Michael Lieberman joined Ropes & Gray in 2025 as an associate in the litigation and enforcement practice group, where he focuses on complex civil litigation.
Michael previously served as a law clerk for the Honorable Andrew Borrok in the Commercial Division of the New York State Supreme Court, New York County. Drawing on this experience, Michael provides tactical and strategic counsel to clients navigating the complexities and nuances of litigation in New York State courts. Michael has also represented clients in federal courts throughout the country and has appeared in arbitrations, including before the AAA-ICDR.
Michael is actively involved in pro bono legal services, including litigation to combat antisemitism and providing advance planning services to Holocaust survivors.
Prior to joining Ropes & Gray, Michael practiced in the New York office of a national law firm. While in law school, Michael was the recipient of an ACES Teaching Fellowship and served as a teaching assistant for first-year torts classes.
Experience
- Representing a leading global private equity firm and related entities and individuals in a number of lawsuits related to a former portfolio company’s default on high-yield debt. The plaintiffs, which include liquidators, an indenture trustee and bondholders, asserted claims in excess of $2 billion in multiple actions brought in state and federal courts. To date, we have obtained numerous dismissal orders for our clients in suits brought in federal and state courts at both the motion to dismiss phase and on summary judgment.
- Defending New York’s largest healthcare provider in 14 class actions and over 100 individual actions in New York State Supreme Court arising from a privacy-related incident at a Long Island-based sleep center.
- Served as lead associate defending one of the largest federal student loan servicers in the nation in class action brought by student loan borrowers in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York alleging a fraudulent scheme to collect payments on old student loan debts without the ability to prove ownership or collectability in violation of the Fair Debt Collection Practice Act (FDCPA), New York General Business Law § 349, and the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO), ultimately securing complete dismissal of all claims against client.*
- Served as lead associate prosecuting breach of contract claims on behalf of the largest municipal health system in the nation; led negotiations and acted as first chair in successful mediation resulting in favorable settlement including payment in full of all amounts owed totaling over $550,000.*
- Represented Australian playwright in action against co-creator of puppet parody play based on popular 1980s sitcom in action for breach of settlement agreement and negotiated creative and favorable settlement in which client received all intellectual property and the rights to stage, broadcast, and distribute the play.*
*Experience prior to joining Ropes & Gray