Muhammad Faridi

Muhammad serves as the 71st President of the New York City Bar Association, one of the most powerful and prestigious bar associations in the U.S. He is the youngest person and the first ever Muslim-American to serve in the role. 

Muhammad is a go-to litigator for complex commercial matters involving claims relating to breaches of contract and commercial torts. He has represented clients — as both plaintiffs and defendants — in several industries, including financial services, pharmaceuticals and medical devices, software, and manufacturing.

As plaintiffs, Muhammad’s clients have recouped billions of dollars through litigation and out-of-court settlements, and, as defendants, they have avoided similar sums in liability. 

Chambers USA quotes a client as stating that Muhammad "is the best litigator I have worked with, and I've worked with just about every law firm in town." Another client added, Muhammad "is my go-to attorney for all manner of legal issues. In selecting counsel to represent my company, I always have him on speed dial. His abilities not only make him my first choice as litigation counsel, but he is also a trusted advisor in reviewing problems before they ripen into disputes in court." Another client stated, "he is an aggressive, smart, and creative commercial lawyer."

Muhammad’s trial work has earned him many accolades. Benchmark Litigation listed him as a “Litigation Star” for New York in its 2024 and 2023 Guides. Muhammad has also been named The American Lawyer’s “Litigator of the Week” and Law360’s “Legal Lion of the Week.” City & State named him to its “2023 Law Power 100” List. 

Work Highlights

Muhammad’s experience includes:

Complex Commercial Litigation

Financial Services

• A financial institution: representing in a dispute involving residential mortgage-backed securities leading to a settlement midway through trial of US$1.84bn.
• A financial institution: representing in a pre-suit settlement of claims where the client recouped US$1.1bn as well as loss sharing for future losses.
• A financial institution: representing as a plaintiff in a breach of contract and fraud action resulting in a US$995m settlement.
• A financial institution: representing as a plaintiff in a breach of contract action resulting in a US$400m settlement.
• A financial institution: representing in an international project finance dispute alleging violations of the Texas Securities Act and securing a favorable pre-suit settlement.
• An international investment conglomerate and holding company: representing as defendants in a complex financial fraud action relating to a secured lending facility.
• A hedge fund: representing in enforcement of its right to step-up in the interest rate owed on asset-back securities as a result of defaults by the sponsor in transaction documents.
• A financial institution: representing as a defendant in a breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract action related to a venture for ETFs; obtained dismissal from trial court.
• A large financial institution: representing as a plaintiff in a trade secrets misappropriation and breach of fiduciary duty case that resulted in a favorable settlement for the client.
• A corporate executive and a related company: representing in an arbitration proceeding related to stock repurchase that resulted in a favorable settlement for the clients.

Healthcare, Manufacturing, and Software

• An enterprise software company: securing a US$2bn verdict — the largest-ever jury verdict in the Virginia court system —  after a seven-week jury trial in a case involving the theft of trade secrets. The matter is now on appeal. Muhammad was selected as The American Lawyer's “Litigator of the Week” for this victory.
• A large healthcare company: representing in a dispute involving milestone payments following the merger and acquisition of another healthcare company.
• A medical device manufacturer: representing in a dispute related to the sale and marketing of orthopedic devices that resulted in a post-hearing arbitration award dismissing the adversary's claims and ruling favorably on the client's counterclaims.
• A semiconductor supplier: representing in a supply chain dispute that resulted in outright dismissal of the claims (breach of contract and tort) asserted against the client. Muhammad also defeated requests for a temporary restraining order and a preliminary injunction.
• A large manufacturer of auto parts: representing in an action alleging wrongful termination of a contract and fraud that resulted in a favorable settlement for the client.
• An international joint venture: representing in three related lawsuits related to its manufacturing rights resulting in a favorable multi-million-dollar settlement that also recognized the client’s rights.
• A large manufacturer of auto parts: representing in an arbitration proceeding alleging inadequate controls that resulted in a favorable settlement for the client.

Real Estate

• A commercial real estate holding company and a property management company: representing as defendants in an action alleging breaches of subordination and management agreements, obtaining dismissal of all claims from trial court and full affirmance on appeal.
• A REIT: representing in a US$257m dispute with the trustee, servicer and special servicer of a CMBS transaction and securing a favorable pre-suit outcome after mounting an aggressive defense.
• A substantial real estate enterprise: representing in a class action alleging breaches of the federal Fair Housing Act and securing a favorable outcome for the client after obtaining dismissal of most of the claims.
• Mezzanine borrowers: representing in a dispute related to commercial reasonableness of a UCC disposition.
• A mortgage lender: representing in a dispute related to collection of a significant amount in default interest.

White Collar Defense and Internal Investigations

• A large institution: representing in a civil forfeiture action brought by the U.S. Government and several lawsuits brought under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act and the Terrorism Risk Insurance Act.
• A special committee: representing the corporate board in connection with an investigation of alleged wrongdoings by the company’s founder and CEO.
• An Islamic religious figure: representing in alleged violations of the Iran sanctions regime.

Employment

• A financial services company: representing in a trade secret misappropriation and breach of contract suit against the company’s former employees and their new employer.
• A financial services company: representing in a dispute with a former employee regarding breaches of confidentiality, non-compete, and non-solicitation provisions of an employment agreement.

