Family Law

• Divorce
• Child Support
  The Matrimonial and Family Law attorneys at MSF prioritize the well-being of children, parents (mothers and fathers), and spouses through a wide range of legal areas. This includes child custody, time-sharing, and child support which represent significant and frequently contentious facets of family law. Our dedicated team of attorneys is committed to assisting you in establishing an arrangement that places the best interests of both you and your children at the forefront.
• Child Custody and Visitation
• Paternity
• Premarital Agreement
  In matrimonial proceedings, especially those matters that encompass families and individuals with significant assets, our vast experience includes negotiated resolutions, as well as prenuptial and postnuptial agreements These negotiated agreements are often integral components of financial planning and the parties’ well-being, knowing that equitable distribution of property demands meticulous attention to issues such as identification of assets, valuation, separate property claims, and ultimately, planning after conclusion of the matter. Those same skills translate to zealous advocacy in the Courtroom when negotiation and settlement are not options. Our legal team offers a comprehensive range of services, working in close partnership with recognized experts and our clients to secure mutually advantageous resolutions.
• Guardianship
  Our knowledge of the Mental Health Law extends to inpatient hospitalization matters including retention and treatment over objection hearings as well as consultation and advice regarding discharge planning. In the community setting, we are well-versed in applications for Assisted Outpatient Treatment (also known as Kendra’s Law), a valuable tool for individuals who refuse medication and/or mental health services and are frequently hospitalized. Our practice also includes adult guardianship proceedings, Mental Health Warrant proceedings, and representation of clients in Family Court Order of Protection matters.

Criminal Law

• Criminal Defense
  The MSF Criminal Defense Group consists of experienced trial lawyers, whose practices focus on white-collar and U.S. regulatory enforcement action defense, including SEC, CFTC and FINRA actions, cross-border investigations, and complex criminal litigation.
• Fraud
  Our practice includes representing officers, directors and other principals of public and private corporations across various industries, including finance, securities, health care, and government contractors.  We represent individuals in defense of investigations brought by the DOJ, SEC, CFTC, FTC, IRS, state banking regulators and local law enforcement agencies.  Representative cases include defense of alleged securities and commodities fraud, public corruption (including FCPA), accounting and bank fraud, money laundering, tax fraud, art and antiquities fraud, antitrust, and national or international sanctions violations.
• Assault
• Money Laundering
• Extortion
  We have a proven track record of resolving crises before they cause irreversible harm to our clients, including extortion and blackmail attempts, potential photo and video scandals, harassment and stalking allegations, paternity-related issues, assault and harassment allegations, physical and cybersecurity breaches and encounters with law enforcement.

Business and Corporate Law

• Corporate Law
  Our attorneys regularly counsel publicly-held companies on Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 compliance and the related corporate governance rules of the various national securities exchanges, including such matters as director independence and implementation and documentation of corporate governance procedures and controls. We also assist clients in preparing periodic reports, proxy statements and other filings required by the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
• Mergers and Acquisitions
  The attorneys in our private equity and venture capital practice have substantial experience assisting private equity and venture capital funds and their portfolio companies. We regularly represent companies seeking private equity, venture capital or angel investment with respect to control and minority investments through debt or equity financings, including negotiations of terms sheets and investment documents relating to acquisitions, dispositions and restructurings. We assemble the right team of attorneys with experience in mergers and acquisitions, commercial finance, tax, employment, intellectual property and real estate, to advise clients on market terms for transactions and assist investors and company-side clients with all aspects of venture capital and private equity transactions.
• Business Disputes
  Meister Seelig & Fein is a New York City-based business law firm driven by entrepreneurial energy and focused on delivering results for our clients. Our accomplished lawyers, team approach, and integrity-first philosophy ensure that we are partners in your success.
• Business Transactions
  Our clients include high net worth individuals and families, entrepreneurs and businesses who rely on our proven ability to address planned or unexpected intergenerational transfers of wealth issues and facilitate business transactions and restructuring opportunities to maximize tax efficiencies and to free-up assets, time and energy for the revitalization of a family or business.  Our attorneys also provide counsel on Life Insurance planning.
• Limited Liability Companies
  The Commercial Litigation Group has extensive experience with “corporate divorces,” derivative actions, corporate dissolution proceedings, fair value determinations, receivership and other disputes between co-owners of closely held business entities, including limited liability companies, general partnerships, limited partnerships and business corporations. Such matters often include claims of breach of fiduciary duty, minority oppression or freezeout, breach of the governing agreement, failure to provide access to corporate books and records, dissipation of assets and indemnification.
• Trade Secrets
• Intellectual Property
  Attorneys in the IP Group regularly prosecute and defend litigations across the country related to intellectual property and technology, including actions focused on patents, trade secrets, trademarks, copyrights, and rights of publicity and privacy. We handle IP cases related to varied subject matter, such as software, telecommunications, IP-centric commercial disputes, databases, technical know-how, apparel, pharmaceuticals, music, literary works (such as books and other digital assets), television and film.
• Antitrust

