A Partner in the Firm’s Litigation Department and Co-Head of both the Firm’s International Trade Regulation Practice and Asia Litigation Practice, George Wang has decades of experience representing companies, boards of directors and individuals in large, complex commercial cases and other “bet the company” matters. He focuses on securities litigation, contract disputes and U.S. trade controls. George has defended securities class actions for many of the nation’s largest companies, including Best Buy, JPMorgan and Pfizer, as well as multiple high-profile Chinese and Latin American companies. He regularly litigates and advises on contractual disputes, including indemnification claims, often arising out of M&A, joint venture or other strategic agreements. He also specializes in international regulatory and compliance matters, including U.S. economic sanctions and export controls.
George has defended a wide range of clients in securities class actions, including:
U.S. Companies:
- Best Buy in winning summary judgment after securing landmark denial of class certification in a securities class action filed after earnings miss;
- JPMorgan in complete dismissal of securities fraud claims and secondary offering claims;
- Pfizer in defense of a securities class action litigation concerning alleged misrepresentations about cardiovascular and gastrointestinal risks of Celebrex;
- Regional Management and former private equity shareholders in complete dismissal of a securities class action alleging false and misleading statements about loan loss reserves;
- Sterling Partners in a securities class action relating to alleged misrepresentations concerning Adeptus Health’s operational performance and financial statements;
- Virtus Investment Partners in a securities class action alleging misrepresentations in offering documents;
- WW (Weight Watchers) in dismissal of two different securities class actions alleging misrepresentations about membership statistics and business model changes; and
- Wyeth in a securities class action alleging false and misleading statements concerning an FDA complete response letter issued in connection with Pristiq.
Foreign Issuers:
- UAE company Yalla Group in complete dismissal of securities class action;
- Argentinian companies Cresud Sociedad Anónima Comercial, Inmobiliaria, Financiera y Agropecuaria (CRESUD) and Inversiones y Representaciones Sociedad Anónima (IRSA) in complete dismissal of securities class actions alleging inaccuracies in financial statements;
- Brazilian company Andrade Gutierrez in complete dismissal of a bondholder class action;
- Chinese companies Ruhnn and Wanda Sports Group in complete dismissal of IPO litigation, and Alibaba in a securities fraud class action;
- Peruvian company Aenza (Graña y Montero) in settlement of a securities case relating to Odebrecht/Lava Jato; and
- U.K. company Carnival plc’s independent directors in dismissal of shareholder derivative litigation alleging breaches of fiduciary duty.
George has substantial experience representing clients in their most challenging contractual disputes. He is skilled in navigating companies and individuals through disputes with counterparties over contractual rights and obligations. He frequently advises on contractual indemnification disputes, commonly arising out of an ongoing or prior M&A, JV, co-funding or other strategic agreement. He is regular counsel to a Fortune 100 company on its indemnification disputes.
George advises U.S. and foreign companies on international regulatory and compliance matters, particularly relating to trade sanctions (OFAC), export controls (BIS), and other U.S. laws governing cross-border transactions. He advocates before U.S. governmental authorities, handles governmental and internal investigations, provides transactional-oriented trade and sanctions advice, and guides companies with risk assessments, crisis management, and the development and implementation of internal policies and procedures.
George received his B.A., magna cum laude, from Harvard University in 1995. He received his J.D., magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School, where he was a member of the Harvard Law Review. George joined Simpson Thacher in 1999, immediately following a clerkship with the Honorable Diarmuid F. O’Scannlain of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. He was elected Partner in 2006. He currently serves as Co-Chair of the Firm’s Insurance Committee and Diversity Committee. George has been the Firm’s representative to Her Justice, a pro bono organization that supports women in poverty in New York City with family, matrimonial and immigration matters, for over a decade.
George was recognized as a Rising Star by the New York Law Journal in its inaugural class of Rising Stars. George is recommended by The Legal 500, where sources call him “a sharp lawyer who is knowledgeable and highly experienced . . . incredibly client-oriented . . . [and] responsive, thorough and thoughtful.”