Michael Firestone
Michael Firestone is a business litigator who regularly represents individuals and businesses in a broad range of commercial disputes, including complex contract and fraud cases, securities litigation, and bankruptcy litigation.
Michael focuses a significant portion of his practice on disputes between the owners of privately held businesses involving business divorces, derivative actions, dissolution proceedings, books and records actions, and claims for breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, and fraud. He also represents clients in actions to determine the existence of a partnership where the parties dispute that they formed a business together. Many of Michael’s clients are involved in partnership disputes with close family members, including siblings and parents. In those matters in particular, Michael provides the experience, judgment, and steady hand that his clients need to navigate emotionally charged disagreements involving business and family.
In addition, Michael also advises his clients on business formation, with a particular focus on the drafting and negotiation of shareholder, partnership, and operating agreements.
Michael has been recognized as a “Super Lawyer” for Business Litigation every year from 2020 through 2024 in New York Metro SuperLawyer Magazine. He has lectured on the topic of business divorce and written on the management of limited liability companies under New York Law.
Michael is admitted to practice in the state and federal courts of New York, and he also represents clients before the Delaware Court of Chancery, the American Arbitration Association, and JAMS.
A graduate of New York University School of Law, Michael began his career in the litigation department of Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft. He then joined the leading international law firm of Weil, Gotshal & Manges, LLC, where he spent nearly eight years working on a diverse array of cases, such as litigation arising out of a billion-dollar management buyout, representing a private equity company in connection with claims for securities fraud, and representing the estate of Lehman Brothers in connection with various disputes arising out of its historic bankruptcy. Michael founded Firestone Law PLLC in 2017, where his practice focused on representing privately held businesses in commercial disputes and business divorces. In May 2023, Michael formed Firestone Greenberger PLLC with Jordan Greenberger.
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New York
U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
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New York University School of Law, J.D. (2003)
Queens College, B.A. (1999)
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Business Litigation
A party in a multi-million-dollar arbitration proceeding concerning ownership of the business in which the client contended that he and the opposing party entered into a partnership, while the other side denied partnership and expelled our client from the business
A member of Delaware limited liability company in an action for dissolution of the company and various claims against the Company and members for breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract in the Delaware Court of Chancery
The owner of a midtown-Manhattan townhouse in an successful action against its tenant, who was seeking to terminate the lease
A crypto-currency company in connection with claims for breach of contract against an acquiror
A Hong Kong-based company in connection with its successful objection to a derivative settlement agreement
A security company and its managers against claims for breach of fiduciary duty, demand for books and records, and accounting alleged by a minority member
A tech start-up company and its managing member against claims for breach of fiduciary duty and breach of contract
A party against its former business partners in a real estate advisory firm in an action seeking a declaration that a partnership existed and damages for breach of contract and fraud
A party against its former business partner in a ladies’ apparel business in an action for breach of operating agreement and breach of fiduciary duty
A former limited liability company manager against claims for breach of fiduciary duty and counterclaims against the current managers for indemnification
Negotiated Business Divorce
A 50-50 partner in the break-up of a business partnership that owned and developed multiple properties in Brooklyn for which we successfully negotiated a resolution where each party divided buildings between them
A 50-50 partner in a talent agency for which we successfully negotiated a resolution involving the buyout of our client’s interest
A partner in the break-up of a business partnership that owned multiple properties in Manhattan for which we successfully negotiated resolution whereby the client received multiple co-op units in return for his partnership interest
A partner in a break-up of a business partnership that owned a film production company for which we successfully negotiated the buyout of the other side so our client was able to keep the business
A shareholder/employee in connection with his resignation from a family-owned manufacturing business and the subsequent purchase of his shares by the company
Business Partnership Agreement
A construction management company in connection with a shareholder agreement among the founder and his successors
An internationally known chef in the negotiation of an operating agreement for a new restaurant business venture
Parties in the formation of a real estate investment company
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Presenter, “Business Divorces: What to Know and Do When a Partnership Ends,” National Academy of Continuing Legal Education.
Presenter, “Piercing the Corporate Veil, Alter Ego Liability & Business Divorce,” Rossdale CLE