Brenda Szydlo joined Pomerantz in January 2016 as Of Counsel. She brings to the Firm thirty years of experience in complex civil litigation in federal and state court on behalf of plaintiffs and defendants, with a particular focus on securities and financial fraud litigation, litigation against pharmaceutical corporations, accountants’ liability, and commercial litigation.

Brenda played a leading role in the Firm’s securities class action case in the Southern District of New York against Brazil’s largest oil company, Petrobras, arising from a multi-billion-dollar kickback and bribery scheme, in which the Firm, as sole Lead Counsel, achieved a precedent-setting legal ruling and a historic $3 billion settlement for the class. This is not only the largest securities class action settlement in a decade but is the largest settlement ever in a securities class action involving a foreign issuer, the fifth-largest securities class action settlement ever achieved in the United States, the largest securities class action settlement achieved by a foreign Lead Plaintiff, and the largest securities class action settlement in history not involving a restatement of financial reports.

Brenda has represented investors in additional class and private actions that have resulted in significant recoveries, such as In re Pfizer, Inc. Securities Litigation, where the recovery was $486 million, and In re Refco, Inc. Securities Litigation, where the recovery was in excess of $407 million. She has also represented investors in opt-out securities actions, such as investors opting out of In re Bank of America Corp. Securities, Derivative & ERISA Litigation in order to pursue their own securities action.

Prior to joining Pomerantz, Brenda served as Senior Counsel in a prominent plaintiff advocacy firm, where she represented clients in securities and financial fraud litigation, and litigation against pharmaceutical corporations and accounting firms. Brenda also served as Counsel in the litigation department of one of the largest premier law firms in the world, where her practice focused on defending individuals and corporation in securities litigation and enforcement, accountants’ liability actions, and commercial litigation.

Brenda is a 1988 graduate of St. John’s University School of Law, where she was a St. Thomas More Scholar and member of the Law Review. She received a B.A. in economics from Binghamton University in 1985.

Brenda is admitted to practice in the State of New York; United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Second and Ninth Circuits; and the United States Supreme Court.