Practice Areas: Business Litigation, Civil Litigation, Employment & Labor; view more
Licensed in New York since: 1997
Education: Cornell University Law School
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2011 - 2024 Details
Russell Yankwitt, a former federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York, has extensive litigation experience in jury and bench trials, and arbitrations. He has brought and defended commercial matters of all types, including contract and partnership disputes, employment and shareholder lawsuits, and premises liability cases. He is recognized as Westchester’s go-to litigator and trial attorney, having accrued an enviable track record of trial victories for the past two decades. As a result, he is regularly retained by Westchester law firms to collaborate on their high-stakes trials throughout the state of New York. Active in the legal community, Yankwitt was the founding member and first chairperson of the Federal Bar Council’s Westchester Committee and remains active in leadership positions in the Federal Bar Council, and Westchester County Bar Association and Foundation.
Practice areas
Business Litigation, Civil Litigation: Defense, Employment & Labor: Employer, General Litigation, Personal Injury - General: DefenseFocus areas
Labor Law, Litigation, Non-Compete Agreements, Personal Injury - Defense, Slip and Fall, Trade Secret
- 30% Business Litigation
- 20% Civil Litigation: Defense
- 20% Employment & Labor: Employer
- 20% General Litigation
- 10% Personal Injury - General: Defense
First Admitted: 1997, New York
Professional Webpage: https://www.yankwitt.com/attorneys/russell-m-yankwitt/
Bar/Professional Activity:
- State of New York, 1997
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York, 2000
- State of Connecticut, 2012
- State of New Jersey, 2017
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, 1999
- U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit, 2003
- United States Supreme Court, 2016
- State of Pennsylvania, 2011
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York, 2008
- U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut, 2016
- U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey, 2017
Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results):
- Yankwitt LLP is defending Regeneron, a global pharmaceutical company based in Westchester, NY, in federal litigation brought by Skanska USA Building, Inc., one of the world’s largest construction companies, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The suit arose out of Skanska’s service as the construction manager on Regeneron’s $1.8 billion expansion of its headquarters campus in Tarrytown, New York. Skanska claims that Regeneron failed to pay for certain additional services the company allegedly requested during the preconstruction phase that Regeneron claims were covered by a lump sum provision under the parties’ contract. Skanska also alleges that Regeneron failed to negotiate in good faith on a subsequent contract for construction phase services. , 2024
- Yankwitt LLP successfully secured a complete defense verdict on behalf of the Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino Atlantic City in a jury trial involving claims of alleged discrimination under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJ LAD). , 2024
- Representing Million Air in a $30+ million suit against Westchester County. , 2022
Representative Clients:
- ACE Endico Yankwitt LLP has represented the company for many years. , 2024
- JCC of Mid-Westchester, 2022
- Lee Einsidler, former CEO of Casamigos, 2024
- Levitt Fuirst Associates Ltd, Insurance Agency, 2022
- Landry's Inc., in various employment, contract, construction and premise liability actions brought in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania; Hillstone Restaurant Group; Crazy Annie's; Cathay Bank; Christie's; Council on Accreditation for Children and Family Services; David's Bridal, Inc.; Downtown Capital Partners; First Command Financial Services, Inc.; Peachtree Settlement Funding, Inc.; Phoenix Capital Advance LLC; The Keymasters Inc.; The Rockefeller University; Voya Financial; Westrock Development; Former Trustees of the Veronica Atkins Marital Trust; Independent directors of Jennifer Convertibles.
- Westchester Reform Temple, 2022
- Regeneron Pharmaceuticals , 2022
- Million Air, 2022
- We are privileged to represent some of the most outstanding restaurant chains in the country, including Landry's, Inc. (Morton's, Chart House, McCormick & Schmick's) and Hillstone Restaurant Group. In addition, we also proudly represent large and small business and hedge funds throughout Westchester and New York City in breach of contract actions, employment litigations, and all types of commercial disputes, for companies such as Heineken, USA, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, and Bloomberg, Inc. We are also privileged to represent celebrities such as Stephen Baldwin, Adrienne Lawrence, and high net-worth individuals throughout the state.
