Whitestone Arbitration & Mediation Lawyers

I am a highly experienced business and commercial litigator. I have been successful in 23 reported state and federal decisions at the lower court and appellate levels. My representative cases have involved up to $160 million in dispute, and my significant settlements have involved up to $31 million paid.

I am known as being smart, thorough, resourceful and professional while also relentless – the latter perhaps a carryover from my college wrestling and club rugby days.

I was Ken Warner’s partner and “right-hand man” in Coblence & Warner (now Warner Partners), a midtown boutique litigation firm, for...

Thomas R. Fazio graduated from Syracuse University and earned his Juris Doctorate from City University of New York. He became a member of the New York State Bar in 1986. In 1996, Mr. Fazio began his own law practice serving corporations and small businesses in New York State. During the last nine years, he has also served as in-house counsel for secured commercial lenders with annual revenues in the billions of dollars. Mr. Fazio enjoys using his unique experience and varied resources to negotiate and document important business transactions for large and small businesses. He concentrates in corporate formations, structure and...

Michael Graff has been a litigator for 55 years and an arbitrator and mediator for 30 of those years. He has a particular concentration in commercial matters and matter involving condominiums and co-op issues. He is active also as a teacher and coach for attorneys and mediators. He is an active participant in the work of committees of the NYC Bar Association. Detailed information may be obtained from his Web sites at Grafflawoffices.net and Graffdisputeresolution.com.

Daniel E. Katz is a Founding Partner of Rich, Intelisano & Katz, LLP. He specializes in construction law, commercial law and securities and employment arbitrations. Mr. Katz has received the highest designation (A-V) from the Martindale-Hubbell Peer Rating Review. He was recognized as a "Super Lawyer" in the field of Construction Litigation every year since 2006. He is also a Fellow in the Construction Lawyers Society of America, which is a nationwide organization of leading practitioners in the field.

Mr. Katz obtained his Juris Doctor magna cum laude from Brooklyn Law School. He graduated from the University of Michigan with a...

Rebecca Houlding is an experienced Attorney advocating for victims of Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation in Employment and Education situations. She represents clients in Federal and State Courts, as well as in Mediation and Arbitration. With over 20 years of experience, Ms. Houlding has a track record of success. She is dedicated to pursuing justice for her clients.

Ms. Houlding received a B.A. Cum Laude, from Carleton College in 1992. She obtained her J.D. in 1995 from the University of Minnesota Law School. Ms. Houlding has trained as a Mediator at the Harvard Negotiation Institute.

Ms. Houlding is from New Haven, Connecticut. Her...

Jessica A. Murzyn has been a senior counsel at Rich, Intelisano & Katz, LLP since April 2013. Ms. Murzyn represents individual and institutional investors in securities arbitrations and litigation against financial firms.

Prior to joining Rich, Intelisano & Katz, LLP, Ms. Murzyn was an associate at Friedman Kaplan Seiler & Adelman LLP from October 2008 to March 2013. At Friedman Kaplan, she represented a variety of individual and corporate clients in securities, real estate and general commercial litigation and arbitrations. For example, she represented a high net worth client in a FINRA arbitration against the client’s investment...

Antonia Kousoulas is a seasoned litigator, with over 26 years of experience in federal and state courts. Her legal skills and tenacity have been instrumental in her effective advocacy of claims ranging from civil service appeals to whistleblower claims under Section 806 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. In addition to litigating, Ms. Kousoulas has established a sizable practice negotiating executive contracts and severance agreements, and counseling professionals and closely held businesses in employment matters and labor law compliance. She has practiced extensively in the U.S. District Courts of New York and New Jersey, and before the NYC...

Brian Heller, a Partner with Schwartz & Perry LLP, has been with the firm since his graduation from Fordham Law School in 2001, where he served on the Fordham Urban Law Journal and as a mediator in the Bronx Small Claims Court. A Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Penn State University, Mr. Heller has an impressive background in all aspects of employment law, including discrimination, sexual harassment, fraudulent inducement, contractual disputes, stock options and benefits and workplace torts. Mr. Heller is an experienced litigator, having Co-Chaired numerous trials, including jury and non-jury trials in both the Federal and state courts. Mr....

Thomas is a co-founding partner of SavicFoley and managing partner of the firm’s London office. Thomas is a dual-qualified attorney and solicitor with substantial international, litigation, and investigation experience. In London, Thomas advises clients on cross-border litigations, international dispute resolution issues, international law, US federal and state laws, UK and EU law, and assists on government investigations including advising participants. Thomas advises UK business establishing and conducting businesses and joint ventures in the US and abroad. He counsels businesses and individuals concerning contractual and business relationship disputes and is frequently sought for advice on jurisdictional questions, investigations, international law and human...

