Overview
New York Partner Cory Buland regularly guides some of the nation’s leading companies to success in bet-the-company litigation. Buland’s roster of clients has included Uber, Walmart, Chevron, J.B. Hunt Transportation Services, Corinthian Capital Group, Wellstat Therapeutics, and Ellington Management Group.
Buland’s practice is diverse – he leads both plaintiffs and defendants through complex commercial disputes of every stripe: from breaches of contract to business torts; pharmaceutical to securities litigation; and theft of trade secrets to suits under the False Claims Act.
Named a Rising Star of the Courtroom by Business Insider (2022), an Elite Trial Lawyer Rising Star of the Plaintiffs Bar by the National Law Journal (2021, ALM) and one of the country’s Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers by Lawdragon (2021, 2022, 2023). Buland earns his clients’ trust through his dedication to understanding their business and industry and his commitment to achieving their goals. Clients return to Buland because of his keen ability to master complex topics and markets and distill their cases into crisp, compelling arguments for judges, juries, and arbitrators.
Complex Litigation
Buland has secured major wins for his clients across the nation. Notable representations include:
255 Butler Associates, LLC v. 255 Butler LLC (Supreme Court of the State of New York, Kings County). Buland led a Susman Godfrey team that secured a $36 million judgment after a lengthy trial on behalf of client, 255 Butler Associates LLC, against its commercial landlord in a case concerning breach of contract, alleged extortion, and substantial lost profits related to a prominent piece of Brooklyn real estate. Read more.
In re: WeWork Litigation (Delaware Chancery Court). Buland represented WeWork founder, Adam Neumann, against SoftBank after SoftBank withdrew its offer to buy up to $3 billion in WeWork stock from Mr. Neumann and other shareholders. This lawsuit represents one of the largest individual claims to be litigated this century. A week before trial, the case settled as reported by media outlets throughout the world. The New York Times’ coverage of the lawsuit can be accessed here and here.
Waymo v. Uber (Federal Court, San Francisco). Buland and a team from Susman Godfrey were hired by Uber Technologies, Inc. just months before the “Tech Trial of the Century” when Alphabet’s Waymo was claiming more than $2 billion in damages against Uber over allegations of stolen trade secrets. In a critical move, Buland and his team successfully got all of Waymo’s expert’s damages opinions struck and the case soon settled during the first week of trial. Benchmark Litigation awarded Buland and the Susman Godfrey team National Impact Case of the Year for their work on this matter. Read more.
BTG. Int’l v. Wellstat Therapeutics Corp. (Delaware Chancery Court). Buland secured a $70 million verdict ($58 million after fees and expenses) on behalf of Wellstat Therapeutics in bet-the-company lawsuit against the distributor of its leading product. Hired less than two months before trial, Buland took a lead in preparing for trial. At trial, Buland skillfully presented Wellstat’s case through its Head of Research and Development and presented the critical damages expert who laid the foundation for the Court’s $70 million damages award. The verdict was later confirmed by the Delaware Supreme Court. Read more.
Walmart v. Visa, Inc. (New York Supreme Court, New York County). Buland represented Walmart in breach of contract action against Visa over the use of new “chip-and-pin” technology in the multi-billion market for debit cards. The dispute involved emerging concerns over payment card security, efficiency, and competition. The parties reached a confidential settlement after Buland filed a summary judgment motion on behalf of Walmart. Read more in Wall Street Journal’s coverage.
Lincolnshire Management, Inc. v. Kumble (New York Supreme Court, New York County). Buland defended a private equity firm and its founder, Stephen Kumble, against a breach of contract claim brought by another private equity firm seeking more than $10 million in damages. Buland played a key role leading up to and during arbitration, eventually securing a favorable net award for his client after drastically limiting Kumble’s liability and prevailing on his counterclaims. Notably, Buland’s day-long cross-examination of the plaintiff’s Chief Financial Officer demonstrated Kumble’s entitlement to relief on his counterclaims. Buland also successfully argued the motion to confirm the award in New York Supreme Court and defeated a motion to vacate. Read more.
Background
Prior to joining Susman Godfrey, Buland served as a law clerk to then-Chief Judge Dennis Jacobs of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and Judge Richard Sullivan of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
Buland is a graduate of Columbia Law School, where he served as Senior Editor of the Columbia Law Review and was a James Kent and a Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar. He graduated with distinction from the University of Nebraska. Buland resides with his wife, Olga, and two sons in New York City.
Notable Representations
- Strauser v. Stephen L. LaFrance Holdings (Walgreens Qui Tam Litigation, N.D. Okl.) Secured a $16 million deal to resolve a whistleblower lawsuit alleging that Walgreens, Stephen L. LaFrance Holdings Inc. and several companies that were part of USA Drug, a regional pharmacy chain, knowingly overbilled Medicare Part D, Medicaid and other government health programs millions of dollars by unlawfully charging more for generic drugs than the customary prices paid by individuals without prescription drug insurance.
