Commercial Litigation
The firm litigates a wide variety of lawsuits involving contracts, corporations, partnerships and other business entities in both New York State Courts and the Federal Courts. Among the many types of lawsuits we handle are breach of contract claims, breach of fiduciary duty claims, fraud claims, dissolutions of corporate entities, and insurance coverage and subrogation matters.
We do not waste time or resources on unnecessary discovery or motion practice, nor do we follow a rote approach in prosecuting or defending our matters. Instead, we make strategic evaluations at each phase of a case, always with the goal of obtaining a successful outcome for our client, while prudently managing resources. We litigate aggressively, but we counsel our clients to consider and conclude settlements as appropriate, and we constantly look for opportunities to advance settlement discussions and to reach beneficial settlements. We believe that our reputation for being prepared to take cases to trial often benefits our clients in concluding settlements.
The firm also handles appeals for other law firms, and on occasion, for our own cases.
Real Estate Transactions and Litigation
The firm handles residential purchases and sales (closings) and financings and re-financings of houses, condominiums and cooperative apartments. We also represent numerous condominium and cooperative boards as general counsel, litigation counsel and transfer agent.
The firm also has an extensive practice in commercial real estate, including purchases, sales and refinancings of commercial properties, financing of commercial and underlying co-op mortgages and bulk sales of apartment units.
The firm litigates real estate disputes, foreclosure matters and receiverships, and we are also frequently appointed by the Courts to act as receiver and counsel to receiver.
We also draft and negotiate commercial leases for office space, restaurants and retail spaces; and we represent tenants and landlords on stabilized lease buy-outs and succession rights.
Corporate and Contract Law
The firm drafts and negotiates a broad variety of business contracts, including purchase and sales agreements, employment agreements, consultants agreements, non-compete agreements, and severance agreements.
The firm also forms, organizes, and amends corporations, partnerships, limited liability companies, and limited liability partnerships; and drafts, revises and negotiates shareholders, operating, employment and buy-sell agreements.
Our experience in litigating disputes involving contracts, and our broad experience in various other areas of the law, helps us to effectively draft and negotiate contracts which protect our clients’ interests.
Matrimonial and Family Law
The firm handles a wide range of matrimonial and family law matters, including drafting and negotiating prenuptial and postnuptial agreements and settlement agreements, and drafting and filing all required documents for uncontested divorce actions.
We also have an extensive practice in litigating contested divorces and modification proceedings.
We litigate our contested matrimonial and family matters aggressively and we are fully prepared to take contested matrimonial and family matters to trial. However, because the attorneys fees of the parties often deplete the assets of the divorcing couple (which assets are already being stretched to support two households), and because emotions sometimes initially prevent the parties from reaching a resolution, we also aggressively work to settle contested matrimonial and family matters when we can obtain favorable results for our clients.
LBGTQ+ Family Law
The firm handles all aspects of LBGTQ+ family law, including drafting prenuptial agreements, living-together agreements and dissolution agreements; and other documents to protect gay couples and families. We also handle divorces; break-ups of unmarried partners; and second-parent adoptions. We have an extensive practice in litigating same-sex custody disputes and property disputes.
We are well known and respected in this field. Our broad experience in this and other areas of law enables us to ensure that our clients’ rights are well protected in agreements and documents that we draft or negotiate. Our reputation and experience in the field and our willingness to take contested matters to trial often enables us to obtain favorable settlements for our clients.
The firm advises clients who are considering marriage in New York and those who have been married or civil-unioned in another state or country.
We also have an extensive practice in litigating same-sex custody disputes and property disputes.
Wills, Estate, and Probate Law
The firm drafts wills, health care proxies, living wills, and powers of attorney for married and non-married couples and individuals. The firm also handles probate of estates, and we litigate contested estate matters such as will contests and other disputes in the New York State Surrogate’s Court.
We strongly encourage all of our clients to make sure they have proper wills and related documents in place.