Advises on complex commercial litigation matters with a primary focus on fiduciary-related issues, including matters raised in trust and estates litigation, shareholder disputes and litigations involving employment-related matters. 

Taleah’s clients include financial services entities, such as investment managers, private equity firms, interdealer brokerage firms, multiemployer pension funds and commercial real estate firms, and fiduciaries of large trusts and estates. She has litigated cases in various state and federal courts, as well as regulatory and arbitration forums, from the commencement of claims through trials and appeals.

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• Represents beneficiary of the estate and various testamentary trusts established by the founder of a multibillion-dollar hedge fund in accounting and other proceedings, including disputes with other beneficiaries over Hamptons’ real estate property valued at more than $160 million.
• Represents the trustee of a testamentary trust with controlling interests in an internationally well-known restaurant enterprise in connection with claims raised by the trust beneficiaries relating to control and management of the trust assets.
• Represents an international sports association in connection with antitrust and contract claims asserted against it by an entity that unsuccessfully bid for opportunity to establish a sporting league, governed by the international organization, in the United States.
• Represented a major interdealer brokerage firm in various arbitrations and civil litigations arising out of a global corporate raid by a fierce competitor, including serving as co-lead counsel in a five-month jury trial resulting in a $100 million settlement for our client during jury deliberation.
• Successfully defeated alter ego liability claims asserted against a large private equity firm in a case alleging alter ego liability arising out of the alleged contractual breaches by a portfolio company in connection with its provision of services to a large metropolitan public transit authority.
• Defeated contract and defamation claims made against a multibillion-dollar investment firm by a former portfolio manager to whom it provided a $100 million notional seed capital investment.
• Represented an investment manager in a dispute with a former employee who claimed an ownership interest in tens of millions of dollars of client revenues.
• Successfully defeated brokerage claim on $1 billion sale of prominent New York City office tower.
• Served as lead counsel on a nine-day trial, obtaining a five-year Order of Protection for a client who suffered severe physical abuse by her husband.

• Benchmark Litigation
• Benchmark Litigation Under 40 Hot List, 2016
• The Legal 500 US
• Crain’s Notable Women in Law
• The Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America
• New York Super Lawyers  – Business Litigation, 2022-2024
• New York Super Lawyers –  Rising Star, 2015-2017
• Best Lawyers Business Edition – Trusts and Estates Litigation, Summer 2022
• Crain’s Notable Diverse Leader in Law
• Lawyers of Color –  Wonderful Women, 2023
• Savoy’s Most Influential Black Lawyers, 2018, 2022
• Burton Award for Distinguished Legal Writing, 2016
• New York State Bar Association Empire State Counsel Honoree, 2014
• Sanctuary for Families, Zero Tolerance Award Recipient, 2021
• Sanctuary for Families, Excellence in Pro Bono Advocacy Award Recipient, 2011, 2015, 2017

Education
Rutgers Law School, JD
University of Maryland, BS

Admissions
New York
Massachusetts

Courts/Agencies
US Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
US District Court, Southern District of New York
US District Court, Eastern District of New York
US Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
US District Court, District of Massachusetts

Prior Experience
Sullivan & Cromwell, 2003-2007