Pro bono/Community Service:
- Business Council of Westchester, Boardmember, 2024
- Federal Bar Council, Treasurer, 2024
- Federal Bar Council, Westchester Committee Chair.., 2024
- Westchester County Bar Association: ADR Committee Co-Chair, 2024
- Federal Bar Council, Westchester Committee Chair.., 2023
- Westchester County Bar Association: ADR Committee Co-Chair, 2023
- Westchester County Bar Association: ADR Committee Co-Chair, 2022
- Federal Bar Council, Westchester Committee Chair, 2022
- Federal Bar Council, Westchester Committee Chair, 2021
- Westchester County Bar Association Wellness Taskforce, 2022
- UJA Federation, Westchester Business & Professional Division, Board, 2021
- Law360 Hospitality, Editorial Board, 2021
- Westchester County Bar Association, ADR Committee Co-Chair, 2021
- Westchester County Bar Association, Commercial Division, ADA, Grievance committees, 2021
- Business Council of Westchester, Board Member, 2021
- Federal Bar Council Executive Board, Vice President, 2021
- Westchester County Bar Association - Nomination Committee for Officers and Directors, 2020
- Grievance Committee, Westchester County Bar Association
- Executive Leadership Committee for Light The Night, a fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. , 2019
- Founder and Chair, Federal Bar Council, Westchester Committee
- Board Member, Legal Services of the Hudson Valley
Honors/Awards:
- Top 10 Attorneys in New York Metro, Super Lawyers, 2024
- The “Partner in Justice” Award recognizes Yankwitt for his unwavering dedication to providing legal assistance and advocacy for underserved communities across the Hudson Valley. His leadership, commitment to pro bono service, and long-standing support for LSHV have made a tangible difference in the lives of countless individuals and families, ensuring they have access to high-quality legal representation regardless of their financial means., Partner in Justice Award, Legal Services of the Hudson Valley, 2024
- The Changemakers Award Ceremony pays tribute to outstanding individuals who have contributed significantly to the advancement of Westchester County. Regarded as Pace University’s premier Westchester event, the ceremony honors those who have played instrumental roles in shaping Westchester into the vibrant community it is today., Westchester Changemakers Award, Pace University, 2024
- Russell and Yankwitt LLP were selected for Upstate New York tables. , Litigation: General Commercial, Chambers USA, 2024
- Best Law Firms, Best Lawyers, 2024
- Litigation Star, Benchmark Litigaiton, 2024
- Russell and Yankwitt LLP were named to the Upstate New York tables. , Litigation: General Commercial, Chambers USA, 2023
- Hall of Fame Award: Small Business Success, Business Council of Westchester, 2023
- Russell and the firm were ranked in the 2022 Tables for Upstate New York, Litigation: General Commercial, Chambers USA, 2022
- In Commercial Litigation, Tier 1, White Plains, Best Law Firms, US News - Best Lawyers, 2023
- Litigation Star, Benchmark Litigation, 2023
- Top Lawyer in Westchester, 914Inc., 2022
- Top Lawyer, Hudson Valley Magazine, 2022
- Commercial Litigation , Best Lawyers in America, Best Lawyers in America, 2022
- Litigation Star, Benchmark Litigation, 2022
- Firm was named to the list. , Commercial Litigation, Upstate New York, Chambers USA, 2021
- Honor dates back many years. , AV Preeminent Rated, Martindale-Hubbell, 2021
- Commercial Litigation, Best Lawyers, Best Lawyers in America, 2021
- C-Suite Awards, Westfair Communications, 2020
- Elite Boutique Trailblazers, National Law Journal, 2020
- Commercial Litigation, Best Lawyers, Best Lawyers in America, 2020
- Tier 1: White Plains, Best Law Firms, US News & Best Lawyers, 2020
- 2020, 2021, Gold Client Champion, Martindale-Hubbell, 2019
- Best Law Firm in Westchester County, Best of the Best, 914 Inc. Magazine, 2019
- United States Attorney General’s Award for Tax Prosecutions, 2006
- Environmental Protection Agency Award for Commendable Service for Leading a Team of Assistant United States Attorneys
- Russell received the 2008 "NOAA" Bronze Medal Award for "displaying leadership, teamwork and innovation to successfully settle" a complex enviornmental bankruptcy for $125 million.
- NOAA Award for Environmental Protection
Educational Background:
- Connecticut College, phi beta kappa, magna cum laude, 1992
Scholarly Lectures/Writings:
- Note Editor, Cornell International Law Journal, 1996
- To alleviate the strain on both parties and overburdened trial courts, we propose amending the CPLR to encourage discretionary stays of the underlying trial while an appeal of a dispositive summary judgment motion is pending., Co-Author, Controlling Litigation Costs: Automatic Trial Stays Pending Appeal of a Summary Judgment Denial, New York Law Journal, 2019
- To combat the tension between litigation and skyrocketing litigation costs, the authors propose amending the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure to comport with the position taken by many state courts, including New York, to stay all discovery upon the filing of a dispositive motion to dismiss a complaint., Co-Author, Balancing Litigation Costs: The Need for Automatic Discovery Stays,", New York Law Journal, 2019
- Adjunct Assistant Professor of Law, Cardozo Law School, 2004-2009
Other Outstanding Achievements:
- Yankwitt LLP, along with co-counsel, successfully represented a real estate development company in land use and contract litigation in New York State Supreme Court. Following a multi-week trial, the jury returned a unanimous liability verdict in Plaintiff's favor and awarded $2.4 million in damages.
- On the smaller plaintiff-side employment cases and personal injury litigaiton, I have waived or substantally reduced my fee to help the plaintiff in need.
- Russell led his trial team to victory representing an international manufacturing company that was sued for $23,000,000 in federal court (SDNY). After a two week jury trial, the jury deliberated for just six hours before dismissing every count in the complaint and awarding Plaintiff zero dollars, 2015
Office location for Russell M. Yankwitt
140 Grand Street
Suite 705
White Plains, NY 10601
Phone: 914-686-1500
Selections
14 Years Super Lawyers
- Super Lawyers: 2011 - 2024
Top Lists
Top 25: Westchester County Super Lawyers: 2013 - 2015, 2017 - 2024- Top 25: 2024 Westchester County Super Lawyers
- Top 25: 2023 Westchester County Super Lawyers
- Top 25: 2022 Westchester County Super Lawyers
- Top 25: 2021 Westchester County Super Lawyers
- Top 25: 2020 Westchester County Super Lawyers
- Top 25: 2019 Westchester County Super Lawyers
- Top 25: 2018 Westchester County Super Lawyers
- Top 25: 2017 Westchester County Super Lawyers
- Top 25: 2015 Westchester County Super Lawyers
- Top 25: 2014 Westchester County Super Lawyers
- Top 25: 2013 Westchester County Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2024 New York — Metro Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2023 New York — Metro Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2022 New York — Metro Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2021 New York — Metro Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2020 New York — Metro Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2019 New York — Metro Super Lawyers
- Top 100: 2018 New York — Metro Super Lawyers
