Hamish has successfully served as lead trial counsel for a number of significant firm clients and Fortune 500 companies. He is a general litigator who has handled cases across a broad array of subject areas. But before he became a general litigator, Hamish was a specialist – first in tax law, then in constitutional law. This unique background has made Hamish an unusually versatile litigator who excels at mastering complex factual and legal issues and distilling them into simple, compelling, and winning arguments.

Hamish is a member of the firm’s Executive Committee.

Hamish’s experience includes:

  • Winning major trials:
    - Successful first chair in expert phase of trial involving $5 billion valuation dispute
    - Lead role in successful representation of Barclays in $13 billion trial
    - Cross-examined fact and expert witnesses in winning $109 million judgment against United States
  • Winning summary judgment and appeals:
    - Successfully argued summary judgment winning $500 million contractual dispute
    - Successfully argued summary judgment defending Florida Governor in constitutional challenge to voting laws
    - Led effort that won appeal worth over $7 billion
    - Argued and won appeal defending former head of DEA in Alien Tort Claims Act case
  • Leading major class actions:
    - Lead counsel for Fannie and Freddie shareholders suing over August 2012 Net Worth Sweep
    - Lead counsel for health insurance subscribers suing Highmark and UPMC for antitrust violations
    - Lead role in antitrust class action against Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans
    - Successfully represented “Hot Lanes” motorists challenging excessive fines
  • In bid protests:
    - Lead counsel for SpaceX against U.S. Air Force resulting in favorable settlement
    - Lead counsel for Palantir in winning landmark bid protest against U.S. Army
  • Other successful lead counsel representations:
    - Lead counsel for UnitedHealthcare in successfully defending against trademark challenge re use of “UHC” mark
    - Lead counsel for New York Life in successful litigation relating to investor-owned life insurance
  • Constitutional law:
    - Won injunction of non-Public Use Taking after Kelo
    - Litigated numerous constitutional cases involving First Amendment, Takings Clause, Equal Protection and administrative law issues
  • Human rights:
    - Sued Zimbabwean President and political party for extrajudicial killings and torture

Speaker, A fresh perspective on campaign finance reform, August 18, 2019

On the Cadillac tax: 'Dare Greatly', The Hill, October 7, 2015

  • University of Virginia School of Law, J.D.; Member, University of Virginia Law Review
  • Oxford University, B.A., Jurisprudence; Oxford Rowing Blue
  • Yale University, B.A., cum laude, Humanities; Distinction in the Major; Captain, Yale Heavyweight Rowing

Bars

  • New York
  • District of Columbia
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals: Second Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals: Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals: D.C. Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals: Federal Circuit
  • U.S. District Court: Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court: District of Columbia
  • U.S. District Court: District of Maryland
  • U.S. Court of Federal Claims
  • U.S. Tax Court

Chambers USA, Litigation: General Commercial (2024)

Lawdragon’s 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers (2023, 2024)

Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America (2022-2024)

Lawdragon 500 Leading Litigators in America