Avi Israeli

Avi Israeli represents corporate, financial, and individual clients in complex commercial disputes concerning contracts, securities, financial instruments, business torts, intellectual property and bankruptcy in federal and state court litigation and arbitrations.

With a focus on securities-related disputes and large-scale litigation, Avi has played a prominent role in several of the firm’s notable engagements. Avi currently represents, among others, HSBC in cases that seek to recoup billions of dollars in losses resulting from the residential mortgage crisis, a Facebook co-founder in numerous actions related to a dispute with an investment advisor and various individuals arising out of investments in Facebook stock, and the government-owned investment fund AIMCo, and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as securities intermediary, in a series of cases against life insurers concerning improper Cost of Insurance rate increases, where hundreds of millions of dollars are at stake. He also recently served as lead trial counsel representing former directors of the now bankrupt Liquid Holdings Group and secured dismissals of a securities fraud class action and an adversary proceeding that asserted claims against the directors for breach of fiduciary duties. 

Avi has been recognized as a Future Star by Benchmark Litigation and was named to Benchmark’s first-ever Under 40 Hot List in 2016, which recognizes partners 40 or younger who are emerging leaders within their firms. Avi has made the list ever since, has been named a Rising Star by New York Metro Super Lawyers since 2014, and has been recognized as a Super Lawyer since 2016. Most recently, he was named to the first-ever Euromoney Legal Media Group Rising Stars shortlist in the Best in Litigation: Securities category.

Before joining Holwell Shuster & Goldberg, Avi was a litigation associate at Jones Day and at Kasowitz, Benson, Torres & Friedman, and clerked for the Honorable Marcia G. Cooke of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, where he participated in the celebrated Jose Padilla trial.

An avid musician, Avi has performed at iconic New York venues including Webster Hall, Le Poisson Rouge, and the Canal Room. He also ran and hosted Hip Hop Karaoke Miami, an offshoot of the popular New York competition showcased in various media outlets including Spin Magazine.

Noteworthy

• Recognized as a 2024 Super Lawyer by New York Metro Super Lawyers
• Recognized on Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Litigators in America List
• Recognized by New York Super Lawyers as being among the top 5% of business litigators in New York
• Named to Benchmark Litigation's first-ever Under 40 Hot List

Notable Cases

• The government-owned investment fund AIMCo, and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., as securities intermediary, in a series of cases against life insurers arising out of improper Cost of Insurance rate increases on certain groups of universal life insurance policies.
• Numerous directors of the now bankrupt Liquid Holdings Group in obtaining dismissal of all claims in a securities fraud class action and an adversary proceeding brought by the bankruptcy trustee.
• HSBC and other bank trustees in actions involving asset-backed securities, each with hundreds of millions of dollars at issue, arising out of the 2008 financial crisis. 
• Facebook co-founder Eduardo Saverin’s Progresso Ventures in obtaining a string of victories and grants of summary judgment in actions related to a dispute with an investment advisor and various guarantors arising out of investments in Facebook stock and securities.
• Camulos Capital, a U.S. hedge fund, in a variety of disputes, including those with a German gun manufacturer over a €100 million PIK loan, a departing partner with respect to his claim to amounts allegedly owed under the fund’s partnership agreement, and a German subsidiary of Lehman Brothers over a $100 million repo agreement.
• Microban Products Company in securing summary judgment awarding monetary damages and attorney’s fees, and granting a permanent injunction, in connection with a trademark enforcement action brought in the Southern District of New York.
• Lime Group, LimeWire, and their founder in copyright infringement actions.
• Various companies in the Eurofins group, a publicly traded French conglomerate whose subsidiaries are engaged in, among other things, the biotechnology industry. Avi has represented Eurofins entities in disputes arising out of certain acquisitions and investments in the U.S., as well as in connection with certain products liability related suits.
• Comcast Corporation in an antitrust class action brought by a putative class of two million subscribers.
• MEGA Brands, Inc., a Canadian toy manufacturer, in a series of litigations arising out of MEGA Brands’ acquisition of Rose Art Industries, Inc. The representation included litigation with the sellers for claims of fraud, breach of contract, and earnout calculations.

Writings

• “Escaping the Indirect Profits Loophole: Finding the Elusive Causal Link in the Case of Knowing Copyright Infringement,” Cardozo Law Review (25 Cardozo L. Rev. 2453 (2004))