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Antonio Yanez, Jr. is a partner in the Litigation Department, Co-Chair of the Securities Litigation Practice Group and Co-Chair of the Accounting Litigation & Enforcement Practice Group. He concentrates on securities and financial reporting matters, mergers and acquisitions litigation, and arbitration.

Tony’s practice includes representation of issuers, accounting firms, private equity firms, and others in securities class actions, M&A cases, SEC proceedings, and other litigation and regulatory matters. He has extensive experience conducting internal and independent investigations of financial reporting, accounting, and related issues. He also has experience in deal-related and commercial arbitration.

Tony has particular experience in matters with an international dimension, having handled matters in North America, South America, Europe, and Asia. He speaks fluent Spanish.

Tony is ranked among the leading individuals practicing in the area of Litigation: Securities in New York by Chambers USA (2010-2022). He was also named a Litigation Star by Benchmark Litigation (2022-23).

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Experience

Tony’s publications include:

  • "Delaware Chancery Court Holds Forum Selection Bylaws Are Facially Valid," PLI Course Handbook for the Eleventh Annual Directors' Institute on Corporate Governance
  • "Only In Our House," VC Experts
  • "Back to Basic: Proof Of Materiality Not Needed To Trigger The Fraud-On-The-Market Presumption Of Reliance," Metropolitan Corporate Counsel
  • "Supreme Court Further Clarifies Class Certification Standards For Securities Fraud Actions," Ford. Corp. L. Forum
  • "Delaware Forum Selection Bylaws Under Attack," VC Experts
  • "Supreme Court Reaffirms "Total Mix" Standard For Assessing Materiality In Federal Securities Actions," Willkie Client Memo
  • The Financial Reporting Handbook (Aspen, updated quarterly) (Executive Editor)
  • "Fair Value Accounting & Litigation: The Next Wave of Valuation Risk," Business Valuation Update
  • "Second Circuit Keeps Bar High on Pleadings Standards, Affirms Dismissal of Enron Case Against JP Morgan Chase," Securities Litigation Report
  • "Fair Value Roundtable," speech reprinted in Journal of Accountancy
  • "Civil Liability Under the Securities Act of 1933," in Sommer, Federal Securities Act of 1993 (Matthew Bender) (co-author)
  • "Attorney Liability Under the 1934 Act," in Sommer, Federal Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Matthew Bender)
  • 'Materiality and Misstatements in Financials: A New SEC Attack Against 'Earnings Management,'" 7 Panel Counsel Forum 1 (co-author)
  • "SEC Warns Companies and Auditors about Materiality Assessments and Misstatements in Financial Statements," 7 Metropolitan Corporate Counsel 11 (co-author)

Tony’s speaking engagements have included:

  • Securities Litigation: Recent Trends Impacting Class Certification, New York City Bar
  • Fair Value Accounting and Litigation, BVR Fair Value Accounting Summit (New York, New York)
  • Prosecuting and Defending Securities Class Actions, The Association of the Bar of the City of New York (New York, New York)
  • Fair Value Accounting: A Litigator’s Perspective, Directors Roundtable, (New York, New York)
  • Audit Committees: The Changing Environment, ALI-ABA (Washington, D.C.)
  • Financial Fraud, XIII National Congress of Accountants, (Panama City, Panama)
  • Financial Fraud and Accounting Irregularities, College of Certified Public Accountants (Panama City, Panama)
  • The Origins of Financial Fraud, Mealey’s "Changing Face of D&O and E&O Conference" (New Jersey)

