Sean Berkowitz

Sean Berkowitz, a member of the firm’s Executive Committee and former Global Chair of the Litigation & Trial Department and Complex Commercial Litigation Practice, represents clients in complex litigation and regulatory investigations. He is a nationally recognized trial lawyer who advises Fortune 500 companies and individual executives on significant litigation matters as well as on government and regulatory investigations, developing strategies to resolve matters short of litigation.

A Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers, Sean has successfully tried more than 35 cases to verdict. His representation of Gary Winemaster, former CEO of Power Solutions International, in a four-week criminal bench trial against the DOJ earned him a 2021 Impact Case Award by Benchmark Litigation. Legal 500 US recognizes Sean as a Leading Lawyer for General Commercial Disputes, and Chambers USA ranks him Band 1 in Commercial, Securities, and White Collar Crime & Government Investigations. Clients describe him as a “top flight trial lawyer” who “brings a wealth of experience” and is “impressive in both the courtroom and boardroom.” Sean was named a 2022 Law360 MVP for Trials, a 2023 Crain’s Chicago Notable Litigator & Trial Attorney, a 2024 Crain’s Chicago Business Notable Leader in Accounting, Consulting & Law, and a 2022 Lawdragon Legend. Benchmark Litigation named him a 2021-2025 Top 100 Trial Lawyer, 2022 White Collar Crime/Investigations Litigator of the Year, and 2020-2025 Litigation Star.

Before joining Latham, Sean served in several federal government positions, including as Director of the special task force investigating the Enron scandal, and lead prosecutor in the criminal case against Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling.

Updated Oct 2025

• Represented SolarWinds in a closely watched enforcement action brought by the SEC. Obtained a landmark decision largely dismissing the SEC’s case and rejecting legal theories key to the SEC’s cybersecurity enforcement agenda.
  
  
• Represented UFC in a class action of UFC fighters that alleged UFC operated as an unlawful monopsonist over a seven-year period, seeking damages of up to $1.6 billion before trebling. Hired after prior counsel failed to defeat class certification; we reached a favorable settlement with the plaintiffs a month before trial.
  
  
• Represented General Electric in a high-profile securities litigation, achieving significant victories in both New York federal court and the Second Circuit, which resulted in the dismissal of all class action complaints related to GE's substantial market capitalization decline.  Settled favorably just before trial.

• Class action
• Commercial
• Commercial disputes
• Competition/antitrust
• Dispute resolution
• Government and regulatory
• International arbitration
• Product liability and recall
• Securities
• White collar crime

• JD - Harvard Law School - 1992

• Fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers - 2011

• Illinois - 1992