Michael J. Antongiovanni is a partner in Rivkin Radler’s Commercial Litigation, Real Estate, Trusts & Estates, and Construction Practice Groups where he counsels a broad array of clients, ranging from individuals and professionals to startups, small businesses and international corporations.

Michael represents clients on a wide variety of commercial and civil disputes, including matters involving business disputes, real estate claims, breaches of contract, fraud, fiduciary breaches, shareholder and partnership disputes, misappropriation of confidential information and property, shareholder derivative suits, valuation proceedings, employment matters, unfair competition, adverse possession and easement issues, construction law, business torts and other civil claims.

Michael also represents clients in Trust and Estate proceedings before the New York State Surrogate’s Court, including probate and accounting proceedings, kinship proceedings and proceedings concerning the validity of trusts and other estate planning instruments.

A seasoned litigator, experienced in all phases of litigation, trial and appeal, Michael focuses on his clients’ objectives and devises legal strategies designed to achieve those objectives most effectively, either by way of early resolution or at trial.

Michael is also a judicial Referee and Receiver, appointed by the New York State Supreme Court’s Commercial Division to preside over certain commercial matters and valuation proceedings.

Michael has been named among New York Super Lawyers (2013-21), which recognizes no more than 5 percent of outstanding lawyers in each state from more than seventy practice areas, who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. In 2023, he received the Director’s Award from the Nassau County Bar Association for his outstanding service as Chair of the Financial Oversight Committee. Michael was also named in The Herald’s 2024 Top Lawyers’ Award for Litigation and Dispute Resolution.

Notable Representations

• Successfully represented financial analysts in multi-state litigations against claims by former employer of alleged misappropriation of trade secrets and confidential, proprietary data.
• Representing corporate client in litigation against former employee concerning a “lapping” fraud.
• Represented corporate client with investigation and claims concerning an alleged $40 million “roundtripping” fraud.
• Successfully represented client in obtaining summary judgment on $2 million claim for a breach of a guaranty of a commercial lease.
• Successfully defended and resolved $26 million claim against corporate client stemming from an acquisition of a business and alleged breach of an asset purchase agreement.
• Successfully litigated (including on appeal) and resolved $15 million fraud and breach of fiduciary duty claims on behalf of client-shareholder against fellow shareholders in connection with a sale of a pharmaceutical company.
• Successfully represented client in obtaining judgment declaring her sale of stock in a limited liability company was valid and dismissing plaintiff’s claim seeking to rescind the sale and for millions of dollars in damages based on an alleged right of first refusal to real estate owned by the limited liability company.
• Successfully represented a pair of private lenders through litigation and appeal in establishing the validity of $4 million in mortgage loans to a limited liability company in the face of claims and defenses of alleged lack of authority and fraud.
• In a jury trial in the United Stated Court for the Eastern District of New York, served on trial team that successfully obtained a verdict rejecting a claim for nearly $14 million in alleged lost profits in an international breach of contract case.
• Successfully litigated fraudulent conveyance action on behalf of client resulting in the rescission of several multi-million-dollar transactions.
• Successfully represented client at trial in obtaining judgment declaring the validity of a contested lease and easement agreement.
• Served as co-counsel to a major hotel and resort organization and obtained summary judgment on its behalf over a multi-million dollar claim for breach of a licensing and management agreement involving a Caribbean resort.
• Successfully defended client in claims alleging breach of fiduciary duties and misappropriation of proprietary information and property of a beverage company.
• In a Surrogate’s Court Kinship proceeding, successfully represented clients in establishing their claim as the rightful heirs to a sizable estate of a decedent who died without a will.
• Obtained favorable resolution for a limited liability company involving multi-state litigations against former officer who usurped several millions of dollars in corporate business opportunities and assets.
• Obtained favorable resolution for corporate shareholder-client in claims against his fellow shareholder for diverting and converting over $1 million in shareholder equity and company revenue.
• Successfully defended a corporate client, through litigation and appeal, against a national real estate developer’s breach of real estate sales contract claim and assisted client in retaining $1 million contract deposit as liquidated damages.
• Obtained favorable resolution for two companies in a multi-state litigation against a minority owner and employee, who was secretly competing against the companies in violation of his fiduciary duties and non-competition agreement.
• Successfully obtained summary judgment for client declaring that an enforceable equitable mortgage existed notwithstanding that only two of the four owners of a commercial property execute the note and mortgage.

Michael is a member of the Nassau County Bar Association’s Commercial Litigation Committee, the New York State Bar Association’s Commercial and Federal Litigation Section, and the Long Island Association’s Young Professionals Committee. He is a former chair of the Nassau County Bar Association’s Financial Oversight Committee and a former member of the Board of Directors of the Nassau County Bar Association. Michael is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Plainview-Old Bethpage Chamber of Commerce.