Tariq Mundiya is a partner and Chair of the Litigation Department, as well as a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. His practice focuses on internal investigations, securities and corporate litigation under the federal and state securities laws, and litigation arising out of mergers and acquisitions and other corporate control transactions. He regularly appears in federal and state courts around the country in corporate and M&A litigation. He was recently profiled in The American Lawyer’s Litigation Leaders series discussing the bench strength of Willkie’s litigation team, and biggest in-court wins for the firm over the past year.
Tariq is ranked among the leading individuals practicing in the area of Securities: Litigation (New York) by Chambers USA (2020). Chambers highlights that clients have noted that he is “is a master of the litigation chess game” (2020), “has a fierce reputation, unparalleled knowledge of the securities laws and a fearsome track record, coupled with an uncompromising emphasis on victory” (2019), is “a real fighter who will pull out all the stops to get victory” (2017), a “tenacious” litigator (2018), “very, very smart” (2017), “a brilliant strategic thinker” (2016) bringing a “good combination of really expert legal analysis and really good tactics and strategy” (2015) with a “brilliant legal mind” (2015), as well as “a vital resource for any corporate board considering a corporate transaction” (2016). Chambers also reports clients as saying that he is “very strategic – he knows the rules and procedures like the back of his hands and he uses them to propel good outcomes” (2017), he "genuinely understands the sophisticated nature of international matters” (2016) and that “he’s very practical-minded and is able to read the client’s risk tolerance, needs and objectives very well” (2018). Legal 500 (2019) noted clients as saying he is: “an awesome attorney who comes up with innovative strategies to obtain the best possible results – he is not just book smart but also a master strategic thinker who exercises top-notch judgment” (Securities Litigation Defense) and “exceptional – never surprised and always fully engaged – and he has a deep bench supporting him” (M&A Litigation Defense).
In 2016, Tariq was named “Litigator of the Week” by The American Lawyer for his role in a landmark victory for client Kenneth Cole in the New York Court of Appeals, which led to application of Delaware Supreme Court precedent in “going private” transactions.
Tariq has worked on some of the most high-profile transactions, M&A litigation and securities class actions in recent years, including representing hedge fund Third Point in its proxy contest and related litigation against the board of Campbell’s Soup (2018) and Sotheby’s (2014); Men’s Wearhouse in its acquisition of, and litigation against, Joseph A. Bank (2014); and the Special Committee of MFW in the 2014 landmark decision by the Delaware Supreme Court concerning the duties of directors in going private transactions involving controlling stockholders, which was adopted by New York’s highest court in 2016 in the Kenneth Cole case. Tariq is currently lead defense counsel in securities class action litigation arising out of a decrease in the price of shares of Clovis Oncology Inc. upon Clovis’s announcement of FDA developments.
Tariq has an active hedge fund and registered funds practice. He regularly represents hedge funds, funds of funds and mutual funds in proxy contests, litigation, investigations and SEC proceedings.
Tariq’s broad international and educational background gives him a unique practice area perspective, particularly with respect to his involvement with concurrent and parallel litigation in the courts of the United States and other jurisdictions around the world to secure effective results for international clients.
Tariq speaks some Japanese and several other South East Asian languages.