Eric L. Lewis, Partner

Eric Lewis has played a leading role representing clients in high-profile, complex international insolvency matters, cross border disputes, and serious fraud cases. 

He has served as principal U.S. counsel to the liquidators of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI) in multi-jurisdictional criminal and civil litigation.  Mr. Lewis led the trial team that obtained a $1 billion fraud and racketeering judgment against a BCCI front man and enforced the judgment through the courts of Saudi Arabia, the first non-Arab League judgment ever enforced in that country.  A leading expert in international fraud and asset tracing, Mr. Lewis currently acts for the Algosaibi Group of Saudi Arabia, in seeking to recover the proceeds of a $10 billion fraud.  He also acts for hedge funds in actions relating to Collateralized Debt Obligations and other complex derivative instruments.  He represents a major state-owned South American bank in a dispute arising from the Lehman Brothers Insolvency.

Mr. Lewis serves as U.S. counsel to the Liquidators of Madoff International Securities Limited, the center of international operations of convicted financier Bernard Madoff.  He also represents the Trinidad and Tobago Unit Trust Company, the largest financial institution in the region.

Mr. Lewis has particular expertise assisting European, Middle Eastern, and Latin American clients deal with the complexities of U.S. civil and criminal proceedings.  He represented a large U.K. pension fund with respect to losses suffered in the collapse of WorldCom.  He has also assisted international government officials responding to U.S. civil litigation and investigations, including representation of the Executive Director of the United Nations Oil-for-Food Programme, a leading South American politician, and a leading hedge fund in a Foreign Corrupt Practices Act investigation.  Mr. Lewis represents a large soft drink bottler in Egypt in a dispute with The Coca Cola Company and a leading automobile distributor of General Motors vehicles in the Middle East. 

Mr. Lewis represents Guantanamo and Afghan detainees in litigation seeking redress and accountability for torture and religious abuse while in U.S. custody.

A frequent commentator on legal and political issues, Mr. Lewis has contributed to the Washington Post, Slate, The Huffington Post, The Legal Times, In Our Times, The Litigator and other publications.  He served for many years as Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center.  He is an elected member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the American Law Institute and the American Bar Foundation, an Honorary Overseas Member of the Commercial Bar Association of England and Wales. An expert in offshore asset tracing and trusts, he serves as a  Director of the Jersey International Business School in the Channel Islands.

Mr. Lewis was selected by Washington DC Super Lawyers (2007-2010) and by Super Lawyers Corporate Counsel Edition (2009) as one of "The Top Attorneys" in Business Litigation in the Washington, D.C., area.  He is also featured in Who’s Who as an expert in international insolvency.

In the News

• Basis takes on Goldman Sachs
• Australian fund sues Goldman for 'shitty deal'
• Goldman sued by hedge fund over notorious CDO deal
• Goldman Faces $1 Billion Suit
• Timberwolf Lawsuit: Goldman Sachs Sued By Australian Hedge Fund Over 'Sh--ty Deal'
• Simmons, Withers and Linklaters Advise on $9.2bn Saudi Fraud Case

Publications, Presentations and Events

• "Judge Griesa's Ruling in NML Capital: A U.S. Judge Wades Deep Into the Argentine Political System"
• "The El Paso Ruling and its Effect on the Use of §1782 in Private International Arbitration Proceedings"
• The Impact of the Econonmic Downturn on the Direct and Reinsurance Markets: CDO's, Derivatives, Madoff and Beyond
• Guiding Clients through the Economic Storm
• "Is Argentina the Next Hub of Money Laundering and what are the Consequences for International Business?"
• "What Can Madoff Investors do to Maximize the Recovery of Their Assets?"

Professional Affiliations

• Elected Member, Council on Foreign Relations
• Adjunct Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center
• Honorary Overseas Member of the Commercial Bar Association of England and Wales
• Fellow of the Congress of International Legal Studies
• Elected Member of the American Law Institute
• Director, Global Rights (2004)
• Director, Center for Constitutional Rights
• Chair, Panel on Parallel Criminal, Civil and Administrative Proceedings, Commercial Bar Association of England and Wales, North American Meeting (2005)
• Observer with Special Consultative Status, 61st Meeting of United Nations High Commission on Human Rights, Geneva (2005)
• Panelist, International Enforcement of Judgments, Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), Washington (2005)
• Testimony to Panel of Eminent Jurists, International Commission of Jurists on Civil Enforcement of Human Rights
• Author of articles published in The Washington Post, The Litigator, Washington Monthly, and other periodicals
• Presented numerous papers on litigation problems to international audiences
• Fellow of the American Bar Foundation

Past Professional Experience

• Law Clerk to The Honorable David L. Bazelon, U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit