Michael Cardello III

Michael Cardello III has been with the Firm since 1997 and a Partner since 2006.  Mr. Cardello has served on the Firm’s Management Committee since 2014 and he currently serves as the Firm’s Managing Partner.  Mr. Cardello concentrates his practice in complex litigation, including commercial and civil rights matters, in both state and federal courts, and is often appointed as Special Master and Special Referee by various courts to oversee all aspects of discovery in complex cases. Prior to joining the firm, he served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable Arthur D. Spatt, United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

In 2025, Mr. Cardello and his Firm were retained by a municipality to defend a civil rights action under the Religious Land Use and Institutional Persons Act (“RLUIPA”), 42 USC § 2000cc, the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, the New York Constitution, and Article 78 of the New York Civil Practice Law and Rules.  In the matter captioned, Muslims on Long Island, Inc., Imran Makda, and Moeen Qureshi v. The Town of Oyster Bay, venued in the Eastern District of New York, Mr. Cardello and his team were engaged to defend the Town and to try the case.  One week before trial, Mr. Cardello was able to reach a settlement with the Plaintiffs to the satisfaction of his clients.

Since 2021, Mr. Cardello has served as the Special Master in a matter involving three related cases captioned: Jacob Harounian, et al. v. Mark Harounian, et al.; Homapour, et al. v. 3M Properties, LLC, et al.; and United Hay, LLC v. Jacob Harounian.  These cases involve a multi-million-dollar dispute among members of numerous LLC’s which own over $500MM worth of real estate in New York City.  During his tenure, Mr. Cardello has resolved over twenty-four discovery disputes which led to twelve significant written decisions.

Since 2018, Mr. Cardello has served as the Special Discovery Master in a significant multi-million-dollar insurance coverage dispute matter venued in the Commercial Division of the Supreme Court, New York County, captioned Certain Underwriters at Lloyd’s London, et al. v. AT&T Corp, et. al.  During his tenure as Special Discovery Master, Mr. Cardello has issued numerous decisions related to discovery as well as overseeing the discovery process.

From 2013 to 2016, Mr. Cardello served as the Special Referee to oversee the dissolution of a law firm and the wind-up of its affairs in a case captioned Brad W. Cronin v. Laureen C. Harris, et al.  During his appointment, Mr. Cardello dealt with many legal issues and was successful in separating the law firm into two firms.  On consent of the parties, he has presided over a trial on one unresolved issue related to the wind-up which resulted in a settlement.

From 2009 through 2015, Mr. Cardello served as the Special Referee in a very large multi-party construction defect case captioned Archstone v. Tocci Building Corporation of New Jersey.  During his appointment, Mr. Cardello issued numerous decisions regarding complex e-discovery issues as well as issuing decisions on other non-dispositive motions.

From 2012 to 2016, Mr. Cardello served as the Special Referee in the related insurance coverage action to the Archstone construction defect case, captioned QBE Insurance Corporation v. Adjo Contracting Corporation.  During his tenure, Mr. Cardello issued numerous decisions and rulings in order to prepare the case for trial.  Mr. Cardello was also involved in the settlement process, which led to a resolution.

From 2005 through 2008, Mr. Cardello served as the Special Referee to oversee all aspects of discovery in Delta Financial Corp. v. Morrison, in which he rendered many written decisions related to discovery and privilege issues as well as presided over sixty-five depositions.

Mr. Cardello is also approved by the Office of Court Administration in the State of New York to serve as a Receiver and has been appointed by courts as Receiver to oversee the dissolution and wind-up of the affairs of businesses and for the collection of rents for commercial properties.  From 2017 to 2019, Mr. Cardello also served as a Court-Appointed Receiver in a case which involved a 250,000 square foot office building that was the subject of a commercial foreclosure captioned U.S. Bank National Association v. CLK-HP 90 Merrick LLC, et al.  In 2023, Mr. Cardello served as Receiver for a lender to recover over $25MM loan proceeds related to real estate in New York in a case captioned Igal Khorshidi v. Brookhill Capital Partners, LLC, et al.

Mr. Cardello is the former Chair for the Commercial and Federal Litigation Section of the New York State Bar Association.  Previously, he served as the Chair of the Federal Courts Committee and the Commercial Litigation Committee of the Nassau County Bar Association.  Mr. Cardello also previously served on the Judiciary Committee of the Nassau County Bar Association.  In addition, he is a participant at the Sedona Conference and also frequently lectures on mediation, discovery, trial practice, equipment and vehicle leasing issues and e-discovery.

