About Stephanie
“I become personally invested in the cases I litigate and fight for my clients’ rights and interests with the same vigor, dedication, conscientiousness, attention to detail, and tenacity as I would fight for my own.”
Stephanie recognizes that, while litigation may be her passion, most clients don’t feel the same way. Clients rarely, if ever, want to become involved in litigation; it’s either something they’re forced into, or a last resort to resolve a meaningful dispute. Stephanie keeps these facts front of mind in her practice and always looks for the path that will resolve her clients’ cases as quickly, efficiently, and favorably as possible.
Because of this perspective on her practice, combined with her lifelong love of writing, Stephanie’s practice has had a strong emphasis on dispositive motion practice throughout her litigation career. She has successfully resolved numerous cases for clients – both plaintiffs and defendants – on motions, without her clients ever needing to set foot in a courtroom. She always looks for creative solutions and novel legal arguments she can advance as well as opportunities to settle cases with the goal of relieving her clients of the burden of litigation at the earliest possible opportunity, but is always ready and willing to take a case to trial if it comes to that and never backs down from a fight – unless it’s in her clients’ best interests.
Stephanie is a seasoned trial and appellate attorney with nearly 17 years’ experience litigating before both the federal and state courts throughout New York State. Known for her strategic, detail-oriented, and highly analytical approach, exceptional legal writing, meticulous preparation, and tenacious advocacy both in and out of the courtroom, Stephanie’s practice is strongly rooted in the defense of complex commercial and business litigation. She has extensive experience litigating breach of contract cases, class actions, federal and state statutory actions and proceedings, business dissolutions, property and boundary line disputes, municipal litigation including CPLR Article 78 proceedings, and labor and employment disputes, including cases brought pursuant to the FMLA, ADA, ADEA, Title VII, 42 U.S.C. §1983, New York Human Rights Law, and New York State Labor Law. Stephanie has successfully defended clients in high-stakes litigation, including defending federal False Claims Act qui tam actions and other “bet-the-company” cases. She is also an accomplished appellate attorney, having achieved a strong record of success for her clients on appeal, including those pending before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the New York Court of Appeals.
Stephanie is a true litigator at heart: she is a master of procedure, and puts in the time and work required to become an expert in the subject matter of each case she litigates. Her formidable record of success in dispositive motion practice and negotiating favorable settlements speaks to her understanding of many clients’ interests in expeditious resolution of contentious litigation, and her ability to achieve those ends in cases where they are possible and aligned with her client’s goals and objectives. When pre-trial resolution is not available through motion practice or settlement, clients find an equally strong legal advocate and partner in Stephanie, who maintains an untarnished record of victory at trial and in arbitrations.
At MCCM, Stephanie counsels and represents business entities, municipalities and municipal agencies, and individuals in all aspects of litigation, including pre-suit investigations, pleadings, discovery, depositions, court conferences, settlement negotiations, mediations and arbitrations, motion practice, trials, and appeals. Drawing off of her many years of experience representing corporate and municipal clients in high-exposure litigation, she applies her critical and analytical thinking, persuasive legal writing and oral advocacy, and innovative problem-solving skills to counsel her clients with advice they can count on and achieve favorable outcomes for them when disputes land them in court.
Stephanie has been recognized for her achievements in the legal industry, having earned an AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rating™ by Martindale-Hubbell® and being recognized as a New York Super Lawyers®, Upstate New York Rising Star for eight years in a row. She is also a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, a highly-selective, invitation-only trial lawyer honorary society limited to 3,500 trial lawyers, representing less than one-half of one percent of American lawyers, who have been vigorously vetted for skills, expertise, and service, and selected for fellowship based on effectiveness and accomplishment in litigation and trial work, along with ethical reputation. Throughout her career, Stephanie has dedicated time to pro bono work, routinely representing indigent tenants in eviction proceedings for more than 13 years and successfully defending an indigent criminal defendant in a high-stakes appeal before the New York Court of Appeals.
- Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America (2019–Present)
- Martindale-Hubbell® AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rating™ (2019–Present)
- New York Super Lawyers®, Upstate New York Rising Star (2015–2022)
- New York State
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York
- Syracuse University College of Law – Juris Doctor, Summa Cum Laude
- University of Richmond – Bachelor of Arts, Philosophy & Criminal Justice (Double Major; Sociology Minor), Magna Cum Laude
- Fellow, Litigation Counsel of America
- Member, Trial Law Institute
- Member, Diversity Law Institute
- Member, New York State Bar Association
Stephanie is passionate about animal rescue and spends most of her free time with her husband, Matt, their rescue dog, Franklin, and their rescue cat, Pigeon. She enjoys spending time outdoors, a variety of water sports, camping, cooking, reading, gardening, music, and considers herself a “news junkie.”