Steven Cramer is a partner at Rich, Intelisano & Katz, LLP. He focuses in the areas of commercial, construction and real estate litigation and arbitration, as well as counseling clients in contract negotiation and other transactions. Mr. Cramer’s clients include owners, contractors, private equity funds, design professionals, sureties, cooperatives and condominiums, and other businesses as well as individuals. Mr. Cramer was recognized as a "Super Lawyer" in the field of Construction Litigation in 2010.

Prior to Rich, Intelisano & Katz, LLP, Mr. Cramer served as a partner at Bauman Katz & Grill LLP, and an associate at Ross & Cohen and...

Designated Board Certified Family Law Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy; Super Lawyers Designation for a total of 6 years; in practice for 40+ years and practice limited to Matrimonial and Family Law matters for 35+ years. Various lectures given on Family Law matters and various leadership positions in local, state and American Bar Association.

Michael Korsinsky is a founding partner at Korsinsky & Klein, LLP. He manages the firm’s litigation groups, which includes matters before various courts as well as those matters before administrative tribunals at various government agencies. He concentrates and dedicates most of his time with construction litigation, Elder Law and Health Law matters. He is a graduate of Brooklyn Law School and is admitted to both the New York and New Jersey Bars as well as the following Federal courts: the Second Circuit, the Eastern District of New York, the Southern District of New York, the Northern District of New York...

Born in Cordoba, Argentina. JD equivalent degree in 1980 from Cordoba National University. Clerked there for 3 years for a criminal law judge. Came to the U.S. in 1980 and obtained an LLM degree in 1984 from New York University. Fluent in Spanish and English. Worked always in small firm with international clientele. Practice mostly transactional but with solid litigation experience. Skillful mediator and negotiator. On a personal note, I am single, no children; love playing bridge and enjoy conversation about art, politics, philosophy and the law.

André G. Castaybert is the founder and principal attorney at CASTAYBERT PLLC. His experience as a commercial trial court and appellate lawyer spans two and a half decades. He started his career as a litigator in New York City, at the international law firm of Proskauer Rose LLP where he worked for twenty years in the Litigation and Dispute Resolution Department on a wide range of commercial disputes in the Federal courts across the United States, in the New York State courts, and in domestic and international arbitration. André has also been Counsel to several highly regarded boutique business...

Representative Experience Representation of a large New York developer in an appraisal proceeding to determine the replacement value of several iconic structures that were destroyed during the terrorist attacks on September 11th. Representation of a large Manhattan landlord in connection with numerous lawsuits involving its commercial tenants. Representation of a major New York City newspaper in connection with an action commenced against its general contractor and engineer for damages for the negligent design and construction of its printing and distribution facility. Representation of a Westchester commercial landlord in a holdover proceeding against its commercial tenant.

Ms. Johns is a civil trial lawyer who has tried more than one hundred cases to verdict. She is the managing partner for Hillary Johns, Trial Lawyer which maintains offices in Beverly Hills, the Bay Area and New York City. She graduated from Occidental College in 1990 and Golden Gate University School of Law in 1993 where she graduated with Dean’s List and class honors. She is licensed to practice law in California, the California Southern, Central and Northern U.S. Federal District Courts, the District of Columbia, Montana, New York, and the New York Eastern and Southern U.S....

Jonathan Gill, a native New Yorker, graduated Cum Laude from SUNY Oswego in 1985. He then received his J. D. degree from Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 1988. He was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1989, and is also admitted to practice before the United States District Court [Southern, Eastern Districts].
Mr. Gill served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Bronx District Attorney’s Office from 1988 through 1997. In addition to serving as a Senior Trial Attorney in the Major Offense & Homicide Trial Bureaus, Mr. Gill was also Deputy Director of Litigation...

Myles H. Alderman Jr. is a founding member of Alderman & Alderman and leads the firm's Commercial Litigation, Bankruptcy, Creditors Rights’ and Restructuring Practice Group. He has extensive experience representing businesses in financial distress, secured and unsecured lenders, trade creditors, committees and parties interested in acquiring assets, in Chapter 11 business reorganizations, liquidations and workouts. Industries with which he has experience include, construction, design, fashion, manufacturing, distribution, materials handling, retail, aviation and ground transportation. Myles has been guiding business leaders, accountants and lawyers through Chapter 11 Business Reorganizations since 1986. His clients range from large financial institutions...

