Jean-Marie Atamian

Jean-Marie L. Atamian is co-chair of Mayer Brown’s Partner Promotion Committee and Committee On Professional Advancement. He is an experienced trial lawyer whose practice focuses on complex commercial and bankruptcy litigation before state and federal trial and appellate courts.

He has extensive banking litigation experience, which has included representing domestic and foreign banks in lender liability, securities fraud, and common law fraud actions. His securities fraud experience has included representation of corporations, financial services firms, and individuals in structured finance, Rule 10b-5, control person, insider trading, stock manipulation, and RICO actions.

In recent years, he has defended financial institutions in multi-billion dollar claims arising from their sale of RMBS prior to the 2008 financial crisis. He has also represented companies in internal investigations. Jean-Marie has represented corporations, banks, and consulting firms in numerous bankruptcy actions, including adversary proceedings, preference actions, and cash collateral hearings.

He has represented insurers and reinsurers in coverage and indemnification disputes in the property (catastrophe bonds), life and health businesses. Jean-Marie has represented corporate and individual clients in federal and state court actions involving contract disputes, derivative claims, tortious interference, unfair trade practices, fraudulent conveyances, veil piercing, sovereign immunity, and government takings.

He has also represented property owners in real estate disputes with management companies, government agencies and lessees. Jean-Marie has also arbitrated a broad spectrum of disputes before various tribunals.

Education :

• Columbia Law School, JD
• Columbia College, BA summa cum laude (economics)

Admissions :

• New York
• US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
• US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
• US District Court for the District of Colorado
• US District Court for the Southern District of New York

Activities :

• Board of Directors of Columbia College
• Co-Chair of Columbia College Annual Fund
• Association of the Bar of the City of New York

Experience :

• Fontainebleau v. Bank of America, et al, US District Court, Southern District of Florida: Represented Sumitomo Mitsui, one of several syndicate lenders in a $2 billion credit facility, in a high profile lender liability action and several related actions in connection with the construction of a massive resort and casino complex in Las Vegas.
• FHFA v. Ally Financial Inc., et al, US District Court, Southern District of New York: Represented Ally Financial Inc. in an action for misstatements in, and material omissions from, offering materials under Sections 11 and 12 of the 1933 Securities Act and for control person liability under Section 15 of the 1933 Securities Act, in connection with the purchase by Freddie Mac of $6 billion in RMBS.
• Allstate Insurance Company, et al v. GMAC Mortgage, LLC, et al, District Court of Hennepin County, Minnesota: Represented GMAC Mortgage, LLC and various affiliated entities against common law fraud and negligence claims arising from their role in the securitization of $800 million of RMBS.
• In re Suprema Specialties, Inc., US District Court, District of New Jersey: Obtained dismissal on behalf of Bank of America of a third-party complaint alleging lender liability, securities fraud and RICO claims in connection with a systemic accounting fraud culminating in the collapse of the corporate borrower.
• F&R v. Fleet Capital Corporation, US District Court, District of New Jersey: Represented Fleet Capital Corporation (predecessor to Bank of America) in a lender liability action. Following a one-month bench trial, Judge Dennis Cavanaugh dismissed the remaining claims against Fleet Capital Corporation and granted its counterclaims for breach of contract.
• Wachovia v. Hudec, US District Court, Eastern District of Virginia: Obtained summary judgment on both liability and damages against a borrower on behalf of its lender Wachovia Bank.
• Sand v. Coinmach, et al, US District Court, Eastern District of New York: Won a motion to dismiss, with prejudice, in a Rule 10b-5 class action against the company and its three senior executives.
• Neuburger v. Grant Thornton, Supreme Court of the State of New York: Won a motion to dismiss on behalf of an accounting firm dismissing fraud and negligence claims in connection with the demise of an audit client.