David Boies and his team at BSF successfully defended Starr International Company (Starr) in a trial of claims brought by AIG seeking more than $4 billion of Starr's assets. After a three-week trial, a federal jury returned a unanimous verdict in favor of Starr on both of AIG's claims (breach of trust and conversion). The jury’s verdict was final as to the conversion claim, but was an advisory verdict as to AIG’s breach of trust claim. On August 31, 2009, U.S. District Judge Jed S. Rakoff issued a 59-page opinion agreeing with the jury’s advisory verdict, and entered final judgment in favor of Starr on all seven of AIG’s claims. Judge Rakoff’s opinion noted that the trial presentations “were models of good lawyering,” and adopted BSF’s position that AIG did “not come close to shouldering” its burden of proof.
