Sam Levander’s practice focuses on civil litigation, enforcement, and bankruptcy litigation matters.

Sam regularly represents clients in multijurisdictional disputes, complex commercial litigation, regulatory litigation, securities class actions, consumer class actions, and appeals. Sam’s recent experience includes several high-profile litigation victories against the government.

Sam represents clients before a wide array of criminal and regulatory authorities, including the SEC, DOJ, CFTC, and state regulators, as well as international authorities. Sam also advises clients on regulatory and litigation risk issues.

Sam has extensive experience representing clients in the fintech and digital assets industries. Sam was one of three attorneys named a Fintech Rising Star by Law360 in 2025, and is ranked by Chambers for Crypto-Asset Disputes.

Sam joined the firm in 2015 and became a partner in 2025.

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Notable Experience

  • Brad Garlinghouse, the CEO of Ripple Labs Inc., in successfully obtaining the dismissal of all claims filed against him in litigation by the SEC in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.

  • Kraken in successfully obtaining the dismissal of all claims in litigation filed by the SEC in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

  • Genesis Global Capital and affiliates in their Chapter 11 bankruptcy case and related litigation and investigations.

  • Crypto.com in multijurisdictional litigation against state regulators asserting that the CFTC’s regulation of sports event contracts preempts state regulation.

  • Vale in the successful settlement of litigation against the SEC in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York where the SEC dismissed all scienter-based fraud claims.

  • Polychain in the successful dismissal of a putative class action in the District of Delaware alleging RICO claims related to the hack of the Nomad Bridge.

  • Polychain in a putative class action in the Northern District of California related to the Compound DAO.

  • A stablecoin issuer in the successful dismissal of claims in California Superior Court stemming from an alleged depegging event.

  • MoonPay in litigation in the Central District of California asserting that Bored Apes NFTs were offered and sold as unregistered securities.

  • Citibanamex in litigation in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York alleging collusion in connection with the sale of Mexican Government Bonds.

  • Vale in obtaining a $2 billion dollar award in an LCIA arbitration related to misrepresentations and corruption concerning a West African mining project and related litigation.

  • Vale in the contested Chapter 15 case brought by the Joint Administrators of BSG Resources Ltd., and related multi-jurisdictional litigation.

  • ESL Investments in its $5.2 billion acquisition of Sears Holdings and related litigation.

  • Transform Holdco LLC as purchaser of substantially all of the assets of Sears Holdings in litigation and disputes in Sears’ Chapter 11 case.

  • Citigroup in connection with investigations and civil litigation involving foreign exchange trading conducted by various domestic and foreign regulators.

  • Amici in the U.S. Supreme Court defending New York State’s regime governing licenses to carry concealed firearms against a Second Amendment challenge.

  • Amici in the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the City of Philadelphia’s policy requiring foster family care agencies to refrain from discrimination against prospective same-sex foster parents.

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Publications