Howard Reiss

Since 1976 focused on commercial litigation in a wide range of areas including contract, intellectual property, franchises, insurance, reinsurance, securities, entertainment and...

Experience

Since 1976 focused on commercial litigation in a wide range of areas including contract, intellectual property, franchises, insurance, reinsurance, securities, entertainment, mergers and acquisitions, and employment. Ten percent of my practice involved insurance and reinsurance disputes some in excess of $100M. Forty percent of my practice involved contract disputes concerning securities, intellectual properties, employment, health care, franchises, and general commercial disputes. Ten percent of my practice involved product liability, real estate, corporate breakups, shareholder disputes, valuations and drafting with respect to various transactions. Many of my client matters involved arbitration and mediation. Clients have included large publicly traded Fortune 100 companies, medium-sized and small businesses, governmental entities, both domestic and foreign, international banks, insurance and reinsurance companies, unions, entertainment companies, computer companies, healthcare companies and individuals. Now almost 100 percent of my time is spent serving as an arbitrator and mediator. I started serving in both capacities over 25 years ago.

Work History

Work History: Partner, Reiss Sheppe LLP (and predecessors), 1988-present; Partner, Solin & Breindel, 1985-88; Associate Attorney, Donovan, Leisure, Newton & Irvine, 1978-84; Law Clerk, Judge Charles Metzner, Southern District of New York, 1976-77.

Cases

Alternative Dispute Resolution Experience: I have served as an arbitrator in excess of 250 matters over the past 25+ years for the American Arbitration Association as a sole arbitrator, as a panel member and as chairman of the panel. These include, among other matters, a lengthy hearing involving two Fortune 100 companies concerning the alleged breach of a drug fulfillment contract that involved claims in excess of $250M; a lengthy hearing concerning an alleged fraud in the purchase of a large corporation that raised numerous accounting and valuation issues; a lengthy hearing involving a Fortune 100 company over a supply contract with respect to power generation involving claims in excess of $50M; a lengthy hearing involving a Fortune 100 company concerning patents claims in excess of $50M, which involved extensive discovery and motion practice; a lengthy hearing involving a dispute with an international franchisor and a large franchisee, which included a hearing on a motion for a preliminary injunction; a hearing involving compensation under FIFRA, a hearing involving a group of single room occupancy hotels in New York City; a hearing involving a large design contract; a hearing concerning the breach of a large event contract with respect to the Superbowl; a number of hearings involving publication rights and insurance coverage with respect to directors and officers liability and theft coverage; a hearing involving the management contract of a well known performer; hearings involving securities including claims with respect to mergers and stock valuations, as well as misrepresentation and fraud; a hearing involving a partnership dispute with respect to a chain of retail stores; a hearing involving the break-up of a computer service company; a hearing involving a Fortune 100 company concerning franchise and intellectual property rights; a hearing concerning computer programming; hearings involving partnership breakups involving law firms and other business entities; and well in excess of 200 other arbitrations. I have also served as a mediator in numerous matters for the Southern District of New York, the New York County Supreme Court, and the American Arbitration Association, as well as in private mediation involving Fortune 500 companies. In addition, has represented numerous parties as counsel in arbitrations and mediations.

Training

Alternative Dispute Resolution Training: NYS Bar Association Dispute Resolution Section Annual Meeting, 2012 and 2013; AAA Maximizing Efficiency & Economy in Arbitration: Challenges at the Preliminary Hearing, 2011; AAA Muscular Arbitration: Trimming the Fat Out of Arbitration, 2011; AAA Fundamentals of Effective Mediation Advocacy, 2010; AAA Webinar, How to Prevent Arbitrations from Transforming into Litigations, 2009; AAA Webinar, Arbitrator Boundaries: What are the Limits of Arbitrator Authority?, 2009; AAA Pro Se: Managing Cases Involving Self-Represented Parties (ACE002), 2008; AAA Arbitrator Ethics & Disclosure (ACE003), 2007; AAA Chairing an Arbitration Panel: Managing Procedures, Process & Dynamics (ACE005), 2006; AAA Dealing With Delay Tactics in Arbitration (ACE004), 2005; AAA Arbitration Awards: Safeguarding, Deciding & Writing Awards (ACE001), 2003; AAA Annual Arbitrator Update, 2002; AAA Commercial Arbitrator II Training: Advanced Case Management Issues, 2001; AAA Commercial Arbitrator Training, 1999; U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, Mediation Training 1996, 1995, as well as numerous more recent course taken as part of my continuing education.

License(s)

Professional Licenses: Admitted to the Bar: New York, 1977; U.S. District Court: Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; U.S. Court of Appeals: Second, Third, Fifth, and Eleventh Circuits; U.S. Supreme Court.

Education

Education Dartmouth College (AB, summa cum laude-1973); Columbia University (JD, Law Review Board of Editors, Stone Scholar-1976).

Publications

Publications: Personal Injury and Product Liability Litigation, Prentice Hall, 1987; A Family Institution, 2011; The Year of Soup, 2012. The Laws of Attraction 2014 Ptown 2015 The Old Drive-in 2016 The Texture of Love 2018 A Lover’s Secret 2019 Accidental Lives 2020 The ’60s Diary 2021

Awards

Litigation Counsel of America and various literary awards

Panels

On Panel of Arbitrators and Mediators for the American Arbitration Association, FINRA, and the International Institute for Conflicts Prevention & Resolution (the ’CPR’). On Mediation Panels for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and the Supreme Court, New York County. Member of Mediator and Arbitrator Panel, Liberty Mutual Insurance Hurricane Sandy ADR Program;

Associations

Professional Associations Association of the Bar of the City of New York (Committee on Alternate Dispute Resolution); New York State Bar Association (Section on Alternate Dispute Resolution and Executive Committee); College of Commercial Arbitrators (Fellow); Dartmouth Lawyers’ Association; New York State Dispute Resolution Association; Chartered Institute of Arbitrators; Litigation Counsel of America (Fellow); International Institute of Conflict Prevention & Resolution.

Miscellaneous

Co-founder, Sunday Supper, soup kitchen in Rockland County.