Edwin Larkin, Experienced Commercial Litigator And e-Discovery Attorney, Joins Venable's New York City Office As Partner
Edwin M. Larkin, an experienced commercial litigator with a focus on electronic discovery and complex commercial litigation, has joined the New York City office of Venable LLP as a partner.
Mr. Larkin's practice focuses on class action defense in the areas of antitrust and securities, though he has handled a broad range of commercial litigation. He has also developed a strong concentration in electronic discovery, with particular attention to discovery of "unstructured data" – that is, electronic presentations, spreadsheets, graphic files and other digital data that are becoming an increasing focus in litigation and investigations.
He arrives at Venable after 13 years with the New York office of Winston & Strawn, where he was a vice chair of that firm's e-discovery and electronic information practice group.
On behalf of a large national insurance broker, Mr. Larkin led the team that conducted an internal investigation in response to a probe launched by then New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer into compensation practices and alleged bid-rigging within the brokerage industry. He represented the same client during the lengthy In re Insurance Brokerage Antitrust Litigation in U.S. District Court in New Jersey, which involved more than 40 insurance companies and brokerages and almost as many plaintiffs.
Mr. Larkin also represented a leading consulting firm being sued in a class action filed in Arkansas state court alleging billing improprieties relating to travel expenses. After motions to dismiss and class certification were filed, Mr. Larkin negotiated a very favorable settlement for his client.
Mr. Larkin's practice in the area of electronic discovery includes assisting case teams with the identification, collection, processing and review of electronically stored data. He has worked with most of the major e-discovery vendors and is routinely asked to provide recommendations to clients or case teams. Mr. Larkin also works proactively with clients on developing policies and procedures to deal with anticipated litigation associated with e-discovery issues.
Edmund O'Toole, Partner-in-Charge of Venable's New York office, said, "Ed Larkin is a first-rate litigator with substantial experience in complex antitrust, securities and general commercial matters and class actions. He's on the cutting edge of advances in e-discovery that now form so much of our trial work.
"Ed will be a valuable addition to our New York practice, especially as we continue to expand our platform in handling increasingly complex cases," Mr. O'Toole added. "Several of us have known Ed through our own matters – he's a great lawyer and a team player, and we think his arrival clicks perfectly with where our office is headed."
Mr. Larkin writes and lectures extensively on e-discovery issues. In 2008 he won a Burton Award for distinguished legal writing for an article he published in the National Law Journal, "Electronic Discovery – Insurers are Getting in on the Act."
In addition, he is a senior member of the Sedona Conference Working Groups dedicated to electronic discovery, confidentiality and protective orders. The Sedona Conference brings together lawyers, judges, and other members of the legal profession as volunteer thought leaders on topical issues. The Sedona Principles on Electronic Discovery, to which Mr. Larkin contributed, has been cited by various courts in rulings on e-discovery.
"My path has crossed with several Venable attorneys over the years, and I was always impressed with their litigation smarts and how they approached cases," said Mr. Larkin. "I knew that if the right opportunity came I would enjoy working with them. This is a young office with a healthy entrepreneurial mindset, and I think it's the ideal place for me at this point in my career. I'm delighted to be here."
Mr. Larkin earned his J.D. in 1990 from Georgetown University School of Law, where he was articles editor of the Journal of Law and Technology. He received an A.B. in Philosophy and Government from Georgetown in 1987.
SOURCE: Venable LLP