Concentrates practice on complex commercial litigation, with a particular emphasis on financial restructuring and distressed real estate.
Serves as the Practice Leader for the New York Litigation Section.

Dean has extensive experience trying cases, including multiple high-profile billion-dollar disputes. He has handled a variety of complex commercial litigation, including financial restructuring and distressed real estate cases in federal and state courts. He has litigated a wide variety of claims and all manner of bankruptcy-related disputes, with a particular emphasis on fraudulent transfer, turnover, breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract and related business torts. He also has a wide breadth of experience litigating complex mortgage foreclosure actions.

Dean’s litigation experience extends to complex enterprise valuation and solvency disputes, accounting disputes, and issues arising under credit agreements, indentures and other security instruments.

Dean serves as the Practice Leader for the New York Litigation Section.

Dean has successfully tried multiple asylum cases, including one on behalf of an Afghan interpreter to the U.S. military.

Representative Work

Bankruptcy and Reorganization

Tried high-profile case on behalf of the Unsecured Creditors’ Committee of Sears Holdings in connection with its objection to Sears’ sale of its operating assets for $5.3 billion to an insider.
Represented GTT Communications Inc., operator of one of the world’s largest Tier 1 internet networks, in connection with a significant asset sale and comprehensive chapter 11 restructuring, including obtaining contested plan confirmation.
Tried high-profile enterprise valuation case on behalf of the Unsecured Creditors’ Committee of Cumulus Media in connection with its objection to confirmation of a proposed plan of reorganization.
Represented the ad hoc committee of first lien creditors of Avaya Inc., in a bankruptcy filing and plan of proposed reorganization involving approximately $6 billion in debt.
Tried complex case on behalf of a bankruptcy trustee asserting a $1.6 billion claim in the General Motors bankruptcy.

Complex Commercial Litigation

Represented the Sears estates in their post-bankruptcy confirmation pursuit of billions of dollars of claims against insider shareholders and others on account of certain related-party transactions, resulting in a nine-figure settlement.

Represented Celsius Network, a multi-billion dollar crypto-finance firm, in connection with multiple actions to trace and recover lost and stolen digital assets, resulting in the recovery of assets worth more than $100 million.
Represented a major international logistics company that completed a multi-billion dollar out-of-court financial restructuring in connection with fraudulent transfer litigation, litigation over intercompany accounting issues and an employee class action concerning a long-term incentive plan.
Represented Purdue Pharma Official Committee of Unsecured Creditors in connection with investigation of estate claims for fraudulent conveyance and breach of fiduciary duty against Sackler family, leading to $7 billion settlement.

Distressed Real Estate

Represented a variety of special loan servicers and financial institutions in connection with foreclosures on multi-family residential properties in federal and state court, as well as related bankruptcy cases.