Litigation Department Chair Brian Katz is a highly skilled commercial litigator and accomplished trial lawyer with proven results in state and federal courts across the country. Brian has successfully prosecuted and defended a wide variety of commercial cases to finality in an array of settings, from verdict through appeal and in many cases to a jurisdiction’s highest appellate tribunal.
Businesses and entrepreneurs regularly turn to Brian to help resolve their most complex and significant commercial disputes.
Brian maintains a broad-based commercial litigation practice. He has extensive experience in a wide array of matters, including breach of fiduciary duty, unfair competition, tortious interference, and other business torts, breach of contract, licensing, trademark infringement, false claims act, employment actions, legal malpractice, federal and state securities claims, and common law analogues and other disputes growing out of business relationships and transactions. Among other industries, he regularly represents tourism companies, hospitality groups and businesses, media and advertising companies, global brands, private partnerships, private equity companies, venture capitalists, and other financial services companies, entrepreneurs, and other businesses. He has successfully handled several high profile matters and existential business threats at all stages of litigation, whether through motion practice, trying cases to verdict, appeal, and even negotiating and structuring complex multi-million dollar settlements and work-outs.
In all matters, Brian’s primary focus is to resolve business problems by enforcing legal rights in the most strategic and efficient manner possible. Emphasizing practical tactics to achieve favorable results, he is equally comfortable in the court room, alternative dispute resolution proceedings, or at the negotiating table. Brian also maintains an active counseling practice geared towards assisting clients in minimizing and addressing litigation risk at all stages of the business and dispute resolution cycle.
- Successfully defended global tourism company in multi-million dollar unfair competition action resulting in winning jury verdict in Los Angeles Superior Court.
- Successfully defended restauranteur in hostile partnership dispute that resulted in dismissal of all claims at summary judgment, ultimately affirmed by The Nevada Supreme Court.
- Representing industry-leading media company in connection with several multi-million dollar breach of contract disputes involving outdoor advertising industry in federal and state courts across the country.
- Representing industry-leading media company in anti-trust action involving outdoor advertising industry in federal court.
- Representing multiple commercial borrowers in commercial foreclosure and other disputes, with an aggregate exposure of billions of dollars, concerning various real estate projects, including luxury residential and commercial developments, as well as workouts involving CMBS and other financing structures in New York and other jurisdictions.
- Representing restauranteur and celebrity chef in partnership dispute over closely held business in state and federal court.
- Represent multiple law firms and partners in various partnership disputes, involving termination, valuation and related issues in court, arbitration and ADR proceedings.
- Representing executive in employment and defamation litigation in state court against former employer and principals.
- Successfully represent minority investors in shareholder activism campaign and subsequent litigation with medical manufacturing company in federal court.
- Successfully represent majority owners in leading furniture and design company in breach of fiduciary duty and related business combination litigation in Delaware Chancery Court.
- Successfully represent major international investment bank in breach of contract litigation with leading mortgage loan servicer in Delaware Chancery Court.
- Successfully represent major international investment bank in Maryland State Court regarding CMBS and related loan program through trial and appeal.
- Successfully represent micro-cap investor in securities litigation in federal court regarding warrants and PIPE agreements.
- Successfully represent multiple commercial borrowers in litigation in state and federal court concerning loan agreements, and attending workout and restructuring efforts.
- Successfully represent sponsor of luxury condominium project in lower Manhattan in litigation adverse to minority partner in state court, resulting in final judgment in client’s favor.
- Successfully represent, including obtaining summary judgment, owner and founder of construction company in litigation adverse to minority partners in state court related to business control.
- Successfully represent international pharmaceutical company in anti-trust litigation in federal court concerning manufacturing and distribution of prescription drugs.
- Successfully represent international apparel brand in trademark litigation in federal court.
- Successfully represent multiple executives, including technology sales and other executive leadership across various industries, in separation from company and attending litigation in state and federal court and in arbitration.
News
Speaking Engagements
Publications
Honors & Recognitions
- Named to the New York Metro Super Lawyers list, 2023-2024
- Consistently named a "Rising Star" by New York Metro Super Lawyers since 2011
Blog Posts
Practice Areas
Education
J.D., magna cum laude, Boston University School of Law, 2006
- Winner, Boston University School of Law’s Homer Albers Prize Moot Court Competition
- Selected Best Oralist in Albers’ final argument by panel of federal appellate judges
B.A., magna cum laude, Tulane University, 2001
- Tulane University Honors Program
- Tulane University Dean’s List
Admissions
- New York
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- US District Court for the Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York
