Practice Areas

Alternative Dispute Resolution
ADR methods can be effective in reducing the time, money, and adversarial nature associated with traditional court-based proceedings. Shafer Partners assists clients in resolving different types of legal disputes through out-of-court processes like arbitration and mediation. Our lawyers also assist clients in establishing resolution protocols before a dispute arises.
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Appellate Practice Defense
An Appellate Practice in New York is a must and Shafer Partners attorneys have decades of experience in handling appeals from motions and trials. New York permits appeals from interlocutory orders such as those which decide discovery and other pre-trial matters including motions for summary judgment, motions to dismiss, motions to strike or amend pleadings and motions involving third-party practice. Our appellate experience also provides our attorneys with insight in researching and drafting dispositive pre-trial motions, motions in limine, jury instructions,
and post-trial motions.
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Commercial and Business Litigation
Shafer Partners’s attorneys have been representing companies of all sizes for more than 20 years. We know and understand our client’s businesses, so when things go wrong, we are there to help. Whether it’s breach of contract, disputed debts, breach of sales agreements or other general business actions, our lawyers get to the heart of the matter and work towards a quick and economical resolution.
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Construction Liability
Whether personal injury, property damage or construction defects, Shafer Partners understands the complexities of handling construction related cases. Our firm represents developers, general contractors and subcontractors. Our attorneys have successfully addressed such issues as the validity of contracts, indemnity and insurance procurement clauses, Labor Laws, Workers’ Compensation Statutes and the New York City Administrative Code. Shafer Partners’s attorneys have authored articles dealing with these issues published in the New York Law Journal, Torts Insurance and Compensation Law Journal and other publications. We also lecture before bar associations, business groups and claims organizations.
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Corporate Counsel
We know and understand your business and your expectations. We are responsive and available. We do our jobs and do them well so that you and your employees can do yours.

Shafer Partners has received Martindale-Hubbell’s highest rating of AV^® Peer Review Rated. We are licensed in New York and New Jersey.

Shafer Partners has extensive experience working with companies and their in-house counsel. We strive to provide the best representation possible, while working within company guidelines and maintaining a cost conscious attitude – without sacrificing quality.

Our lawyers work in and out of the courtroom to achieve positive results, believing that a good legal representation requires careful analysis and direction from start to finish. We maintain close contact with company representatives to make sure that our plan is your plan.

Through our Corporate Counsel program, Shafer Partners acts as House Counsel to small and mid-size companies, providing general legal services. With a monthly retainer agreement, Shafer Partners is there to answer legal questions which arise in everyday business, review documents and to draft letters. Our goal is to assist our Corporate Counsel clients in routine types of legal needs within the monthly flat fee retainer. As a general guideline, any project that we can take care of in less than an hour will be included in the flat fee. If the project takes more than one hour, it will not be included.

Services not included in the monthly flat fee, which we perform on an hourly fee basis, are those such as: Any litigation, arbitration, mediation hearings, administrative hearings, bankruptcy filings, or any other type of adversarial proceeding; Any type of negotiations or documentation of a transaction, whether you are buying, selling, leasing or contracting; Drafting or rewriting any type of document such as a lease, contract, employee manual, etc. Prior to commencing hourly work we confirm that work to be performed is not covered by the flat fee.

All Corporate Counsel work is performed on an as requested basis and we will not undertake any work unless requested to do. Arrangements with specific clients are governed by a Letter of Engagement and this description is intended for information purposes only.
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Directors & Officers Liability Defense
Shafer Partners represents Directors and Officers for of small and nonprofit entities including Condominium and Co-Operative Boards and Managing Agents.
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Employment Practices Liability
Shafer Partners brings the efficiencies of an insurance defensepractice to its representation of companies and their employees in the State and Federal Courts as well as before the New York State Division of Human Rights, the New York City Human Rights Commission and the EEOC. The firm handles all types of claims including: sexual and racial harassment complaints; disability discrimination; equal pay claims; sexual orientation claims; Family Medical Leave Act claims; Fair Labor Standards Act claims; Americans With Disabilities Act claims; Age Discrimination in Employment Act claims; claims under other federal, state and local equal employment opportunity laws and regulations; wrongful discharge claims; breach of employment contracts; and defamation.

