Peta Gordon focuses on complex commercial disputes and restructuring-related matters. Ms. Gordon has represented clients in proceedings across the commercial landscape, including major pharmaceutical companies, banks, private equity and hedge funds, insurers, and their principals in breach of contract claims, licensing disputes, partnership disputes, securities and derivative litigation, internal investigations, and bankruptcy-related litigations in both state and federal court.
Ms. Gordon maintains an active pro bono practice, with a particular focus on educational equity cases. Most recently, Ms. Gordon represented the NAACP Delaware State Conference of Branches and Delawareans for Educational Opportunity in a constitutional challenge to Delaware’s educational funding system.
Ms. Gordon received her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley and her JD from the UCLA School of Law, where she served as the chief article editor for the UCLA Journal of International Law and Foreign Affairs.
Experience
- A major pharmaceutical company in multiple licensing/collaboration disputes arising out of the co-development and co-marketing of various products.
- Kyrgyz Republic in connection with a motion to dismiss the Chapter 11 case of Kumtor Gold.
- A commercial mortgage lender in a breach of contract case involving the sale of a hospitality loan.
- A liquidation trust in a dispute regarding the ownership of the proceeds from certain group annuity contracts.
- A trustee in connection with a dispute regarding the disposition of commercial property in New York City.
- A hardware supply company in a breach of contract action in New Jersey State Court.
- An administrative agent under a credit agreement in a breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty action in New York State Court.
- Plaintiffs in a constitutional challenge to New York’s remote learning policies.
- Plaintiffs in a constitutional challenge to Delaware's public school funding system.
- Plaintiffs in a constitutional and statutory challenge to Delaware's property tax assessments.
- Ad-hoc term lenders in the PetSmart Inc. restructuring, including litigation over an effort to strip collateral away from secured lenders and related valuation disputes.
- Former officer and director of AIG in a Martin Act action brought by the New York State Attorney General.
- An eye surgery charity in the SDNY bankruptcy case of WonderWork, Inc.
- A charitable organization in an AAA arbitration stemming from a contractual dispute relating to the retention of a fundraising consultant.
- Hedge fund in an internal investigation relating to its potential FCPA exposure in connection with investments in developing markets.
- Major financial services companies in fraudulent transfer litigation in connection with the Mervyn's bankruptcy.
- Administrative agent of the secured lenders in litigation and investigations relating to the SemGroup bankruptcy.
- Major financial services company in Enron-related fraud and negligent misrepresentation litigation.
- Former member of a distressed debt fund in litigation regarding certain tax-deferred assets.
Perspectives
Credentials
Education
- J.D., University of California, Los Angeles, 2002, Chief Articles Editor-UCLA Journal of International Law and Foreign Affairs
- B.A., University of California, Berkeley, 1997
Admissions
- New York
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
Activities
- Member, Board of Directors, New York County Lawyers Association