Levitt LLP represents sophisticated clients in all aspects of complex commercial litigation, both in New York State and in Federal and state courts throughout the country.
We have formed a network of out of state attorneys with whom we are able to coordinate our efforts and who are sufficiently confident in our abilities to move us to practice pro hoc vice in State and Federal court in their jurisdictions.
We represent clients in a wide variety of matters, including common law business disputes in contract or in tort, intellectual property litigation, complex arbitrations and regulatory matters involving various agencies of the Federal Government such as the Antitrust Division of the Justice Department, OSHA, state and Federal civil rights agencies and inquiries from the United States Attorney and the FBI.
The hallmark of our involvement in these areas is our skill in making the complex and subtle procedural and strategic decisions that so frequently mark the difference between obtaining a successful resolution for a client and a less favorable disposition. Because of our size, we are able to provide our clients with the personalized attention that is so necessary in the resolution of these matters. Because of our experience, we are able to meet the challenges posed by cases of this sort.
In addition, because we also have an extensive and sophisticated transactional practice, we are able to bring a business-related focus to our litigation strategy. Likewise, we are able, in many cases, to examine a potential business transaction from a litigator’s point of view, and to counsel our clients to avoid pitfalls that a less varied firm would overlook.
It is our philosophy that the best way to succeed at litigation is to avoid it. The best way of avoiding litigation is to plan for it.
Commercial litigation:
The bulk of our litigation practice involves representing clients in disputes that cannot be resolved except through litigation. We represent both plaintiffs and defendants in these actions, including actions for breach of contract, tortious interference with contract or other business relationships, fraud, constructive trust, injunctions and other forms of equitable relief. While we are aggressive in representing our clients’ interests, because we also bring a strong business sense to the table, we are frequently successful in engineering favorable settlements on our clients’ behalf, thus mitigating the inevitable costs of litigation. We believe that it makes little sense for a lawsuit to cost a client more than could be recovered or lost at verdict, and we structure our practice to keep that frequently overlooked ideal in mind.
Tort litigation:
Aside from business torts, our litigation practice involves the defense of our clients, many of whom are perceived to have “deep pockets,” in a variety of matters. As an example, we recently obtained summary judgment on behalf of a client, a self-insured defense contractor, in the plaintiff-friendly Bronx in an action where the plaintiff sought millions of dollars in damages, arising from what he claimed to be a career-ending workplace injury, resulting from a fall. We have obtained similar results for this and other clients in other venues as well.
Arbitrations:
We frequently represent clients in arbitrations. In addition to the traditional arbitration of disputes involving the members of business or professional entities (the so-called “business divorce), we also represent commercial clients in the arbitration of issues that were once solely litigated in court, including disputes involving breach of contract.
Regulatory matters:
Inquiries and investigations by regulatory and governmental agencies are very much a part of the business world today, and the representation of clients in such matters is a critical service which a sophisticated law firm must be able to provide. When representing a client in matters of this sort, we strike the proper balance between cooperation with the government, when appropriate, and defense of the client’s interests, including privacy and trade secret concerns.