Biography
During her 25-plus year career as a litigator, Lori has played a central role in managing the defense of extraordinarily complex and public disputes, including one of the largest class action/multi-district litigation proceedings, for companies in the financial services, private equity, insurance, life sciences, managed care, telecommunications, energy, and manufacturing sectors, among others. She has handled a number of lengthy jury trials in both state and federal court, argued important appeals, and negotiated favorable, business-oriented settlements. Lori also has handled numerous government agency investigations, class actions, and employment disputes. Additionally, she has extensive arbitration experience, including before the American Arbitration Association (AAA), International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID), and the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), where she played a significant role in coordinating the defense of one of the largest arbitrations ever filed. She has earned an outstanding reputation with clients for her case management and trial preparation skills, practical strategic judgment about complicated litigation issues, and responsiveness to client needs.
Notable Experience
- Successfully defending American International Group in a complex qui tam complaint asserting claims for violations of the federal securities laws and the federal and New York State False Claims Acts, where she won the dismissal with prejudice before the Southern District of New York, which was later affirmed by the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.
- Representing and advising The Carlyle Group in numerous litigation and international arbitration matters.
- Securing a major victory for Schindler Elevator Corp. and a complete dismissal of all claims against Schindler in a federal False Claims Act qui tam action regarding Schindler’s government filings identifying the number of veterans it employs, in a case that was remanded from the U.S. Supreme Court and went up twice to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.
- Defending Farmers Group in federal False Claims Act cases involving the entire insurance industry, which were dismissed with prejudice and subsequently affirmed on appeal.
- Defending UnitedHealth Group in one of the first cases brought under the New York State False Claims Act statute.
- Representing the General Motors estate in an False Claims Act suit brought against Allison Engine.
- Serving as co-lead counsel for UnitedHealth in a major multi-district litigation in Florida federal court that challenged fundamental notions concerning the delivery of managed care in the U.S.
Lori has taught CLE-accredited classes on ethics, settlement strategies, discovery techniques, document production, trial preparation, and witness examination. She has also published numerous articles and book chapters on topics such as False Claims Act litigation, MDL strategies, expert retention, corporate depositions, and pleadings in complex cases.
Lori co-founded and is the Co-Chair of the Firm’s Health and Well-Being Committee and is on the Advisory Board of New York Presbyterian Hospital’s Leadership Council on Children’s and Women’s Health. She is a member of the Well-Being Pledge Subcommittee of the American Bar Association’s Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs and served as the Chair of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York’s Committee on Women in the Legal Profession for a three-year term that began in September of 2013. She was also the longtime Chair of the Firm’s Litigation Training Committee, a member of the Firm’s Professional Development Committee, and a member of the Firm’s Task Force on Women’s Engagement and Retention.
Lori is ranked in Chambers USA as a leading New York lawyer for General Commercial Litigation, where clients have noted that she is “very strategic, very good at communication,” a “highly responsive and a superior lawyer,” and a “fierce advocate who is also creative in her approach.” She also has been recognized since 2014 as a leader in Business Litigation by SuperLawyers Magazine. In 2022, Lori was honored as one of four winners of New York Law Journal’s inaugural Innovation Awards, which “recognize creative and inspiring approaches and forward-thinking firms and individuals,” and profiled among distinguished peers as “Intrapreneurs with Impact” in Financial Times’ North America Innovative Lawyers Awards 2022, a category honoring those who have maximized the benefits of efficiency for their co-workers and clients.
Lori received her J.D. from New York University School of Law, where she was a teaching assistant in the Lawyering Program and a member of the Moot Court Editorial Board. She has a Masters in Public Affairs (M.P.A.) from Princeton School of Public and International Affairs, a B.A. in Biology from Harvard College, where she graduated with Honors, and is a Duke IM Trained Integrative Health Coach. In 2022, she received her certification as a Corporate Wellness Specialist, and she is a certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor.