John has extensive experience in all aspects of personal injury, property damage, construction liability and insurance defense litigation. He concentrates his practice on labor law, premises and products liability, medical and non-medical professional liability, and insurance coverage. John also handles claims in a variety of areas including construction, security, toxic tort, employment, senior care and healthcare, automobile and trucking matters. As a trial lawyer, John has handled scores of mediations, arbitrations and appeals and achieved favorable jury verdicts in many courts throughout New York.
John is the author of two popular trivia books about New York City in which his former law professor, David D. Siegel, participated as editor. He previously co-hosted and was a legal analyst (2005-2007) on The New Yorkers TV Show, and has served as a New York City tour guide since 2005.
Practices
- Parbatie Singh v. City of New York, 24 N.Y.S.3d 407 (App.Div., 2nd Dept., 2016)
- Winder v. Executive Cleaning Services, LLC, 91 A.D.3d 865, 936 N.Y.S.2d 687 (App.Div., 2nd Dept., 2012)
- Unanue v. Rennert, 39 A.D.3d 289, 831 N.Y.S.3d 904 (App.Div., 1st Dept., 2007)
- David v. Astrologo, 24 A.D.3d 251, 805 N.Y.S.2d 283 (App.Div., 1st Dept., 2005)
- Chelsea Associates, LLC, et al., v. Laquila-Pinnacle et al., 2005 NY Slip Op 06621 [21 AD3d 739]
Representative Experience
- Obtained summary judgment and dismissal of all claims and cross-claims against our construction company owner client after Plaintiff walked into a scaffold on a construction site where our client had previously worked, and sustained injuries; the Court agreed with our attorneys’ arguments and granted their motion on behalf of our client.
- Obtained summary judgment after an employee of our building owner/landlord client’s commercial tenant fell from a ladder that was placed in tenant’s restaurant and sustained serious spinal injuries; the Court found that the ladder was not structural and our client is an out of possession landlord who is not responsible for the ladder’s maintenance.
- Obtained summary judgment on behalf of retail condominium unit owner after Plaintiff sustained injuries on an adjacent City sidewalk; successfully argued Administrative Code § 7-210 and that Defendant owed no duty to Plaintiff.
- Obtained summary judgment for environmental and geotechnical drilling company client following Plaintiff’s complaint that our client created a defective sidewalk upon which Plaintiff tripped and fell; the Court granted our partners’ motion for summary judgment and dismissed Plaintiff’s complaint, as well as all cross-claims and counterclaims.
- Obtained dismissal on behalf of our client, the owner of a property/premises in Brooklyn, NY, against Plaintiff’s claims of negligent security following an alleged assault and battery that occurred at a nightclub on our client’s property; the Court agreed that our client was an out-of-possession landlord and as such, was not liable for intentional torts of a non-party tortfeasor.
Education
- St. John’s University School of Law, JD, 1986
- St. John’s University, BS, Accounting, 1982, magna cum laude
- Taxicab Union Scholarship Recipient
Admissions
- New York
- United States District Courts: Eastern District of New York, Southern District of New York
Professional Memberships
- New York State Trial Lawyers Association
- New York County Lawyers Association
Languages
- English
Related News
Presentations/Publications
- Panelist, “A Brave New World in Construction Site Safety Litigation,” webinar (March 2023)
- Presenter, “Defending Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Cases: A Legal and Claims Guide,” 2017 Claims/Litigation Training Conference (June 2017)
- Co-author, “Surveillance Footage in Litigation,” New York Law Journal (November 2013)
- Co-author, “The Impact of New York City’s New Mandatory Construction Site Safety Training Requirements Under Local Law 196,” New York Law Journal (May 2018)
Recognition
- Included among The Best Lawyers in America© annually since the 2024 Edition in the area of Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants