Robert Scheef

A recognized leader in financial litigation, Robert Scheef has recovered more than $1.5 billion for investors over the last 10 years.  Robert represents clients in disputes around the country involving an array of business issues and complex financial products.  He is Co-Chair of McKool’s Financial & Securities Litigation Group.

Robert’s skills are consistently recognized in leading legal publications, including Chambers USA (Band 1 in Securities: Institutional Plaintiffs), Lawdragon (500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers), and Super Lawyers (New York).  Chambers USA particularly highlighted his “long track record of success in RMBS putback litigation.”  Clients and peers at competing law firms have described Robert as "an excellent lawyer and very technically accomplished” (2018 Chambers USA) and “a highly cerebral lawyer” who is “very good at strategy” (2023 Chambers USA) and “thinks outside the box” (2024 Chambers USA).

Careful analysis and creative strategy are the hallmarks of Robert’s practice, and he applies these talents to relentlessly pursue his client’s goal—whether that is loss recovery on an investment gone bad, implementation of a special situation investment opportunity, or elimination of claims asserted against a client.  That singular focus from the outset of a case has allowed clients to obtain substantial recoveries without having to go to court, as well as precedent-setting rulings in the courtroom.  Robert’s consistent efforts to provide efficient, effective counsel to his clients earned him BTI Consulting Group’s “Client Service All-Star” award in 2024.

Representative Matters:

• Lead counsel for hedge fund in securing complete appellate win in litigation addressing distribution of a $4.5 billion settlement to RMBS certificate holders.
• Counsel to investor in securing a precedent-setting summary judgment win in a California trust instruction proceeding concerning mortgage servicer’s attempt to exercise clean-up call rights for six RMBS trusts at an improper call price. Inside Mortgage Finance noted that this ruling “could have far-reaching consequences.”
• Lead counsel for RMBS trustees in more than a dozen actions against Citigroup, JPMorgan, Nomura, WMC Mortgage, Merrill Lynch and Bank of America for breach of representations and warranties concerning billions of dollars in mortgage loans.
• Lead counsel to multinational financial services company in seeking recovery of funds paid to settle Financial Crisis-era litigation.
• Lead counsel to investor group in case of first impression concerning proper accounting treatment in RMBS trusts for billions of dollars in mortgage modifications.
• Lead counsel to project finance company in securing sanctions against plaintiff and complete dismissal of plaintiff’s $40 million fraud claim.
• Counsel to multinational telecommunications company sued by Charter Communications for indemnification of patent infringement judgment and settlement.
• Lead counsel for a group of investors in securing revisions to an SEC Fair Fund distribution plan stemming from a $74 million settlement.

• Secured a pivotal trial win as co-lead counsel on behalf of junior bondholders—400 Capital Management, La Verdad Holdings, Solula LLC, and Robert Dechert—in a high-stakes residential mortgage-backed securitization (RMBS) trustee proceeding concerning 34 RMBS trusts.
• Lead counsel for hedge fund in securing complete appellate win in litigation addressing distribution of a $4.5 billion settlement to RMBS certificate holders.
• Counsel to investor in securing a precedent-setting summary judgment win in a California trust instruction proceeding concerning mortgage servicer’s attempt to exercise clean-up call rights for six RMBS trusts at an improper call price. Inside Mortgage Finance noted that this ruling “could have far-reaching consequences.”
• Lead counsel for RMBS trustees in more than a dozen actions against Citigroup, JPMorgan, Nomura, WMC Mortgage, Merrill Lynch and Bank of America for breach of representations and warranties concerning billions of dollars in mortgage loans.
• Lead counsel to multinational financial services company in seeking recovery of funds paid to settle Financial Crisis-era litigation.
• Lead counsel to investor group in case of first impression concerning proper accounting treatment in RMBS trusts for billions of dollars in mortgage modifications.
• Lead counsel to project finance company in securing sanctions against plaintiff and complete dismissal of plaintiff’s $40 million fraud claim.
• Counsel to multinational telecommunications company sued by Charter Communications for indemnification of patent infringement judgment and settlement.
• Lead counsel for a group of investors in securing revisions to an SEC Fair Fund distribution plan stemming from a $74 million settlement.

• Ranked as a leading lawyer in New York for Litigation: Securities – Institutional Plaintiffs by Chambers USA. The 2026 edition notes that "Robert is a great lawyer. He is very thoughtful and creative, traits which he brings into his trial advocacy."
• Recognized among Lawdragon's 500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers (2019-2026)
• Recognized in New York by Super Lawyers, (2013, 2021-2026)
• Named a “Client Service All-Star” by BTI Consulting Group (2024, 2025)
• Ranked as a Securities "Litigation Star" by Benchmark Litigation, (2025, 2026)

The following market and client insights were provided in McKool Smith's Chambers USA 2026 Client & Market Intelligence Report.

Client Feedback:

• "Robert is a very calm and effective negotiator. He doesn't get flustered. He is well prepared and has deep knowledge of the RMBS space."
• "He also has great knowledge of the law. He has come up with good strategies for us and has been able to think outside of the box and come up with creative ideas for how we can defend ourselves and make counter-assertions."

Market Feedback:

• Robert "is a very thoughtful and creative lawyer. He brings this into his trial advocacy and thinks of things that others don't."
• "Robert is a very calm and effective negotiator. He doesn't get flustered. He is well prepared and has deep knowledge of the RMBS space."
• "Robert Scheef is a very strong advocator and trial lawyer."