Alexandra E. Chopin

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.