Andrew Ditchfield
Civil litigator focused on M&A-related litigation, contract disputes, securities litigation and shareholder derivative suits. Significant trial experience.
Andrew’s practice focuses on complex civil litigation in a variety of areas, with particular emphasis on mergers and acquisition-related litigation, contract disputes, securities litigation and shareholder derivative suits.
An experienced trial lawyer, Andrew most recently represented clients in two trials before the Delaware Court of Chancery.
Andrew also advises clients on transaction-related and regulatory matters. His clients include U.S. and international companies and their boards and officers.
Experience
- Lead trial counsel to the Williams Companies and its board of directors in an expedited breach of fiduciary duty action in the Delaware Court of Chancery relating to a shareholder rights plan
- Lead trial counsel to the Williams Companies as plaintiff in an expedited breach of contract action in the Delaware Court of Chancery relating to a potential initial public offering
- Lead counsel to a major foodservice solutions company as plaintiff in an expedited breach of contract action in Illinois Chancery Court relating to a potential transaction
- Lead counsel to an international retailer in connection with a putative federal securities class action and derivative action relating to disclosures about its dividend
- Lead counsel to Baker Hughes in connection with appraisal and shareholder derivative actions in the Delaware Court of Chancery
- Lead counsel to the underwriters in connection with more than thirty putative class actions relating to the Facebook IPO, including the dismissal of complaint alleging claims under Exchange Act Section 16(b)
- Morgan Stanley and certain of its officers and directors in all lawsuits arising out of Morgan Stanley’s announced Q4 2007 subprime-related trading write-down of $9.4 billion
- E*TRADE Financial Corporation in federal securities class action and derivative litigation relating to disclosures about its real estate investment portfolio
- A special committee of the board of directors of GSI Commerce in connection with shareholder litigation challenging its $2.2 billion sale to eBay Inc., in Pennsylvania state court and the Delaware Court of Chancery
- A major international law firm in connection with litigation in the Delaware Court of Chancery
- Multinational company in an arbitration matter involving a multi-billion dollar contract
Insights
News
Recognition
Chambers USA – Litigation: Securities, New York
Benchmark Litigation – New York, Star
Legal 500 U.S. – General Commercial Disputes, Next Generation Partner
Education
- magna cum laude
- Order of the Coif
- Editor in Chief, Georgetown Law Journal
- magna cum laude
- with distinction
Clerkships
Qualifications and admissions
- State of New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
- U.S. District Court, E.D. New York
- U.S. District Court, N.D. Ohio
- U.S. District Court, S.D. New York