- In re: WeWork Litigation (Delaware Chancery Court) Represented WeWork founder, Adam Neumann, against SoftBank after SoftBank withdrew its offer to buy up to $3 billion in WeWork stock from Mr. Neumann and other shareholders. This lawsuit represents one of the largest individual claims to be litigated this century. The litigation was placed on an expedited schedule in the Delaware Chancery Court. A week before trial, the case settled as reported by media outlets throughout the world. The New York Times’ coverage of the lawsuit can be accessed here and here.
- 255 Butler Associates LLC, v. 255 Butler LLC (Supreme Court of the State of New York, Kings County) Secured a $36 million judgment on behalf of client, 255 Butler Associates LLC, after a trial against its commercial landlord in a case concerning breach of contract, alleged extortion, and substantial lost profits related to a prominent piece of Brooklyn real estate. Read more.
- SL 4000 Connecticut LLC v, CBRE (New York Supreme Court, New York County) Secured dismissal of lawsuit seeking more than one-hundred million dollars in damages against real estate broker CBRE. The case was brought by a landlord group who claimed CBRE knowingly brokered a lease on behalf of a financially troubled tenant and misrepresented the Tenant’s finances. Buland argued the motion in front of the Court and won an immediate, full dismissal of all claims. Read more (subscription required).
- Waymo v. Uber (Federal Court, San Francisco) Represented Uber Technologies, Inc. in a nationally covered trade secrets trial in which Alphabet’s Waymo was claiming more than $2 billion in damages. Buland and his team from Susman Godfrey were hired by Uber just months before the “Tech Trial of the Century” was scheduled to begin. Buland’s team successfully got all of Waymo’s expert’s damages opinions struck and the case settled during the first week of trial. Read more.
- Int’l v. Wellstat Therapeutics Corp. (Delaware Chancery Court). Represented Wellstat Therapeutics in bet-the-company lawsuit against the distributor of its leading product. Hired less than two months before trial, Buland and his team secured a $70 million verdict on behalf of Wellstat (who received $58 million net of fees and expenses). At trial, Buland effectively examined the client’s key fact witness and damages expert. The verdict was later confirmed by the Delaware Supreme Court. Read more.
- Lincolnshire Management, Inc. v. Kumble (New York Supreme Court, New York County). Defended a private equity firm and its founder, Steven Kumble, against a breach of contract claim brought by another private equity firm seeking more than $10 million in damage. At arbitration, Buland played a key role on the team that secured a favorable net award for the client after drastically limiting the client’s liability and prevailing on his counterclaims. Buland’s day-long cross-examination of the plaintiff’s Chief Financial Officer demonstrated Kumble’s entitlement to relief on his counterclaims. Buland successfully argued the motion to confirm the award in New York Supreme Court and defeated a motion to vacate. Read more.
- Walmart v. Visa, Inc. (New York Supreme Court, New York County). Buland represented Walmart in breach of contract action against Visa over the use of new “chip-and-pin” technology in the multi-billion market for debit cards. The dispute involved emerging concerns over payment card security, efficiency, and competition. The parties reached a confidential settlement after Buland filed a summary judgment motion on behalf of Walmart. Read more in Wall Street Journal’s coverage.
- North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners v. Dental Care Partners, Inc. (Wake County Superior Court, North Carolina). Defended a dental services organization in North Carolina state court from claims asserted by the North Carolina State Board of Dental Examiners and affiliated dentists asserting that its operations violated state law. Buland played a key role on the Susman Godfrey team that achieved favorable settlements with all parties. Read more about the claims that the Susman Godfrey team defended in this Law360article, NC Scrutiny Of Dental Practice Management Continues (subscription required).
- The Bank of New York Mellon, solely as Trustee for GE-WMC Mortgage Securities Trust 2006-1 v. WMC Mortgage, LLC (S.D.N.Y). Defended a special-purpose entity in connection with the securitization of residential mortgages in Manhattan federal court. After a majority of the plaintiff’s damages were eliminated by a Daubert motion, the case was settled.
- TradeWinds Airlines, Inc. v. George Soros (S.D.N.Y). Represented the estate of bankrupt airline in an action seeking to recover over $50 million for creditors.
Honors & Distinctions
Honors and Awards
- Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators (2023)
- 40 and Under Hot List, Benchmark Litigation (2023)
- Rising Star of the Courtroom, Business Insider (2022)
- Top 500 Plaintiff Financial Lawyers, Lawdragon (2021, 2022, 2023)
- Elite Trial Lawyers Rising Star of the Plaintiffs Bar, National Law Journal (2021, ALM)
- Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2014 – 2020 (Thomson Reuters)
- James Kent Scholar
- Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar
- Columbia Law Review
Clerkships
- Honorable Dennis Jacobs, United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 2011-2012
- Honorable Richard J. Sullivan, United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, 2009-2010
Education
Education
- Columbia Law School (J.D., 2009)
- The University of Nebraska (B.S.B.A., Finance, with distinction, 2005)
Admissions
Admissions
Bar Admissions
- New York
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
