Overview
Kurt Hansson is a partner in the Complex Litigation and Arbitration practice and Litigation Department at Paul Hastings, based in the firm’s New York office. Kurt has managed more than 300 litigators worldwide for over 15 years and has over 35 years of first chair trial and international arbitration experience. He is known for his creative and practical approach to resolving complex legal disputes for the firm’s most important clients.
Kurt also has extensive knowledge and experience in various forms of alternative dispute resolution matters. He was instrumental in establishing GE’s Early Case Assessment program and has helped develop similar programs for many other Fortune 500 clients. These programs are specifically designed to help reduce litigation costs and liabilities for clients by identifying litigation risks and potential business solutions early in the dispute process.
Kurt is a member of the state and federal bars in the states of Connecticut and New York, as well as the District of Columbia. He is also a member of the bars of the New York Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, Third Circuit and the United States Supreme Court.
Accolades
- Benchmark Litigation, Litigation Star
- The Legal 500 USA, General Commercial Disputes (2021-2024)
- The Legal 500 USA, M&A Litigation: Defense (2024)
- Chambers USA, Litigation: General Commercial (2022-2024)
- Lawdragon, 500 Leading Litigators in America (2022)
- Public Counsel's Center for Veterans' Advancement, Public Counsel Pro Bono Award (2019)
Education
- The American University - Washington College of Law, J.D., 1986 (Note and Comment Editor for the American University Journal of International Law and Policy)
- Tufts University, B.A. in Political Science, 1980
Representations
- Representing the Ad-Hoc Board of Directors of Petróleos de Venezuela (or PDVSA, of the Venezuela Guaido Administration) in connection with the multi-billion dollar litigation involving PDVSA’s 2020 Bonds secured by the stock of its subsidiary CITGO in the United States.
- Representing a Japanese drug company in an ICC arbitration on a multi-billion dollar licensing dispute concerning certain royalty payments.
- Represented Star China in a HKIAC arbitration seated in Hong Kong against a European licensor of one of the most popular television programs in the world.
- Served as co-lead counsel for the Republic of the Philippines in connection with the recovery of state-related assets.
- Successfully argued a Third Circuit Appeal affirming the dismissal of a significant RICO claim against GSK.
- Successfully represented UBS in multiple court and FINRA arbitrations relating to auction rate securities.
- Successfully settled thousands of mass tort cases brought against Plaza Realty arising out of the rescue and cleanup of the World Trade Center.
- Won on appeal the issue of enforcement of an arbitration provision in a limited partnership dispute on behalf of Lehman Brothers Holdings.