Firm News
Aug 12, 2010
Noted Financial Services Litigator David M. Bizar Joins Seyfarth Shaw’s Boston Office
Boston, MA (August 12, 2010)— In an instrumental addition to its financial services litigation practice, Seyfarth Shaw LLP announced that litigator David M. Bizar has joined the firm’s Boston office as a partner in the Commercial Class Action Defense and Commercial Litigation Practice Groups. He arrives from McCarter & English LLP in Boston, where he was a partner.
Bizar represents national banks, financial services companies and other businesses in high-stakes disputes in the civil courts and before government authorities challenging the legality of their products and services, corporate practices and regulatory adherence. Bizar also prosecutes and defends creditor and debtor's rights suits in and outside of bankruptcy.
Bizar has defended leading finance and other Fortune 100 companies in more than 20 consumer class actions, and has served as national or regional steering counsel in a number of cases. Businesses he has defended in class actions and individual cases with systemic exposure include national banks and thrifts, mortgage lenders and servicers, manufacturer and third party automotive financing firms, credit card companies, large national retailers, and pharmaceutical companies. Many of the cases defended by Bizar have involved complex questions of national bank and federal savings association preemption.
“David’s financial services background is a terrific strategic addition to our existing national class action and commercial litigation practice,” said Katherine E. Perrelli, Chair of Seyfarth Shaw’s Litigation Department. “Banks, mortgage and auto lenders, credit card issuers, insurers, leasing companies – virtually every segment of the financial services industry – will no doubt be faced with increasing consumer litigation and government involvement in the wake of the Dodd-Frank legislation and creation of the new Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. David's experience in defending financial institutions in complex commercial and consumer class actions adds tremendous depth to the services we can provide our clients in this industry.”
The Commercial Class Action Practice Group serves as both business and legal advisors to its clients, drawing upon extensive experience to devise a solid strategy, and then shrewdly defend clients in complex, multi-jurisdictional cases. The group primarily handles consumer fraud, false advertising, privacy, data security, and product liability matters. When retained for strategic counseling, the group reviews and helps revise clients’ policies and procedures to minimize litigation risks and enhance clients’ business operations.
The Commercial Litigation Practice Group is composed of experienced and talented trial and appellate attorneys whose insights valuably serve our clients in both boardrooms and courtrooms. Clients range the full spectrum of size, industry and geography and the key offerings, include: eDiscovery Litigation and Advisory Services, Franchise & Dealer Disputes, Private Business Disputes, and Real Estate Litigation.
Russell B. Swapp, Managing Partner of Seyfarth Shaw’s Boston office, added, “David’s impressive commercial and class action background, coupled with his team-oriented values and dedication to superior client service, is a tremendous addition to our office and the firm. David is very forward thinking and has a real appreciation for sophisticated, lean-based service delivery models. His practice will help expand our consumer class action and litigation practice not only in New England but nationally and we welcome his arrival.”
The Boston office was opened in 1999 with two partners and five associates. Since then, the office has experienced substantial growth, and with nearly 100 attorneys it is now one of the firm’s largest offices. Attorneys in Boston provide full-service legal expertise, with strong practice offerings in intellectual property, corporate and real estate, securities and commercial litigation, employee benefits, construction, immigration, and labor & employment.
“Joining Seyfarth is a natural progression as I continue building my financial services litigation practice nationally,” Bizar said. “Seyfarth is one of the leading class action defense firms in the country and I look forward to helping the firm expand its expertise in financial services consumer class action defense.”
Bizar is a former member of the U.S. Army’s Judge Advocate General Corps (JAG). From 1995 to 1999, he served on active duty with the 1st Cavalry Division as chief of a legal assistance office and as a prosecutor, and was attached to the 4th Infantry Division as a defense counsel. In 1996, Bizar deployed with the 3rd Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Cavalry Division during Operation Desert Strike to the Emirate of Kuwait, where he served as the legal counsel to the commander and was awarded The Army Achievement Medal for meritorious service.
Bizar remains very active on military and veterans issues. He is serving a three-year appointment to the American Bar Association's Standing Committee on Legal Assistance for Military Personnel, which promotes the expansion and delivery of legal services to military personnel and their family members worldwide. He serves on the board of directors of The Shelter Legal Services Foundation and is helping to grow its Veteran's Legal Assistance Network program, which provides free legal services to military veterans in Massachusetts. Bizar also is a member of the Committee on Legal Services for Military Personnel, Veterans & Families of the Boston Bar Association.
Bizar earned his J.D. (cum laude) from the University of Miami School of Law and a B.S. degree from Northeastern University (cum laude) where he was a member of the Order of the Coif. He is admitted to practice law in Massachusetts and Connecticut. Bizar formerly chaired the Consumer Law Section of the Connecticut Bar Association and is a member of the Executive Committee of the Litigation Section.
Seyfarth Shaw has over 750 attorneys located in ten offices throughout the United States, including: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Washington D.C., as well as Brussels, Belgium. Seyfarth Shaw provides a broad range of legal services in the areas of labor and employment, employee benefits, litigation, corporate, and real estate. The firm’s practice reflects virtually every industry and segment of the country’s business and social fabric. Clients include over 300 of the Fortune 500 companies, financial institutions, newspapers and other media, hotels, health care organizations, airlines and railroads. The firm also represents a number of federal, state, and local governmental and educational entities. For more information, please visit www.seyfarth.com.