Jay G. Safer is a member of Dunnington’s corporate, international, investigations and litigation, arbitration and mediation practice groups. Mr. Safer has handled complex litigation and arbitration in the United States and abroad. He represents clients in matters concerning contracts, antitrust, securities, RMBS matters, RICO, qui tam, FCPA, international litigation and arbitration, including application of the New York Convention and enforcement of foreign judgments and arbitration awards, banking, financial institutions, corporate governance, technology, privacy, insurance, construction, real estate, labor and employment, media, product liability, health care, professional ethics, financial, constitutional and regulatory issues, mediation, and class actions. He also counsels clients on commercial matters, including protection and preventive measures, creation of risk litigation plans, e-signature, e-discovery and e-readiness, and pre-litigation analysis. He has represented clients in international litigation, including domestic and foreign clients in courts outside the United States and foreign clients in United States courts, including a foreign government. He has represented clients from the United States and around the world in international arbitrations. He has worked with esteemed counsel in foreign countries in cases in courts of different countries and provided advice concerning the application and comparison of United States law and laws of other nations. Mr. Safer is familiar with the laws and procedures utilized in judicial systems abroad and has worked closely with lawyers practicing in many different countries.
Mr. Safer has extensive ADR experience in arbitrations and mediations, and teaching and speaking in ADR programs. He has engaged as an Arbitrator in numerous arbitrations involving complex commercial and business matters in various industry areas both as a single arbitrator and as Chair and member of a Tribunal. His experience has involved a wide range of U.S. and international arbitrations, mediations, and enforcements of arbitration awards including disputes involving contracts, mergers and acquisitions, sales of businesses, investments, energy, healthcare, sales of equipment from U.S. companies to governmental entities abroad, telecommunications, corporate governance, dispute among shareholders, co-founders, and joint ventures, real estate, construction claims, oil and gas leases, insurance, employment, fraud, and entertainment agreements. He has interpreted and applied laws of different states and countries. He has administered by various ADR organizations, ad hoc arbitrations, and under various rules and laws. He is on the Roster of Neutrals for the AAA and ICDR.
ILLUSTRATIVE PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
- Handled securities fraud trial in 10(b)(5) action in Federal District Court.
- Handled TRO and Injunctions including evidentiary hearings in Federal and State courts.
- Litigated antitrust claims involving complex issues including under Sections 1 and 2 of the Sherman Act and Section 7 of the Clayton Act in Federal District Court.
- Litigated federal securities fraud claims including under the Securities and Exchange Act, Securities Act, and State securities laws in Federal District Courts including class action.
- Litigated fiduciary claims.
- Involved in investigations of allegations of bribery and fraud in the U.S. and outside the U.S. including review of the FCPA.
- In multidistrict litigation litigated fraud claims involving bond fund under Federal and State law.
- In multidistrict litigation litigated fraudulent conveyance claims in class action.
- Litigated fraud and contract claims and other cases in Commercial Division of the New York State Supreme Court and Federal District Courts nationwide.
- Represented client in qui tam action involving fraud and FCA claims by Relator and the Government.
- Represented clients involving lease and loan cases in Federal District Court and Bankruptcy Court.
- Litigated claims arising from M & A Agreements in Federal and State Courts and arbitration.
- Litigated franchise contractual claims.
- Litigated employment cases including wrongful termination claims.
- Litigated cases involving forgery claims and experts.
- Involved in trial of will contest and estate claims in New York Surrogates Court.
- Litigated cases involving insurance and settlement issues.
- Litigated and arbitrated construction cases involving owners, contractors, and architects.
- Litigated cases involving regulatory examinations and corporate governance.
- Litigated legal and professional malpractice claims.
- Represented client in challenges to State and Agency regulations.
- Represented foreign and U.S. clients in cases involving litigation in foreign courts.
- Represented foreign and U.S. clients in U.S. and International arbitration.
- Represented clients in confirmation of U.S. and international arbitration awards in Federal District Courts and state courts including enforcement under the New York Convention and the FAA.
- Represented clients in cases involving forum non conveniens issues.
- Represented clients in defamation case.
- Represented clients in mediations involving variety of claims.
- Argued appeals in Federal and State courts including the Court of Appeals of the State of New York and the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
- Jury and non-jury trial experience.
EDUCATION
Mr. Safer is a graduate of Columbia Law School and Vanderbilt University.
PROGRAMS AND WEBINARS
Mr. Safer presents and is a speaker at numerous programs and webinars on litigation, arbitration and substantive law subjects to audiences in-person, and virtually worldwide.
