Michael J. Garvey is a member of the Firm’s litigation department in the New York office. He represents clients in a wide range of commercial disputes, with particular focus on insurance/reinsurance, securities and shareholder litigation and government investigations.

Mr. Garvey represents major insurance and reinsurance companies in a variety of matters in the United States and abroad.  Institutional clients include Swiss Re, Travelers, and SCOR.  Among other engagements, Mr. Garvey was part of the trial team that successfully represented Swiss Re in coverage litigation against WTC leaseholder Larry Silverstein arising out of 9/11 terrorist attack.  Mr. Garvey has successfully represented Travelers in multiple shareholder litigations and class action antitrust and RICO litigations, including suits brought in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.  Mr. Garvey is also representing Swiss Re in class action litigation in the Court of International Trade alleging that various sureties, including Swiss Re, breached customs bonds that secured duties owed on “dumped” products imported from China.  He represents AIG’s outside directors in shareholder litigation arising from losses AIG incurred in connection with its CDO book of business.  Mr. Garvey represents domestic and overseas reinsurance clients on a variety of arbitrations and related matters. 

Mr. Garvey also represents other financial services clients.  Recently, he successfully tried to completion a centimillion dollar arbitration that his client brought to enforce restrictive covenants against a partner firm.  He is representing a client’s interests in civil litigation arising out of a high-profile Ponzi scheme.  And he successfully represented a home-builder client in an arbitration against its lender.

Mr. Garvey joined Simpson Thacher in 1998, served as a law clerk to the Hon. Albert M. Rosenblatt, a judge on the New York State Court of Appeals, from 1999-2001, returned to the Firm in 2001 and became partner in 2007.  He graduated cum laude from the State University of New York at Geneseo in 1995 with a dual degree in English and Music.  In 1998, he graduated cum laude from St. John’s University School of Law, where he was a staff member on Law Review.

Publications

•	The Supreme Court Considers the Constitutionality of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board
•	The Supreme Court Considers the ‘Inquiry Notice’ Standard in Federal Securities Fraud Cases
•	Developments In New York Insurance Law: New York Joins States That Require Prejudice To Insurers For Disclaimer of Coverage Based on Late Notice; Allows Direct Actions Against Insurers
•	The Supreme Court Rejects "Scheme" Liability For Secondary Actors In The Absence Of Actual Reliance On The Deceptive Conduct Or A Separate Duty To Speak
•	Supreme Court Hears Arguments on Expanding Securities Fraud Liability to Secondary Actors Based on Allegedly Fraudulent, Arm's Length Business Transactions
•	Supreme Court Adopts Heightened Standard for Pleading Scienter in Federal Securities Fraud Cases

Admissions

•	New York 1999
•	U.S. District Court Southern District of New York 2001
•	U.S. Court of International Trade

Clerkships

•	Hon. Albert M. Rosenblatt, New York State Court of Appeals, 1999-2001

Education

•	St. John's University School of Law, 1998 J.D. cum laude; St. John's Law Review, 1996-1998
•	State University of New York at Geneseo, 1995 B.A. Dean's List 4/8 Semesters