Oscar Shine

Partner

212 390 9034

Photo of Oscar Shine

Oscar Shine is a litigator with experience in complex commercial disputes, internal investigations, and government enforcement matters.

Oscar has represented clients in labor and employment disputes, securities class actions, and multidistrict products liability litigations. He has also represented prominent corporations in regulatory investigations before the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, and several state attorneys general. Oscar served on Google’s communications staff in the Asia-Pacific region and has worked on matters involving Chinese law.

Representative Matters

  • Crypto-asset investors: Representing investors in class actions filed in the Southern District of New York against major crypto-asset exchanges and digital token issuers, based on claims of alleged violations of federal and state securities laws through the offering or sale of billions of dollars of unregistered securities. Oscar also represents a putative class of cryptocurrency investors alleging that defendants falsely represented that tether, a purported “stablecoin,” was fully backed by U.S. dollars as part of a market-manipulation scheme that inflated the price of Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, costing investors hundreds of billions of dollars.
  • Cerberus Capital Management, L.P: Represented private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management as plaintiff in a breach of contract action against the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, one of Canada’s largest banks. In 2018, the First Department agreed with Cerberus’ interpretation of the agreements and held that CIBC’s contrary interpretation was “unmoored” from the contracts. After a damages hearing and related decision that rejected nearly all of CIBC’s damages arguments, the New York Supreme Court – on February 6, 2023 – entered judgment for Cerberus for $855 million.
  • Successfully represented a CEO in an employment dispute. Obtained a seven-figure settlement without having to initiate litigation.
  • Successfully represented a startup founder in an earnout dispute.Obtained a seven-figure settlement for the founder of a startup, without having to initiate litigation, in a dispute involving “earn out” provisions of an acquisition agreement. Later represented the founder in matters involving a noncompete agreement.

In his public interest practice, Oscar has represented indigent defendants facing criminal charges in federal court. At the height of the COVID-19 outbreak, he worked with the ACLU to assert a class action habeas petition seeking the temporary release of all medically vulnerable people incarcerated at a federal prison in New Jersey. Oscar also acted as trial counsel in the Eastern District of New York on behalf of an airline passenger alleging racial and national-origin discrimination against the airline.

  • Duke University School of Law (J.D., 2013)
    Executive Editor, Duke Law Journal
  • University of California, Berkeley (B.A., Political Science, 2006)

Sullivan & Cromwell LLP
Associate, 2014-2018

Law Clerk to the Hon. Gerald Bard Tjoflat
United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, 2013-14

  • State Bar of New York
  • United States District Courts: Southern District of New York, Eastern District of New York