Employment Law

• Wrongful Termination
  Attorneys in the Commercial Litigation Group defend employment law litigations, including individual and class actions related to wage and hour practices, misclassification, discrimination, harassment, wrongful-discharge claims, family and medical leave claims and whistleblower claims, in addition to prosecuting and defending non-compete/restrictive covenant claims. We litigate practically, but aggressively, and regularly represent clients in state and federal courts across the country.
• Employment Contract
  The employment arena can be very complex.  MSF’s Employment Group assists clients as they navigate through rapidly evolving employment laws and regulations, and delivers business minded, creative and practical advice to solve problems and mitigate risk. Our clients run businesses across a wide variety of industries and range from family offices and startups to more established privately held and publicly traded companies. We represent both U.S. companies as well as international companies with operations or looking to establish a footprint in the U.S.  In addition to our management side practice, we also represent executives in negotiating employment agreements, restrictive covenant agreements and separation agreements and in enforcing their rights under such agreements.
• Employment Litigation
  We review and conduct risk assessments of our clients’ employment practices and draft and/or review workplace agreements, manuals, policies and procedures to ensure compliance with rapidly changing laws and regulations. We counsel our clients on employment issues as they arise, handling matters pertaining to interviewing and hiring, wage and hour compliance, medical and other leaves of absence, performance management, reasonable accommodations, protecting proprietary and confidential information, social media and electronic communications use by employees, termination and severance, discrimination and harassment, workplace investigations and other matters.
• Severance Agreement

Property Law

• Real Estate Litigation
  Mr. Fouad joined the Firm in 2023 and is among the nation’s most knowledgeable attorneys in Japan-U.S. matters. Fluent in Japanese, Mr. Fouad has over three decades’ experience in litigation, construction, corporate, and real estate matters in addition to counseling high net-worth individuals. Mr. Fouad has represented Japanese clients in litigation and transactions across the country and has appeared in the trial and appellate courts of New York, Pennsylvania Hawaii, California, and Washington. Mr. Fouad also advises on legal malpractice and attorney discipline and teaches legal ethics at Fordham School of Law and Temple School of Law (Tokyo Campus). Mr. Fouad has been teaching since 2008 and splits his time between Tokyo and New York.
• Construction Litigation
  Be it a zoning analysis to determine a property’s suitability for development, the negotiation of a construction management agreement, or the administration of an insurance claim, our Construction and Development attorneys assist clients from before the first shovel hits the ground through project close-out and beyond. We regularly handle a broad range of projects, spanning large mixed-use public-private partnerships and hospital expansions to leasehold renovations and adjacent construction issues. Our attorneys have represented all members of the construction and development team: owners and developers, lenders and borrowers, landlords and tenants, and contractors and design professionals. This experience has afforded us with an in-depth understanding of how a project comes together and insight into the varying interests and goals of each team member, enabling us to leverage that practical understanding to achieve a successful project for our client.
• Real Estate Transactions
  We provide advice to clients on the tax implications of real estate investments and advise them on the tax aspects of real estate transactions, from property acquisitions and sales, to 1031 or “like-kind” exchanges, to structuring management and other ancillary service programs. Our attorneys also structure state and local property tax and documentary transfer tax efficient transfers.
• Easement
• Land Use and Zoning
  MSF is one of a small number of firms in New York City with a zoning and land use practice. We have had many years of experience in dealing with the use and development of land in the city. Lawyers in the firm have represented clients in obtaining discretionary approvals from the City Planning Commission (approvals for development projects in all five boroughs), as well as obtaining approvals from the Board of Standards and Appeals and Landmarks Preservation Commission. We also deal with other city agencies, such as the Departments of Buildings, Finance, Transportation, Parks and Recreation, Citywide Administrative Services and Environmental Protection. In addition, we have interacted with the Public Design Commission, Economic Development Corporation and Metropolitan Transportation Authority. We advise clients on the potential use and development of real estate, and represent them in transfers of development rights, negotiation and drafting of easements and licenses and revocable consents from the city.
• Condominium Law
  Our Real Estate Group includes attorneys with broad capabilities in condominium and cooperative law and conversions. We represent developers, owners, unit owner associations, operators, licensors and lenders, helping them realize new projects from the ground up, as well as handling acquisitions, dispositions and conversions of condominium and cooperative properties. Many of our projects have involved multiple commercial, residential and hotel aspects within the same property.

Trusts and Estates

• Estate Planning
  Our attorneys provide personalized and sophisticated advice on estate and personal planning to individuals and families, and charitable giving. Our clients come to us to help them to navigate the pitfalls of estate planning, including domicile issues, family dynamics and retaining wealth over multiple generations. Our experience in structuring tax-advantaged charitable gifts, including charitable lead and remainder trusts, gift annuities and retirement accounts is a valuable asset to our clients.
• Trusts
  Whether it is complex commercial litigation, employment, M&A, tax work, trusts & estates, or virtually any other area, MSF’s non-siloed approach allows the Firm to serve Japanese clients globally and U.S. clients with Japan interests, deploying maximum skill and efficiency. Coordinated by Group Chair F. Frederic (Ric) Fouad, MSF will identify the right team of attorneys for any matter and tailor services to a client’s needs and budget.

Finance Law

• Bankruptcy
  MSF’s bankruptcy litigation practice focuses on the representation of creditors, purchasers, and third-party defendants in all aspects of bankruptcy cases, including lift-stay and bad faith dismissal motions, plan confirmation disputes, relief from stay, Section 363 sales, claw back and avoidance actions and dismissal and conversions. Our bankruptcy litigation clients have included lead secured creditors, unsecured creditors, administrative creditors, critical vendors, asset purchasers and plaintiffs and defendants in bankruptcy adversary proceedings.
• Tax Law
  The attorneys in our group work with business and individuals on general business and personal income tax planning. We counsel clients on a broad range of tax issues, including handling sensitive audits, counseling on tax compliance and reporting, compromising tax debts, defending reporting positions, resolving employment tax issues and obtaining contested tax refunds and advise on the tax collection process and dealing with sensitive tax issues that arise in business and personal settings.