Peter S. Samaan

Peter S. Samaan

Co-founder, Member

Fax (516) 794-1277

Awards & Acknowledgements

  • Peter was recently recognized by one of WSSG’s insurer clients as its attorney of the year.
  • Peter has been acknowledged at numerous conferences for his lectures as well as his efforts in bringing relevant issues to the fore.

Overview

Peter has over 30 years of experience representing clients in construction and surety law, general and professional liability, insurance defense and medical malpractice as well as general litigation matters. Peter is also well versed in the coverage issues that arise in his practice areas and has litigated those coverage issues throughout his career. While Peter’s current practice largely relates to construction and related litigation, Peter continues to litigate all types of legal issues including those arising in commercial matters.

Peter has extensive trial experience, including trying a large, multi-party construction defect matter to verdict on behalf of a plumbing company in New York County in which his client obtained a directed verdict at the close of the evidence. The jury returned a verdict in excess of $40 million against the remaining defendants. Peter also tried a commercial matter in a bench trial before a federal magistrate in Manhattan on behalf of his corporate client. The plaintiff alleged he was owed millions of shares of stock and the company disagreed. In a bench decision, the court found for our corporate client completely, avoiding a potential enterprise-threatening situation had plaintiff been victorious. Peter has also tried numerous labor law cases to verdict, including in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan and Nassau, and has also been victorious on numerous summary judgment motions on cases ranging from labor law claims to commercial disputes to construction disputes. In addition, Peter successfully mediates cases where circumstances dictate, including a construction defect claim in New Jersey on behalf of a general contractor in which the financing bank claimed over $100 million in damages. The case was settled for less than $3 million with the majority coming from other parties.

Peter graduated from St. John’s University School of Law in 1990 and was admitted to practice in New York in 1991. He is also admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. Peter began his practice with a large firm in New York City, primarily on general liability and medical malpractice litigation as well as errors and omissions (E & O) and directors and officers (D & O) defense work. After leaving that firm, Peter accepted an in-house counsel position with an insurance company in its attorney malpractice area. In addition, while at that insurer, Peter was involved with accountant claims as well as E & O and D & O work, primarily with the failed savings and loan dispute in the early 1990s. Peter left the insurer to resume private practice with another large firm in Manhattan where he was involved in general liability, environmental, asbestos, health hazard and toxic tort litigation. During this period, Peter participated in multiple trials and ADR proceedings, including coverage issues relating to the general liability, environmental, asbestos, health hazard and toxic tort litigations. Peter is also a certified arbitrator for the New York State Court System.

Representative Cases

  • The New York Times Newspaper Division of the N.Y. Times Co. v. Lehrer McGovern Bovis, Inc., Supreme Court of the State of New York, New York County (2000) – In a large construction defect matter, case was tried to verdict on behalf of a plumbing company in New York County, in which the client obtained a directed verdict at the close of the evidence. The jury returned a verdict in excess of $40 million against the remaining defendants.
  • Suffolk Constr. Co., Inc. v. The Windrows at Princeton, Superior Court of the State of New Jersey, 2001 - Successfully mediated a construction defect claim in New Jersey on behalf of a general contractor in which the financing bank claimed over $100 million in damages. The case was settled for less than $3 million with the majority coming from other parties.
  • Adelaar v. Sprout Foods, Inc., United States District Court, Southern District of New York, Southern District of New York (2012) - In a bench trial before a federal magistrate in Manhattan, successfully defended corporate client against claims for millions of shares of stock in the client. In a bench decision, the court found for our corporate client completely, avoiding a potential enterprise-threatening situation had plaintiff been victorious.
  • Mousouroulis v. Far West Village Partners, LLC, Supreme Court of the State of New York, Kings County (2007) - Successfully defended labor law claims during trial.

Articles and Presentations

  • Peter has presented on various topics relating to construction and litigation at numerous conferences all across the country.

Professional Memberships

  • New York State Bar Association
  • Nassau County Bar Association

Practice Areas

  • Construction and surety law
  • Commercial litigation and general business law
  • General liability and insurance defense
  • Professional liability defense
  • Medical malpractice and hospital liability defense

Bar Admissions

  • New York, 1991
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, 1996

Education

  • J.D., St. John's University School of Law, Jamaica, New York, 1990
  • B.A., University of Maryland, 1986