Domenic Cervoni

Domenic draws on in-house experience at a global financial services organization to litigate complex financial disputes with a keen understanding of both the legal strategy and business stakes for his clients. He understands that clients value collaborative and strategic outside counsel who proactively look beyond the legal issues to help clients achieve their business objectives while mitigating legal, regulatory, and reputational risk.

Complex financial litigation is central to Domenic’s practice. He represents financial service companies, global, domestic, and regional banks, broker-dealers, corporate trustees, fintech, and digital asset companies in pre-dispute and litigation matters in state and federal courts, with a focus on complex financial product disputes, structured finance litigation, and fintech and digital banking matters, including class action claims. Domenic also represents financial institutions in investigations by the SEC, DOJ, CFTC, and state attorneys general, and works closely with colleagues in cybersecurity, data breach response, bank regulatory, and jurisdiction-specific practices to provide integrated legal support across all of his matters.

Domenic is passionate about mental health and well-being in the legal profession and is a frequent speaker and writer on these topics. He is also committed to mentoring the next generation of lawyers and is active in firm and industry initiatives focused on professional development.

Complex Financial Products

• Defend one of Europe’s largest banks in connection with complex structured finance litigation matters seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in damages.
• Defend large U.S. bank in connection with complex commercial mortgage-backed securitization (CMBS) litigation seeking millions of dollars in damages and declaratory relief.
• Develop successful strategy for resolution of complex RMBS litigation matters on behalf of RMBS trustees and other deal parties.
• Defend Japanese bank in connection with consumer class action complaints regarding newly formed U.S. digital banking business as well as commercial customer disputes.
• Represented one of the world’s oldest banks in seeking court approval of $8.5 billion settlement of complex structured products claims.

Fintech and Digital Assets

• Provide general corporate advice and handle various disputes and litigation matters for industry leading global fintech company.
• Represent public crypto company in connection with various disputes and litigation matters, including in defense of class action data breach allegations.

Investigations and Regulatory Enforcement

• Represented top global banks under SEC, DOJ, and state attorneys general investigations; negotiated scope of subpoenas; acted as the day-to-day contact with opposing counsel and clients.
• Defended large financial institution under SEC and CFTC investigations, and in related civil actions for preferential and fraudulent transfers and equitable subordination; and
• Represent former broker-dealer employee in connection with FINRA testimony.

In-House Counsel

• Advised senior executives and internal stakeholders regarding legal, reputational, and regulatory risk strategy.
• Team lead for arbitrations, mediations, and settlement negotiations that favorably resolved financial crisis litigation matters.
• Proactively managed dozens of complex litigation matters in collaboration with different stakeholders, functions, and business lines across various global regions, including global banking, capital markets, and the broker-dealer.
• Advised retail banking and wealth management business and regulatory compliance in responding to customer complaints and regulatory inquiries, including FINRA exams.
• Created and implemented procedures for responding to high risk regulatory and government inquiries.
• Advised legal operations team in the selection of external service providers and negotiation of vendor agreements.
• Collaborated with data privacy and e-discovery teams in the creation and execution of legal hold and data retention processes.