Lawson represents a broad range of clients in high-stakes commercial matters. His work spans general corporate advisory, dispute resolution, legal opinion memoranda, and regulatory counseling in connection with government subpoena enforcement.
Recognized by clients for his ability to “deliver outlier outcomes”, Lawson is frequently parachuted in during crisis moments to rebalance negotiation dynamics toward client-favorable outcomes.
Lawson earned his J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law, where he served as Managing Director of the Moot Court Honor Society. From 2013 to 2014, he led the program to consecutive East Coast Regional Championships, Quarterfinalist and Finalist honors, and back-to-back Best Brief awards at the Thomas Tang National Moot Court Competition. Lawson also spent two semesters as a judicial extern to Judge Hurley. United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York and the Honorable Denny Chin, United States Circuit Judge for the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
After graduation, Lawson joined international law firm Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson LLP before clerking for Justice Andrea Masley in the New York State Supreme Court, Commercial Division.
Bar Admissions New York US District Court for the Southern District of New York US District Court for the Eastern District of New York US Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of New York
Education JD, St. John’s School of Law Managing Director, Moot Court Honor Society
Quarterfinalist, Thomas Tang National Moot Court Competition 2013 Second Best Brief, Thomas Tang National Moot Court Competition 201
Finalist, Thomas Tang National Moot Court Competition 2014
Best Brief, Thomas Tang National Moot Court Competition 2014
Clerkship Hon. Andrea Masley, J.S.C., Commercial Division, New York State Supreme Court
Notable Cases
China Privatization Fund (Del.), L.P. v. Galaxy Entertainment Group Ltd. 2019 NY Slip Op 30804(U) (Sup Ct, N.Y. County Jan. 24, 2019) Cross-border dispute over conversion terms for $240M zero-coupon convertible bonds issued to finance Macau casino project; court upheld issuer’s conversion calculation.
Blobel v. Kopfli 2018 NY Slip Op 30171(U) (Sup Ct, N.Y. County Jan. 30, 2018) Founder-ownership dispute in biotechnology company; CPLR 3211 dismissal of claims alleging oral equity-allocation agreement.
Duncan-Watt v. Rockefeller 2018 NY Slip Op 30428(U) (Sup Ct, N.Y. County Feb. 23, 2018) Television IP exploitation dispute; CPLR 3211 motion practice.
DAE Assocs. LLC v. Meyer Index No. 651500/2015 (Sup Ct, N.Y. County Jan. 28, 2019) Stolen-art dispute involving Jasper Johns work; CPLR 3211 motion.