In a move to help its clients navigate the increasingly complex issues of today’s economy, Alston & Bird LLP has added three new litigation partners, representing clients in complex financial disputes nationwide, to the firm’s Financial Services and Securities Litigation groups.
John Doherty, Frank Hirsch and Matt McGuire each bring significant, highly-topical experience to Alston & Bird’s financial services and securities litigation teams. John has been at the forefront of subprime and credit crisis-related litigation and joins the firm’s New York office with broad experience in complex domestic and international financial and commercial disputes. Frank Hirsch and Matt McGuire join Alston & Bird’s North Carolina litigation teams, representing financial services companies, including mortgage lending affiliates of major U.S. banks and financial institutions, in complex disputes and class actions.
“Our three new partners have built remarkable reputations as litigators and trusted advisors to financial services clients, particularly during these dynamic and unpredictable times,” said Richard Hays, managing partner of Alston & Bird. “Their expertise further positions Alston & Bird as a leading firm to help clients understand and navigate the unprecedented legal and regulatory issues they face today.”
About the New Litigation Partners
John Doherty
John Doherty has handled a broad range of complex domestic and international financial and commercial disputes involving structured finance, distressed assets, derivatives, commercial lending and real estate, insurance, transportation, energy, and construction. He also has a broad, in-depth knowledge of structured and real estate finance and he is routinely consulted by clients to advise on complex, often novel, issues arising from such transactions and related swap agreements. Since late-2006, John has been at the epicenter of the development of credit crisis litigation and has represented:
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A financial institution in four first-of-their-kind lawsuits filed by residential mortgage back securities bond holders.
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A financial institution in the largest initial filing of mortgage loan repurchase lawsuits against originators.
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A hedge fund in connection with a state attorney general investigation into collateralized debt obligations.
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A financial institution in connection with the liquidation of a U.K.-based structured investment vehicle.
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Leading securitization industry groups in submission of amicus briefs challenging court-imposed restrictions on foreclosures.
Prior to joining Alston & Bird, John was a partner at Thacher Proffitt & Wood LLP. He is a frequent speaker and author on credit crisis-related issues and has been quoted in, among other publications, The New York Law Journal and The New York Times. John is an adjunct professor at St. Francis College in Brooklyn, New York, where he has taught business law and legal philosophy. He received his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law in 1996 and his B.A. from University of Notre Dame in 1992. He is admitted to practice in the State of New York and in a number of federal courts.
Frank Hirsch
Frank Hirsch comes to Alston & Bird from the North Carolina offices of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, where he has handled complex litigation mostly for the financial services industry, including lenders, mortgage lenders, finance companies, mortgage servicing companies and banks. He also specializes in class-action defense and is recognized in Corporate Counsel as one of the nation’s top lawyers for financial services litigation.
Frank is a prolific author and speaker on financial services litigation and class action topics. He serves on the board of the University of North Carolina (UNC) Banking Institute and is regularly published in UNC Banking Law Journal. He also serves on the advisory Board for the Consumer Financial Services Law Report. Frank earned his undergraduate degree from UNC in 1983 and his J.D. from Vanderbilt in 1986. He started his career at the Parker Poe firm in Charlotte and also served for two years as general counsel for Centura Banks – now RBC Bank.
Matt McGuire
Matt McGuire also joins Alston & Bird from Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough LLP, where he has developed substantial experience in complex commercial and financial services litigation and defending class action suits. Matt has conducted a broad range of work representing mortgage lenders, consumer lenders, banks, insurance companies, telecommunications companies and other business entities. Prior to joining Nelson Mullins, Matt was a partner at Hunton & Williams LLP.
Matt has been a speaker at state and national programs on class action and consumer financial services litigation, fiduciary duty litigation and pro bono work in large law firms. He is a vice chairman of the Trial Techniques Committee of the American Bar Association’s Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section. Matt earned his J.D. degree from UNC School of Law in 1993, an M.A. in political science from UNC Chapel Hill in 1990, and a B.A. in Government and French from the University of Notre Dame in 1988.