Richard T. Cordano - Islandia, NY

Richard T. Cordano graduated from the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 1995, as a member of Pi Sigma Alpha, and earned a J.D., from Syracuse University College of law in 1998. In 2003, Richard completed professional studies at New York University and was awarded a Certificate in Finance. Richard’s emphasis is in the areas of commercial, business, and employment litigation, as well as corporate transactional work, including mergers and acquisitions.

Richard heads the firm’s civil litigation department, and in this capacity, he regularly litigates commercial and business disputes in the state and federal courts. These disputes often involve shareholder’s rights, corporate dissolutions, disloyal employees, restrictive covenants, breaches of contract, intellectual property, and employment discrimination claims. He has successfully represented corporate and individual clients in federal jury trials, appellate practice, arbitrations before the Commercial Division of the American Arbitration Association, as well as matters before the EEOC and the New York State Division of Human Rights. Significant accomplishments have included: the successful litigation of a post-acquisition dispute against a Fortune 500 company; the successful reversal of Section XI’s suspension of a prominent high-school athlete; and the successful representation of a Fort Salonga couple in a federal civil rights action against the Town of Smithtown. Richard also appears frequently in landlord-tenant court on behalf of the firm’s not-for-profit supported housing clients. For the past twenty years he has specialized in litigating the complex legal challenges that these supported housing agencies face in our local courts.

Richard’s broad-based litigation experience has served to strengthen the firm’s corporate department as well. The unique combination of significant litigation and corporate transactional experience has proven to be a distinct advantage in steering our clients clear of potential pitfalls. Richard handles a variety of transactional matters, including, corporate governance issues, drafting and negotiating commercial leases, shareholder, partnership, operating, and employment agreements, as well as providing practical advice to the firm’s clientele in the areas of corporate formation, financing, business planning, strategic alliances, and risk management. The firm’s large base of mid-sized companies and not-for-profit corporations have entrusted him with solving their day-to-day legal and business challenges.

Richard is also involved in the firm’s mergers and acquisition practice, where he has successfully completed sophisticated business purchases and sales for clients in the health care, construction, manufacturing, retail, restaurant and catering, sports and entertainment, and financial services industries. Significant accomplishments have included completing the complex sale of one of Long Island’s most historic restaurant, hotel, and catering facilities.

Richard is admitted to practice law in the New York State courts as well as the United States District Court for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York.