Mr. Reus, Founder & Chairman at DRRT, has over 25 years of experience in international litigation and alternative dispute resolution in the area of investor protection and loss recovery. He advises and represents some of the world’s largest institutional investors in U.S. and international shareholder compensation litigation, involving class actions, group actions, derivate action, appraisal actions in merger or take-over situations. He is one of the global leaders and pioneers in shareholder rights, protection, compensation and corporate governance matters as well as funding global loss recovery efforts in non-traditional non-class action jurisdictions.
Mr. Reus has been and continues to be involved in the largest non-U.S. securities litigation cases against companies such as Royal Bank of Scotland in England, Volkswagen in Germany, Vivendi in France, Toshiba in Japan and has successfully negotiated settlements with Olympus in Japan (JYP 11 billion) and Fortis in the Netherlands (€1.3 billion).
Mr. Reus is a Board Certified International Lawyer (Florida Bar). He is licensed to practice law New York, Florida, and the District of Columbia, as well as in England and Wales as a solicitor. A frequent international lecturer on international legal matters, he also serves on numerous boards of directors and committees. Alexander is a native German speaker, speaks fluent English and has conversational knowledge of Portuguese, French, and Spanish.
Background
After obtaining his J.D. from the University of Miami, Mr. Reus worked as a partner in both small and large international law firms on many complex international corporate and litigation matters. Mr. Reus joined Baur, Woodbridge, Reus & Klein to represent high net-worth individuals in corporate, real estate, immigration, tax, and litigation matters.
In 2000, Mr. Reus became partner at Becker & Poliakoff and chaired the European Practice Group, managing over 15 lawyers and focusing on complex M&A matters, litigation, ADR, and government relations issues.
In 2004, Mr. Reus founded DRRT as an internationally oriented and operating boutique with a focus on global investor protection, securities litigation and investor loss recovery. Alexander is, until today, DRRT’s Founder & Chairman. He is a native German speaker, but fluent in English and conversational in Portuguese, French, and Spanish.
Education
B.A., Gymnasium Karlsbad, Germany
J.D., University of Heidelberg School of Law, Germany
L.L.M., University of Miami School of Law
J.D., cum laude, University of Miami School of Law
Admissions
New York
Florida
District of Columbia
United States Supreme Court
U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit
U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
United States District Courts for the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida
Law Society of England and Wales (Solicitor)
Board Certified International Lawyer (Florida)
Lectures & Speaking Engagements
Speaker, “Shareholder Protection Through Loss Recovery Litigation” at ICGN Annual Conference, Miami, USA
Panelist, “Protecting Securities Portfolios Against Fraud – Obtaining Representation Outside the U.S.” at BLB&G Roundtable, New York City, USA
Speaker, “The Future of Financial Institution Litigation” at C5 9th International Financial Investor Insurance Form, London, UK
Panelist, “Mis-selling of Financial Products: How are we protected in today’s marketplace?” at IIEF Investor Rights Protection Forum, Hong Kong
Speaker, “International Securities Litigation” at The Knowledge Group Legal Series Webinar
Speaker, “Incorporating the Latest U.S. Class Action Developments into Your Litigation Strategy in Preparation for the Growth of Collective
Actions in Europe,” at C5 Financial Institutions Litigation Conference, London, UK
Co-Moderator, “Litigation Lessons for Securities Lawyers,” at ABA Annual Conference, Dublin, Ireland
Speaker, “Reconsidering the Compensation System for your Firm – From Associate to Senior Partner” International Bar Association Conference, Munich, Germany
Panelist, “Morrison v. NAB,” at IIEF London Governance Forum, London, UK
Panelist, “The new Corporate Governance Landscape,” at ICGN Annual Conference, Paris, France
Panelist, “The Route Map to Reform and Recovery,” at ICGN Annual Conference, Sydney, Australia
Speaker, “Generating Legal Alpha” at Nordic Pension Investment World, Stockholm, Sweden
Speaker, “Collection of Securities Class Action Settlements,” IIEF Institutional Investor Education Forum, Paris, France
Speaker, “Generating ‘Legal’ Alpha – New Trends in Europe and the U.S.” at Pension Fund Investment World, Berlin, Germany
Speaker, “Generating Legal Alpha” at Terrapin Investor World Middle East, Dubai, UAE
Articles & Publications
“Scheme Liability” nach Stoneridge – Haftung für Kapitalmarktbetrug in den USA und Deutschland (62. Jahrgang, Heft 27, Page 1245), WM. (Germany)
“Anlegerschutz – Pflichten von Institutionellen Investoren”, WM. (Germany)
“Globaler Anlegerschutz”, DAJV. (Germany)
“Securities Litigation USA/Germany – Duties of Institutional Investors”, DAJV. (Germany)
“The New European Company – Societas Europaea” Eurowatch. (Germany)
“Internationale Ehevertrage in Deutschland” (Heft 6, Page 329) FPR. (Germany)
“Judicial Discretion: Comparative View of the Doctrine of Forum Non Conveniens in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Germany,” Loyola of Los Angeles Int’l & Comparative Law (Volume 16, Number 2)
Memberships
Frankfurt Bar Association (Rechtsanwaltskammer Frankfurt)
Mr. Gulino, Managing Partner, has successfully represented institutional investors in active cases in multiple jurisdictions around the world for over a decade.
