Michael P. Sternheim

Michael Sternheim is a litigation associate resident in Fried Frank's New York office.

Michael represents financial institutions and corporations in cases involving a broad array of corporate disputes, with an emphasis on securities and shareholder litigation. He has experience representing boards and senior management in connection with confidential internal investigations, as well as individuals and entities in connection with US Attorney's Office and SEC investigations, including insider trading investigations.
 
Work highlights:

• Defense of Under Armour, Inc. and the members of its Board of Directors in federal securities litigation and stockholder derivative litigation filed in the US District Court for the District of Maryland.
• Defense of four members of the Xerox Board of Directors in lawsuits relating to the now-terminated merger of Fuji and Xerox and Xerox's proposed acquisition of HP, Inc.
• Defense of a major publicly-traded national broadcasting company and its executives in various lawsuits following the termination of a proposed merger. Achieved a key dismissal in a federal securities class action challenging the accuracy of the company's disclosures regarding the transaction.
• Defense of the Chairman and former CEO of a Jason Industries, Inc. in litigation arising from the company's issuance of preferred stock. The New York Supreme Court, Commercial Division dismissed the plaintiff's complaint with prejudice.
• Defense of the Special Committee of IAC/InterActiveCorp in connection with shareholder litigation in the Delaware Court of Chancery following the company's announcement proposing to create a class of non-voting common stock.
• Defense of an investment fund, as well as the fund's CEO and former Chief Investment Officer, against breach of fiduciary duty and insider trading claims in shareholder derivative litigation relating to the fund's investments in a public technology company. The Delaware Chancery Court dismissed the plaintiff's complaint with prejudice.
• Defense of the Board of Directors and Special Committee of Under Armour, Inc. in four shareholder lawsuits filed in Maryland state court following the company's announcement of a new capital structure, including a plan to issue a new class of shares.

Michael maintains an active pro bono practice, representing clients in criminal and civil proceedings at both the trial and appellate levels. In pro bono criminal defense matters, Michael has represented clients at sentencing and on appeal through the Southern District of New York's Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Panel. He also has experience representing clients on a pro bono basis in immigration matters before federal Immigration Courts and in New York State Court. Notably, Michael recently argued before the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Department, successfully obtaining the reversal of a decision by the Queens Family Court that prevented a minor from El Salvador from seeking lawful permanent resident status in the United States.

Michael is a member of the firmwide Attorney Development Committee.