Top 40 Under 40 2024

Michael Burshteyn is a shareholder at Greenberg Traurig LLP, where he specializes in IP litigation involving cryptocurrency, digital assets, data privacy and cybersecurity, artificial intelligence and internet law.

He joined Greenberg in April 2024 from another firm. "I was always obsessed with debating," said Burshteyn, who won a debate scholarship to UC Berkeley and became the No. 1 collegiate debater in the U.S. "After that, it was either coach debating or go to law school. The law is as close as it gets to a professional debate career."

He obtained a law degree from Emory University School of Law, where he was a founding officer of the school's Supreme Court Advocacy Project.

Burshteyn was 2 in 1988 when he arrived in the U.S. with his family from what was then the Soviet Union. "I'm from a family of engineers," he said. His father invented an advanced data security software technology and, in 2015, enlisted Burshteyn to help him found and run CryptoMove Inc., an Oakland-based startup.

That project and his debating background are useful now, Burshteyn said. "I understand how tech works, so I can help clients figure out the facts and then package arguments for a judge and jury."

Burshteyn represents Mango Labs LLC, the creator of the decentralized finance system Mango Markets. He is lead counsel in civil litigation to recover $114 million lost in a market manipulation scheme by crypto trader Avraham Eisenberg.

He secured a temporary restraining order in the Southern District of New York and assurances from Eisenberg that he would not move funds. He also defeated a standing dismissal motion at the preliminary injunction hearing. Mango Labs LLC v. Eisenberg, 1:23-cv-00665 (S.D. N.Y., filed Jan. 25, 2023).

"It was a complicated attack," Burshteyn said. Eisenberg artificially manipulated the price of perpetual futures contracts. In a criminal trial that was the Department of Justice's first cryptocurrency open market manipulation case, Eisenberg was found guilty of commodities fraud and other crimes by a federal jury in April 2024.

At that trial, Burshteyn successfully argued for reversal of an initial ruling that required revealing privileged information in camera. U.S. v. Eisenberg, 1:23-cr-00010 (S.D. N.Y., filed Jan. 9, 2023).

"Now we have restitution proceedings and sentencing scheduled for later this year," Burshteyn said.

He is lead counsel representing a blockchain services company in a $140 million dispute over cryptocurrency tokens. VolumeFi Software Inc. v. Manian, 22CV402055 (S. Clara Co. Super. Ct., filed July 26, 2022).

"The court has denied the other side's anti-SLAPP motion, which they appealed," Burshteyn said. "We think we're right in this case."

He enjoys his practice. "For me, this is fun," he said. "And I'm part of a great team."