JON MUENZ focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation, including securities litigation, litigation relating to mergers and acquisitions and corporate governance, class and derivative actions, and bankruptcy adversary proceedings and contested matters. In addition to having litigated in numerous state and federal courts across the country, Jon has extensive arbitration experience in various arbitral forums. Jon also has significant experience representing clients in SEC, DOJ and FINRA investigations and proceedings. Jon has experience as in-house litigation counsel for a Fortune 100 company.
Jon serves on the editorial board of the Enhanced Scrutiny blog, where the Sidley team provides timely updates and thoughtful analysis on M&A and corporate governance matters from the Delaware courts and, on occasion, from other jurisdictions.
Recent securities actions and class actions include representation of:
- A major payment card issuer in putative class action brought by Chapter 7 debtor regarding credit reporting and the statutory “discharge injunction”
- TD Ameritrade, Inc., and related entities and individuals, in five putative class actions alleging federal securities law and purported state law claims concerning order routing and execution
- Major financial institution in various actions pending in the SDNY alleging violations of the Trust Indenture Act, New York’s Streit Act, and various contractual and common law duties arising from the institution’s role as trustee in various RMBS transactions
- Principal Management Corporation in Section 36(b) action alleging excessive fees to advisers and sub-advisers
- Online lender in putative class action alleging violations of RICO and state usury laws
- SMART Technologies Inc. and its officers and directors in cross-border (U.S. and Canada) putative class actions filed in the SDNY alleging violations of the securities laws arising from the company’s initial public offering
Recent M&A-related matters include representation of:
- Real Estate Investment Trust in putative class action seeking to enjoin merger and tender offer
- The directors of Rouse Properties in putative class actions alleging breaches of fiduciary duties in connection with Rouse’s acquisition by Brookfield Properties
- Starwood Capital Group and senior officers in putative class action seeking to enjoin the merger of Starwood Waypoint Residential Trust and Colony American Homes and challenging the internalization of the company’s manager
Other recent commercial litigation matters include representation of:
- Major insurance company in arbitrations relating to premium, losses and collateral
- Freight operator in emergency proceedings arising out of a Metro-North train derailment
- Canadian energy company in litigation brought by 80 oil producers, arising out of the bankruptcy of a major midstream energy transporter