Education

Hofstra University, J.D. (1996)
Associate Editor, Hofstra Law Review
Hofstra University, M.B.A. (Finance) (1988)
Hofstra University, B.B.A. (Marketing) (1986)

Admissions

Mr. Cardello is admitted to practice law in New York.  He is also admitted to practice in the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York and the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Affiliations

Mr. Cardello is a member of the American Arbitration Association’s International Centre for Dispute Resolution Panel.  Mr. Cardello serves on the EDNY Litigation Advisory Committee, as well as on the Nassau County Bar Association’s WE CARE Fund Advisory Board. Mr. Cardello also serves on the Board of Directors of the Catholic Lawyers Guild of Nassau County.  Mr. Cardello is the former President (2017-2018) of the Theodore Roosevelt American Inn of Court.  He serves on the Board of the Academy of Court-Appointed Neutrals and on the Board of Directors for the Long Island Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence.

Recognitions

2025-New York Super Lawyers® New York Metro Top 100
2025-New York Super Lawyers®
2025- Long Island Business Influencer in Law, Long Island Business News
2024-New York Super Lawyers®
2024- Long Island Business Influencer in Law, Long Island Business News
2023-New York Super Lawyers®
2022-New York Super Lawyers®
2021-New York Super Lawyers®
2020-New York Super Lawyers®
2019-New York Super Lawyers®
2018-New York Super Lawyers®
2017-New York Super Lawyers®
2016-New York Super Lawyers®

Court Appointments

Appointments as Special Master / Special Referee in the below-referenced matters overseeing all aspects of discovery:

Jacob Harounian, et al. v. Mark Harounian, et al.,
New York Supreme Court, New York County,
Index No. 450615/2019

Mehrnaz Nancy Homapour, et al. v. 3M Properties, LLC, et al.,
New York Supreme Court, New York County,
Index No. 653795/2015

United Hay, LLC v. Jacob Harounian,
New York Supreme Court, New York County,
Index No. 657310/2017

Village of Farmingdale v. Aluminum Louvre Corp. et al,
New York Supreme Court, Nassau County,
Index No. 603443/2019

Lancer Insurance Company, et al.
v. Allied World Insurance Company, et al.,
New York Supreme Court, Nassau County,
Index No. 614121/2017

Louis Monteleone Fibres, Ltd.
v. Hudson Baylor Brookhaven, Ltd, et al.,
New York Supreme Court, Suffolk County,
Index No. 604674/2019

Michael Newman v. Alena Rastopchina, et al.,
New York Supreme Court, Nassau County,
Index No. 606498/2019

Adam Schwartz, et al. v. Robet Fallah, et al.,
New York Supreme Court, Nassau County,
Index No. 601819/2022

Velocity Group USA, Inc. v. Adam Schwartz, et al.,
New York Supreme Court, Nassau County,
Index No. 603184/2023

Jagter Ricky Singh, et al. v. Ana Jain a/k/a Kalpana Krishna as executor of The Estate Of Akhilesh Krishna, et al.,
New York Supreme Court, Nassau County,
Index No. 614007/2021

Nebari Natural Resources Credit Fund I, LP
v. Speyside Holdings LLC, et al.,
New York Supreme Court, Suffolk County,
Index No. 616939/2021

Speyside Holdings LLC, et al.
v. Nebari Natural Resources Credit Fund I, LP, et al.,
New York Supreme Court, Suffolk County,
Index No. 604646/2021

Preferred Construction, Inc., et al. v. Patriot Organization, Inc., et al.,
New York Supreme Court, Suffolk County,
Index No. 622609/2018

Hudson Ferry Capital II, L.P. and Gemini Investors, et al.
v. Jeffrey Petersen, et al.,
New York Supreme Court, Nassau County,
Index No. 612560/2018

Astoria Generating Company, L.P.
v. Riley Power, Inc. and Jack Heckman Tube Company,
New York Supreme Court, Queens County,
Index No. 702521/2014

Certain Underwriters at Lloyd’s London, et al. v. AT&T Corp, et. al.,
New York Supreme Court, New York County,
Index No. 653090/2013

Brad W. Cronin v. Laureen C. Harris, et al.,
New York Supreme Court, Nassau County,
Index No. 022697/2010

Next Millennium Realty, LLC, et.al.
v. Travelers Casualty and Surety Company, et.al.,
New York Supreme Court, Nassau County,
Index No. 600996/2016

Archstone f/k/a Archstone-Smith Operating Trust and Tishman Speyer Archstone-Smith, L.P. f/k/a ASN Roosevelt Center, LLC, et al. v. Tocci Building Corporation of New Jersey, Inc., et al.,
New York Supreme Court, Nassau County,
Index No. 001018/2008

QBE Insurance Corp. v. Adjo Contracting Corp., et. al.,
New York Supreme Court, Nassau County,
Index No. 601695/2009

Baker, Sanders, Barshay, Grossman, Fass,
Muhlstock & Neuwirth, LLC v. Comprehensive
Mental Assessment & Medical Care, P.C., et al.,
New York Supreme Court, Nassau County,
Index No. 16008/2007

