Michael Pinnisi

Michael Pinnisi

Pinnisi & Anderson
  • Business Law
  • New York
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Biography

Mr. Pinnisi provides dispute resolution and contract negotiation services for clients across the country. His clients most often are established businesses, including high technology companies. He is a "lawyer's lawyer," having advised and represented attorneys listed in "Best Lawyers in America" and "Super Lawyers." His legal experience includes service as an Honor Program Trial Attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York and Washington, D.C., as an associate with Shearman & Sterling and Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton, as in-house General Counsel of Kionix, Inc. and Cognitive Science LLC, and as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Cornell Law School. He regularly handles high-stakes litigation with diverse commercial and technical subject matters. He structures and negotiates a wide range of complex business deals, he has supervised the transfer of companies valued into hundreds of millions of dollars, and he has handled sensitive internal corporate investigations. He is an honor graduate of Cornell University and Cornell Law School, a frequent speaker to bar and business groups, and a recipient of awards for upholding high ethical standards in practice.

Education
Cornell University
J.D. (1985)
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Honors: Freeman Civil Rights Prize
Activities: Moot Court, Mock Trial
Cornell University Logo
Professional Experience
Partner
Pinnisi & Anderson
- Current
General Counsel
Kionix, Inc.
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Adjunct Professor
Cornell Law School
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Trial practice, appellate practice, and negotiations
Partner
Brown Pinnisi & Michaels, PC
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Associate
Cleary Gottlieb Steen & Hamilton LLP
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Litigation, including products liability
Assistant US Attorney
US Attorney, Southern District of NY
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Assigned to criminal and civil divisions of the office, with assignments including international financial crimes and major civil cases
Associate
Shearman & Sterling LLP
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Litigation, including bankruptcy litigation
Honor Program Trial Attorney
US Department of Justice
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Civil Rights Division
Speaking Engagements
Summary
Frequent speaking engagements with bar groups, business groups, and academic institutions, generally regarding legal ethics, litigation, or corporate matters
Awards
Honorary Inductee for exemplary ethics in practice of law
Phi Delta Phi
Harrop Freeman Prize for advancement of civil rights in practice
Harrop Freeman
AV-Preeminent, Judicial Edition
Martindale-Hubbell
Business Litigation - Upstate New York
Super Lawyers
Superb Rating
Avvo
Professional Associations
American Red Cross
Former Board Member
Current
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FIRST (Foundation for Ichthyosis and Related Skin Types)
Former Board Member
Current
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Historic Ithaca, Inc.
Former Board Member
Current
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Ithaca Community Childcare Center
Former Board Member
Current
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The Ithaca Shakespeare Company, Inc.
President, Board of Directors
- Current
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New York State Bar  # 2042414
Member
- Current
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Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
New York
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Fees
  • Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
    Nearly all work is performed on a straight hourly basis. Rates vary based upon the type of engagement, from $400/hour to $550/hour.
Practice Area
Business Law
Business Contracts, Business Dissolution, Business Finance, Business Formation, Business Litigation, Franchising, Mergers & Acquisitions, Partnership & Shareholder Disputes
Languages
  • English: Spoken, Written
Websites & Blogs
Website
Website
Contact & Map
520 Cayuga Heights Road
Suite 100
Ithaca, NY 14850
Telephone: (607) 257-8000