Category: News on the Homepage

Cranes and rigging play pivotal roles in construction, manufacturing, and various industries that involve moving materials. CMM did the heavy lifting in this multimillion-dollar M&A deal for our client, the owners of a crane and rigging business located in the New York metro area.

CMM attorneys have unique experience in the crane and rigging M&A space, as this was another successful seller-side deal with the same buyer, a subsidiary of a large private equity firm looking to expand its operations by acquiring synergistic crane and rigging businesses along the East Coast. Our efforts to close the transaction involved addressing Department of Transportation issues, multi-property lease concerns, and navigating multi-jurisdictional requirements.

The deal team included CMM’s Vincent Costa, Marc Saracino, and Zachary Mike. This transaction showcased CMM’s depth of experience and ability to get deals done. For more information on our mergers and acquisitions services, please contact us.

Depending on which side you’re on, a jury verdict after only 45 minutes of deliberation can be either a disaster or a decisive victory. In CMM Senior Partner Scott Middleton’s recent trial representing the Town of Smithtown, it was the latter – with a twist!

The case concerned an accident that occurred on a Town-owned dock located at Kings Park Bluff Park. The plaintiff was walking down a gangway towards a floating dock when they slipped and fell on the transition plate, resulting in injuries. The plaintiff alleged that the gangway and transition plate were at a too-steep and therefore unsafe angle, that the transition plate was slippery due to allegedly improper application of non-skid surface and poor maintenance, and that the handrails were inadequate.

After careful consideration of the evidence and arguments presented during the trial, the jury reached a verdict after only 45 minutes of deliberation. The jury determined that although the Town was negligent, any negligence was not a “substantial factor” in causing the accident. Consequently, a defendant’s verdict was delivered, marking the end of a successful trial for Middleton and CMM and more importantly, the client.

CMM has a proven track record in defending Suffolk and Nassau County towns and villages. Visit our Municipal Liability page to read about more successful cases.

Campolo, Middleton & McCormick, LLP is pleased to announce Senior Partner Christine Malafi has been selected by Long Island Business News as an honoree of the 2023 Leadership in Law Awards. This award recognizes dedicated individuals whose leadership, both in the legal profession and in the community, has had a positive impact on Long Island. Recipients of these awards demonstrate outstanding achievements, involvement in their profession and support of the community. Malafi accepted her award at the Leadership in Law Awards Gala at the Crest Hollow Country Club on November 16.

Malafi chairs the Corporate Department at CMM, which Forbes has recognized as a Top Corporate Law Firm in America. She has led the CMM legal team in closing countless M&A deals worth billions of dollars. She has vast experience advising on both buy-side and sell-side M&A transactions in a variety of industries, including technology, manufacturing, education, healthcare, and professional service sectors. Malafi is particularly adept at working closely and strategically with clients’ other professional advisors, including accountants, bankers, and M&A advisors, as well as forging those critical relationships for clients based on the deep network of relationships she has cultivated over years in the business.

Malafi has the unique perspective of being a corporate lawyer who spent the first half of her career as a litigator with extensive experience in municipal, insurance coverage, and fraud issues. She brings her deep understanding of litigation and the court system to all aspects of her corporate work and uses this experience to help protect clients from a variety of critical angles.

Campolo, Middleton & McCormick, LLP is pleased to announce Partner Vincent Costa has been selected by Long Island Business News to receive a 2023 Leadership in Law Award. This award recognizes dedicated individuals whose leadership, both in the legal profession and in the community, has had a positive impact on Long Island. Recipients of these awards demonstrate outstanding achievements, involvement in their profession and support of the community. Costa accepted his award at the Leadership in Law Awards Gala at the Crest Hollow Country Club on November 16.

Costa manages the firm’s Corporate department, with a particular focus on complex M&A transactions. Working with large corporations and high-net-worth individuals, he has closed countless M&A deals worth billions of dollars. Costa has also successfully negotiated and led the CMM team on a variety of complex corporate matters including business divorces, buy-side and sell-side mergers and acquisitions (asset and stock purchases and sales), and financings. Serving as the liaison among all the advisors and professional service providers involved in a deal, Costa has an eye for seeing how all the puzzle pieces fit together. By working and collaborating with clients’ teams of financial advisors, accountants, and M&A advisors, Costa ensures a smooth and transparent transaction for the benefit of the client.