Elysa Greenblatt has been practicing matrimonial law exclusively since 2004. She specializes in complex high net worth divorce cases and high conflict custody disputes, and also has considerable experience in all aspects of matrimonial and family law, including pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements, equitable distribution, spousal and child support, parenting time and post-judgment litigation. While Elysa is a seasoned litigator, she also is trained in mediation and collaborative law. She regularly uses these alternative dispute resolution skills to reach favorable settlements for her clients. Elysa also serves as a court-appointed lawyer for children of divorcing parents.

Elysa began her career at the...

Sandra P. Lahens is a partner at Lax & Neville LLP. Sandra’s practice involves representing businesses and individuals in commercial litigation and arbitration regarding securities and investment disputes, employment matters and regulatory investigations. She has successfully arbitrated and mediated cases before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), the American Arbitration Association (“AAA”), JAMS, and litigated cases in federal and state courts, including in appeals before the New York Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the New York State Appellate Division.

Sandra represents investors nationwide in customer sales practice disputes against their registered representatives, broker dealers and registered investment advisors...

We are a family owned, multi-generational law firm serving New York, New Jersey and Florida. We also have affiliated offices and counsel in Illinois and California. Our two partners have more than 80 years combined experience between them, and our firm is well-established and well-respected. Our clients are treated as family, and with respect and prompt, personal attention. Our services are efficiently performed, we communicate effectively, and our rates are reasonable and competitive. Michael is admitted to practice in New York, New Jersey and Florida and various Federal Courts, including the United States Supreme Court. He graduated from State University...

After a career spent resolving divorces through the judicial system, it is a pleasure for me to offer alternatives that many of my clients find are more consistent with their personal values. I offer people the power of determining their own future, the promise of focusing on what it most important to them and the opportunity to preserve what is best of what they have created. By focusing on shared goals and facilitating a less contentious discussion, I help people navigate the difficulties of divorce (and other conflicts) and find the resolution they truly want with their dignity intact. Circumstances change. People evolve....

Having graduated with both an M.B.A. and a J.D. from New York University, Kenneth Goldberg understand the ways businesses work in relation to their employees. Goldberg has been practicing law since 1991, and is a member of a number of professional associations, including the New York State Bar Association, the New York County Lawyers' Association, and the American Bar Association. This extensive familiarity with labor laws and the cultures surrounding business makes Goldberg uniquely qualified to handle employment law cases.

Principal - Simon Lesser PC www.simonlesser.com

Beginning his career in insurance defense, coverage analysis and litigation, Alan soon became general counsel to a New Orleans-based insurance consulting firm, where he assisted clients with specifications for coverage, captive formation, claims handling and loss mitigation. He was instrumental in the passing of the Louisiana Oilfield Anti-Indemnity Act and for many years represented the London market in CGL, marine and contractual liability claims, largely in the context of the “oil patch”. In 2005, Alan relocated his primary residence to New York, and continues to practice there as well as in Louisiana, focusing on construction, contract, and insurance...

Teresa Ombres is a graduate of Fordham University and New York Law School and is admitted to the practice of law in the States of New York and New Jersey. She began her career in divorce and family law in 1981 and began mediating in 1996 after trainings in Community Mediation and Divorce Mediation. From 2000 – 2003 Teresa was the Director of the Custody-Visitation Mediation Program at Community Mediation Services for the Queens Family Court. In 2001 she was part of the first group of New York City lawyers and mediators to be trained in Collaborative Divorce. She devotes...

Skilled litigation attorney with experience in state and federal courts to appellate level, arbitration and administrative hearing settings and expertise in diverse areas, including insurance coverage, federal regulation, commercial litigation and construction law. Extensive experience in complex, voluminous cases. Excellent writing skills leading to high level of success in winning cases prior to trial or upon appeal. Proven ability to liaise effectively with clients. Admitted to: New York Bar in 1997; United States Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York in 1998; United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 2001. Reported Decisions: Technical Support Services Inc....

Mr. Raff was admitted to the Bar in the State of New York in 1969. He serves as a federal court appointed Special Master in three complex employment and discrimination law cases. He is also an active labor arbitrator, mediator and fact finder on panels from the American Arbitration Association, National Mediation Board, New York State Mediation Board, New York City Office of Collective Bargaining and the New York State-CSEA Disciplinary Panel. He has served as a member of the New York State Human Rights Advisory Council and is presently a member of the American Arbitration Association's National Alternative Dispute...