About Me
I started my legal career the way most litigation attorneys do. Every morning, I would drive to a courthouse and attend discovery conferences. I did not get the opportunity to discuss the law. I would return to my office in the afternoon, write a report about what happened, and prepare discovery disclosures. While most litigators love this type of work, it was not for me. As I progressed in my career, I occasionally got to write motions and appellate briefs. I got to analyze the law, explore how it was supposed to work, and try to make it work that way. That was my passion, and I have been able to use that passion to help lawyers work through the complex issues that arise in their cases. Sometimes, I write a motion or brief; other times, I provide a sounding board and advice to develop the best legal strategy. I have turned my passion into a career handling cases before all four Departments of New York’s Appellate Division, New York’s Court of Appeals, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. My name appears on more than 100 published appellate opinions.
One of the benefits of being an appellate attorney (as opposed to a lawyer who occasionally handles appeals) is that I see all types of cases and can apply the lessons learned to your case. It may seem like a matrimonial or real estate litigator would not have use for principles found in caselaw from bodily injury cases. However, many principles of law cut across almost all areas of civil litigation. I can use my experiences helping others to strengthen your case.
Since graduating from Touro Law, I have practiced as a litigation associate at one of Long Island’s largest law firms and eventually became the head of that firm’s appellate unit. Then, I joined a boutique law firm dedicated to handling appeals in litigation strategy. Eventually, I became a partner at that firm. In addition to handling appeals across a broad range of cases, I was responsible for the firm’s coverage caseload.
In addition to my practice, I have served on several committees. I am a Reporter for the New York State Committee on Pattern Jury Instructions (Civil), Assoc. of Supreme Court Justices. I help the Justices on the Committee revise the PJI, one of New York’s most important legal texts. I was a NYSBA’s CPLR Committee member and a former Suffolk County Bar Association’s Appellate Practice Committee co-chair.