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Michael Cypers is an experienced trial lawyer and business counsellor who focuses on complex financial disputes. He has tried multiple cases dealing with civil securities, corporate, partnership, financing, housing finance and fiduciary duty.
Michael's successful trial work on behalf of a private equity affordable housing fund that rescinded investment contracts earned a “Top High Impact Verdict” in California distinction by the Los Angeles Daily Journal. He has tried several disputes before juries involving financial statements, including a seven-month class action alleging $1 billion in damages that resulted in a defense verdict for Michael's client.
Based in Los Angeles for his entire professional career, Michael's practice reaches across the nation. He successfully represented a private equity tax credit firm in its securing rights to solar energy projects in Canada; he represented a public pension in a dispute with a Wall Street securities firm; and he represented the majority founders of a venture capital firm in separating from a minority founder. He has also litigated civil securities matters relating to Enron, Cendant, McKesson and Sprint.
Michael was an adjunct professor of law at Berkeley Law at the University of California, Berkeley from 1997 until 2012, teaching seminars on securities litigation, corporate governance and advanced civil litigation.
Private Equity/Investment
Sucessful resolution of claims for Tier I national asset based leader.
Successful representation of investment fund against venture capital firm with “me too” issues.
Successful enforcement of solar energy investor’s rights in Canadian solar projects.
Successful defense of claim by Lehman Bros. bankruptcy estate against public pension fund. Successful representation of Swiss hedge fund against California hedge fund.
Affordable Housing
Successful rescission at trial of equity investor’s interests in failed projects.
Successful representations of affordable housing investors in multiple high impact disputes with partners, including options, ROFRs and back-end sale issues, some public and some private.
Successful enforcement of investor’s rights in development damaged by Super Storm Sandy.
Successful resolution of management dispute resulting in sale by equity investor of its interest at a large profit.
Sucessful defense of housing non-profit sued for fraud.
Corporate Governance/Executive Representation
Successful removal of V.C. Firm founder.
Successful representation of multiple senior executives adverse to their companies.
Professional Liability
Four successful jury trials defending accounting firms against claims by third parties, including an investor class, or former clients.
Multiple claims involving accountants and attorneys successfully resolved in pre-lawsuit mediations.
Multiple claims and SEC proceedings involving attorneys, accountants and business managers.
Unfair Competition
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), Chair, Los Angeles Legal Division
American Friends of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem
Western Region Board, 2005 to present
National Board, 2013 to present
Berkeley Chancellor’s Southern California Advisory Council, 2019 to present
"Car Dealer Association Settles Two-Year Litigation Against TrueCar," Daily Journal, December 21, 2017
500 Leading Litigators in America, Lawdragon, 2022
“Top High Impact Verdict,” Los Angeles Daily Journal, 2010
Benchmark Litigation, Litigation Star, 2017-2023
Best Lawyers in America© Litigation – Securities “Lawyer of the Year” for Los Angeles, 2016
Best Lawyers in America© for Securities, 2010-2023; Commercial Litigation, 2010-2023; and Bet-the-Company, 2010-2018
Southern California Super Lawyers, 2007-2021
Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Rated
"Ensure All Relevant Parties Sign Arbitration Agreement," Law360, Michael Cypers and Michael Gerst, July 20, 2018
"Avoiding Juries: A Transactional Lawyer Lesson,” Daily Journal, Michael Cypers and Brett Cohen, March 2, 2017
"HP's long, winding road to face a nationwide class," Daily Journal, Michael Cypers and Julia Cherlow, August 4, 2015