Sperry Associates Federal Credit Union
v. GS Assets, LLC a/k/a GS Assets, LLC, et al.,
New York Supreme Court, Suffolk County,
Index No. 12-01808

QK Healthcare, Inc. v. Insource, Inc. and Henry Schein, Inc.,
New York Supreme Court, Nassau County,
Index No. 12950/2010

J. Leonard Spodek a/k/a/ Leonard Spodek v. Charles Neiss, individually and as executor of the Estate of Bencion Neiss, et al.,
New York Supreme Court, Nassau County,
Index No. 32644/1996

Delta Funding Residual Exchange Company, LLC
v. Delta Financial Corporation, et al.,
New York Supreme Court, Nassau County,
Index No. 011118/2003

Appointments as Mediator and Private Mediations in the below-referenced matters:

Anthony St. George, La Bottega of Syosset, Inc.,
La Bottega Merrick NY, Inc., and La Bottega of East Meadow, Inc.
v. La Bottega Franchise, Inc.,
New York Supreme Court, Nassau County,
Index No. 607983/2024

Cinderella W. Uy and Jude C. Uy
v. Rosemarie Tayanes Balan-Uzun and Tayfun Uzun,
New York Supreme Court, Suffolk County,
Index No. 616305/2023

David Alayev, Ari Alayev, and Shimon Alayev,
Litigation Pre-Suit, 2023

Roman Kakzanov (Canarsie Optometry P.C.)
v. Leonard Fuzaylov and NY Optometrist Vision P.C.,
New York Supreme Court, Queens County,
Index No. 713655/2023

Amit Sharma, M.D., et al. v. Kevin J. Mullins, M.D., et al.,
New York Supreme Court, Suffolk County,
Index No. 602980/2022

Kevin J. Mullins, M.D., et al. v. Amit Sharma, M.D., et al.,
New York Supreme Court, Suffolk County,
Index No. 623013/2021

Adam Lowenstein v. Dell & Dean, PLLC,
New York Supreme Court, Nassau County,
Index No. 612909/2019

AE&LY Ambulatory Endoscopy, PPLC v. Henry Schein, Inc.
New York Supreme Court, Nassau County,
Index No. 600331/2015

Jefry Rosmarin Family Trust;
Grantor: Jefry Rosmarin;
Trustees: Patricia Antonucci, Joseh Antonucci, Evan Glass; Beneficiaries: Jared Rosmarin, Ryan Rosmarin
Litigation Pre-Suit, 2013

Guido Gabriele v. Stephen Geisler,
New York Supreme Court, Nassau County,
Index No. 12045/2012

Getzel Schiff & Ross, LLP v. Mach One Consultants, LLC., et al.,
New York Supreme Court, Nassau County,
Index No. 001323/2011

Factor King, LLC v. Euler Hermes American Credit Indemnity Company, d/b/a Euler Hermes ACI,
New York Supreme Court, Suffolk County,
Index No. 15978/2011

Bank of Smithtown v. Withers Engelke & Associates, Inc., Thomas Engelke and Norman Engelke,
New York Supreme Court, Suffolk County,
Index No. 04030/2010

Ned Sakhai v. Bruce Bayroff, et al.
New York Supreme Court, Nassau County,
Index No. 006095/2009

Appointments as Receiver in the below-referenced matters:

Igal Khorshidi v. Brookhill Capital Partners, LLC, et al.,
New York Supreme Court, Nassau County,
Index No. 602204/2023

Mauricio Cardenas and Magna Yasmin Cardenas
v. Robertino Restrepo and Jennifer Restrepo, et al.,
New York Supreme Court, Nassau County,
Index No. 605658/2022

Jay Schwartzberg and 4 Park Lane LLC v. Hezi Torati, et al.,
New York Supreme Court, Nassau County,
Index No. 614845/2020

Yossef Hazut v. Hezi Torati, et al.,
New York Supreme Court, Nassau County,
Index No. 606866/2020

Flushing Savings Bank, FSB v. 197 Franklin Square, LLC, et al.,
New York Supreme Court, Nassau County,
Index No. 5002/2012

In the Matter of the Application of Fred Koenig for the Dissolution of Mel Sobel Microscopes Ltd. v. Steven Koenig,
New York Supreme Court, Nassau County,
Index No. 14028/2009

U.S. Bank National Association v. CLK-HP 90 Merrick LLC, et al.,
New York Supreme Court, Nassau County,
Index No. 601458/2017

GWG MCA Capital, Inc. v. NuLook Capital, LLC, et al.,
United States District Court, Eastern District of New York,
Civil Action No. 17-CV-1724 (ADS)(GRB)