Daniel K. Whitfield
Partner
Daniel heads the litigation and civil defense group. He has tried cases in New York Supreme Court and the federal district courts, and handles the firm's most contested commercial disputes.
Practice Area
Civil Litigation & Civil Defense in Woodside, NY
Being sued is not the same as being wrong. Our litigation group defends businesses and individuals in Queens Supreme Court, the federal district courts and arbitration.
Litigation is expensive, slow and public, and most matters should end before trial. That does not mean rolling over. It means answering on time, moving to dismiss what should be dismissed, taking the depositions that matter and forcing a realistic number onto the table.
We handle both sides of civil disputes: prosecuting claims for clients who have been wronged, and defending clients who have been sued. Daniel Whitfield leads the group, and every matter is staffed so that the lawyer who knows the file is the lawyer who appears.
Free initial consultation.
Thirty minutes with the attorney who would handle the matter — not an intake screener. Call 000-000-000 or send us the details through the contact form.
How we help
Civil Litigation & Defense services
Breach of contract
Prosecution and defense of commercial contract claims of every size.
Business & partnership disputes
Dissolution, oppression, accounting and fiduciary duty claims between owners.
Civil defense
Defense of civil suits including negligence, property damage and business tort claims.
Debt & collection defense
Defending collection actions, disputing balances and vacating default judgments.
Property & construction disputes
Boundary, easement, mechanic's lien and contractor payment disputes.
Appeals
Appellate practice in the Appellate Division, Second Department and the Second Circuit.
When to call us
Situations we handle every week
- You have been served with a summons and complaint — the clock is already running.
- A default judgment you never knew about has frozen your bank account.
- A contractor, customer or business partner owes you money and has stopped answering.
- A mechanic's lien has been filed against your property.
- Your business partner is locking you out of the company.
If you are not sure whether your situation belongs on that list, call anyway. Telling you that you do not need a lawyer is free, and we would rather do that than take a matter that should not exist.
Attorneys in this practice
Marcus D. Ellison
Senior Associate
Marcus represents people hurt in motor vehicle collisions, construction accidents and premises cases across the five boroughs. He works on contingency and takes cases to verdict when the offer is not right.
Ifeoma R. Nwosu
Associate
Ifeoma advises employers on wage-and-hour compliance, handbooks and separations, and represents employees in discrimination, harassment and unpaid-wage claims.
Vincent A. Moreau
Of Counsel
Vincent spent eleven years as a Queens County prosecutor before moving to the defense side. He handles arraignments through trial in Queens Criminal Court and Supreme Court, and DMV refusal hearings.
Questions
Civil Litigation & Defense — frequently asked
I was served with a lawsuit. How long do I have?
In New York State court it is generally 20 days to answer if you were served personally within the state, and 30 days in most other situations; federal court is generally 21 days. Missing it produces a default judgment. Call the day you are served, not the week the answer is due.
Can a default judgment be undone?
Often, yes — but it takes a motion, a reasonable excuse for the default and a meritorious defense, and it gets harder the longer you wait. If a judgment has restrained your account, treat it as urgent.
How much does civil litigation cost?
It depends almost entirely on how hard the other side fights. We give a staged estimate — through the answer, through discovery, through trial — and revisit it at each stage so you are choosing to continue rather than discovering the bill.
Speak with a civil litigation & defense attorney
Tell us what is going on. The first consultation is free, it is with the attorney who would handle your matter, and there is no obligation afterwards.