Accomplished Business Litigator Alexander Shaknes Joins Arnold & Porter

NEW YORK, July 28, 2014 -- Arnold & Porter LLP announced today that commercial litigator Alexander Shaknes has joined the firm as a partner in its Litigation group.  Mr. Shaknes will be resident in the firm's New York office, where his practice will continue to focus on the representation of large corporate clients in complex commercial disputes.

In a legal career spanning nearly two decades, Mr. Shaknes has gained extensive experience litigating, arbitrating and settling highly complex commercial disputes and in conducting internal investigations.  Most recently, he successfully represented Philip Morris USA Inc. in a ground-breaking multi-hundred-billion dollar settlement with 52 U.S. States and territories and in a related billion dollar arbitration over the payments due under that settlement.  Mr. Shaknes has also represented pharmaceutical, technology and manufacturing companies in commercial litigation involving allegations of breach of contract and business torts, as well as in consumer class actions.  Mr. Shaknes, who is fluent in Russian, has also successfully handled significant multi-jurisdictional contractual and securities disputes involving foreign investors.

"Alex is adept at representing clients in sensitive high stakes matters," said Arnold & Porter Chairman Thomas H. Milch.  "His experience handling complex business disputes and major product liability cases in a variety of forums is an ideal addition to our litigation practice."

Some of Mr. Shaknes' additional matters include representing Pfizer in a multi-hundred-million dollar contract dispute with a group of business partners; and representing Renova Group, a leading Russian asset management company, in a multi-jurisdictional dispute over the control of one of the largest Russian industrial companies.

"Alex is a significant addition to our practice in New York," said Stewart Aaron, head of the firm's New York office.  "He has a keen ability to quickly understand and analyze the economic issues at stake in a given commercial dispute, and then skillfully navigate its intricacies." 

Added Ken Chernof, head of the firm's Business Litigation Group,"I have had the pleasure of working with Alex for many years and I am certain that our national and international clients will realize immediate benefit from his knowledge." 

Mr. Shaknes joins a growing complex business litigation practice whose bench of litigators is now more than 400 strong and has been recognized as among the most experienced and well-respected in the country. 

"I have long been impressed by Arnold & Porter's litigation capabilities and integrated platform spanning practices and offices that provides an unparalleled dedication to client service and teamwork," said Mr. Shaknes.  "I am enthusiastic about working with my new colleagues and being part of such a collaborative group of litigators."

Mr. Shaknes obtained his J.D. from Columbia University School of Law where he was a Kent Scholar and an editor of the Columbia Law Review.  He also holds an M.S. from Moscow University of Civil Engineering.

Arnold & Porter LLP is an international law firm of nearly 800 lawyers with offices in Brussels, Denver, Houston, London, Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Silicon Valley, and Washington, D.C.  The firm, founded in 1946, maintains more than 25 practice areas spanning a broad spectrum of the law, with a primary focus on litigation, transactional matters, and regulatory issues.