Overview
A former law clerk on the Supreme Court of the United States, Zach Savage is a sophisticated trial and appellate lawyer who represents clients in complex business disputes. Zach has practiced in a broad array of litigation areas including breach of contract, class actions, defamation, intellectual property, employment, and insurance litigation. His clients range from industry leaders such as General Electric and Walmart to smaller businesses and individuals in the financial, technology, and media sectors.
Several of his matters have attracted substantial media attention, including his representation of Dominion Voting Systems in its historic defamation suits against Fox News and others, as well as his representation of the former shareholders of Yukos Oil against the Russian Federation seeking to confirm $50 billion in arbitral awards. Zach was named to Benchmark Litigation’s 40 and Under Hot List in 2022 and 2023, and was identified as a Next Generation Leading Lawyer by Lawdragon in 2023
Some of Zach’s notable results and representations are:
- Dominion Voting Systems Defamation Suits. Zach represented Dominion Voting Systems in its suit against Fox News (Del. Super.), which resulted in a historic $787.5 million settlement. He also represents Dominion in other defamation suits, including one against Mike Lindell (D.D.C.). In the Lindell suit, Zach secured complete dismissal of Lindell’s counterclaims against Dominion; you can read Zach’s winning briefs here and here.
- Wren v. Transamerica Life Insurance Company (9th Circuit) Zach represents a putative class of life insurance policyholders in a breach-of-contract case against Transamerica Life Insurance Company, challenging its failure to pay certain policy benefits. After the district court dismissed the claims on summary judgment, Zach briefed and argued the case at the Ninth Circuit, obtaining a full reversal. You can read Zach’s winning briefs here and here, and you can watch Zach’s argument here.
- Hulley Enterprises v. Russian Federation (D.D.C.) Zach represents the former investors in Russian oil and gas company Yukos, seeking confirmation of a $50 billion arbitral award against the Russian Federation. Zach played a key role in briefing the Russian Federation’s sovereign immunity motion to dismiss, which the District Court denied.
- PHT Holding I LLC v. Security Life of Denver Insurance Company (D. Colo.) Zach represented a class of life insurance policyholders in a breach-of-contract suit against Security Life of Denver challenging increases to cost-of-insurance charges. Zach secured class certification of a 31-state class on a state law breach-of-contract claim. On the eve of trial, the parties settled for $30 million, a settlement the Court subsequently approved.
- GE v. Nebraska Investment Finance Authority (S.D.N.Y.) Won breach-of-contract jury verdict for General Electric, obtaining relief valued at over $100 million. The suit, against the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority, concerned above-market interest payments under the parties’ investment contracts. On appeal, the Second Circuit affirmed the verdict.. See GE Funding Capital Markets Services, Inc. v. Nebraska Investment Finance Authority, 767 Fed. App’x 110 (2d Cir. 2019).
- Avi Dorfman v. Compass (New York Supreme Court, New York County) Represented Avi Dorfman in a co-founder dispute against real estate brokerage Compass. After seven years of litigation, the parties settled on confidential terms, with Compass acknowledging Dorfman’s role as a founding team member.
Notable Representations
- GE v. Nebraska Investment Finance Authority (S.D.N.Y.) Won breach-of-contract jury verdict for General Electric, obtaining relief valued at over $100 million. The suit, against the Nebraska Investment Finance Authority, concerned above-market interest payments under the parties’ investment contracts. On appeal, the Second Circuit affirmed the verdict.. See GE Funding Capital Markets Services, Inc. v. Nebraska Investment Finance Authority, 767 Fed. App’x 110 (2d Cir. 2019).
- Confidential Family Office Arbitration. Representing former employees of family office in dispute concerning alleged breaches restrictive covenants and fiduciary duties.
- Synergy Global Outsourcing LLC v. Hinduja Global Solutions, Inc. Defended U.S. subsidiary of publicly traded Indian company, Hinduja Global Solutions, Inc in breach-of-contract and fiduciary duty litigation in Texas state court.
- Confidential Sports Agency Arbitration. Representing sports agency in confidential arbitration concerning departure of agents to competing agency.
- Innovius v. Sharp Corporation (Texas State Court, Dallas County) Represented patent licensing business, Innovius, in a lawsuit against Sharp Corporation concerning the breach of a multi-million dollar patent licensing agreement. The parties settled on confidential terms.
- Confidential Investment Fund Arbitration. Represented individual against former investment fund employer in confidential arbitration concerning multi-million dollar partnership dispute. The parties settled on confidential terms.
- Wren v. Transamerica Life Insurance Company (9th Circuit) Zach represents a putative class of life insurance policyholders in a breach-of-contract case against Transamerica Life Insurance Company, challenging its failure to pay certain policy benefits. After the district court dismissed the claims on summary judgment, Zach briefed and argued the case at the Ninth Circuit, obtaining a full reversal. You can read Zach’s winning briefs here and here, and you can watch Zach’s argument here.
- Leonard v. John Hancock (S.D.N.Y.) Secured final approval of a $123 million settlement on behalf of a class of life insurance policyholders in breach-of-contract suit against John Hancock who challenged its increases to cost-of-insurance charges. Read more(subscription required).
- Farneth v. Walmart (W.D. Pa.) Represented Walmart in a certified class action in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania challenging Walmart’s collection of sales tax on certain in-store transactions.
- PHT Holding I LLC v. Security Life of Denver (D. Colo.) Represented a class of life insurance policyholders in a breach-of-contract suit against Security Life of Denver challenging increases to cost-of-insurance charges. Zach secured class certification of a 31-state class on a state law breach-of-contract claim. On the eve of trial, the parties settled for $30 million, a settlement the Court subsequently approved.
- Vertical Aviation v. Government of Trinidad & Tobago (S.D.N.Y) Represented international aviation financing and leasing company Vertical Aviation in a breach-of-contract action against the Government of Trinidad & Tobago. The parties settled on confidential terms.
- U.S. v. Prevezon Holdings Ltd (2nd Cir.) Secured writ of mandamus from the Second Circuit on behalf of third-party hedge fund client Hermitage Capital, disqualifying its former counsel from representing the defendant in a forfeiture action brought by the United States
Honors & Distinctions
Honors and Awards
- Lawdragon 500X - The Next Generation of Leading Lawyers (2023, 2024)
- New York Rising Star, Super Lawyers (2023, Thomson Reuters)
- 40 and Under Hot List, Benchmark Litigation (2022, 2023, 2024, Euromoney)
- Managing Editor, NYU Law Review
- Order of the Coif
- Pomeroy Scholar
- Weinfeld Prize for Scholarship in Procedure and Courts
- Furman Academic Scholarship
Clerkships
- Honorable Elena Kagan, Supreme Court of the United States
- Honorable Anthony J. Scirica, United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- Honorable Jesse M. Furman, United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
Education
Education
- NYU School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 2013)
- Princeton University (A.B., summa cum laude, 2008)
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. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
