Alexandra Chopin specializes in high-value commercial business litigation and enforcement disputes for US and overseas financial institutions, multinational corporations and foreign governments. Though Alex has represented clients in many different industries, typically these are commercial, regulatory, and terrorism financing issues in federal and state courts, including in the US Courts of Appeals and the US Supreme Court. Outside the US, Alex’s clients are primarily corporations, financial institutions, and foreign sovereigns and their state-owned entities located in the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa. Alex is particularly skilled at developing coordinated global defense strategies for clients who are parties to litigation in more than one type of tribunal, or who are targets and witnesses in multijurisdictional government investigations. A former journalist and political campaign media specialist, Alex also represents newspapers, broadcast media and public figures in defamation actions throughout the US.

Award Mouse thought multimedia interface book medal screen monitor

Foreign Governments and Foreign Financial Institutions

  • Won a landmark jurisdictional decision reversing a US$655.5 million judgment, and obtained a stayed pending appeal, on behalf of a foreign government. Waldman, 835 F.3d 317 (2d Cir. 2016), cert. denied, 138 S. Ct. 1438 (2018).
  • Established a key appellate precedent for a foreign government, confirming due process protection against the exercise of jurisdiction in a US court. Livnat, 851 F.3d 45 (D.C. Cir. 2017), cert denied, 139 S. Ct. 373 (2018).
  • Defeated a US jurisdiction over a Middle Eastern government in the first decision to interpret the Anti-Terrorism Clarification Act of 2018 (ATCA), and narrowed the ability of private parties to bring ATA suits. Klieman, 923 F.3d 1115 (D.C. Cir. 2019).
  • Defeated a US jurisdiction over a foreign government in a reversal of district court, Shatsky, No. 17-7168, 2020 U.S. App. LEXIS 11734 (D.C. Cir. Apr. 14, 2020)
  • Won affirmance of a summary judgment dismissal for a foreign government on evidentiary and procedural grounds. Gilmore, 843 F.3d 958, 962 (D.C. Cir. 2016), cert. denied, 584 US (2017).
  • Twice defeated a US jurisdiction over Saudi Arabia’s largest bank in high-profile multidistrict litigation. In re Terrorist Attacks, 295 F. Supp. 3d 416 (S.D.N.Y. 2018), and O’Neill, 714 F.3d 659 (2d Cir. 2013), cert. denied, 134 S. Ct. 2870 (2014).
  • Won dismissal of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act in a government contract dispute. D&S Consulting, Inc. v. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 322 F. Supp. 3d 45, 49 (D.D.C. Aug. 21, 2018).
  • Won dismissal of foreign-law claims against one of the “big four” Chinese banks. Wultz, 2012 WL 5431013 (S.D.N.Y. Nov. 5, 2012) and 2013 WL 1641179 (S.D.N.Y. Apr. 16, 2013).
  • Won dismissal of claims against a foreign head of state based on official immunity. Manoharan, 711 F.3d 178 (D.C. Cir. 2013).
  • On appeal to the Georgia Supreme Court, established on behalf of a plaintiff seeking disclosure of a competitor’s tax returns that individual tax returns are not prohibited from disclosure under federal regulations and Georgia Open Records Act. City of Atlanta v. Corey Entm’t, Inc., 278 Ga. 474 (Ga. 2004).

Congressional, Federal Agency, and Global Regulatory Investigations and Litigation

  • On behalf of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, conducted a multi-year monitorship of Fiat Chrysler America’s compliance with federal motor vehicle safety laws and regulations.
  • Defended a billion-dollar mortgage industry company in litigation and investigations by the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and other financial regulatory agencies.
  • Avoided penalties for a top-three global energy company in Department of Justice antitrust and European competition authority investigations.
  • Avoided penalties for a leading national renewable energy company in Department of Justice and Department of Treasury Inspector General investigations.
  • Represented private equity investors in leading renewable energy startups in Congressional and Justice Department investigations and related bankruptcy litigation.
  • Obtained the dismissal of False Claims Act litigation on behalf of a for-profit education institution.
  • Successfully resolved False Claims Act litigation by negotiating a civil settlement with the Department of Justice, on behalf of a national medical laboratory.

