Rick has decades of experience overseeing and practicing as a commercial litigator.  His practice includes a wide variety of matters including corporate dissolutions, business torts, commercial and residential construction, real estate contracts, easements and other real estate issues, disputed trust accountings, probate contests, and other matters involving wills, trusts and estates.  Rick also handles creditor’s rights matters such as mortgage foreclosures, collections, bankruptcies and other commercial disputes.  

Rick’s experience in litigating a wide variety of commercial, personal and family business matters has made him valuable to the firm’s corporate clients in transactional and operational matters.  He counsels our large and small business clients on mergers, assets sales & acquisitions and day-to-day corporate governance matters.

Rick has served on the Board of Directors of Literacy Volunteers of America (Dutchess County) and has served as a Trustee of the Pleasant Valley Free Library.  He is currently on the Board of Directors (Treasurer) of the Art Effect of the Hudson Valley.  Rick and his wife live in the Village of Rhinebeck.

Recent Work

• Bloch v Casella Wood LLC, ______AD3d _____ (Second Dept. May 30, 2024) (Obtained reversal of trial decision; Neighbor denied use of driveway that had been in place for decades over our client’s property)
• In re Sclafani Petroleum, Inc., 173AD3d1042 (2d Dept. 2019) (Judgment creditor permitted to intervene where estate of judgment debtor had agreed to below market settlement of BCL Sec. 1118 valuation)
• Stathis v. Estate of Donald Karas 193 AD3d 897 (2d Dept 2021) Affirming lower court’s dismissal of Stathis’ claim against our clients following reversal and remand in 2015, as noted below.
• Stathis v. Estate of Karas, 130 A.D.3d (2d Dept 2015) (obtained reversal of jury verdict based upon application of Dead Man’s statute and Best Evidence Rule)
• Sagaria v Bank of New York, 2008 N.Y. App. Div. Lexis 5752 (2d Dept 2008) (successful defense of lender liability claim)
• In re Page, 43 A.D.3d407 (2d Dept 2007) (successful enforcement of a complex settlement involving multi-layered real estate family limited partnerships)
• Mike-Paul Corp v Fratto, 5 A.D. 3d 743 (2d Dept 2004) (obtained summary judgment dismissing closely held corporation’s efforts to prevent client, a minority shareholder, from competing following his departure from the company)
• In re KSI Rockville, LLC, 305 A.D 2d 681 (2d Dept 2003) (first reported Appellate Division case involving dissolution of limited liability company in New York; obtained judgment against managing member for over $400,000.00)
• BTC Mortgage Investors Trust v Altamont Farms Inc., 284 A.D.2d 849 (3d Dept 2001) (successful defense of mortgage foreclosure deficiency judgment sought by lender against our client)