Category: News

On Thursday, May 18^th, Pastore LLC welcomed our summer class to the firm.

Garrett Borden has returned to the office as a Summer Associate. He started with Pastore as a Law Clerk in January of 2023. He took a break for his finals at Quinnipiac University School of Law and to relocate to New Haven, Connecticut. He will be full time for the summer.

Dana Gour joined us as a Summer Associate. She completed her first year of law school at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. She graduated from Rutgers University in January 2022. She is involved in multiple organizations at Pace, including the Intellectual Property Student Organization.

Emily DiGiacomo joined us a Summer Associate. Emily completed her first year of law school at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. She graduated from the University of Connecticut in August 2022. She is involved in the National Environmental Moot Court Competition at Pace as well as many other organizations.

Hayley McBryan joined us a Summer Associate. She completed her first year of law school at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University. She graduated from the University of South Carolina in August 2022. She is involved in the Environmental Law Society at Pace.

Pastore LLC has also welcomed Ellie Carter, as our Summer Law Intern. She finished the first part of her dual undergraduate program at Sciences Po Paris and obtained a Bachelors of Art in Politics and Government. She will finish her undergraduate career at Columbia University. Ellie looks forward to going to law school upon graduation.

 

The Second Circuit affirmed a jury verdict obtained by Pastore in a federal securities fraud case. This concluded a contentious, multi-year litigation, defeating claims of fraudulent inducement and securities fraud brought against two hedge fund executives by a billionaire family office special purpose investment vehicle. The billionaire family office, the heirs to and founders of a well-known apparel store, had invested in the fund’s General Partner limited liability company.

 

Pastore LLC also won a complex securities and M&A appeal taken to the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit arising from a derivative rights holder agreement and related investment banking engagement agreements. This matter was an appeal filed by Plaintiff-Appellant after Pastore LLC successfully defended this case in the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska.

 

Pastore LLC also represented a large national investment bank at the Third Circuit in a matter arising from a dispute over a $650 million financing. Pastore LLC had previously defeated White & Case in the DE Bankruptcy Court.

Pastore LLC has been tapped as counsel in two related bankruptcy matters in the Southern District of New York (formerly presided over by Judge Drain, who also presided over the Purdue Pharma Bankruptcy). The first matter involved a residential development in Bronxville, New York that is the most expensive per square foot development in Westchester. The second matter involves a multi-billion commercial real estate project. Pastore LLC represents a large creditor and owner of the construction management company for both projects. Damages and claims by Pastore LLC’s client exceed $300 million.

 

 

Pastore LLC represented the founder of the only Private Mountain Ski Club on the East Coast in connection with a dispute in Federal Court.  The Club, which is the East Coast version of the Yellowstone Club, is located in southern Vermont.    The dispute centered around UCC Article 9 and the complex assignment of interests in a LLC under Connecticut law.   The founder had an economic interest in a Limited Liability Company, which had an economic interest in a $11M 6 pack bubble chair, and the founder assigned that interest to a GRAT Trust.   As part of the settlement, the GRAT Trust will receive a distribution from the Limited Liability Company.   Monies will also flow to a former club employee and real estate developers.

 

 

Pastore LLC represents two founders of a Greenwich based hedge fund in connection with investments into the GP and interference with their relationship with a large capital source. The case is scheduled for a jury trial on March 6^th, 2023.

Earlier this month, Pastore successfully defended former hedge fund manager’s claims of unfair trade practices against investment vehicles established by heirs to a multi-billion dollar national retail company. Hon. Sheila Ozalis, presiding over the Stamford, CT Complex Litigation Docket, held that genuine issues of material fact exist as to whether defendants’ conduct was unfair and/or deceptive in a manner violating the Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Statute.  Accordingly, plaintiff’s claims, which related to the unfair attempt to deflect an investment commitment from one of world’s largest hedge funds to a potentially competing fund, will proceed to trial.

Pastore LLC successfully negotiated the separation of C-suite executive from a publically traded Boston based bio-tech company. Key issues involved the vesting of stock options and related plan documents, adherence to Rule 144 in the disposition of stock and the scope of non-competition agreements under Delaware law.

In a decision issued November 9, 2022, the Connecticut Superior Court upheld Pastore’s position against a nationally recognized broker-dealer, holding that a FINRA arbitration provision agreed to by one’s parent does not bind a person that seeks to invalidate that very agreement. As the Court stated, plaintiff’s claims “are personal to her based on alleged tortious and illegal conduct directed toward harming her as a putative beneficiary, not her mother’s interests as the account holder.” The decision strengthens Connecticut’s strong policy against enforcing arbitration agreements against those who have not themselves agreed to arbitrate disputes.

Pastore regularly enforces and defends FINRA arbitration provisions, and is familiar with the intricacies of compelling parties to arbitrate disputes when they have so agreed.