Overview
Erik Wilson is a versatile and highly skilled trial attorney representing plaintiffs and defendants in a wide variety of high-stakes trials and arbitrations across the country. Erik joined Susman Godfrey after working for several international and boutique law firms in New York and Los Angeles. Prior to his legal career, Erik was a Captain in the United States Marine Corps.
Notable Representations
- Successfully represented Virtual Sonics, Inc. in a federal trial over California Labor Code claims, with the jury returning a unanimous winning verdict within 45 minutes.
- Successfully represented Blacoh Surge Control at an arbitration surrounding breach of contract claims related to a $12 million well project.
- Successfully settled an international breach of contract dispute between oil and gas equipment manufacturers and ExxonMobil.
- Won summary judgment against the Delaware Department of Insurance after it attempted to force insureds to pay millions of dollars in claims owed by a failed insurance company.
- Won a federal hearing awarding California wildfire firefighters millions of dollars in uncompensated overtime by the U.S. Forest Service.
- Represented United Water Conservation District in contentious litigation over water rights to several critical California water basins.
- Represented Ambac Assurance Corporation, as insurer of $2 billion in Puerto Rico government bonds, against bond insurance claims by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history.
- Represented Equitable in a $2 billion class action alleging breach of contract, fraud, unfair business practices, and statutory claims related to cost of insurance increases on variable universal life policies.
- Successfully represented Berkshire Hathaway investment companies in breach of contract dispute against co-venturer.
- Represented Gol Airlines in disputes against airline part manufacturers and suppliers.
- Represented RBC Capital Markets in a shareholder appraisal action appeal before the Delaware Supreme Court.
- Represented Ernst & Young in an internal and SEC investigation of its U.S. practices.
- Represented Natixis, S.A. against claims that it conspired to fix the prices of European Government Bonds.
- Represented MBIA Insurance Corporation in fraud, breach of contract, and unfair business practices claims related to temporary mortgage insurance placed onto properties during lapses in the homeowners’ insurance coverage.
- Represented multiple investment banks in Residential Mortgage Backed Securities (RMBS) litigation following the 2007-2008 financial crisis.
- Successfully represented Visa, Inc. in antitrust proceedings to acquire Visa Europe for $23 billion.
- Successfully represented Ranbaxy Laboratories in antitrust proceedings brought by the Federal Trade Commission to consummate its $4 billion merger with Sun Pharmaceuticals.
- Successfully represented Entegra Power in antitrust proceedings brought by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission related to the sale of a $1 billion electrical power plant to Entergy.
- Successfully represented Dealogic against false employment discrimination claims raised by a disgruntled former employee.
- Successfully represented class of students with disabilities in claims against New York City Department of Education for failing to provide required educational services.
- Obtained highly favorable settlement against Morgan Stanley for asset mismanagement leading up to the 2007-2008 financial crisis.
- Secured complete victory for Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation in breach of contract claims by former contractor.
- Located crucial “lost” DNA evidence for the Innocence Project and assisted in proving the actual innocence of two wrongfully convicted men; used DNA and other evidence to assist in removing a third from death row.
- Co-authored multiple amicus briefs filed with the Supreme Court of the United States and multiple Circuit Courts of Appeal to combat political gerrymandering and fight for marriage equality.
- Drafted and helped enact New York Bill A.4394, allowing military spouses to transfer out of state professional licenses into New York.
- Led the Guantánamo Bay NGO observer program for the New York City Bar Association; served as NGO observer at Guantánamo for United States v. Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.
Honors & Distinctions
Honors and Awards
- Milbank 2020 Centurion Award (100+ Pro Bono hours in a single year)
- Milbank Pro Bono Honor Roll (2015-2019)
- Order of the Coif; Top 10 Percent of Law School Graduating Class
- Editor-in-Chief, Cardozo Moot Court Honor Society
- Jacob Burns Medal for Outstanding Law School Leadership
- First Place, Langfan Oratorical Competition
- First Place, Liza Suckle Memorial Moot Court Competition
- Dean’s Scholarship
Education
Education
- Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, 2013)
- University of San Diego (with Honors, Political Science, 2004)
Admissions
Admissions
Bar Admissions
- California
- New York
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Central District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of California
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
Publications
- Author, “Condemning 2019 Presidential Pardons of Accused and Convicted War Criminals”
- Author, “Recommendations on Ways to Improve the Military Justice System”
- Co-Author, “Lafayette Square Protests: Investigation Request”
- Co-Author, “Converting Guantánamo Bay Military Commissions into an Article III Court”
- Co-Author, “Report on Inadequate Financial Support for Legal Services for Veterans”
- Co-Author, Statement Supporting Open Service of Transgender Service Members
- Co-Author, “International Depositions,” PLI’s Advanced Deposition Techniques
- Co-Author, “Securities Law: 9th Circuit,” ABA’s Recent Develop. in Bus. & Corp. Litig.
- Research Assistant: Outsourcing Incompetence, 32 Cardozo L. Rev. 2325 (2011)
- Moderator, “Faster & Fairer Solutions to the Military Commissions at Guantánamo Bay”
- Moderator, “Discovery of Classified Information in Federal Civil and Criminal Cases”
- Event Chair: “Veterans & PTSD: Advocacy, Law, and Treatment”
- Event Chair: “The Future of Women in Combat: Integration or Segregation?” (C-SPAN)
- Event Chair: “The Global War on Terrorism: Do We Need a New AUMF?”
Leadership & Professional Memberships
Associations
- Former Chair, New York City Bar Association Military & Veterans Affairs Committee
- Former Member, New York City Bar Association Task Force on Rule of Law
- Former Member, New York City Bar Association Council on International Affairs
- Liaison, American Bar Association, Standing Committee on Gun Violence
- Former Member and 2024 Fall Symposia Chair, Los Angeles County Bar Association, Environmental Law Executive Committee
- Former Board Member, Citizens of the World Charter School (New York)
