Thomas O. O'Connor

Steven F. Gooby

Mr. O’Connor has extensive experience in civil litigation practice with a particular concentration in the insurance, commercial litigation, government protests and product liability and personal injury tort areas. Mr. O’Connor has tried jury cases and argued appeals on behalf of Fortune 100 companies. His insurance and business litigation practice is nationwide and he personally handles dozens of personal injury defense actions in the New York state courts.

EDUCATION:

  • University of Notre Dame Law School, J.D., 1999
  • Fordham University, B.S., 1989. White Plains, New York

Representative Engagements:

  • Trial counsel for a major equipment breakdown insurer in a multi-million dollar business interruption and property damage litigation brought by manufacturer of industrial steel rolls
  • Trial counsel for a major equipment breakdown insurer in a multi-million dollar business interruption and property damage litigation brought by printing company
  • Trial counsel for a boiler and pressure vessel insurer in multi-death negligence and punitive damages action
  • Trial counsel for an insurance company defending against multi-million dollar property damage and reconstruction claim of arising out of Midtown Manhattan hi-rise fire claim
  • Lead trial counsel for a Japanese motorcycle manufacturer in defense against a breach of warranty claim
  • Trial and appellate counsel for international package shipping company in multiple negligent hiring, supervision and retention tort actions
  • Trial and appellate counsel for international package shipping company in multiple high impact automobile collision actions
  • Lead trial counsel for municipality defending against claims brought under the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act (RLUIPA)
  • Lead trial and appellate counsel for a major elevator manufacturer in personal injury action; attaining dismissal of plaintiff’s negligence claims due to false pleading and corruption of trial process
  • Lead trial and appellate counsel in scores of personal injury tort actions involving vertical transportation systems
  • Lead counsel in successfully lifting a state agency’s sanction barring the company from making any competitive bids on government work projects
  • Lead counsel for elevator manufacturer; successfully defending against a competitor’s bid protest of the award of a government contract for a major international airport
  • Trial attorney for tobacco company in multiple state court personal smoker actions, including design defect claims

Representative Decisions:

  • Taylor v. United Parcel Service, Inc., 72 A.D.3d 573, 899 N.Y.S.2d 223 (N.Y. App. Div. 1st Dep’t 2010), leave to appeal denied, 15 N.Y.3d 705, 907 N.Y.S.2d 753 (2010) (affirming trial court’s granting summary judgment in favor of UPS dismissing negligent hiring, retention and supervision claims)
  • Yildiz v. PJ Food Service, Inc., 82 A.D.3d 971, 918 N.Y.S.2d 572 (N.Y. App. Div. 2nd Dep’t 2011) (reversing trial court and granting summary judgment in favor of Worldwide Dedicated Services, Inc.)
  • Casimir v. KONE, Inc., 31 Misc.3d 132(A), 927 N.Y.S.2d 814, 2011 WL 1447745 (N.Y.Sup.App.Term 2nd Dep’t 2011) (affirming trial court’s dismissal of Plaintiff’s complaint as sanction for her false deposition testimony)
  • Whemco-Ohio Foundry, Inc. v. The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company, Case No. 10-cv-01531, U.S. District Court, Northern District of Ohio (defense verdict for equipment breakdown insurer in multi-million dollar insurance coverage/bad faith litigation brought by a steel industry manufacturer)
  • McIntyre v. The Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Co., Supreme Court, Bronx County Index No. 24658/2004 (granting summary judgment dismissing claims of negligent inspection and maintenance of boiler alleged to have caused personal injury)
  • Gamboa v. Rozenblatt, Supreme Court, Kings County Index No. 29479/2009 (granting motion to dismiss claims of negligent inspection)