The firm also works with clients in developing practices and procedures to avoid employment-related claims. Strategies include: reviewing or creating employment handbooks; revising employment applications; drafting employment contracts; drafting non-competition agreements; developing and evaluating employment policies; training; review of record keeping systems; and advice in dealing with employees.
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Environmental/Toxic Tort
Shafer Partners represents building owners and managers in environmental related matters including: asbestos; mold; sick building claims; oil and chemical spills and leaks; sewage contamination; smoke and Carbon monoxide exposure. Our attorneys also handle the insurance coverage issues which often arise in these matters.
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General Liability
Shafer Partners represents clients in all types of General Liability matters. Some areas include assault and battery; landlord and management negligent security; commercial liability; advertising injuries; defamation; privacy; elevator incidents; false arrest and malicious prosecution cases; and first-party and third-party property damage cases. Shafer Partners’s attorneys have authored articles dealing with these issues published in the New York Law Journal, Torts Insurance andCompensation Law Journal and other publications. We also lecture before bar associations, business groups and claims organizations.
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Insurance Coverage
Shafer Partners’s attorneys handle insurance coverage disputes on behalf of insurance companies and policy holders whose insurance companies have denied coverage. Our attorneys also draft coverage opinions and assist in drafting disclaimers and reservation of rights letters.
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Labor and Employment
Shafer Partners brings the efficiencies of an insurance defense practice to its representation of companies and their employees in the State and Federal Courts as well as before the New York State Division of Human Rights, the New York City Human Rights Commission and the EEOC. The firm handles all types of claims including: sexual and racial harassment complaints; disability discrimination; equal pay claims; sexual orientation claims; Family Medical Leave Act claims; Fair Labor Standards Act claims; Americans With Disabilities Act claims; Age Discrimination in Employment Act claims; claims under other federal, state and local equal employment opportunity laws and regulations; wrongful discharge claims; breach of employment contracts; and defamation.

The firm also works with clients in developing practices and procedures to avoid employment-related claims. Strategies include: reviewing or creating employment handbooks; revising employment applications; drafting employment contracts; drafting non-competition agreements; developing and evaluating employment policies; training; review of record keeping systems; and advice in dealing with employees.
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Premises Liability
Shafer Partners represents landlords, hotel owners, management companies, retailers, supermarkets, commercial clients and individual clients in all types of premises related matters. Some areas include slip, trip and falls; assault and battery; landlord and management negligent security; commercial liability; dram shop liability; bed bug liability, elevator incidents; and first-party and third-party property damage cases. Shafer Partners’s attorneys have authored articles dealing with these issues published in the New York Law Journal, Torts Insurance and Compensation Law Journal and other publications. We also lecture before bar associations, business groups and claims organizations.
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Products Liability Defense
Shafer Partners handles the defense of products liability matters on behalf of businesses, including manufacturers and distributors. Our attorneys are skilled in developing defenses for all product cases including those involving complex technical products.
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Professional Liability Defense
Shafer Partners handles the defense of attorneys, chiropractors, nursing homes, architects, engineers, dentists, accountants, real estate brokers and agents and insurance brokers and agents. With experience in all aspects of professional liability defense, our attorneys are prepared to step in when a professional’s qualifications are called into question.
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Transportation Liability
Shafer Partners represents trucking companies, bus companies, fleet owners, rental companies, car services and private individuals in motor vehicle related lawsuits, claims and arbitrations. Our attorneys are familiar with the No-Fault (“Serious Injury”) Threshold in New York and the Verbal Threshold in New Jersey which bar personal injury suits, as well as procedural aspects of SUM/UM, PIP Loss Transfer and No-Fault claims. Shafer Partners’s attorneys have authored articles dealing with these issues published in the New York Law Journal, Torts Insurance and Compensation Law Journal and other publications. We also lecture before bar associations, business groups and claims organizations.
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Security Company Liability
Shafer Partners represents private security companies in the defense of lawsuits by third-parties and client companies. Whether a direct suit or third-party suit, our attorneys know the industry and understand the issues. Representative cases include assault; unlawful arrest; false imprisonment; excessive use of force; improper search and seizure; slip, trip and falls; inadequate training; and negligent hiring. Shafer Partners’s attorneys have authored articles dealing with these issues published in the New York Law Journal, Torts Insurance and Compensation Law Journal and other publications. We also lecture before bar associations, business groups and claims organizations.
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Workers’ Compensation Defense
Shafer Partners handles all aspects of Workers’ Compensation, including defense of claims through designated insurance, or on direct behalf of employers, advice for strategies for reduction of claim exposure and claim management. Shafer Partners’s attorneys have lectured on Workers’ Compensation before bar associations, business groups and claims organizations.
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