FRANCESCA BRODY is an associate in the Securities and Shareholder Litigation practice of Sidley’s New York office. Francesca rejoined the firm in 2016 after serving as a law clerk to the Honorable Kevin Thomas Duffy of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. She has experience representing clients in securities litigation and arbitrations. Francesca’s recent experience includes representing Cigna Corp. and its senior officers and directors in obtaining the dismissal, and a precedential Second Circuit affirmance thereof, of a shareholder class action alleging violations of the federal securities laws in connection with disclosures relating to Cigna’s Medicare business. She has represented broker-dealers in more than a dozen FINRA securities arbitration proceedings. Francesca was part of the trial team representing JPMorgan Chase-affiliated entities in a bankruptcy adversary proceeding brought by the chapter 7 trustee of HomeBanc Corp. in connection with disputed repurchase transactions, where the defense judgment was recently affirmed in a precedential opinion by the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Francesca has also represented a major insurance company in arbitration proceedings regarding disputes concerning premium, losses and collateral.
Francesca maintains an active pro bono practice and has represented individuals in the New York state and federal courts. Most recently, Francesca was lead counsel representing a plaintiff in a § 1983 action and, after prevailing on a motion for summary judgment, she negotiated a favorable settlement.
Francesca received her B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania and her law degree from Fordham University School of Law, where she was a notes and articles editor for the Fordham Law Review.