Joseph J. Saltarelli

Joe’s practice focuses on complex civil litigation. He has been lead counsel on numerous jury and non-jury trials, arbitrations, and administrative hearings, and appellate counsel on more than 40 appeals. Mr. Saltarelli’s experience is wide-ranging and includes banking, business tort, contract, corporate governance, defamation, employment, First Amendment, securities fraud, and unfair trade practices litigation. He has represented or advised many foreign clients, including foreign governments, in international letter of credit, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act, and commercial litigation matters.

Mr. Saltarelli also has significant experience in alternative dispute resolution. In addition to his private mediation practice, Mr. Saltarelli is an active volunteer mediator for the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and the Commercial Division of the New York State Supreme Court, New York County. He serves on the Southern District’s Mediator Advisory Committee, and is an Adjunct Professor with the Mediation Clinic program of the City University of New York Law School.

Following law school and prior to entering private practice, Mr. Saltarelli served for two years as a law clerk to the Hon. John M. Cannella, United States District Judge for the Southern District of New York. He is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States, the US Courts of Appeals for the Second, Third, Seventh and District of Columbia Circuits, and the US District Courts for the Southern, Eastern and Northern Districts of New York.

• Represents leading South Korean molecular diagnostics company in breach of contract action.
• Represents major news media company in consumer fraud and business tort action.
• Represents major online news and media outlet in defamation action.
• Represented defense contractor in contract and defamation dispute related to termination of former chief executive.
• Obtained dismissal of defamation claims against major national bank.
• As lead trial counsel, won a defense verdict for a biotechnology company in a federal court breach of contract action involving a patent license agreement.
• As lead trial counsel, won a defense verdict for a major cruise line operator in a federal court jury trial seeking substantial damages under the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.
• As lead trial counsel, won a defense verdict for a bottle manufacturer in a federal court jury trial seeking damages for breach of contract and unfair trade practices, and a verdict awarding full damages on his client’s related breach of contract counterclaim.
• As lead trial counsel, represented a major independent system operator in a Federal Energy Regulatory Commission administrative hearing involving complex tariff issues pertaining to cost allocation for the siting of new generation facilities.
• As lead trial counsel, won a sizeable breach of contract arbitral award for a health services staffing franchisor.
• As trial counsel, won a defense verdict for a major financial services company in a federal court breach of contract trial.
• As trial counsel, obtained a permanent injunction and sizeable monetary judgment for an employment agency franchisor in a federal court breach of contract trial.
• As trial counsel, won a defense verdict for a major consumer products company in a federal court employment discrimination trial; represented a foreign bank in a federal court employment discrimination jury trial and successful post-trial proceedings.
• Acted as lead appellate counsel on more than 40 appeals before the US Supreme Court, the Second, Seventh, and DC Circuit Courts of Appeal, New York’s Court of Appeals and First, Second, and Third Department Appellate Divisions, and the intermediate courts of appeal of Florida and Massachusetts.
• Obtained dismissal of false labelling class action litigation in the Eastern District of New York on behalf of consumer products company.
• Successfully represented manufacturer of diverse industrial products on appeal involving indemnification for Mexican tax liability arising out of stock purchase agreement.
• Represented a cellular telephone carrier, an electronic appliance manufacturer, a national self-storage company, and other clients in numerous class actions involving claims of unfair trade practices, breach of contract, breach of warranty, and false advertising.
• Represented a real estate investment trust in a securities fraud class action involving mortgage-backed securities, and a municipality in a securities fraud and breach of contract class action involving issuance of revenue bond anticipation notes.
• Won pre-trial dismissal of a breach of contract action for one of the nation's largest electric utility companies in a billion dollar bond indenture case upholding the "separate entity" doctrine applicable to corporations and their subsidiaries.
• Successfully represented an East African nation’s development bank in international letter of credit litigation, obtaining a temporary restraining order barring payment of standby letters of credit on account of alleged fraud.
• Successfully represented the government of a major African nation in Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act litigation; has represented and/or counseled private and foreign governmental clients in several other FSIA matters.
• Obtained reimbursement of $4 million for an Ecuadorian bank client in international letter of credit litigation involving dual proceedings in New York and Switzerland.
• Represented an international cruise line company in insurance-related litigation arising out of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
• Successfully represented an international consumer products company in litigation involving pirate radio advertising on the High Seas in violation of international and English law.
• Represented a journalist in First Amendment, contract, and defamation litigation, including several appeals and emergency stay petition to the US Supreme Court.
• Represented a national advertising company in First Amendment challenges to state and local billboard advertising restrictions.
• Successfully defended libel and slander claims asserted by former employees of a wholesale flower distribution client; successfully represented a major sports figure against defamation claims.
• Successfully represented a major bank in complex state and federal multidistrict litigation involving loans secured by real estate limited partnership interests.
• Successfully defended a chemical raw material importer in nationwide product liability litigation, obtaining a negotiated dismissal of all claims against his client.
• Regularly represents New York’s independent system operator in civil litigation, federal and state regulatory proceedings, and appeals.
• Regularly represents corporate and individual clients in corporate governance, shareholder, corporate dissolution, employment, trade secret, and non-compete disputes.