Sam Israel

Sam P. Israel P.C

Sam Israel

Sam P. Israel P.C

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Firm Summary

Sam Israel is a prominent New York trial and appellate attorney with a highly distinctive commercial litigation practice. He is the founder of Sam P. Israel, P.C., a select five lawyer boutique litigation practice headquartered in New York City’s financial district. Mr. Israel’s practice covers a wide range of subjects, including intellectual property, corporate and contractual disputes, securities, employment, insolvency and restructuring litigation, and corporate and transactional matters; in industries of equal diversity, including investment, financial and hedge fund concerns, real property, restaurant services, arts and photography, and alternative energy. His clients span modest to multi-national corporations, to prominent artists and filmmakers, among them Ramius LLC, Arena Investors, LP / Lantern Endowment Partners, North Mill Capital Investors, LLC, and Dr. William Fung (managing director of PI Asset Management.)

Mr. Israel’s notable cases and recent achievements

Mr. Israel achieved a landmark victory in the United States Supreme Court in the copyright case, Kirtsaeng v. John Wiley & Sons. After years of battle in the District Court and Second Circuit, the high court sided with Mr. Israel’s client, Supap Kirtsaeng, preventing a devastation of a $60 billion industry of copyrighted works manufactured abroad and re-sold in the United States. The ruling has had ramifications that extend beyond books to all types of copyrighted works, including music, movies and even auto parts, sold around the world—whether online, in retail stores, or even at garage sales. This controversial case attracted interest from the Obama administration, media conglomerates, consumer and retail groups, academics, and other interest groups. It generated numerous articles and law commentaries, changing the legal landscape for the importation of copyrighted goods.

Among other matters involving intellectual property law, Mr. Israel has achieved favorable dispositions in trademark cases involving claims of counterfeiting and infringement for clients in the fragrance and cosmetics industry. His clients have prevailed in suits brought under the U.S. Copyright Act and he effectively defended against claims brought under the same statute.

In a recent complex commercial arbitration case involving stolen art, Mr. Israel succeeded in winning a multi-million dollar award against a major New York art gallery, victorious on claims for contractual breach, conversion, and breaches of fiduciary duties.

Mr. Israel’s Training and Approach to Litigation

After graduating Magna Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa from NYU and receiving his Juris Doctor from NYU Law School, Mr. Israel trained in the craft of litigation from some of its finest practitioners. Working first at Finley Kumble Wagner Manley Myerson Underberg & Casey, a national firm that counted former senators and a governor in its ranks, where he handled complex securities matters including insider trading, fraud and regulatory cases, Welles responses and SEC investigations, he then did a five-year stint at Milgrim Thomajan & Lee, the preeminent trade secrets firm in the country, where he addressed a wide array of intellectual property issues. He finally opened his own practice in 2000 where, among other things, Mr. Israel successfully prosecuted civil RICO and fraud claims against conspirators in a multi-tiered mortgage resale scheme, represented the Friends of Falun Gong in seeking redress for its New York based practitioners from media instrumentalities of the People’s Republic of China; and effectively prosecuted civil rights claims against the Village of Sag Harbor in one of many land development disputes. In his career, Mr. Israel has vigorously litigated, and handled myriad other cases and controversies to the satisfaction of dozens of clients.

Beyond his academic achievements and institutional pedigree, Mr. Israel’s background also includes unconventional elements that inform his practice and bring a unique training and creative approach to his cases. Mr. Israel studied art at the Arts Students’ League and the School of Visual Arts, trained in the Meisner acting technique and pantomime from its foremost exponents, gained proficiency in mountaineering at a Swiss military training program, all throughout, honing his creative instincts, understanding of human psychology and fine-tuning his skills, concentration and discipline.

It is precisely Mr. Israel’s combination of unique skills, training in the arts and survival, his vast legal knowledge, and 25 years of litigation experience that draws clients and legal talent to this uncommonly dynamic attorney with an extraordinary legal practice and winning record.

Mr. Israel’s other significant achievements throughout the U.S. in tribunals at every level have included

-Successful representation of major national and international companies in complex business disputes.
-Resolution of securities disputes involving Regulation D penny stock companies in connection with SEC investigations of issuers and underwriters involving allegations of fraud, regulatory non-compliance and insider trading.
-Management of Federal and State government investigations of major companies and individuals, preparation of numerous Wells submissions for federal and self-regulatory agencies.
-Trial of complex labor and partnership disputes, as well as internal limited liability company contests, involving restrictive covenants, diversions of corporate opportunities, unfair competition, and breaches of fiduciary duties.
-Successful appeals involving contractual disputes, conversion, and breaches of fiduciary duties.

Mr. Israel frequently serves as an arbitrator and court-appointed mediator in business disputes. He has served successive terms as a member of the New York City Bar Association’s Trademark and Unfair Competition Committee, authored articles on alternative dispute resolution and unfair competition concerns and he speaks regularly at university and private forums on current litigation issues.

Admissions
United States Supreme Court
United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York.
United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.
Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York.
New York State Court.