Commercial Litigation Academy 2026

CLE Programs
Program Catalog
Commercial Litigation Academy 2026

The two-day Commercial Litigation Academy program brings together an outstanding panel of distinguished and well-known commercial litigators, current and former in-house counsel and judges who will provide you with valuable insights on commercial litigation – from choosing the proper venue through the appellate process. There will be a focus on litigating commercial cases efficiently, including the use of technology in case management. You will receive training and enhance your skills in all aspects of commercial litigation; from drafting the pleadings and seeking injunctive relief, through disclosure and discovery (including expert discovery and e-Discovery), and finally to the trial and the appeal. The expert faculty will also discuss key ethical and evidentiary issues confronted by the commercial litigator.

Program Co-Chairs:

Tracee E. Davis, Esq.

Seyfarth Shaw LLP

Ignatius Grande, Esq.

Berkeley Research Group, LLC

Please note that if you are a newly admitted attorney (admitted 1-2 years) you must be present in person at the Albany group videoconference location or the host law firm location in NYC to receive credit for the Skills and Ethics credits. Newly admitted attorneys may not earn Skills credits by watching the program on zoom.

Start Date:

March 3, 2026

End Date:

March 4, 2026

Start Time:

8:00 AM

End Time:

6:00 PM

Areas Of Professional Practice Credit(s):

Ethics and Professionalism Credit(s):

Skills Credit(s):

Total Credit(s):

16.0

Region:

Albany
New York City
Virtual Participation

Address:

Duane Morris
22 Vanderbilt 335 Madison Ave 23rd Floor
New York, NY

Agenda

NYSBA Commercial Litigation Academy 2026 Agenda | Bridging the Gap for Newly Admitted Attorneys

Day One | Tuesday, March 3, 2026

New York City | Albany Group Videoconference | Zoom

8:00 a.m. Registration

8:30 a.m. Administrative Announcements

9:00 a.m. – 9:10 a.m. Welcome and Introductions

Tracee E. Davis, Esq.

Seyfarth Shaw LLP New York, NY

Ignatius Grande, Esq.

Berkeley Research Group, LLC New York, NY

9:10 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. Pre-Litigation Considerations and Dispute Resolution

Laurel R. Kretzing, Esq. (Moderator)

Jaspan Schlesinger Narendran LLP Garden City, NY

Matt Maron, Esq.

General Counsel, Golf Entertainment Group New York, NY

Michael C. Rakower, Esq.

Rakower Law PLLC New York, NY

1.0 Areas of Professional Practice

10:00 a.m. – 10:10 a.m. Break

10:10 a.m. – 11:50 a.m. Injunctive Relief: Temporary Restraining Orders,

Preliminary & Permanent Injunctions & Orders to Show Cause

Maryann C. Stallone, Esq. (Moderator)

Tannenbaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschtritt LLP New York, NY

Hon. James E. d’Auguste

NYS Commercial Division, NY County. New York, NY

Melissa S. Geller, Esq.

Duane Morris LLP Newark, NJ

Tasha Thompson, Esq.

Kaplan Martin LLP New York, NY

1.0 Areas of Professional Practice

1.0 Skills

11:50 a.m. – 12:40 p.m. Lunch (not provided by NYSBA)

12:40 p.m. – 1:55 p.m. Pleadings in State Court, Federal Court, and Arbitration

Ross J. Kartez, Esq. (Moderator)

Ruskin Moscou Faltischek P.C. Uniondale, NY

Helene R. Hechtkopf, Esq.

Hoguet Newman Regal & Kenney, LLP New York, NY

Hon. Helen E. Freedman

JAMS

New York, NY

Vincent Chang, Esq.

Commercial Division Law Clerk, Hon. James E. d’Auguste New York, NY

1.5 Skills

1:55 p.m. – 3:10 p.m. Venue Decisions: State Court v. Federal Court v.

Arbitration

Jay G. Safer, Esq. (Moderator)

Dunnington Bartholow & Miller LLP New York, NY

Jovana Crncevic, Esq.

Withers Bergman LLP New York, NY

Russell Squire, Esq.

Reed Smith LLP New York, NY

Jeffrey T. Zaino, Esq.

American Arbitration Association New York, NY

1.5 Areas of Professional Practice

3:10 p.m. – 3:20 p.m. Break

3:20 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Disclosure & Discovery, including E-Discovery, and Litigating Cases Efficiently

Ignatius Grande, Esq.

Berkeley Research Group, LLC New York, NY

Brian Friedman, Esq.

Moore Friedman LLP New York, NY

Bonnie Trunley, Esq.

Hoguet Newman Regal & Kenney, LLP New York, NY

Andrew Lorin, Esq.

Principal Law Clerk, Hon. James E. d’Auguste New York, NY

0.5 Skills

1.5 Cybersecurity, Privacy and Data Protection – Ethics

NYSBA Commercial Litigation Academy 2026 Agenda | Bridging the Gap for Newly Admitted Attorneys

Day Two | Wednesday, March 4, 2026

New York City | Albany Group Videoconference | Zoom

8:00 a.m. Registration

8:30 a.m. Administrative Announcements

9:00 a.m. – 9:05 a.m. Welcome and Introductions

Tracee E. Davis, Esq.

Seyfarth Shaw LLP New York, NY

Ignatius Grande, Esq.

Berkeley Research Group, LLC New York, NY

9:05 a.m. – 10:20 a.m. Expert Discovery in State and Federal Court

Nathaniel E. Marmon, Esq. (Moderator)

Baughman Kroup Bosse

New York, NY

John P. Curley, Esq.

Hoguet Newman Regal & Kenney, LLP New York, NY

Joshua Lathrop, Esq.

