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Stephen A. Mendelsohn concentrates on virtually all aspects of commercial litigation through trial and appeals, with an emphasis on financial institutions, securities and real estate. He represents broker-dealers, registered investment advisors, hedge funds and private equity funds in securities litigation, and he defends officers and employees in Securities and Exchange Commission investigations of public companies.

Stephen also counsels manufacturers, restaurant chains, retailers, nonprofits and contractors, among others, on all facets of employment law. In addition, he practices virtually all aspects of education law for private and public universities and schools, including Title IX, labor law, state and federal regulation, student rights and affiliation agreements.

Stephen has comprehensive experience as well in First Amendment litigation, having defended clients through jury trials in defamation cases involving matters of public concern as well as public figures. In addition, he has represented governments in defense of First Amendment cases involving public speech and the right of assembly on public property.

He also routinely handles Lanham Act cases, and cases involving false advertising as well as trademark infringement and violations of the Copyright Act.

Concentrations

  • Commercial litigation
  • Securities investigations and litigation
  • Employment discrimination
  • Education law
  • Construction defect, change order and lien claims
  • Club and resort practice

Capabilities

Experience

  • Represented banks and officers in FDIC, merger and acquisition litigation.
  • Reviewed and drafted affiliation agreements between schools, leases, licensing agreements, foreign student recruitment agreements, contractor agreements and independent contractor agreements. 
  • Advised colleges and universities concerning the U.S. Department of Education Gainful Employment Rules, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, Clery Act, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 and Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972.  
  • Advised school districts, colleges and universities in connection with collective bargaining, tenure, leaves of absence, termination, student aid, student discipline, and state and federal regulatory compliance.
  • Advised colleges and universities on their legal obligations concerning transgender students, allergies and disabilities, discipline (academic and other), housing, grading, student travel and research, and financial aid.
  • Served as lead counsel and successfully defended a large, private university in the defense of a multiplaintiff claim alleging sexual abuse of students during a 20-year period.
  • Defended public and private employers in numerous Title VII, ADA, Title IX Rehabilitation Act and other employment cases.
  • Defended private equity funds and managers in multimillion-dollar securities litigations alleging state, federal and common-law violations.
  • Defended numerous securities broker-dealers and registered representatives before SEC and FINRA. 
  • Defended State of New York in landmark class actions on care of the mentally disabled.
  • Represented Yonkers, N.Y. Teachers Union in class action school desegregation matters.
  • Defended State of New York in class actions concerning statewide prison conditions.
  • Wegweiser v. Wegweiser, 205 AD.2d 616, 614 N.Y.S.2d 287 (2d Dept. 1994)°
  • First Transcapital Corp. v. King Umberto Inc., 214 AD. 2d 699, 625 N.Y.S.2d 294 (2d Dept. 1995)°
  • Continental National Bank of Miami v. Sanchez, 170 F.3d 1340 (11th Cir. 1999)°
  • Binner v. Morris, 741 So.2d 590 (Fla. 3d DCA 1999)°
  • Keller v. Newman Sons Inc., 756 So.2d 120 (Fla. 3d DCA 2000)°
  • Powersports, Inc. v. Royal & Sun Alliance Insurance, CO., 307 F. Supp. 2d 1355 (S.D. Fla. 2004)
  • Marquez v. Pan American Bank, 943 So.2d 284 (Fla. 3d DCA 2006)
  • Sierra Equity Group, Inc. v. White Oak Equity Partners, 650 F. Supp. 2d 1213 (S.D. Fla. 2009)
  • Hahamovitch v. Delray Property Investments, Inc., 165 So. 3d. 676 (Fla. 4th DCA 2015)
  • Brown v. Miller, 2 So.3d 321 (Fla. 5th DCA 2009)
  • Monroe-Woodbury CSD v. Monroe-Woodbury TA, 105 AD. 2d 786, 481 N.Y.S. 2d 731 (2d Dept. 1984)°
  • Rippe v. Board of Education, 64 N.Y.2d 281, 486 N.Y.S.2d 713 (1985)°
  • Winston v. City of New York, 759 F2.d 242 (2d Cir. 1985)°
  • Moore v. Board of Education, 116 AD. 2d 273, 500 N.Y.S.2d 710 (2d Dept. 1986)°
  • Faculty Association v. PERB, 125 AD. 2d 307, 508 N.Y.S.2d 591 (2d Dept. 1987)°
  • Board of Education v. Yonkers Fed. of Teachers, 133 AD.2d 402, 519 N.Y.S.2d 395 (2d Dept. 1987)°
  • Margolin v. Newman, 130 AD.2d 312, 520 N.Y.S.2d 226 (2d Dept. 1987)°
  • Zeumer v. Fire Burglary Instruments, Inc., 210 AD. 2d 318, 619 N.Y.S.2d 782 (2d Dept. 1994)°
  • Langley v. Coughlin, 888 F.2d 252 (2d Cir. 1989)°
  • Society for Good Will to Retarded Children v. Cuomo, 902 F.2d 1085 (2d Cir. 1990)°
  • Day v. Morgenthau, 909 F.2d 75 (2d Cir. 1990)°
  • Twersky v. Yeshiva University, 993 F. Supp. 2d. 429 (SDNY 2014), aff’d, 579 Fed. Appx. 7 (2d Cir. 2014)
  • Twersky v. Yeshiva University, 112 F. Supp. 3d 173 (SDNY 2015)
  • Samuels v. Berger, 191 AD. 2d 627, 595 N.Y.S.2d 231 (2d Dept. 1993)°
  • David Roberts and Royal Palm Properties v. Rick S. Felberbaum, Felberbaum & Associates PA, Christie’s International Realty, and Premier Estate Properties; Case Number: 232 Southern Third 371 (Fla. 4th DCA 2017)

°The above representations were handled by Mr. Mendelsohn prior to his joining Greenberg Traurig, P.A.

Wide-ranging representation of owners of golf and other recreational clubs including those in resorts and country club communities throughout the United States and in foreign jurisdictions.  Advise developers and corporate bodies as to the resolution of disputes concerning membership plans, membership classes, dues and assessments, governance, voting rights, equity conversions, resigned membership reissuance, sales and mergers and member discipline.

  • Assistant attorney general, State of New York
  • Former special assistant attorney general, Commonwealth of Massachusetts
  • Former special assistant attorney general, State of Connecticut

Recognition & Leadership

  • Listed, Boca Raton Observer, "Top Lawyers," 2022-2023
  • Listed, Fort Lauderdale Illustrated, "Top Lawyers," Commercial Litigation, 2022
  • Listed, South Florida Legal Guide, "Top Lawyers," 2020-2021
  • Listed, The Best Lawyers in America, Litigation - Banking & Finance, 2013-2023
  • Listed, Super Lawyers magazine, Florida Super Lawyers, 2020-2021, and 2023
  • Rated, AV Preeminent® 5.0 out of 5.0

°AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell DistinguishedSM and Martindale-Hubbell NotableSM are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell® certification procedures, standards and policies.

  • Ruth and Norman Rales Jewish Family Services
    • Executive Committee member
    • Chair, 2021-2023
  • Community Board member, Florida Atlantic University, Department of Social Work
  • Executive Committee member, Jewish Federation of South Palm Beach County, Florida

Credentials

Education
  • J.D., Hofstra University School of Law
    • Articles Editor, Labor Law Journal
  • B.A., cum laude, Colgate University
Admissions
  • Florida
  • New York
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida
  • U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
Languages
  • French
  • Spanish