Alex Lakatos

Alex C. Lakatos is a partner in the Washington DC office of Mayer Brown’s Litigation & Dispute Resolution and Financial Services Regulatory & Enforcement practices. Alex practices in complex international litigation, particularly on behalf of non-US financial institutions. He also counsels financial institutions on banking and securities regulatory, enforcement, legislative, and strategic issues.

He has significant experience in matters where these areas intersect – for example, the litigation of cross-border disputes in US court in tandem with a DOJ, OFAC or bank enforcement investigation. His matters often include parallel litigation in non-US forums.

He is experienced in contesting issues of particular concern to non-US financial institutions, such as financial privacy, data protection, multi-jurisdictional discovery, choice‑of-law conflicts, sanctions compliance and asset forfeiture.

In addition, Alex advises clients on avoiding litigation and provides related regulatory advice in areas such as the USA Patriot Act, the Bank Secrecy Act, the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, anti‑money laundering compliance, and OFAC sanctions. He frequently has assisted clients with internal investigations, particularly related to the aforementioned areas.

He has represented clients as both plaintiffs and defendants, in state and federal courts throughout the country and abroad, in class actions and other controversies, on issues including securities fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, civil RICO, the Anti-Terrorism Act, federal jurisdiction and venue.

Alex was recognized as a “Client Service All-Star” reported by BTI Consulting Group. BTI commended its winners for their “commitment to client service and ability to surpass the needs and expectations of the worlds most demanding clients” and lauded them for “standing above all others in the eyes of their clients.”

Alex is also recommended by Legal 500 and noted as an “’excellent communicator’ who specialises in advising foreign financial institutions in enforcement actions and litigation.” Alex is a member of the firm’s US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) group and co-chair of the firm’s Pro Bono Committee.

Education :

• University of California, Hastings College of the Law, JD, Valedictorian
• University of Maryland, BA

Admissions :

• District of Columbia
• US Supreme Court
• US District Court for the District of Columbia
• US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Activities :

• Board Member, Washington Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights and Urban Affairs, 2009 to present
• Project HOPE International, 2006 Partner of HOPE, for leadership in the provision of pro bono legal support in efforts to fight human trafficking

Experience :

• Represented a European bank that was a victim of a multimillion-dollar investment company fraud, bringing actions against the perpetrators in Utah, Switzerland, Spain, and Gibraltar, defending a countersuit in the British Virgin Islands, and ultimately freezing and recovering substantial amounts for the bank.
• Represented a Swiss bank in connection with an action brought by a liquidating trust for a bankrupt corporation alleging that the bank aided and abetted breaches of fiduciary duty by the bankrupt corporation’s officers and violated Swiss law by engaging in transactions with the proceeds of the officers’ securities fraud. Obtained dismissal on forum non conveniens grounds.
• Represented major trade associations whose members include leading non-US banks and businesses in filing amicus briefs opposing extra-territorial application of US securities laws. Morrison v. National Australia Bank (2010); Viking Global Equities v. Porsche (2d Cir. 2011).
• Represented major US bank in opposing claims against the bank for negligence and aiding and abetting liability based on allegations that bank’s customers were involved in a multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme. Prevailed on motion to dismiss and on appeal in Wisconsin state courts.