Blair E. Kaminsky

A member of Holwell Shuster & Goldberg’s management committee, Blair Kaminsky represents both individuals and corporations in complex commercial litigation and investigatory matters frequently touching on large-scale transactions and the financial services industry. Crain’s New York Business has recognized her as a Notable Woman in Law, and her clients have described her to Benchmark Litigation as a “fantastic litigator who provides thoughtful, spot-on advice,” and “manages enormous cases with creativity and enthusiasm.” Chambers USA has recognized her for general commercial litigation in New York since 2022, with clients and peers stating she “does a remarkable job in court,” is "absolutely top-notch, smart as a whip," and “sees the forest, the trees, and the underbrush.”

Blair is widely respected for her leadership and advocacy in litigation with wide-ranging social and economic impacts, including high-stakes RMBS putback litigation that first arose in the Great Recession. In another wave of commercial litigation with potential exposure in the billions, Blair represents Visa in multi-district class action antitrust litigation filed on behalf of merchants, as well as in opt-out cases brought by the world’s largest retailers, relating to network rules at the heart of the Visa system. In addition, Blair represents Chubb in insurance coverage disputes related to the opioid crisis, and advises on shareholder class actions, white-collar defense matters, bankruptcy litigation, and employment disputes. In these and other similarly complex cases, Blair works tirelessly to develop relationships with co-counsel and opposing counsel, and looks across cases to leverage synergies and ensure consistency across portfolios of multiple cases in various fora. As peers and clients shared with Chambers, Blair has the “ability to find consensus, manage the intricacies of multiple litigations and navigate the thorny relationships involved,” and to “channel her photographic recall of the facts, law and procedural history of a case and use it to direct the overall litigation strategy and goals.”

An active participant in HSG’s pro bono practice, Blair spearheaded the development of the firm’s partnership with Her Justice, an organization providing legal services to women living in poverty in New York City. Blair’s own pro bono matters include her representation of a college freshman survivor of sexual assault with respect to her civil rights and potential remedies under university policies and Title IX.

In addition to her litigation work and service on HSG’s management committee, Blair plays a leadership role in HSG’s marketing and recruiting efforts, which have brought diverse and talented lawyers to the firm. Blair was instrumental in the formation of the firm’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee and the development of HSG’s formal mentoring program.

Blair is a member of The American Lawyer’s first-ever Young Lawyer Editorial Board, and speaks frequently on topics ranging from ethical obligations in e-discovery to fostering diversity and inclusion at law firms. Blair has received many honors for her work, including being selected as one of only 10 honorees for the New York Business Journal’s 2022 Women of Influence award. She is the recipient of Euromoney Legal Media Group’s 2019 Rising Star Award for Best in Litigation: General Commercial and was named to Profiles in Diversity Journal’s 2016 Women Worth Watching list.

Prior to joining HSG, Blair was a litigation associate at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz, where she represented JPMorgan in the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy litigation and NYSE Euronext in litigation over a contemplated $10 billion merger that would have created the world’s largest stock market. After graduating magna cum laude from Harvard Law School, where she was supervising editor of the Harvard Law Review, she clerked for the Hon. Judith Rogers of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.

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 Chambers USA as a Leading Lawyer for Commercial Litigation in New York
• Named a 2023 Distinguished Leader by the New York Law Journal
• One of 10 Women Named to New York Business Journal’s 2022 Women of Influence List
• Named to Crain’s New York Business’ 2021 list of Notable Women in Law
• Recipient of Euromoney Legal Media Group’s 2019 Rising Star Award for Best in Litigation: General Commercial 

Notable Cases

• Visa in multi-district class action antitrust litigation filed on behalf of merchants, as well as in opt-out cases brought by the world’s largest retailers, relating to network rules at the heart of the Visa system.
• Various affiliates of Chubb in nationwide litigation with manufacturers and distributors of opioids, and national pharmacy chains that sold opioids, over insurance coverage for over 3,000 lawsuits brought by governmental entities across the country. HSG is national trial counsel to Chubb in opioid coverage litigation.
• HSBC, U.S. Bank, and The Bank of New York Mellon as trustee (or securities administrator) in various RMBS putback matters, each involving hundreds of millions of dollars. In connection with those representations, Blair helps lead the firm’s efforts as Liaison Counsel in coordinating dozens of RMBS cases pending in New York state court before the Honorable Marcy S. Friedman. As a key member of the Steering Committee for these cases, Blair has liaised with plaintiffs’ and defendants’ counsel across the putback, monoline, and investor RMBS cases pending before Justice Friedman to establish master orders concerning discovery, dispositive motions, and appointment of a Special Discovery Master, and to raise issues with the Court and Special Discovery Master via common issues briefing.
• Multiple hedge funds in various confidential internal matters.
• NYSE Euronext in litigation over its contemplated $10 billion merger with Deutsche Boerse.
• A secured creditor of LBHI in litigation arising from its bankruptcy.
• A major financial institution in connection with international litigation concerning a collapsed hedge fund.

Writings

• Note, “The Principles for User Generated Content Services: A Middle-Ground Approach to Cyber-Governance,” 121 Harvard Law Review 1387 (2008)
• Comment, Nat’l Ass’n of Home Builders v. Defenders of Wildlife, 121 Harvard Law Review 405 (2007)
• Recent Case, Mac Wade v. Kelly, 460 F. 3d 260 (2nd Cir. 2006), 120 Harvard Law Review 635 (2006)