Ronald R. Rossi is a first-chair trial lawyer who has been recognized by The Legal 500, Benchmark Litigation and by Lawdragon as a Leading Litigator in America, with clients describing Ron as “an excellent litigator” who is “extremely experienced,” who “absorbs information and issues at lightning speed,” who “generates both judicial and client confidence in and out of the courtroom,” and who provides “invaluable perspective for clients.” Ron’s multi-disciplinary practice encompasses matters involving five primary areas, including real estate disputes, business disputes, insurance disputes, software litigations, and corporate governance.
Work Highlights
Real Estate Disputes
Ron has significant experience representing real estate developers and owners in complex real estate litigation concerning troubled real estate projects, partnership disputes, financing issues, and disputes with municipalities. Representative matters include:
- Calverton Aviation & Technology (CAT), a subsidiary of Triple Five Worldwide, in a lawsuit against the Town of Riverhead in Long Island, NY, Riverhead’s Community Development Agency and the Riverhead Industrial Development Agency, alleging that Riverhead and its agencies engaged in a scheme to evade Riverhead’s contractual obligation to sell 1,643 acres of property to CAT.
- BD Hotels and Chelsea Hotel Owner LLC, owners of the iconic Hotel Chelsea, in successfully ending a two-year dispute with New York City’s Department of Housing Preservation Development prompted by a vocal minority of hostile tenants objecting to the redevelopment of the historic hotel. After finding crucial evidence of an HPD exemption in the Department of Building’s files during an on-going trial against HPD – that HPD had failed to turn over in discovery – that undercut HPD’s jurisdiction over the building, and after seeking emergency relief from the trial court demanding the immediate dismissal of HPD’s case, HPD conceded by voluntarily dismissing its lawsuit and the Department of Buildings instantly lifted a stop work order that had stalled construction for more than two years.
- SL Green Realty, a leading real estate company, against a gaming company in connection with a video lottery terminal franchise at New York’s Aqueduct racetrack.
Business Disputes
Ron has extensive experience representing companies, senior officers and directors, and others in high stakes corporate litigation involving business torts; contract breaches; finance issues; labor unrest; disputes between members of business organizations; disputes about the sale of products, assets and businesses; disputes with government regulators; and internal investigations. Ron is also frequently retained by foreign entities and individuals facing cross border, international and United States disputes. Representative matters include:
- Yellow in its lawsuit against the International Brotherhood of Teamsters alleging that the Teamsters breached its binding union contract with Yellow causing Yellow more than $137 million in damages as well as the loss of $1.5 billion in enterprise value.
- A leading international insurance company in successful resolution of an international arbitration proceeding governed by The Danish Institute of Arbitration rules of arbitration procedure concerning a nine-figure coverage dispute under a professional indemnity insurance policy.
- Basic Element Company, a leading Russian industrial conglomerate, in pursuing securities fraud claims for insider trading and market manipulation against a major United States investment bank stemming from the liquidation of a more than $1 billion dollar stake in a Canadian auto parts manufacturer.
- UniCredit, a leading European bank, in defending class and individual actions in jurisdictions throughout the country in connection with tax shelter transactions.
- Sberbank, a leading Russian financial institution defending claims stemming from a borrower’s default on a $215 million dollar loan.
- A leading Russian mining company concerning its potential divestiture of a United States asset.
- Spirit Aerosystems, a publicly traded aerospace company concerning potential litigation arising out of a multi-million dollar design and build contract.
Insurance Disputes
Ron represents both international and domestic insurers in matters involving multifaceted insurance coverage issues in the U.S. market, London and continental Europe. His practice primarily focuses on coverage defense and disputes between and among insurers. He has led litigation and arbitration proceedings in the U.S. and continental Europe for U.S. and international insurers and Lloyd’s syndicates. Representative matters include:
- Orion 180 Insurance, in a lawsuit brought by its program insurer concerning its obligations under a Program Administrator Agreement governing a coastal homeowners insurance program.
- Brought in as principal trial counsel for a leading surplus lines insurance company. Instrumental in helping the insurer successfully resolve its years-long litigation with a utility company insured concerning hundreds of millions of dollars in coal ash cleanup costs sought pursuant to decades-old liability policies.
- A leading international insurance company in coverage issues related to its insured’s defense of several significant securities class action litigations in the United States.
- An Israeli insurance company concerning its insured’s exposure to potential criminal liability under the United States tax laws.
- Several leading international insurance companies in an arbitration against other excess insurers concerning which policies may provide cover to multiple class action lawsuits.
Software Litigation
Ron represents companies facing business disruptions and financial losses resulting from failed Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software implementations. He has substantial experience helping companies obtain recovery from software providers and implementers involved in key projects plagued by delayed or failed go-lives, soaring costs, project management lapses, missing functionality, excessive customization, defective interfaces, and other problems. Representative matters include:
- Copart in a four-week jury trial resulting in a $20 million verdict against Sparta Consulting and its parent, KPIT Infosystems, for fraud and professional negligence stemming from an implementation of SAP software.
- Levi Strauss & Co. in a litigation alleging fraud and other claims against Deloitte Consulting stemming from a software implementation involving SAP’s apparel and footwear software.
Corporate Governance
Ron represents public and private boards, directors, and senior executives on sensitive internal investigations and corporate governance matters; and represents directors and officers in the defense of derivative actions. Representative mattes include:
- One of the nation’s largest transportation and logistics companies, in corporate governance and legal strategy advice, as well as various litigation and regulatory matters.
- Zionist Organization of America, a leading Jewish philanthropy, in its defense of a derivative lawsuit filed by former board members against its president, and others, alleging financial misconduct and mismanagement of the organization.
Prior to joining Kasowitz, Ron clerked for the Honorable Virgil Pittman, U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Alabama.
Prior to attending law school, Ron served as a Lieutenant in the United States Navy. Serving as a surface warfare officer aboard an amphibious assault ship, Ron was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal for exemplary performance during combat operations in the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Desert Storm.
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