joseph gallagher

partner

Joseph Gallagher is a partner of the firm who litigates complex commercial, employment, and partnership disputes, and advises clients on regulatory and law enforcement investigations. His clients include high-level financial services executives and other professionals, companies, partnerships, and startups.

Employment Disputes

• Representing more than 40 former Buzzfeed employees in an arbitration related to the company’s 2021 IPO, defeating Buzzfeed’s efforts in the Delaware Court of Chancery to block that arbitration. (Buzzfeed Media Enterprises Inc. v. Anderson et al., C.A. No. 2023-0377)

• Representing several former members of Signature Bank’s digital assets group in litigation against the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) to recover millions in unpaid compensation from the bank’s receivership estate, and defeating the FDIC’s motion to dismiss. (Seibert et al. v. FDIC, No. 24-cv-427).

• Representing a well-known activist investor in arbitration against his former business partner over significant breakup payments.

• Regularly advising a national roster of professionals and companies in litigation and negotiations involving alleged breaches of non-compete agreements.

Commercial and Civil Litigation

• Representing a U.K.-based defense contractor in Delaware litigation against a U.S.-based technology company — one of its key suppliers — over alleged breaches of an exclusive reseller agreement and other contractual covenants.

• Representing the City of Portland in recovering $6.75 million stolen through a sophisticated fraud scheme.

• Successfully representing a defendant in a now-dismissed putative class action arising out of the fall of Signature Bank, which alleged billions of dollars of damages under the federal securities laws.

• Representing trustee of an entity alleged to have facilitated a multi-million dollar fraud, which resolved via confidential settlement after the filing of our motion for summary judgment.

White Collar Engagements

• Leading an internal investigation on behalf of a broker-dealer alleged to have engaged in improper bond trading.

• Advising clients in confidential government investigations involving the Bank Secrecy Act, Anti-Money Laundering Act and sanctions compliance.

• Advising, at a prior firm, the court-appointed monitor for a leading money services business on compliance issues related to transaction monitoring and fraud prevention.

• Representing whistleblowers before the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission.

Awards and Recognitions

Benchmark Litigation recognized Joe as a “Future Star” in 2024 and 2025. He has also been recognized as a “Super Lawyer” in the New York Metro area each year since 2022.

Testimonials

I have enjoyed a long and successful career first as a commercial lawyer and then as an entrepreneur. Joe Gallagher represented me and my company through two years of intense litigation, negotiations, and finally settlement of a major legal dispute. He immersed himself in my case with full commitment, tremendous energy and very sage legal advice, commercial practicality and insight and was instrumental in achieving a successful result for me. I hold my counsel to a high standard, and gladly endorse Joe Gallagher.
— TOM BAKER, DIRECTOR, C4i SYSTEMS LIMITED

I highly recommend Joe Gallagher. He is a creative and highly talented lawyer.  Joe handled an entire Second Circuit appeal for our mutual client efficiently and adeptly.  He brought his significant appellate expertise to bear in putting together a compelling argument on appeal and masterfully argued the case to the Second Circuit panel.   
— ERICA WEISGERBER, PARTNER, DEBEVOISE & PLIMPTON LLP

Joseph Gallagher and Harris St. Laurent helped me through an incredibly difficult settlement negotiation when I chose to end my business partnership. Joe . . . oversaw the mediation process and prepared the final term sheet and settlement agreement. This was an arduous process, but working with Joe and the Harris St. Laurent team made it much easier.
— D. MICHAEL ASPITE, PRESIDENT, LOTUS PICTURES, INC.

Past Experience and Education

Joe graduated from Williams College in 2003, magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, and from the Georgetown University Law Center in 2008. Prior to joining Harris St. Laurent & Wechsler LLP, he practiced at Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP and Freshfields US LLP.