PUBLICATIONS
Mr. Safer has made appearances on television and authored numerous articles and publications including:
- Author, “Magistrate Judges and Special Masters,” Chapter 33, Business and Commercial Litigation in Federal Courts, West Publishing, Fourth Edition (2017)
- Author, “Contracts,” Commercial Litigation in New York State Courts, Chapter 72, West Publishing, Fourth Edition (2017)
- Co-Author, “Case Study on Successful Partnering Between Inside and Outside Counsel”, Successful Partnering Between Inside and Outside Counsel, Thomson West Publishing
- An Arbitration Primer for Litigators, Chapter on Post-Award Issues (2015)
- Co-Author, “Consumer Class Actions in Which No Harm Occurred”, Corporate Counsel (2014)
- Presenter, “How Inside and Outside Litigation Counsel Can add Value and Reduce Costs for Corporate Clients – Fee Arrangements, Budgeting and Billing,” NYSBA Annual Meeting (Summer 2011)
- Contributor, “Brochure: International Arbitration,” Locke Lord (April 26, 2011)
- Interview Subject, “Cover Story regarding Project Finance in India,” Lex Witness (October 15, 2010)
- Co-Author, “Client Alert: Supreme Court Rules No Class Arbitration Absent Contractual Basis,” Locke Lord (April 29, 2010)
- Panelist, “Implementation – What Methods, If Any, Can Be Employed To Promote The Existing Rules’ Attempts to Protect Private Identifier Information From Information Access,” Conference on Privacy and internet Access to Court Files, Fordham University School of Law (April 13, 2010)
- Featured, “City Bar Urges Statewide Rule Limiting Personal Date in Civil Filings,” New York Law Journal (February 17, 2010)
- Contributor, “e-Matters: 6-Point Framework,” Locke Lord (October 8, 2009)
- Contributor, “e-Matters: ESIGN Workshops,” Locke Lord (October 1, 2009)
- Co-Author, “e-Matters Alert: 2008 Case Law Review” (January 26, 2009)
- Client Alert: Second Circuit, in Case of First Impression, Interprets Class Action Fairness Act to Provide Federal Jurisdiction for State Law Consumer Fraud Action Not Involving Nationally Traded Securities (May 19, 2008)
- Co-Author, Lord, Bissell & Brook LLP Client Alert: From E-Discovery To E-Admissibility Lorraine v. Markel And What May Follow.
AWARDS AND RECOGNITIONS
- Mr. Safer has served as a lecturer at law and adjunct professor at Columbia Law School and Fordham Law School teaching foreign lawyers on the management of U.S. litigation, and the role of arbitration and mediation in U.S. proceedings.
- Named as a New York Super Lawyer
- Named as a Top Rated Lawyer in Commercial Litigation
- Named as a Top Rated Business Attorney
- Named as a Top Rated Lawyer in Banking and Finance Law
- Named as a Top Rated Lawyer in Technology Law
- Achieved AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rating
- Mr. Safer was appointed by the Chief Judge of the State of New York to the Commercial Division Advisory Council that advises the Chief Judge and the Judiciary on all matters involving the Commercial Division of the State of New York.
- Mr. Safer was appointed to the Advisory Group to the Joint New York State Federal Judicial Council consisting of Federal and State Judges appointed by the Chief Judge of the State of New York and the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
- Mr. Safer was appointed by the New York State Chief Administrative Judge to serve on her Advisory Committee on the Civil Practice Law and Rules.
- Mr. Safer has served on the Planning Committee for the Judicial Conference of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.
- Mr. Safer was appointed by Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye to serve on a Special Commission on the Future of the New York State Courts. The Commission was composed of lawyers, civic leaders, government and private sector representatives, academicians, and sitting and former trial and appellate court judges.
- Mr. Safer is the Past Chair of the 2,000 member Federal & Commercial Litigation Section of the New York State Bar Association and is the Co-Chair of its Federal Judiciary Committee.
- Mr. Safer has been a member of the Lawyers Committee of the National Center for State Courts.
- Mr. Safer served as a Federal Judiciary Chair representing the Commercial and Federal Litigation Section of the New York State Bar Association for the 225th Anniversary of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York and the 150th Anniversary of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York. Mr. Safer coordinated creation of a Bibliography of United States District Court Judges of the Southern District of New York and presentations for the 225th and 150th Anniversaries of the Southern District of New York and the Eastern District of New York.
- New York State Bar Association, Past Vice President, First Judicial District and Member of the NYSBA Executive Committee
- New York State Bar Association, Commercial & Federal litigation Section, Past Chair, Member of Executive Committee, Commercial and Federal Litigation Section, Co-Chair, Federal Judiciary Committee
- New York State Bar Association, International Section, Vice Chair, Co-Chair International Litigation Committee and Member of Executive Committee, International Section
- New York State Bar Association, Dispute Resolution Section
- New York City Bar Association, Past Chair of Council on Judicial Administration, Special Committee on Judicial Selection, and Committee on State Courts of Superior Jurisdiction
- New York City Bar Association, In-House/Outside Counsel Litigation Committee
- New York City Bar Association, International and Commercial Disputes Committee, ICDC Cyber Security Sub-Committee
- New York City Bar Association, Council on International Affairs
- American Bar Association, Litigation, Dispute Resolution, and International Committees
- Federal Bar Council, Committee on the Second Circuit
- New York County Lawyers Association, Member of the Board of Directors and Audit Committee
- New York County Lawyers Association, Past Co-Chair of the Foreign and International Law Committee, Past Co-Chair of the Committee on Election Law
- New York State Supreme Court Commercial Division, Advisory Committee to the New York County Commercial Division and the Kings County Commercial Division Judges
- Past Member of the Board of the Fund and Committee for Modern Courts
- Mr. Safer has been a member of The Sedona Conference Working Group on Electronic Document Retention and Production (WG1) and The Sedona Conference Working Group on International Electronic Information Management, Discovery and Disclosure (WG6).
- Mr. Safer has been a member of the Advisory Board of the Institute for Transnational Arbitration (ITA).
- American Bar Foundation Fellow
- New York Bar Foundation Fellow
- Selected as Fellow of the Charted Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb)
- Selected to serve on AAA Roster of Neutrals
- Member of the Inn of Court