Campolo, Middleton & McCormick, LLP, a premier law firm with offices across Long Island, is pleased to welcome Joseph Townsend, Esq., to the firm as an Associate. Previously, he was a Summer Associate at the firm in 2022.

Townsend is a member of the Litigation team at CMM. His practice focuses primarily on complex commercial litigation, as well as construction, municipal, and personal injury matters. Joe also works closely with the firm’s Corporate Department, assisting with labor and employment investigations, shareholder disputes, and transactional matters.

While a student at the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University, Joe was a member of Hofstra Law Review, where he served on the Managing Board as the Managing Editor of Articles for Volume 51. He also held several prestigious internships and externships, including an externship with the Honorable James M. Wicks in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York.

“Joe’s research and writing have already played a role in creative litigation strategies for our clients,” said David Green, CMM Partner. “We’re excited for Joe as he embarks on his legal career and are very happy to have him on board.”

By John Asbury, Newsday

A 16th lawsuit has been filed against the now-shuttered Kumo Sushi & Steakhouse in Stony Brook by customers alleging food poisoning.

A Lake Grove family filed the latest lawsuit Oct. 25 against the restaurant’s parent company, MDBL Corp., and SBKU Services. The suit alleges that when the party of 23 held a combination baby shower and 30th birthday party on Sept. 9 at the restaurant, the group of family and friends, including elderly guests and children, were immediately sickened after eating hibachi.

The Suffolk County health department reported Thursday that a total of 54 people complained of getting sick after eating at the restaurant between Sept. 6 and 9.

“These people were put into a horrible situation. They were planning a baby shower for the first grandchild in the family,” said Ronkonkoma-based attorney Scott Middleton, who filed the lawsuit on behalf of the family.

“All 23 guests got sick due to the carelessness of this business,” Middleton said. “This was immediate. They were projectile vomiting in the parking lot.”

Members of the party “remained ill for several days after the incident. … As a result of consuming Defendant’s contaminated food products, Plaintiffs incurred medical expenses, and endured great physical pain, discomfort, mental anguish, and suffering, according to the lawsuit.

Read the full article on Newsday’s web site.

CMM has closed another successful multimillion dollar deal. The buyer is a longtime CMM client.  Almost a decade ago, CMM advised the buyer during its acquisition of its pest control business.  After years of hard work, our client turned to us to guide business expansion through the acquisition of a company that provides an array of tree care services to Long Island’s East End, which includes trained and certified horticulturists.  

Our work to close the transaction included the creation of a new entity, navigating tax and NYS vehicle transfer issues, and sophisticated financing. The deal team included CMM attorneys Vincent Costa, Marc Saracino, and Zachary Mike. This transaction showcased CMM’s depth of knowledge in the M&A buyer-side and landscaping space.

For more information on our mergers and acquisitions services, please contact us.

Campolo, Middleton & McCormick, LLP is proud to announce that ten attorneys at the firm, in multiple practice areas, have been named to the 2023 Super Lawyers® list, four of them as a Rising Star. The CMM attorneys recognized this year, in practice areas including Business and Corporate, Personal Injury, Real Estate, Business Litigation, Mergers & Acquisitions, Construction Litigation, Employment Litigation, and Appeals, are:

• Joe Campolo
• Scott Middleton
• Patrick McCormick
• Christine Malafi
• Jeffrey Basso
• Donald Rassiger
• David Green (Rising Star)
• Vincent Costa (Rising Star)
• Richard DeMaio (Rising Star)
• Marc N. Saracino (Rising Star)

The rigorous Super Lawyers selection process is based on peer evaluations, independent research, and professional achievement in legal practice. The Rising Stars recognition denotes superior professional achievement by attorneys who have been in practice for under 10 years or are under age 40. No more than 2.5 percent of lawyers in New York State are named to the Rising Stars list.

Learn more about CMM’s outstanding legal professionals here.