Emma Gilmore Named a Law360 MVP in Securities Litigation Twice in Five Years
Pomerantz is proud to announce that Partner Emma Gilmore has been recognized as an MVP in Securities Litigation by Law360, an honor awarded to a select few attorneys who have “distinguished themselves from their peers by securing hard-earned successes in high-stakes litigation, complex global matters and record-breaking deals."
This marks Emma’s second time being named an MVP in the past five years.
Emma has a strong track record of leading successful securities class actions and obtaining significant recoveries. Most recently, she led Pomerantz’s high-profile securities class action against Deutsche Bank. Plaintiffs alleged that, despite touting its robust anti-money-laundering and Know Your Customer policies, the Bank habitually exempted its high-net-worth clients from stringent oversight. These clients included Russian oligarchs who reportedly engaged in criminal activity, as well as former financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Deutsche Bank continued “business as usual” with Epstein even after learning that 40 underage girls testified that he had sexually assaulted them. In February 2023, the court granted final approval to a settlement secured by Emma on behalf of damaged Deutsche Bank investors.
“We recovered nearly 50% of the estimated damages lost by investors – an unusually high recovery when compared to other securities fraud class actions,” said Emma. “This victory serves as a stark warning that corporations will be held accountable by their shareholders for poor corporate governance, including – or particularly – in regard to money laundering and Know Your Customer violations.”
In a time of increased investor scrutiny regarding better governance involving #MeToo and other ESG issues, Emma explained, “this case had particular significance for me as a woman, and it was gratifying when the court ruled in our favor.”
Emma served as Lead Counsel in the Firm’s securities class action litigation against U.S. manufacturer Arconic, arising from the Grenfell Tower fire, the deadliest fire in the U.K. in more than a century. Arconic manufactured the highly flammable aluminum cladding allegedly responsible for the inferno that engulfed the public housing high rise, killing 72 people and injuring over 70 others. Arconic repeatedly misrepresented its safety protocols and the safety of its products to investors. Emma achieved a $74 million settlement for defrauded Arconic investors, representing approximately 22% of recoverable damages.
Emma co-led the Firm’s securities class action litigation against Brazil’s state oil company, Petrobras, which arose from a multi-billion-dollar kickback and bribery scheme and resulted in a record-breaking $3 billion settlement for defrauded investors after years of hard-fought litigation. The settlement stands to this day as the fifth-largest securities class action recovery ever achieved in the United States. During the Petrobras litigation, Emma played an instrumental role in securing ground-breaking precedents, which significantly expanded investors’ rights, at the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.
Emma has devoted significant time to pro bono matters. She played a critical role in securing a unanimous ruling by the Arkansas Supreme Court striking down as unconstitutional a state law banning cohabiting individuals from adopting children or serving as foster parents. The ruling was a relief for the 1,600-plus children in the state of Arkansas who needed a permanent family. The litigation generated significant publicity, including coverage by the Arkansas Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times.
Benchmark Litigation shortlisted Emma for 2023 Plaintiff Attorney of the Year. In 2023, Emma was awarded a place on National Law Journal’s list of Plaintiffs’ Attorneys Trailblazers, and in 2021, on National Law Journal’s Elite Women of the Plaintiffs Bar list. In 2021 and 2020, she was named by Benchmark Litigation as one of the Top 250 Women in Litigation — an honor bestowed on only seven plaintiffs’ lawyers in the U.S. in those years. The National Law Journal and the New York Law Journal both honored her as a Plaintiffs’ Lawyer Trailblazer in 2020. Emma has been honored since 2018 as a Super Lawyer® and has been recognized by Lawdragon as one of the top 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers.
Learn more about Emma in Law360’s profile of her work.