A U.S.-trained, multilingual attorney, Mr. Gulino is dual-licensed to practice in the U.S. (Florida, Pennsylvania and Washington, D.C.) and England & Wales. He represents DRRT’s clients in investor protection matters and securities and antitrust litigation. He is a Board Certified International Lawyer by the Florida Bar.
Leading a team of skilled international litigators, Joseph directs major non-U.S. securities litigation cases, such as Vivendi SA, Saipem S.p.A., and Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena S.p.A., working closely with DRRT’s partner firms in several global jurisdictions. He has acted as liaison counsel for DRRT clients in some of the largest U.S. securities cases, including Citigroup, Bank of America, and Merck.
A member of Associazione Internazionale Giuristi di Lingua Italiana (AIGLI) and the Association Internationale des Jeunes Avocats (AIJA), Mr. Gulino has lectured on securities litigation and investor protection claims in Italy, Belgium, and Luxembourg, and has authored articles on investor protection in various French legal journals. In 2019 Mr. Gulino has also been appointed to serve on the Florida Bar International Law Certification Committee.
Background
Previously employed by one of the largest U.S. securities litigation firms, Mr. Gulino is a two-time recipient of the U.S. Department of Education’s Foreign Language and Area Studies Fellowship, focusing on Western European Studies. He has worked as an intern with the U.S. Department of State, a pro bono immigration agency, and as a consultant to the University of Pittsburgh’s international legal education programs in Eastern Europe. He holds a master’s degree in International and Public Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public & International Affairs, specializing in global political economy.
Mr. Gulino is fluent in French and Italian, has conversational knowledge of Spanish, and elementary knowledge of German.
Education
J.D., University of Pittsburgh School of Law, International and Comparative Law Certificate
Master of Public and International Affairs, University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public & International Affairs, Certificate of advanced study: Western European affairs
B.A., Political Science, Villanova University, minors in French and Italian
Admissions
Pennsylvania
District of Columbia
Florida
Solicitor (England & Wales)
Board Certified International Lawyer (Florida)
Lectures & Speaking Engagements
Speaker, “Shareholder Protection Through Loss Recovery Litigation” at ICGN Annual Conference, Miami, USA
Speaker, “Case Examination: Tesco (UK),” at Securities Class Action Services Webinar
Speaker, “Global Trends in Securities Class Actions,” at Securities Class Action Services Roundtable, New York City, USA
Panelist, “Myths and Realities of Financing Collectives Actions,” at ABA Seminar Increasing Access to Justice Through EU Class Actions, Brussels, Belgium
Guest Lecturer, “International Securities Fraud Actions and Investor Protection,” at Università LUISS Guido Carli, Law School, Rome, Italy
Seminar presenter, “After the storm: A comparative approach between U.S. and Europe on the consequences of the crisis on the legal environment applicable to the banks”, at AIJA seminar “Being a Banker in a Post-Crisis World: Risks and Liabilities”, Luxembourg
Seminar panelist, “The Global Fight Against Terrorism and its Impact on Citizens’ Lives,” Madrid, Spain
Seminar on comparative International Legal Education US-Ukraine, Yalta, Ukraine
Articles & Publications
“L’expérience allemande pour protéger les investisseurs, une leçon pour l’Europe?”, Option Droit & Affaires (No. 73) (France)
“Morrison v. National Australia Bank: Effects and Future Perspectives,” ABA Newsletter (Volume 6, Issue 4) (USA)
“A recent decision of the U.S. Supreme Court represents a radical change for the system of investor protection in the United States – La dernière décision de la Cour Suprême Américaine représente un changement radical pour le système de protection des investisseurs aux Etats-Unis,” AIJA (No. 24) (France)
“Morrison contre National Australia Bank, un arrêt à la portée internationale,” Option Droit & Affaires (No. 44) (France)
“Actions de groupe: la Cour suprême siffle la fin de la partie pour les investisseurs étrangers,” LJA (No. 985), (France)
Memberships
Board of Trustees of The American University of Rome
Board of Non-Profit National Italian American Foundation (NIAF)
Florida Bar International Law Certification Committee
French-American Chamber of Commerce of Florida
International Association of Jurists (Associazione Internazionale Giuristi di Lingua Italiana) (AIGLI)
International Association of Young Lawyers (Association Internationale des Jeunes Avocats) (AIJA)
Member of the Commercial Fraud Commission
Member of the Banking, Finance & Capital Markets Law Commission
Mr. Wefers, Partner & Head of European Offices, has extensive professional experience in the fields of financial and capital markets, banking and trade law, international litigation, and dispute resolution. He is a member of the Frankfurt Bar (Germany) and works mainly from DRRT’s German office in Frankfurt.
