The New York County Lawyers Association (NYCLA) recently celebrated a major milestone in the legal community, honoring the 30th Anniversary of the Commercial Division of the New York State Supreme Court. The event took place on March 4, 2025, at The Pierre Hotel in Manhattan, bringing together legal luminaries, corporate counsel, and judiciary members, including
In Pantelis P. Mestousis et al. v. Michael Saccente, Justice Gretchen Walsh of the Westchester Commercial Division denied dueling motions for summary judgment in a sprawling dispute over a failed multimillion-dollar quarry acquisition and an alleged $70,000 personal loan. The decision highlights the court’s rigorous application of summary judgment standards, particularly in the context
In Michael Cushner, M.D. v. Summit Health Management LLC, Index No. 65930/2024, Justice Gretchen Walsh of the Westchester Commercial Division issued a detailed Decision and Order addressing a motion to dismiss by defendants Summit Health, VillageMD, and City Medical. Dr. Cushner—a former orthopedic surgeon at WestMed—claims he is owed millions under his employment and
On Monday, June 8, I co-moderated a Virtual Town Hall discussion with Hon. Linda S. Jamieson and Hon. Gretchen Walsh about litigating in the Westchester Commercial Division during COVID-19 and beyond, the Court’s operations, and the methods the justices are using to move cases forward. The justices have worked very hard throughout the pandemic, and
Join us on Monday, June 8, as Lachtman Cohen P.C. partner Brian Cohen co-moderates a Virtual Town Hall discussion with Hon. Linda S. Jamieson and Hon. Gretchen Walsh about litigating in the Westchester Commercial Division during COVID-19 and beyond.
See the invite for details: WCBA June 2020 Event Flyer
Register with the Westchester County Bar
In light of the COVID-19 emergency in New York State and nationwide, on March 22, 2020, Chief Administrative Judge Lawrence K. Marks directed that no papers shall be accepted for filing by a court except in “essential matters” (for example, criminal, family and domestic violence, mental hygiene, and emergency landlord-tenant).
Effective April 13, 2020, Judge
A bankruptcy filing often puts a quick halt to efforts to collect a debt from a bankrupt debtor. Under 11 U.S. Code § 362, the filing of a bankruptcy petition puts in place an automatic stay of collection efforts against a debtor. The stay does not, however, automatically stay proceedings against a guarantor of a
A recent decision by Westchester Commercial Division Justice Gretchen Walsh demonstrates how even a non-party subpoena from an arbitrator can quickly and irrevocably lead to party status and considerable liability if you fail to respond. The case, In re Sivanesan v. YBF LLC et al., Index. No. 67996/2018, showed that parties who believe
Defendants usually make a CPLR 3211 motion to dismiss at the outset of the case and file it together with a Request for Judicial Intervention (RJI). In that situation, a defendant can simply file the motion without contacting the court in advance. When a defendant makes a later motion to dismiss, though, it is best
![broken-agreement[1]](https://www.westchestercomdiv.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/638/2019/10/broken-agreement1.jpg)
Sometimes, companies want employees to think like owners, and for good reason. With a vested interest in their work and the team’s success, employees are more motivated to perform at the highest level. They also focus on what’s best for the business rather than just themselves. But firing an employee with “skin in the game”