Education

  • Emory University, J.D., 2001
  • Emory University, B.A., 1995

Admissions

  • District of Columbia, 2005
  • New York, 2003

Courts

  • District of Columbia District Courts (all)
  • Georgia (All state courts)
  • New York (All state courts)
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Ct. of App., Federal Circuit
  • U.S. Dist. Ct., N. Dist. of Georgia
  • U.S. Dist. Ct., S. Dist. of New York
  • U.S. Ct. of App., Second Circuit
  • U.S. Ct. of App., District of Columbia Circuit

Memberships and Affiliations

  • Adjunct Faculty, Georgetown Law School, E-Discovery Training Academy
  • Litigation Advisory Board, LexisNexis
  • D.C. Bar Association
  • Georgia Bar Association
  • New York Bar Association

Clerk Experience

  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama
    Hon. C. Lynwood Smith, Jr.
    June 2001 - June 2002

{{insights.date}} {{insights.type}} {{insights.contentTypeTag}}

  • Presenter, “Dispute Resolution – Routes To Settlement,” December 2018
  • Presenter, “Jurisdictional Paths and Detours: Are Courts Circumnavigating Daimler and Walden?” October 2017
  • Presenter, “Is Over There, Over Here? The Impact On Financial Institutions Law Under the FSIA,” October 2016
  • Co-author, “E-mining for Evidence: Best Practices for Cost Effective and Compliant E-Discovery in Runoff,” Airroc Matters, Fall 2014
  • Panelist, Masters’ Conference, “EU Data Privacy Regulations: New and Far More Stringent?” October 2014
  • Presenter, “Is Corporate Monitoring of Employee Use of Social Media Alienating Customers?” D.C. Bar Association, September 29, 2013
  • Presenter, “International Data Management After Edward Snowden,” The Masters Conference for Legal Professionals, Washington DC, September 19, 2013
  • Presenter, “Social Media − Planning for practical discovery while considering the landscape of recent case law and data privacy challenges,” The Masters Conference for Legal Professionals, Washington DC, October 4, 2011
  • Presenter, “Strategies for Spanning the E-Discovery Divide,” Masters Series for Legal Professionals, Houston, Texas, Augist 16, 2011
  • Presenter, “The Effect of Social Media on Litigation In the Courts and Before Administrative Agencies,” Federal Circuit Bench & Bar Conference, Key Biscayne, Florida, June 23-25, 2011
  • Moderator, “What Would You Do? Finding the Practical, Legal and Ethical Solutions to E-Discovery Problems,” Patton Boggs LLP, April 8, 2011
  • Presenter, “Get a Grip on Social Media in the Workplace,” The Masters Conference, Washington DC, October 4-6, 2010
  • Presenter, “Capital One: The Future of Search,” Capital One Financial Corp., McLean, Virginia, November 10, 2009
  • Presenter, “Global Corporate Change – Navigating Discovery, Risk and Security,” The Masters Conference, Washington DC, October 13-14, 2009
  • Presented, “Recent Developments In E-Discovery Law and Practice,” Patton Boggs LLP, April 4, 2009
  • Presenter, West Legalworks, “E-Discovery: An A to Z Workshop,” The George Washington University, Washington DC, July 15-16, 2008
  • Author, “Acces au métier d’avocat aux Etats-Unis,” Association Internationale des Jeunes Avocats, July 2003
  • Author, “Disappearing Due Process: The Case for Indefinitely Detained Permanent Residents’ Retention of Their Constitutional Entitlement Following a Deportation Order,” 49 Emory L.J. 1261, 2001

Award Mouse thought multimedia interface book medal screen monitor