David J. Ranzenhofer

Dave Ranzenhofer represents major public and private companies as well as individuals in the financial services and other industries in connection with complex commercial litigation in federal and state courts and in arbitration, as well as in connection with government and internal investigations and white collar matters. His civil practice includes all types of commercial disputes, including contract, fraud, intellectual property, securities, breach of fiduciary duty, employment, and related matters. Dave is a member of the firm's eDiscovery Committee.

Representative Matters

• Representation of the Official Stanford Investors Committee (“OSIC”) in long-running litigation arising out of R. Allen Stanford’s Ponzi scheme, one of the largest financial frauds in U.S. history. Friedman Kaplan and co-counsel prosecuted investor and estate claims in Texas federal court against five banks for, among other things, aiding and abetting violations of the Texas Securities Act and knowing participation in Stanford’s breach of fiduciary duty. OSIC’s recovery of $1.6 billion in settlements follows years of vigorous litigation involving complex issues of U.S., Canadian, English, and Swiss law, extensive motion practice, and nearly a hundred fact and expert depositions in the U.S. and abroad.

• Representation of a holding company of car dealerships in defense of a breach of contract and related tort claims brought by minority members and former officers in New York Supreme Court.
• Representation of Caesars Entertainment Corporation in defense of federal and chancery court lawsuits brought by various creditor groups alleging that certain transactions violated the terms of bond issuances and the Trust Indenture Act. 

• Representation of asset management companies in the Northern District of Illinois in defense of claims brought by an index provider for trademark infringement, trade secret misappropriation, breach of contract, tortious interference, and fraud.

• Representation of a financial index provider in a variety of licensing matters.

• Representation of television production companies in defense of breach of contract and quasi-contract claims in New York Supreme Court.

• Representation of the former chief financial officer of a medical startup in the Eastern District of New York in defense of claims of breach of fiduciary duty.

• Representation of a real estate capital advisory boutique in arbitration brought by a former employee.
• Representation of an inmate in New Jersey State Prison in bringing Section 1983 claims against doctors concerning their treatment of his medical conditions in prison.

Prior to joining Friedman Kaplan, Dave was an associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, where he focused on complex commercial litigation. He represented companies and executives in matters pertaining to federal securities fraud, fraud related to the creation and sale of residential mortgage-backed securities, corporate governance litigation, litigation related to change in control transactions, antitrust litigation, and SEC investigations.

Outside the Office

Dave is a member of the New York City Bar Association and serves on the organization’s Trade Secrets Committee and its Trademarks & Unfair Competition Committee.