Litigation

  • Puerto Rico Restructuring (D.P.R.) – Lead trial counsel for COFINA Agent in $20 billion COFINA-Commonwealth case relating to bonds secured by Puerto Rico sales and use taxes.
  • GSP Finance v. KPMG LLP (N.Y. Sup.) – Secured jury verdict for accounting firm in case arising out of alleged misrepresentations in sports team financial statements.
  • Pena v. iBio (D. Del.) – Representing biotechnology company and its officers in securities class action and derivative litigation arising out of Ebola outbreak.
  • Ho v. Duoyuan Global Water (S.D.N.Y.) – Representing international accounting organization in securities class action relating to failure of Chinese water company.
  • In re General Electric Co. Securities Litigation (S.D.N.Y.) Representing underwriters of $12 billion General Electric securities offering in securities class action arising out of financial crisis.
  • In re American International Group, Inc. Securities and Derivative Litigations (S.D.N.Y.) Representing senior official in class action and derivative litigation arising out of events leading up to government rescue of AIG.
  • In re C&D Technologies, Inc. Shareholder Litigation (Del. Ch.) – Representing target in shareholder litigation arising out of going private transaction.
  • In re Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. Securities, Derivative and ERISA Litigation (S.D.N.Y.) – Representing senior official in securities and derivative litigation arising out of financial crisis.
  • In re Ambac Financial Group, Inc. Securities Litigation (S.D.N.Y) – Representing Big 4 accounting firm in securities class action arising out of writedowns related to securitization products.
  • In re Kenneth Cole Productions, Inc. Shareholder Litigation (Del. Ch.) – Representing acquirer in litigation arising out of going private transaction.
  • In re The Bear Stearns Companies Inc. Securities, Derivative, and ERISA Litigation (S.D.N.Y.) – Representing senior official in class action and derivative litigation arising out of writedowns of subprime-related financial instruments and events leading to acquisition by JPMorgan.
  • In re J.Crew Group, Inc. Shareholders Litigation (Del. Ch., N.Y. Sup.) – Representing member of acquirer group in litigation arising out of going private transaction.
  • Moksal v. LaBranche (N.Y. Sup.) – Representing acquirer in litigation arising out of merger of financial services firms.
  • In re Molson Coors Brewing Co. Securities Litigation (D. Del.) – Representing company, officers, and directors in international securities class actions arising out of merger.
  • In re WorldCom, Inc. Securities Litigation (S.D.N.Y.) – Representing certain underwriters in negotiations to settle securities class action arising out of accounting improprieties at WorldCom.
  • In re Edison Schools, Inc., Securities Litigation (S.D.N.Y.) – Representing Big 4 accounting firm in securities class action arising out of alleged improper accounting at Edison Schools, Inc.
  • In re Elan Corporation Securities Litigation (S.D.N.Y.) – Representing foreign accounting firm in international securities class action arising out of alleged accounting improprieties at Elan Corporation.
  • In re Oxford Health Plans, Inc., Securities Litigation (S.D.N.Y.) – Representing Big 4 accounting firm in securities class action arising out of alleged accounting improprieties at Oxford Health Plans, Inc.
  • In re Twinlab Corp. Securities Litigation (E.D.N.Y.) – Representing company, officers, and directors in securities class action arising out of alleged accounting improprieties at a nutrition company.
  • State of Wisconsin Investment Board v. Ruttenberg (N.D. Ala.) – Representing Big 4 accounting firm in securities class action arising out of alleged discovery of accounting improprieties at Just For Feet, Inc.

SEC Enforcement

  • Representing asset manager in investigation relating to private equity investments.
  • Representing private equity firm in investigation relating to disclosure and related issues.
  • Representing private equity firm in investigation relating to expense allocation and related issues.
  • Representing senior official of major financial institution in investigation arising out of financial crisis.
  • Representing Big 4 accounting firm in investigation arising out of alleged accounting improprieties at franchising company.
  • Representing foreign accounting firm in investigation arising out of restatement of human resources company financial statements.
  • Representing senior official of major financial services company in investigation arising out of financial crisis.
  • Representing telecommunications company in investigation arising out of whistleblower complaint.
  • Representing Big 4 auditor in investigation arising out of restatement of financial institution financial statements.
  • Representing foreign accounting firm in investigation arising out of restatement of pharmaceutical company financial statements.
  • Representing Big 4 accounting firm in investigation arising out of restatement of industrial products company financial statements.
  • Representing audit committee members in investigation arising out of alleged accounting improprieties at sporting products company.

Internal Investigations

  • Representing board of major international bank in internal investigation of high-profile fraud at Mexican unit.
  • Conducting internal investigation for international bank relating to European asset management operations.
  • Conducting internal investigation for offshore insurance and reinsurance company related to allegations of accounting improprieties.
  • Conducting internal investigation in South America for major telecommunications company relating to potential FCPA violations.
  • Conducting investigation in Asia for audit committee of major computer company relating to potential accounting improprieties.
  • Conducting internal investigation for major accounting firm relating to audits of multiple companies.
  • Conducting internal investigation for board of gaming company relating to South American operations.

Credentials

Education


Brooklyn Law School, J.D., 1996 Vassar College, B.A., 1992

Bar Admissions


New York, 1997

Court Admissions


United States Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit, 2002 United States District Court, Eastern District of New York, 1999 United States District Court, Southern District of New York, 1999