Zach Savage
Partner
New York Office Phone: (212) 729-2022 Email Download vCard Print Bio to PDF
Education

New York University School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 2013)
Princeton University (A.B., summa cum laude, 2008)

Judicial Clerkship

Law Clerk to the Honorable Elena Kagan, Supreme Court of the United States
Law Clerk to the Honorable Anthony J. Scirica, United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
Law Clerk to the Honorable Jesse M. Furman, United States District Court for the Southern District of New York

Zach Savage
Partner

A former law clerk for U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan, Zach Savage is a trial and appellate lawyer who litigates complex, bet-the-company business disputes across the country.

His clients have ranged from industry leaders such as General Electric and Walmart to smaller businesses and individuals in the financial, media, sports, and technology sectors. He has litigated cases across a wide range of areas, including breach of contract, co-founder disputes, class actions, defamation, employment, insurance, international disputes, and trade secrets.

Several of his matters have attracted substantial media attention, including his current representation of Dominion Voting Systems in its defamation suits against Fox News and others, as well as his current 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.

Some of Zach’s notable results and representations are:

  • Dominion Voting Systems Defamation Suits: Zach is representing Dominion Voting Systems in its ongoing suits against Fox News (Del. Super.) and 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.
  • PHT Holding I LLC v. Security Life of Denver Insurance Company (D. Colo.): Zach represents a class of life insurance policyholders in 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.
  • GE v. Nebraska Investment Finance Authority (S.D.N.Y.) Zach won a 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. The verdict was affirmed on appeal by the Second Circuit. See GE Funding Capital Markets Services, Inc. v. Nebraska Investment Finance Authority, 767 Fed. App’x 110 (2d Cir. 2019).
  • Leonard v. John Hancock (S.D.N.Y) Zach 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 challenging its increases to cost-of-insurance charges. Zach spoke to Law360 about the settlement in its coverage of the case (subscription required).
  • Avi Dorfman v. Compass (N.Y. Supreme) Zach 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.
  • 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.
Notable Representations
Business Disputes
  • Confidential investment fund arbitration. Represented individual against former investment fund employer in confidential arbitration concerning multi-million dollar partnership dispute.
  • Synergy Global Outsourcing LLC v. Hinduja Global Solutions, Inc. Defending 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.
  • Hulley Enterprises v. Russian Federation (D.D.C.) Representing the former investors in Russian oil and gas company Yukos, seeking confirmation of a $50 billion arbitral award against the Russian Federation.
Mass Actions
  • Leonard v. John Hancock (S.D.N.Y.) Secured preliminary 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.
  • Baltimore Opioid Litigation. Represented City of Baltimore in litigation against nationwide opioid manufacturers and distributors.
  • Advance Trust & Life Escrow Services v. Security Life of Denver (D. Colo.) Representing a class of life insurance policyholders in breach-of-contract suit against insurer Security Life of Denver, challenging increases to cost-of-insurance charges. Successfully obtained nationwide class certification on state law breach-of-contract claim.
International Disputes
  • 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 Circ.) 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 and Distinctions
  • 40 and Under Hot List, Benchmark Litigation (2022, Euromoney)
  • Managing Editor, NYU Law Review
  • Order of the Coif
  • Pomeroy Scholar
  • Weinfeld Prize for Scholarship in Procedure and Courts
  • Furman Academic Scholarship
Professional Associations and Memberships
  • State of New York
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
  • Associate Member, Federal Bar Council American Inn of Court