Bankruptcy Litigation and Creditors' Rights

• An official committee of unsecured creditors: representing in a large chapter 11 case involving a multi-state real estate developer with liabilities over US$1bn.
• Bondholders of a large bank: representing in a chapter 7 liquidation.
• A large Brazilian bank: representing in a chapter 15 proceeding stemming from a judicial recovery proceeding in Brazil.

Leadership roles

Prior to becoming President of the New York City Bar Association, Muhammad served as the organization’s Vice President, Chair of the Executive Committee, Chair of the Committee on Capital Punishment, and Co-Chair of the Committee on the Recruitment and Retention of Lawyers. 

In February 2023, Muhammad was appointed as the independent civil representative to the New York City Police Department’s Handschu Committee. In this role, Muhammad is charged with ensuring the NYPD’s compliance with the terms of a consent decree that regulates the NYPD’s policies and practices regarding investigations of political activity. 

Muhammad previously taught commercial litigation as an Adjunct Professor at Fordham University’s School of Law. 

Muhammad has also held the following memberships and board positions: 

• Member, New York City Mayor's Advisory Committee on the Judiciary (2022-2023) 
• Board of Directors, The TEAK Fellowship (2022-2023) 
• Board of Directors, National Center for Law and Economic Justice (2019-2023) 
• Board of Trustees, John Jay College Foundation (2017-2023) 
• Board of Directors, City University of New York School of Law (2022-present) 
• Fellow, Leadership Council on Legal Diversity (2020) 
• Board of Directors, Muslim Bar Association of New York (2009-2010)

Pro bono experience

Muhammad maintains an active pro bono practice, representing clients in notable cases that have garnered widespread coverage in publications including The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and the Los Angeles Times. 

Muhammad has been widely recognized for his pro bono work. He is the recipient of The Legal Aid Society’s Pro Bono Publico Award for multiple years, MFY Legal Services, Inc.’s Partner in Justice Award, the Brooklyn Bar Association’s TD Bank Champion of Justice Award, Benchmark Litigation’s Pro Bono Firm of the Year Award, the New York City Bar Association’s Norman Redlich Capital Defense Pro Bono Award, the National Asian Pacific American Bar Association's Pro Bono Service Award, and the Muslim Bar Association of New York's Trailblazer Award.

Muhammad’s pro bono experience includes representing:

• Prisoners at the Abu Ghraib prison facility in Iraq war in a suit against a military contractor alleging violations of the Alien Tort Statute.
• The family of a young Black man who was shot and killed by the police. 
• A union of federal government asylum and refugee officers in preparation and filing of comments on various rules proposed by the federal government related to immigration reform.
• A union of federal government asylum and refugee officers in five lawsuits challenging the Trump Administration’s immigration-related policies. 
• Refugees from throughout the world (e.g., Honduras, Syria, Pakistan) in U.S. asylum and UNHCR relocation proceedings.
• An abortion provider seeking to void burdensome restrictions on women’s right to choose in Oklahoma.
• Two Muslim communities in a federal civil rights lawsuit related to the right to build a house of worship.
• A class of over 4,000 homeless children in an action against the New York City regarding the right to shelter.
• Children with disabilities in a class action against the State of Louisiana alleging violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
• A death-row inmate in Missouri for six years in several federal and state court challenges seeking to set aside his death sentence, as well as various organizations such as the National Catholic Reporter and National Governors Association as amici in death-penalty litigations.
• Mentally disabled persons in housing court eviction proceedings.

Muhammad completed his Juris Doctor at the City University of New York School of Law in 2007. Prior to that, he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in 2004, graduating summa cum laude.

Muhammad previously served as a law clerk to Judge Jack B. Weinstein, Senior U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of New York.

He is admitted in the following courts and jurisdictions: 

• U.S. Supreme Court
• U.S. District Court, Southern, Eastern, and Western Districts of New York; District of New Jersey; District of Columbia 
• U.S. Court of Appeals, First Circuit; Second Circuit; Fourth Circuit; Ninth Circuit 
• New York 
• New Jersey

Muhammad has written extensively on commercial litigation. He is the co-editor of the Commercial Division Practice Guide (Bloomberg), a treatise that focuses on litigation in the Commercial Division of the New York State Supreme Court. The treatise has been described as “an indispensable resource for commercial litigators” and it can be found on the bookshelves of commercial division judges throughout the state. Muhammad is also a contributor to the American Bar Association Section of Business Law's annual review of business courts. In 2021, he was elected to the American Law Institute, the leading independent organization in the United States producing scholarly work to modernize and improve the law.

Recent published works include:

• Co-Author, "Eliminate the Cap on Supreme Court Justices," amNY Law (November 2024)
• Author, "Congress Can And Must Enact A Supreme Court Ethics Code," Law360 (October 16, 2024)
• Co-Author, "New York Commercial Division Updates Rules on Motion Papers and Rules on Motions in Limine," ABA's Recent Developments in Business Courts 2024 (March 7, 2024)
• Co-Author, "New York Commercial Division Practice Guide," Bloomberg Law (August 8, 2023)
• Co-Author, “What Rejected Renren Settlement Means For Investor Suits," Law360 (March 2, 2022)
• Co-Author, “Key Legal Considerations in Obtaining and Defending Against ‘Yellowstone’ Injunctions,” New York Law Journal (June 18, 2021)