Firm Newsletter Spring 2011

Litigation Highlights

BSF Wins Landmark $1.3 Billion Copyright Infringement Verdict for Oracle

A federal court jury ordered SAP AG and its subsidiary TomorrowNow to pay BSF's client Oracle Corporation $1.3 billion for copyright infringement. It was the largest copyright infringement verdict in history – by a factor of ten.

BSF Wins Court Battle for Barclays in Lehman Purchase Suit

The historic sale of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.’s brokerage unit to Barclays in the market free-fall of September 2008 has not once, but twice, passed muster in federal bankruptcy court.

After a Decade of Antitrust Litigation, An Extra-Sweet Victory for Fresh Del Monte

After years of hard-fought litigation, with discovery extending from Costa Rica to Hawaii, BSF won a sweeping summary judgment for Fresh Del Monte.

BSF to Spearhead Defense of American Express in DOJ Suit

The suit, brought by the U.S. Department of Justice, challenges American Express' contractual provisions with merchants that prohibit customer discrimination at the point of sale.

Supreme Court Grants BSF's Cert Petition in Securities Case

In January of 2011 the U.S. Supreme Court granted BSF’s petition for a writ of certiorari in Erica P. John Fund, Inc., fka Archdiocese of Milwaukee Supporting Fund, Inc., Petitioner v. Halliburton Co., et al., a federal securities action.

In Warhol Art Case, BSF's Defense is a Good Offense

As a result of extensive discovery, BSF negotiates a favorable settlement in defending The Andy Warhol Foundation and The Andy Warhol Art Authentication Board.

BSF Represents salesforce in Multidistrict Patent Litigation

A successful settlement was reached in which both salesforce.com and Microsoft received a license to certain of the other’s patents.

BSF Represents Real Estate Developer Extell in Dispute Over Typo

Because of a typo in an offering plan, BSF real estate client CRP/Extell Parcel, I, L.P. faced potentially millions in damages.

BSF Seeks Damages for Colombian Terrorism Victims

BSF’s complaint against Chiquita Brands International, Inc. seeks in excess of $1 billion in compensatory damages and unspecified punitive damages for victims of terrorism in Colombia.

Litigation Notes

Litigation Notes

Details on the Firm's work for NASCAR; negotiating a $155 million with Quixtar / Amway; on behalf of investors in Ken Starr's fraudulent investment company; and for The Weinstein Company.

Corporate Highlights

BSF Represents Caithness in Completion of Financing for World's Largest Wind Farm

U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu illustrated this deal as a paradigm of new renewable energy–based policy initiatives.

Legal Obstacles Overcome, $200M Deal Closed for Client Goldman Sachs

Goldman Sachs retained BSF as lead counsel in its acquisition of Colombian coal mining assets from a public Canadian mining company, in a transaction valued at over $200 million.

BSF Represents Inkafarma in Sale to Interbank Group

The transaction was the result of a very competitive bidding process in which Interbank Group delivered the most attractive bid for the pharmacy chain.

BSF Advises on Merger Resulting in Largest Realtor Association in the U.S.

This complex transaction included restructuring affiliated tax-exempt entities; evaluating taxable income issues; private inurement; private benefit and other issues.

Expert View

Justice for All: Fighting to Protect the Courts from Attacks

By Stephen Zack, administrative partner of BSF's Miami office and president of the American Bar Association.

Pro Bono Highlights

Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals Hears Argument in Historic Civil Rights Case

Perry v. Schwarzenegger, the landmark civil rights case seeking to overturn the ban on same-sex marriage in California, lands in the appellate court following BSF's success in the district court.

Political Asylum Secured by BSF for Threatened Youths

BSF works in partnership with KIND [Kids in Need of Defense] to assist undocumented children with claims for asylum or similar remedies

BSF and the American Civil Liberties Union: Project Human Cost

BSF continues to assist the ACLU in addressing the public’s right to know about the conduct of the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Public & Professional Leadership

BSF Partner Harlan Levy Named Chief Deputy to NY Attorney General

As First Deputy Attorney General, Levy will lead and supervise the divisions and bureaus of the Attorney General’s 650-lawyer office.

A Conversation with BSF Partner Robert Leung

Leung is currently serving as President of the Asian American Bar Association of New York.

A Conversation with BSF Associate Nasrina Bargzie

Bargzie is the current President of the Afghan American Bar Association.

Recruiting

BSF's 2010-2011 Recruiting Highlights

“We have earned and maintain a reputation for recruiting outstanding associates and summer associates with superb academic credentials from the very top law schools and judicial clerkships,” states BSF’s Recruiting Committee Co-Chair Alan Vickery