Michael S. Gordon is known for his insightful analysis and deft advocacy in complex commercial litigations in state and federal courts, as well as in arbitration and mediation proceedings, throughout the United States.
He regularly serves as advisor, strategist and advocate for a diverse group of clients that span a wide range of industries, including real estate, financial services, media and entertainment, as well as nonprofit charitable organizations.
During his career, Michael has handled virtually every type of business dispute, including those involving commercial contracts, business torts, civil RICO claims, employment discrimination, the entertainment industry, fiduciary litigation, intellectual property, limited liability company, corporate and partnership disputes, insurance and reinsurance litigation, noncompete and trade secret disputes, and shareholder derivative disputes.
He has a substantial background representing commercial and residential real estate developers, real estate funds, and management and hospitality companies in large, complex real estate litigations involving properties valued up to $1 billion.
Since 2011, Michael has served on the Mediation Panel of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, using his noteworthy skills as a neutral to shepherd numerous employment discrimination and Section 1983 cases to resolution.
Michael’s broad-based experience as an advocate and a neutral give him a unique perspective in counseling his clients on when to commence or continue litigation, when to avoid it and when to steer pending disputes toward settlement or alternative dispute resolution.
Experience :
- Regularly represents lenders and borrowers in real estate financing litigations involving alleged defaults or breaches of term sheets, purchase and sale agreements, building and construction loan agreements, mortgage agreements, guarantees, pledge and security agreements, and loan subordination agreements.
- Represented owners of the largest federally subsidized housing development in the country in defeating factions of limited partners of the owner, who sought to enjoin the more than $905 million sale of the housing development to new owners.
- Represented real estate lender against allegations of breach of contract and tortious misconduct arising out of the lender’s alleged “breach” of a term sheet regarding a proposed $850 million loan.
- Represented leading real estate companies in disputes with foreign hotel operators regarding overseas hotel development.
- Represented hotel fund in numerous litigations exceeding $100 million in alleged damages incurred in connection with the acquisition and development of various hotel properties.
- Represented reinsurance company, its directors and affiliates in numerous arbitrations and in a dispute with a breaching counterparty, recouping the reinsurer’s attorney’s fees for the unconsummated transaction, as well as lost opportunity damages.
- Represented international apparel company and defeated anticompetitive claims asserted by prior employer of new officer regarding alleged misappropriation of trade secrets.
- Represented Israeli family and its various international interests in international litigation and facilitated a favorable settlement for his client with a former affiliate, an Eastern Caribbean government and its national bank.
- Represented nonprofit home health care provider in combatting anticompetitive poaching and patient steering activities by a larger home health care provider.
Memberships :
- The Dramatists Guild Foundation: Board of Directors (2010 to present)
- Housing Works Inc. Board of Directors (2013 to present)
- Marjorie’s Fund, Inc.: Board of Directors (2017 to present)
- Mediation Program of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District Court of New York, Member of Panel of Mediators (2011 to present)
- Association of the Bar of the City of New York
Education :
- J.D., New York University School of Law, 1991
- B.A., Columbia University, 1988, Phi Beta Kappa
Admissions :
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
- New York
Cost
Rate : $$$