Demian Ordway represents clients in an array of complex commercial matters, from large Fortune 100 companies to up-and-coming startups. He has, for example, long defended Visa against challenges to the network rules at the heart of its system in multi-district class action antitrust litigation filed on behalf of merchants, as well as in opt-out cases brought by the world’s largest retailers. He is also lead counsel for EDO, Inc., a breakthrough newcomer to the media analytics industry, in a major trade secret and breach of contract dispute in both the Central District of California and the Superior Court of Delaware, as well as counsel for Zunum Aero, Inc. in another major trade secret dispute with The Boeing Company in the Western District of Washington.
Demian’s past representations have run the gamut. He has defended Visa in significant commercial disputes, including actions brought by Kroger, the nation’s largest grocer, and Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, both of which he helped Visa settle on favorable terms. In other antitrust work, Demian recently represented Valassis Communications, Inc., a MacAndrews & Forbes company, as plaintiff in a jury trial in the Southern District of New York involving a massive antitrust claim against News Corp. and its subsidiaries. The case settled confidentially during jury deliberations. He has also acted as lead counsel for Collineo Asset Management, a German asset manager, from claims alleging hundreds of millions of dollars in losses due to failed collateralized debt obligations, and defended Cowen Inc., an investment bank and financial services company, against copyright infringement claims alleging, again, hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. Demian helped Collineo and Cowen favorably settle both of those actions, and in his representation of Cowen, he did so after successfully obtaining dismissal of most of plaintiff’s case on summary judgment.
Demian has also given back to the community, handling pro bono matters on issues of personal importance to him, representing clients and working with such organizations as the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, American Diabetes Association, National Women’s Law Center, Center for Reproductive Rights, and the Brennan Center for Justice. Most recently he was co-lead counsel with the NAACP Legal Defense Fund in a bench trial prosecuting claims under Section 2 of the Voting Rights against the State of Arkansas. As Holwell Shuster & Goldberg’s chief technology officer, Demian handles all decisions regarding the firm’s IT systems, including technology purchases, staffing, and vendor negotiations. He has been recognized by Benchmark Litigation since 2017.
Prior to joining HSG, Demian was a litigation associate at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP and clerked for Judge Richard J. Holwell in the Southern District of New York and Judge M. Blane Michael in the Fourth Circuit.
Key Practice Areas:
- Antitrust
- Banking & Financial Services
- Business & Commercial
- Securities
Year Joined Firm: 2012
Education/Alumni:
- New York University School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude)
- Columbia University (M.A.)
- Harvard University (A.B., cum laude)
Updated Aug 2023
