With its headquarters in Chicago, Barack Ferrazzano
leverages deep bench strength in complex litigation spanning commercial real estate, antitrust, intellectual property, and class actions.
Scott Porterfield
and Robert Shapiro are leading the firm’s representation of Hawkeye Investment Partners and its managing partner in a high-stakes dispute against Meta Platforms over lease guarantees tied to three industrial buildings in Altoona, Iowa. The case, which turns
on Meta’s attempt to withdraw from financial obligations after the facilities were built, raises broader questions about how corporate guarantees are treated in commercial real estate transactions.
Owen Smith
has been a standout in antitrust litigation, securing a Second Circuit victory for Louis Vuitton USA and Loro Piana in a closely watched class action alleging no-hire agreements in the luxury retail sector. The ruling, which affirmed the dismissal of claims under both statute of limitations and substantive antitrust grounds, provides an important precedent for labor-related antitrust matters and clarifies the application of the ‘continuing violation’ doctrine. Maile Hitomi Solis, co-chair of
the firm’s litigation
group, balances leadership in firm governance with victories for global luxury brands. She has successfully defended Christian Dior in a BIPA class action, helped resolve high-profile litigation between Cartier/Richemont and Tiffany & Co., and obtained key wins in the Louis Vuitton and Loro Piana antitrust case.
Roger Stetson recently co-led litigation for BCORE against tenant Qorvo over a multimillion-dollar lease restoration dispute involving a partially abandoned semiconductor facility in North Carolina. The matter was significant for its reliance on claims under North Carolina’s centuries-old waste statute, which carries the possibility of treble damages, before ultimately
resolving in a confidential settlement.
Matthew Bills
serves as co-counsel
in
Qu v. LSV Asset Management, a pending Cook County case in which former employees allege fraudulent misrepresentation, breach of fiduciary duty, and related claims tied to a disputed $100 million equity transaction.
