Our Expertise Category: Services

Pastore attorneys have been immersed in crypto, blockchain and metaverse matters since 2018, and offer knowledgeable and sophisticated legal counsel to clients navigating this rapidly evolving space.

At the heart of Pastore’s crypto, blockchain and metaverse practice is a deep understanding of the technologies that drive blockchain. Pastore is distinctive among leading law firms in this area in having the experience to bridge financial services regulation and blockchain technologies to find solutions for our clients.

Pastore has helped clients in this space organize crypto and defi startups domestically and abroad, manage initial coin offerings, manage utility token offerings, navigate financial regulations domestically and abroad (including the Cayman Islands, Malta, Hong Kong, Japan and Korea), establish compliance programs under US and offshore laws, assert contract rights against foreign token issuers, review exchange listing options and defend FINRA, SEC and DOJ investigations

In particular, Pastore helped defend a client in connection with DOJ and SEC proceedings arising from the issuance of utility tokens for a crypto arbitrage product. Pastore also helped develop a comprehensive compliance program under both US and Cayman Islands law for an insurance defi startup. The firm has further filed a lawsuit on behalf of a US national against a foreign token issuer that refused to honor its contractual obligations when the Pastore client successfully achieved the listing of the tokens on one of the world’s leading crypto exchanges. In negotiations with a prominent AMLaw 100 firm representing the foreign issuer Pastore has achieved a highly favorable settlement that runs in perpetuity.

The landscape for financial products and services integrating blockchain technology is evolving rapidly. We believe that blockchain technology and decentralized apps will be the keys to unlocking the next big leap forward for the Web: the metaverse, a place where augmented and virtual reality, next-generation data networks, and decentralized financing and payment systems contribute to a more realistic and immersive digital world where people can socialize, work, and trade digital goods.

Whether launching funds to invest directly or indirectly in digital assets or creating new coins or tokens in connection with the launch of new distributive networks, clients operating in this area have specialized needs that Pastore, with its financial and blockchain expertise, is particularly well-placed to serve.

Our attorneys focuses on tax issues for middle-market companies, with a particular focus on tax consequences of Limited Liability Companies (LLCs).

We have previously partnered with Latham & Watkins LLP to file a petition for certiorari seeking Supreme Court review of a decision from the Second Circuit Court of Appeals concerning the tax treatment of employee benefit plans. The petition was based in part on a split in the Circuit Courts concerning the level of review required in appeals from the U.S. Tax Court.  Pastore and Latham & Watkins argued that an Article Three District Court should review issues of tax liability for U.S. citizens on a de novo basis, instead of giving deference to the Tax Court, as U.S. citizens are entitled to an Article Three review when issues of their Federal tax obligations are at stake.

Pastore attorneys have been involved in more than 100 patent, trademark, and copyright filings and have litigated national high profile IP matters.

Our Attorneys have been counsel in some of the most high profile Intellectual Property disputes in the 2nd Circuit and handled appeals at the Federal Circuit Court level. These matters include patent infringement cases in District of Connecticut as well as copyright and trademark infringement cases in the Southern District of New York. In addition, we have successfully represented world renowned retail stores in connection with trademark infringement disputes with other large retailers such as Bloomingdales and Target. We also regularly bring and defend trade secrets and misappropriation actions.

Our Attorneys, with experience at well know firms such as Paul Weiss, Brown Raysman, Kelley Drye and Skadden Arps, have successfully defeated some of the largest corporate infringers in national intellectual property disputes.

Our firm is often retained by small and medium-sized companies to act as their outside general counsel.

Many companies either do not have a need for a full-time, in-house attorney, or do not have the resources to retain one. Under these circumstances, we offer our clients a range of expertise to assist in their day-to-day business operations. We also routinely negotiate fixed-fee and other alternative fee arrangements for outside general counsel services to allow for our clients to have certainty with regard to legal costs, and budget accordingly.

Our attorneys have environmental litigation experience and have served as managing editor of a prestigious environmental journal.

Pastore attorneys handled a seminal CERCLA decision in the Second Circuit involving the remediation of a large northeastern manufacturing plant.

We also represented a publicly traded investment advisor in negotiation in connection with claims brought by the Air Force and DOJ arising from contamination of land that is now the largest Air Force facility in the United States.

Pastore regularly represents employers in matters involving employment discrimination litigation and general labor and employment law advice.

Our attorneys have successfully resolved employment discrimination cases, including collective actions under the Fair Labor Standards Act and claims concerning disability accommodation, age discrimination, sex discrimination, race discrimination and the Family Medical Leave Act. Our attorneys have represented employers at all levels of litigation ranging from administrative hearings to class actions. Our attorneys have successfully filed and argued motions for summary judgment for employers in state and federal courts around the country. In addition to handling all aspects of employment litigation on behalf of our clients, our attorneys partner with clients to ensure they are complying with all state and federal employment laws.

We have regularly represented employers and senior executives in connection with covenants not to compete or solicit customers and employers. Several of the matters have received national attention. Our attorneys have also represented clients regarding employment agreements; an employee’s duty of loyalty to an employer; wrongful termination; whistleblower claims (including pursuant to the Dodd-Frank Act); internal discipline; and numerous other employment law issues.

Given their substantial experience in the securities industry, our attorneys have represented both firm and registered persons in a myriad of issues related to securities industry registrations, including regulatory “disclosure questions” on Forms U4 and U5, “reason for termination” on Form U5, securities industry examination waivers and other issues. Our attorneys have successfully petitioned FINRA for waivers from securities industry registrations, including the Series 7 and 14A exams, among others.

We represent private equity and hedge fund executives in connection with negotiating and drafting their employment agreements, and litigating related claims across the country.

Our attorneys have regularly represented trust plans and brokers in connection with disputes over the right of employers and employees in such plans.

Our attorneys have been counsel on several Second Circuit appeals involving the tax implication of such plans, and have taken one such appeal to the Supreme Court.  We have also been involved in AAA arbitrations involving the right of beneficiaries in such plans.

Our tax group regularly works on reviewing and drafting employee benefit plans.  In addition, our firm has formed and counseled service employee benefit funds designed to create track records for investment advisors.

Our election law team, built by the former Secretary of State and now Lt. Governor from a leading eastern state, we focus our election law practice on preserving the fair voting tallies and election norms.

We have been retained in many seminal cases, including a constitutional challenge to state laws brought in federal court and an appeal to that State’s Supreme Court.