Justin N. Saif
Of Counsel
Justin Saif focuses his practice on complex class action litigation. Mr. Saif has litigated numerous securities, RICO, consumer, and ERISA class actions in federal court, successfully recovering hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved consumers, shareholders, and institutional investors.
Mr. Saif has been an integral part of the firm’s largest cases for more than a decade, and his commitment to the firm’s clients has driven significant firm successes, including in the Bear Stearns ($294.4 million recovery) and Fannie Mae 2008 ($170 million recovery) securities litigations. He played a leading role in originating and is currently litigating the ongoing EpiPen ERISA action on behalf of health plan participants alleging breaches of fiduciary duties by their pharmacy benefit managers.
Mr. Saif has experience in all facets of complex class action litigation, from developing and initiating new cases; to client retention and relations; drafting and arguing critical motions; leading teams handling document and deposition discovery; expert preparation, opposition, and defense; and litigating summary judgment and preparing for trial.
Prior to joining the firm in 2008, Mr. Saif worked as an associate at Foley Hoag LLP in Boston, where he focused on complex civil litigation including securities litigation and professional liability matters involving lawyers and accountants. He represented both plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal court and developed negotiation strategies leading to favorable settlements for clients in several matters. He also successfully represented pro bono clients seeking political asylum in the United States in Immigration Court. Prior to law school, he worked as a paralegal for Zalkind, Rodriguez, Lunt & Duncan LLP, a boutique civil litigation and criminal defense firm in Boston.
While in law school, he worked at the MacArthur Justice Center, an impact litigation firm and legal clinic focused on reforming the criminal justice system, working on the Guantanamo Bay litigation (Rasul v. Bush) and the preparation of amicus briefs to the Supreme Court in support of certiorari in habeas proceedings (Medellin v. Dretke) following the decision of the International Court of Justice on consular notification rights of foreign nationals arrested in the U.S.
Experience
- Integral member of team that litigated In re Fannie Mae 2008 Securities Litigation, where the firm represented co-lead plaintiff for the common stock class the Massachusetts Pension Reserves Investment Management Board. The case alleged that Fannie Mae and two individual defendants made material misrepresentations regarding and failed to disclose (a) that an enormous volume of mortgages on its books were “subprime” and “Alt-A” as defined internally by the company and throughout the industry, and (b) that defendants had inadequate internal controls to manage the significant risks created by the company’s purchases of those types of loans. The case settled for $170 million.
- Participated in drafting of amended complaint and opposition to motion to dismiss in the litigation against Bear Stearns & Co. and oversaw initial document review team.
- Prepared case for trial in securities litigation arising out of MetLife’s demutualization.
- Drafted discovery requests and responses, coordinated electronic document review, and prepared for mediation in In re Force Protection Securities Litigation, which settled for $24 million.
Publications, Presentations & Appearances
- Webinar panel presentation, Boston Bar Association, May 14, 2020: Implications for Class Actions from the Supreme Court’s Bristol-Myers Decision (vimeo stream (at 51.01))
- Co-author of The SEC – and Warren Buffett – Scrutinize Non-GAAP Accounting, SACRS Fall Magazine (October 2016)
- Guest Column: Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s Involvement in the Flowserve Decision May Bode Well for Securities Plaintiffs, Securities Docket (2009)
Justin Saif focuses his practice on complex class action litigation. Mr. Saif has litigated numerous securities, RICO, consumer, and ERISA class actions in federal court, successfully recovering hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved consumers, shareholders, and institutional investors.
Mr. Saif has been an integral part of the firm’s largest cases for more than a decade, and his commitment to the firm’s clients has driven significant firm successes, including in the Bear Stearns ($294.4 million recovery) and Fannie Mae 2008 ($170 million recovery) securities litigations. He played a leading role in originating and is currently litigating the ongoing EpiPen ERISA action on behalf of health plan participants alleging breaches of fiduciary duties by their pharmacy benefit managers.
Mr. Saif has experience in all facets of complex class action litigation, from developing and initiating new cases; to client retention and relations; drafting and arguing critical motions; leading teams handling document and deposition discovery; expert preparation, opposition, and defense; and litigating summary judgment and preparing for trial.
Prior to joining the firm in 2008, Mr. Saif worked as an associate at Foley Hoag LLP in Boston, where he focused on complex civil litigation including securities litigation and professional liability matters involving lawyers and accountants. He represented both plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal court and developed negotiation strategies leading to favorable settlements for clients in several matters. He also successfully represented pro bono clients seeking political asylum in the United States in Immigration Court. Prior to law school, he worked as a paralegal for Zalkind, Rodriguez, Lunt & Duncan LLP, a boutique civil litigation and criminal defense firm in Boston.
While in law school, he worked at the MacArthur Justice Center, an impact litigation firm and legal clinic focused on reforming the criminal justice system, working on the Guantanamo Bay litigation (Rasul v. Bush) and the preparation of amicus briefs to the Supreme Court in support of certiorari in habeas proceedings (Medellin v. Dretke) following the decision of the International Court of Justice on consular notification rights of foreign nationals arrested in the U.S.
Education
- University of Chicago (J.D., 2004)
- Harvard University (A.B., cum laude, 1999)
Experience
- Integral member of team that litigated In re Fannie Mae 2008 Securities Litigation, where the firm represented co-lead plaintiff for the common stock class the Massachusetts Pension Reserves Investment Management Board. The case alleged that Fannie Mae and two individual defendants made material misrepresentations regarding and failed to disclose (a) that an enormous volume of mortgages on its books were “subprime” and “Alt-A” as defined internally by the company and throughout the industry, and (b) that defendants had inadequate internal controls to manage the significant risks created by the company’s purchases of those types of loans. The case settled for $170 million.
- Participated in drafting of amended complaint and opposition to motion to dismiss in the litigation against Bear Stearns & Co. and oversaw initial document review team.
- Prepared case for trial in securities litigation arising out of MetLife’s demutualization.
- Drafted discovery requests and responses, coordinated electronic document review, and prepared for mediation in In re Force Protection Securities Litigation, which settled for $24 million.
Admissions
- State Bar of Massachusetts
- U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts
- First Circuit, U.S. Court of Appeals
Publications, Presentations & Appearances
- Webinar panel presentation, Boston Bar Association, May 14, 2020: Implications for Class Actions from the Supreme Court’s Bristol-Myers Decision (vimeo stream (at 51.01))
- Co-author of The SEC – and Warren Buffett – Scrutinize Non-GAAP Accounting, SACRS Fall Magazine (October 2016)
- Guest Column: Justice Sandra Day O’Connor’s Involvement in the Flowserve Decision May Bode Well for Securities Plaintiffs, Securities Docket (2009)