCW’s management.
- Obtaining dismissal of misappropriation of trade secrets and breach of confidentiality claims seeking over a billion dollars in damages against American General in the Southern District of New York.
- Obtaining dismissal of a purported nationwide multi-year RICO class action against several affiliates of an international insurer alleging misuse of brokerage fees with respect to structured settlements, as well as affirmance of the dismissal by the First Circuit Court of Appeals.
- Obtaining a trial verdict for Susquehanna Growth Equity, LLC, SIG Growth Equity Fund I, LLLP, and two senior executives on fraud-based claims relating to the sale of an e-commerce company to Great Hill Equity Partners.
- Obtaining dismissal of a putative class action challenging Carvana’s capital structure in the Delaware Court of Chancery.
- Representing major international law firm in dispute with former partner, obtaining orders compelling arbitration and confirming arbitration awards and affirmance of same by the New York Appellate Division.
- Representing a major computer software company in connection with a purported stockholder class action arising from a public company merger, as well as a related statutory appraisal trial in the Delaware Court of Chancery.
- Representing a leading pharmaceutical company and its Board in derivative action challenging company’s tax disclosures, securing dismissal at the pleading stage and an affirmance on appeal by New Jersey Appellate Division.
- Representing a major computer software company in connection with a purported stockholder class action arising from a public company merger.
- Representing board of major pharmaceutical company in connection with independent investigation in response to multiple shareholder demands.
Peter received his Juris Doctor in 2012 from Columbia Law School, where he was named both a James Kent Scholar and a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. He received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Virginia in 2005.
Peter is admitted to practice law in the State of New York, as well as in the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit.
Capabilities
Credentials
Education:
- Columbia University - 2012 Juris Doctor
- University of Virginia - 2005 Bachelor of Arts
Admissions:
- District of Columbia Bar
- New York Bar