James D. Zirin

James D. Zirin "a leading trial lawyer for over 35 years, is a partner in the New York office of Sidley Austin LLP which he joined in 1993. For three years, he was an Assistant United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York and served in the criminal division under Robert M. Morgenthau.

"Mr. Zirin has appeared in state and federal courts around the nation. His practice has featured the defense of major accounting firms charged with violations of professional responsibility and in substantial class actions. These matters have included the American Express salad oil and Equity Funding cases, where he represented Deloitte, and the IOS and DeLorean litigations. His clients have included The Rockefeller Foundation, Merrill Lynch, Citibank, Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts and the City of New York. He represented a Brazilian trader who was a significant figure in the silver debacle of 1979 and 1980. He handles white collar criminal cases, shareholders’ litigation, directors and officers liability cases and patent infringement suits. His experience includes litigation involving reinsurance on the London market and arbitration."


 * Advisory Board, Center for Preventive Action