Rottenstreich Farley Bronstein Fisher Potter Hodas LLP (RFB+Fisher Potter Hodas), an elite trial boutique focusing on high-stakes matrimonial and business disputes, has added Jonathan D. Lupkin and his acclaimed New York-based commercial litigation boutique, Lupkin PLLC, to the firm. Mr. Lupkin joins RFB+Fisher Potter Hodas as a partner and chair of the firm’s commercial litigation practice. Mr. Lupkin’s colleague, Michael B. Smith, has joined the firm as of counsel. Both will continue to focus their practice on sophisticated business litigation.
Mr. Lupkin, whose career spans more than three decades, is among the most accomplished and well-regarded commercial trial lawyers in the country, having handled matters spanning the full spectrum of business litigation, including professional liability, real estate, securities and derivatives litigation, and business dissolutions.
Mr. Lupkin also has distinguished himself as a leader of the organized bar. He has served as chair of the Commercial and Federal Litigation Section of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA), and in 2013, New York State’s Chief Judge appointed him to the Commercial Division Advisory Council, a permanent body created to advise on all matters, statewide, involving the Supreme Court’s Commercial Division. In addition, Mr. Lupkin lectures extensively on trial and appellate practice and has served as an instructor for the National Institute for Trial Advocacy and the NYSBA’s Commercial Litigation Academy.
Mr. Smith is a seasoned trial lawyer and certified mediator with over 20 years’ experience representing clients in a broad array of complex commercial and intellectual property disputes — a practice that is informed by the years he spent as in-house counsel to global entertainment companies. A native Spanish speaker, Mr. Smith frequently represents clients in international disputes, especially involving Latin America. He is on the roster of American Arbitration Association mediators, sits on panels for court-annexed mediation in New York and Massachusetts, and frequently coaches mediators-in-training.
“We are honored to have Jonathan and all of his colleagues at Lupkin PLLC join Rottenstreich Farley Bronstein Fisher Potter Hodas LLP,” said Dan Rottenstreich, one of the founders and a managing partner of RFB+Fisher Potter Hodas. “I have known Jonathan for 28 years. He is a great lawyer and a true friend. I have followed his long career and been privileged to witness first-hand his trial acumen. In addition to being a savvy ‘lawyer’s lawyer’ who represents his clients with skill and tenacity, Jonathan is a gentleman who treats others with dignity and respect. He and his colleagues will add an invaluable dimension to our thriving practice.”
Mr. Lupkin said, “Dan [Rottenstreich] is one of the finest practitioners and individuals I have ever had the pleasure of knowing, so when he asked me to join the firm and chair its commercial litigation practice, I was both intrigued and excited. Michael [Smith] and I are impressed with what RFB+Fisher Potter Hodas has accomplished in such a short period of time. We are excited to be a part of the firm’s growing presence in three important legal markets and to join a group of such high-character, high-quality lawyers who truly understand and appreciate the art of trial. I know that Michael, my team and I can build on this solid foundation to greatly enhance the firm’s commercial litigation capabilities.”
About Rottenstreich Farley Bronstein Fisher Potter Hodas LLP
With more than 30 lawyers in New York and South Florida, Rottenstreich Farley Bronstein Fisher Potter Hodas LLP represents companies and high net-worth individuals in high-stakes litigation, with an emphasis on complex matrimonial and commercial disputes. Its offices are located at 500 Park Avenue, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10022; 515 N. Flagler Drive, Suite 800, West Palm Beach, FL 33401; and 201 S. Biscayne Blvd, Suite 840, Miami, FL 33131. For more information, visit www.rfbllp.com.
