Richard J. Bettan

Associate
New York City

t: 212.446.2386
f: 212.446.2350

rbettan@bsfllp.com

Area of Practice

Education

University of Virginia School of Law, J.D., 2005; Chief Executive Editor, Virginia Environmental Law Journal; Dillard Fellow for Legal Research and Writing; Co-President, Lambda Law Alliance

Brown University, B.A., cum laude in English, English/Italian Studies, 2001; University Scholar; Susan Colver Rosenberger Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Italian Studies

Language Spoken

Italian

Admissions

New York

United States Courts of Appeals: Ninth Circuit

United States District Courts: Southern and Eastern Districts of New York

Richard Bettan's main practice area is complex civil litigation.

Mr. Bettan has been involved in some of the firm's most significant matters, including its recent representation of Starr International Company, headed by Maurice R. "Hank" Greenberg, in a four-year federal lawsuit brought by American International Group (AIG) seeking control of Starr's Board of Directors and billions of dollars of Starr's AIG stock and other assets. Starr won summary judgment on most of AIG's claims in 2008, and won a unanimous jury verdict on AIG's remaining claims after a 16-day trial in June and July 2009. Mr. Bettan also participated in the firm's successful representation of Wachovia in litigation against Citigroup relating to the acquisition of Wachovia by Wells Fargo, and the defense of a major accounting firm in connection with litigation concerning its audit work for a former client.

Currently, Mr. Bettan is part of a team representing Barclays Capital Inc. in ongoing adversary proceedings in the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy. He is also a member of the team challenging California's state constitutional amendment banning marriage equality for same-sex couples ("Proposition 8") in federal court under the United States Constitution.

While at the University of Virginia School of Law, Mr. Bettan represented an indigent defendant before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, challenging the district court's summary dismissal of the defendant's petition under 28 U.S.C. § 2255.

Prior to law school, Mr. Bettan served as Deputy Finance Director for the successful re-election campaign of Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy (D-Rhode Island).

Selected Professional Awards and Associations

New York State Bar Association