Adam B. Banks

Biography

Adam Banks

Adam is a partner in Weil’s Appeals and Strategic Counseling practice, where he litigates complex civil matters in the federal and state trial and appellate courts, including ten oral arguments in the federal courts of appeals and New York Appellate Divisions. Adam also regularly embeds on Weil trial teams, including several that have secured favorable jury, bench, and arbitration trial victories. His expertise spans practices, including antitrust, IP and patent, securities, and other complex business disputes.

He is regularly recognized for his work by leading industry, business, and diversity publications and organizations. Most recently, in 2024, New York Law Journal selected him as a finalist in the “Diversity Initiative” category of its annual Professional Excellence Awards, and Crain’s New York Business included Adam on its list of “Notable Black Leaders.” Adam also has been honored by Euromoney as a “Rising Star” for Appellate Litigation, by The Minority Corporate Counsel Association as a “Rising Star,” and by the Council of Urban Professionals as a Law Catalyst. Adam is also recognized as a nationally recommended lawyer for both Appellate: Courts of Appeal and Appellate: Supreme Courts by Legal 500.

Adam also has an active pro bono practice, including successfully vacating a capital defendant’s death sentence after an appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, and representing another death row inmate in post-conviction appeals to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, in certiorari petitions to the U.S. Supreme Court and in the Supreme Court of Florida.

Adam served as a member of Law360’s Appellate Editorial Advisory Board in each of 2020 and 2021. He currently serves as Co-Chair of Weil’s Firm‑wide Diversity Committee.

Prior to joining Weil, Adam clerked for Judge Marsha S. Berzon of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Some of his recent notable experience includes:

  • Successfully arguing an appeal before the Second Circuit for Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, reinstating a significant competitor antitrust matter concerning Regeneron’s EYLEA pre-filled syringe medication.
  • Arguing a successful appeal before the Fifth Circuit for Speedcast International, sustaining a favorable bankruptcy court order denying a multi-million dollar claim against the bankruptcy estate.
  • Representing Microsoft in emergency Supreme Court proceedings and Ninth Circuit challenges to its $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard.
  • Defending LiquidPower Specialty Products in significant competitor antitrust action against allegations of monopolization through wrongful enforcement of patents.Securing two significant victories for Morgan Stanley, when the Second Circuit affirmed a complete defense verdict in a rare private insider trading jury trial, and the Appellate Division, New York Supreme Court, affirmed the dismissal of all claims on summary judgment in a related state-court fraud case.
  • Representing a global investment bank in an international arbitration and related proceedings stemming from the 1MDB corruption scandal.
  • Obtaining the dismissal, and affirmance on appeal, of all claims brought against Lehman Brothers and several former executives in a complex fraud, breach of contract, and breach of fiduciary duty action in New York state trial and appellate courts stemming from commercial real estate investments made on the eve of the financial crisis.
  • Winning a significant victory for Marsh & McLennan before the Second Circuit which affirmed the grant of summary judgment on claims arising from a 2004 New York Attorney General investigation, and provided important guidance to companies regarding their rights to terminate employees who do not cooperate in an internal investigation.
  • Successfully representing Lehman Brothers and the Archstone-Smith REIT among 20 other defendants in securing summary judgment on the eve of trial – later affirmed on appeal – on all claims in a $4 billion investor class action arising from one of the largest REIT going-private transactions in history.
  • Successfully representing the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in litigation involving the 1993 World Trade Center bombing in New York’s highest court.  Also successfully defended the Port Authority in litigation seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in damages arising from marine terminal leases, including securing victory in the Third Circuit on plaintiff’s novel and complex constitutional claims.
  • Securing a victory for Schindler Elevator Corporation in the United States Supreme Court in a case interpreting the public disclosure bar of the False Claims Act.

Awards and Recognition, Speaking Engagements, Guides and Resources, Latest Thinking, Firm News & Announcements

Awards and Recognition

View all

Speaking Engagements