Berkeley Research Group, LLC New York, NY

1.5 Areas of Professional Practice

10:20 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. Break

10:30 a.m. – 12:10 p.m. Dispositive Motions including Motions to Dismiss,

Judgment on the Pleadings, and Summary Judgment Motions

Benjamin I. Bassoff, Esq. (Moderator)

Foley & Lardner LLP

New York, NY

Damian R. Cavaleri, Esq.

Hoguet Newman Regal & Kenney, LLP New York, NY

Karen M. Steel, Esq.

Schindler Cohen & Hochman LLP New York, NY

2.0 Skills

12:10 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Lunch (not provided by NYSBA)

1:00 p.m. – 2:40 p.m. Trials (including Evidence Rules in Discussion)

Lauren J. Wachtler, Esq. (Moderator)

Wachtler LLP

Scarsdale, NY

Hon. Melissa A. Crane

NYS Commercial Division, NY County New York, NY

Paul F. Downs, Esq.

Nixon Peabody LLP New York, NY

Michael T. Stolper, Esq.

Seiden Law LLP New York, NY

Eddy Salcedo, Esq.

Seyfarth Shaw LLP New York, NY

1.0 Areas of Professional Practice

1.0 Ethics and Professionalism

2:40 p.m. – 3:55 p.m. Civil Appeals and Argument

Seth M. Rokosky, Esq. (Moderator)

Duane Morris LLP

New York, NY

Andrew Rhys Davies, Esq.

Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP New York, NY

Gabriel Herrmann, Esq.

Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP New York, NY

Scott Eisman, Esq.

Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP New York, NY

Andrew Amend, Esq.

Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP New York, NY

1.0 Areas of Professional Practice

0.5 Ethics and Professionalism

3:55 p.m. – 4:05 p.m. Break

4:05 p.m. – 4:55 p.m. Mediation Advocacy

Paul D. Sarkozi, Esq.

Tannenbaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschtritt LLP New York, NY

Jeremy R. Feinberg, Esq.

New York County Supreme Court New York, NY

Rachel A. Gupta, Esq.

JAMS

New York, NY

1.0 Skills

4:55 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. Closing Remarks

Day One

8.0 MCLE Credits | 3.5 Areas of Professional Practice, 3.0 Skills, 1.5 Cybersecurity, Privacy and Data Protection – Ethics

Day Two

8.0 MCLE Credits | 3.5 Areas of Professional Practice, 3.0 Skills, 1.5 Ethics and Professionalism

Program Faculty

Laurel R. Kretzing, Esq., Moderator, Jaspan Schlesinger Narendran LLP
Matt Maron, Esq., Speaker, Golf Entertainment Group
Michael C. Rakower, Esq, Speaker, Rakower Law PLLC
Hon. James E. D’Auguste, Speaker, NYS Commercial Division
Melissa S. Geller, Esq, Speaker, Duane Morris LLP
Ross J. Kartez, Esq., Moderator, Ruskin Moscou Faltischek P.C.
Helene R. Hechtkopf, Esq., Speaker, Hoguet Newman Regal & Kenney, LLP
Hon. Helen E. Freedman, Speaker, JAMS
Jay G. Safer, Esq., Moderator, Dunnington Bartholow & Miller LLP
Jovana Crncevic, Esq., Speaker, Withers Bergman LLP
Ignatius Grande, Esq., Berkeley Research Group, LLC
Brian Friedman, Esq., Speaker, Moore Friedman LLP
Nathaniel E. Marmon, Esq., Baughman Kroup Bosse
Joshua Lathrop, Esq., Berkeley Research Group, LLC
Benjamin I. Bassoff, Esq., Moderator, Foley & Lardner LLP
Damian R. Cavaleri, Esq., Speaker, Hoguet Newman Regal & Kenney, LLP
Karen M. Steel, Esq., Speaker, Schindler Cohen & Hochman LLP
Eddy Salcedo, Esq., Speaker, Seyfarth Shaw LLP
Lauren J. Wachtler, Esq., Moderator, Wachtler LLP
Hon. Melissa A. Crane, Speaker, NYS Commercial Division
Paul F. Downs, Esq., Nixon Peabody LLP
Michael T. Stolper, Esq., Seiden Law LLP
Seth M. Rokosky, Esq., Moderator, Duane Morris LLP
Andrew Rhys Davies, Esq., Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP
Gabriel Herrmann, Esq., Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher LLP
Scott Eisman, Esq., Axinn, Veltrop & Harkrider LLP
Andrew Amend, Esq., Cahill Gordon & Reindel LLP
Paul D. Sarkozi, Esq., Tannenbaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschtritt LLP
Jeremy R. Feinberg, Esq., New York County Supreme Court
Rachel A. Gupta, Esq., JAMS
Maryann C. Stallone, Esq., Tannenbaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschtritt LLP
Tasha Thompson, Esq., Speaker, Kaplan Martin LLP
Russel Squire, Esq., Reed Smith LLP
Jeffrey T. Zaino, Esq., American Arbitration Association
Bonnie Trunley, Esq., Hoguet Newman Regal & Kenney, LLP
Vincent Chang, Esq., Commercial Division Law Clerk, Hon. James E. d’Auguste
John P. Curley, Esq., Hoguet Newman Regal & Kenney, LLP
Andrew Lorin, Esq., Principal Law Clerk, Hon. James E. d’Auguste

Format:

Hybrid
In-Person
Videoconference

Product Code:

0QJ94

Section Member Price: $595.00

NYSBA Member Price: $795.00 Join (or renew) for special member pricing

Non-Member Price: $1,195.00

Sponsoring Committee Group

Young Lawyers Section
Commercial & Federal Litigation Section
Committee on Continuing Legal Education
Committee on Legal Education and Admission to the Bar