Carl Mills is counsel in Hughes Hubbard’s New York litigation group. His practice focuses on complex business litigation. He has represented U.S. and international clients in a variety of industries, including the accounting, aerospace, banking, financial services, pharmaceutical, technology, and telecommunications industries. He has extensive experience advising and representing Big Four accounting firms and their partners and employees in SEC, PCAOB, and civil litigation matters, as well as advising the firms with respect to regulatory and governance matters. He also has extensive employment litigation experience, including in large scale unfair competition cases. Mr. Mills regularly represents clients in corporate reorganization and bankruptcy-related litigation and appeals, and in other complex commercial, antitrust, real estate, trusts and estates and other litigation.
Currently, Mr. Mills represents a major financial services company in a complex cross-border unfair competition case, and large accounting firms in regulatory investigations.
Mr. Mills also represents a major financial services company in a complex cross-border unfair competition case, and large accounting firms in regulatory investigations.
Mr. Mills also represents a U.S. government agency, a litigation funder, and a major crypto currency exchange in connection with separate bankruptcy proceedings.
Recently, Mr. Mills represented an international investment bank in a major employment matter involving unfair competition and breach of fiduciary duty claims, a Big Four auditing firm in connection with a major PCAOB investigation.
Mr. Mills regularly represents major accounting and auditing firms in a variety of complex, cross-border regulatory matters and civil litigation.
Earlier in his career, Mr. Mills represented the Trustee of the Lehman Brothers Inc. estate in a multi-billion dollar breach of contract litigation, that same Trustee in a major dispute concerning a deferred compensation plan, and the European entities of the former Nortel Networks enterprise in the first US-Canadian cross-border trial in history.
Mr. Mills is also committed to providing quality pro bono legal services. He has represented clients in civil rights, divorce, landlord-tenant, immigration and naturalization, trusts and estates, and adoption matters, and provides mentorship to high school and college students interested in pursuing legal careers.
Areas of Concentration
Complex Commercial & Mass Tort Litigation
Employment Litigation
Accounting, Auditing, and Professional Liability
Corporate Reorganization Litigation
Arbitration
Publications and Lectures
American Bar Association, Accountants’ Liability 50-State Survey—Michigan (expected publication 2025)
PCAOB Reporting Requirements (Under Forms 2 and 3) (Sept. 2023)
Retirement Contributions Under § 541 (b) (7): The True History of BAPCPA § 323: Part II, Journal of the American Bankruptcy Institute (Jan. 2023)Retirement Contributions Under § 541 (b) (7): The True History of BAPCPA § 323: Part I, Journal of the American Bankruptcy Institute (Dec. 2022)
Auditor Litigation Considerations, panel member, Practising Law Institute (Oct. 2022)
Auditor Regulation and Liability Under U.S. Securities Laws, panel member, Practising Law Institute (June 2022)
“The Supreme Court’s Omnicare Decision: Implications for Securities Disclosures and Securities Litigation” presented to the New York County Layers’ Association Securities and Exchanges Committee (July 2015)
“Breach of Fiduciary Duties as Securities Fraud: SEC v. Chancellor Corp.,” 10 Fordham J. Corp. & Fin. L. 439 (2005)
Professional Activities
2006, 2007, 2009 and 2015 recipient of the Legal Aid Society Outstanding Pro Bono Service Award
Court Admissions
Second Circuit Court of Appeals
Southern District of New York
Eastern District of New York
Highlighted Matters
Representing an international investment bank in a major employment dispute.
Representing an international investment bank in a FINRA arbitration involving claims of employee raiding.
Representing an international pharmaceutical company in a multi-million dollar breach of contract action.
Representing Big Four accounting firms in connection with a PCAOB investigation related to the firms’ audits of a major foreign telecommunications company.
Representing a Big Four audit partner in PCAOB investigation, including drafting Rule 5109(d) submission, preparing for and participating in a PCAOB hearing, and responding to Division of Enforcement appeal of Hearing Officer’s initial decision.
Representing a Big Four accounting firm in connection with DOJ and SEC investigations and civil litigation related to financial accounting and other issues at a major healthcare audit client.
Representing a Big Four accounting firm in various United States and international actions arising out of the Madoff fraud.
Representing a Big Four accounting firm in SEC and PCAOB investigations in connection with audits of several major corporations with operations in China.
Representing a Big Four accounting firm in connection with civil litigation regarding a major biomedical industry tax client.
Representing a Big Four accounting firm in SEC investigation of financial accounting and other issues at major computer hardware manufacturer audit client.
Advice to a Big Four accounting firm regarding compliance with legal requirements and auditing standards related to audit documentation.
Advice to a Big Four accounting firm regarding potential transfer of liability among member firms.
Assisting a Big Four accounting firm in an internal investigation related to compliance with international and United States independence requirements.
Researching and drafting opinion for Big Four accounting firm related to compliance with international and United States requirements related to reporting of potential illegal acts.
Pro Bono representation of clients in civil rights, housing, immigration, paternity, adoption and other matters.