Mr. Wefers is a certified expert in financial and capital markets by Deutsches Anwaltsinstitut e. V. and assists DRRT’s clients in matters of banking and trade law as well as international litigation and dispute resolution.
He represents institutional investors in numerous Dutch Foundation proceedings, international bankruptcy matters, financial antitrust cases, and German private securities actions, among them Hypo Real Estate, one of the largest securities cases ever to be brought by institutional investors in Germany.
Mr. Wefers is also a Member of the FORsettlement Board, Fortis Steerco, and Committee of Representation for Steinhoff International Holdings N.V. (“SHINV”).
Background
Mr. Wefers obtained his law degree from the University of Düsseldorf and Cologne and completed his LL.M. at the University of Miami School of Law. He received certification as an expert in German banking and capital market law.
Mr. Wefers is a native German speaker and is fluent in English and Dutch.
Education
J.D., University of Düsseldorf and Cologne, Faculty of Law
LL.M., University of Miami
Certification in German Legal Specialization Course for Banking and Capital Market Law (Deutsches Anwaltsinstitut e. V.)
Admissions
Germany (Frankfurt Bar)
Lectures & Speaking Engagements
Speaker, “Klagen institutioneller Anleger gegen Emittenten – ein Wertschöpfungspotenzial?” at 7. Liechtensteinischer Fondstag, Vaduz, Liechtenstein
Speaker, “U.S. Recht,” at University Darmstadt, Germany
Articles & Publications
“Now you see me – now you don’t!”, Newsletter of the Deutsch-Amerikanische Juristen-Vereinigung e.V. (DAJV)
Memberships
German-American Lawyers’ Association (Deutsch-Amerikanische Juristenvereinigung) (DAJV)
Jonathan Cohen, advises DRRT’s clients about various legal actions throughout the world involving investor loss recovery. Mr. Cohen has been most involved with actions in Asia, providing timely aggressive support to local counsel. He has extensive experience with case evaluation, investigation and compliance including portfolio analysis.
Background
Mr. Cohen has over twenty years of experience in the securities industry. He is a licensed attorney with a vast knowledge of the financial markets. In addition to his law degree, he has extensive professional experience in the field of capital markets. He has served as both an operations and compliance officer facilitated by the many security licenses he holds.
Education
J.D., Nova Southeastern University
M.B.A, Nova Southeastern University
B.A., Legal Studies, University of Massachusetts/Amherst
Admissions
Florida
Paola A. Hemelberg
Director of Human Resources, Administration & Finance
Ms. Hemelberg counts over ten years of financial expertise working with technology companies and multicultural global teams. Her experience working in fast-paced environments and her many years of experience, give her the tools to lead various large and geographically dispersed teams.
Her extensive knowledge in software business management, operations, corporate advisory, and international finance; make her a valuable asset for DRRT’s Finance and the Human Resources Departments.
Mr. Cuyun is in-charge of developing and expanding DRRT’s global claims filing clientele. Mr. Cuyun also promotes and educates investors worldwide on DRRT’s Pro-Active Portfolio Monitoring System and the firm’s claims filing services.
Mr. Cuyun has previously served as VP of Investors Relations for a leading conference production company focusing on educating the world’s premier institutional investors. His experience working with pension plans, asset managers, family offices, endowments, together with his extensive financial and analytical skills, allow Mr. Cuyun to service the firm’s global claims filing clients.
Mr. Cuyun works closely with our client relations and operations staff to optimize processes and procedures and solidify DRRT’s leading position in the market.
Mr. Moussavou obtained his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration at the Bryant University in Smithfield, Rhode Island majoring in Finance and a with minor in Economics. Upon graduation, he worked at Bank of New York Mellon where he gained knowledge in financial systems and fund accounting. He is a native French speaker, allowing him to liaise with all of DRRT’s French-speaking clientele. His analytical and organizational skills, along with his detail oriented persona allow him to properly manage and supervise a large team of analysts.
Mr. Moussavou is supported by a team of claims specialists and directs the operational efforts of DRRT’s claims filing business. He is responsible for the company’s innovative and creative approach to developing new procedures, processes, and technologies for filing and managing claims.