Leslie Akst earned her B.A. in Psychology from Wellesley College in 1973. She graduated from Princeton University with an M.A. in Psychology in 1975, and from Fordham Law School with a J.D. in 1978 where she was also a member of the Law Review. As a member of the Fordham Law Review, she published an article on the New York Art Market. Mrs. Akst is admitted to the New York State and Federal Bars. Before joining Akst & Akst, she clerked for the Surrogate of New York County. Upon joining Akst & Akst, she acted as a closing counsel for Chemical Bank’s residential mortgage department for four years where she represented the bank in numerous mortgage closings.

George Akst received his B.A. in Economics from Boston University in 1972. He attended The Hague Academy of International Law in the Netherlands in 1973 and received his J.D. from Fordham Law School in 1976 where he was a member of the Urban Law Journal. He was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1977 and is admitted to practice in the New York Federal Courts and US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. He has been a Member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association since 1984 where he has spoken on numerous topics, including visas for artists, athletes, and entertainers. He is a member of the Union Internationale Des Avocats, the Paris based International Bar Association, where he has spoken on such various issues as U.S. visa investment opportunities and human trafficking. Mr. Akst is a former Adjunct Professor of Business and Real Estate Law, at both Long Island University and at the Borough of Manhattan Community College from 1979-1981.

Michael Rose has spent his entire career representing accident victims. He has tried numerous cases to verdict and settled many claims resulting in tens of millions of dollars in recovery for clients. Many of these cases have resulted in seven-figure jury verdicts and settlements. During a recent six-month time span, Mr. Rose tried three cases; each independently resulted in a seven-figure jury verdict. In both 2010 and 2011 he was responsible for securing four of the top one hundred personal injury results in the State of New York for personal injury claims as reported by the New York Jury Verdict Reporter. In 2012 he was responsible for securing the largest jury verdict in the State of New York for Construction Site Accidents as reported by the New York Jury Verdict Reporter. This jury verdict was in excess of thirteen million dollars.

Arnold H. Pedowitz is a Partner with Pedowitz & Meister LLP in New York where he practices plaintiff-side employment law. Mr. Pedowitz is a member of the American Bar Association and has been chosen as a Super Lawyer in each year since 2006. He earned his J.D. from Boston University School of Law and his LL.M. from New York University School of Law. Mr. Pedowitz served as an Adjunct Professor at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law from 1997 - 2017. He represents Investment Bankers, Senior Executives, Licensed Professionals, Other Working Persons and Progressive Employers in Employment Matters.

A lawyer for more than 20 years, Michael H. Joseph can help you with your personal injury, commercial litigation, or criminal defense case. Mr. Joseph's offices in Manhattan and White Plains, NY, offer free consultations so that everyone has access to a lawyer. Michael H. Joseph grew up in Coop City in the Bronx and then moved to Long Island as a teenager. After law school, Mr. Joseph worked for a prominent personal injury firm in Manhattan while living in Kew Gardens, Queens. He eventually started his own legal practice that serves people throughout New York City and Westchester County. Mr. Joseph's sense of social justice is built on his family’s New York roots and his experiences in law school in New Orleans. As the descendent of railway workers who suffered tragic injuries working in the New York railroads, Mr. Joseph knows firsthand the pain and devastation that an injury can cause. While attending Tulane University Law School, Mr. Joseph participated in the criminal clinic to handle felony cases. During this time, he represented clients throughout New Orleans who could not afford legal representation. This experience revealed how poverty leads to systemic injustice for people with low incomes, and the kind of difference a committed attorney can make for people in these underserved communities. Michael H. Joseph is dedicated to helping the little guy. Whether you live in New York City or Westchester County, his law office can give you the legal assistance you need. He is an effective advocate in the courtroom, on appeal, at arbitrations, during mediations, and in administrative hearings. In addition to complimentary consultations, we work on a contingency fee basis. That means you don’t pay us a dime unless we reach a favorable settlement or verdict.

Mr. Bellovin actively practices before federal and state appellate and trial courts, various governmental agencies and departments and arbitration and mediation tribunals. His cases have been reported in federal and state reporters, and have been the subject of newspaper and magazine articles. His practice includes all phases of litigation and trial practice, Alternative Dispute Resolution and negotiation, and covers all aspects of employer-employee relations, including workers compensation defense, FLSA litigation defense, employment discrimination litigation and employee benefits.

Brianna is an experienced litigator with expertise in high value, complex disputes involving antitrust, fraud, cryptoassets, unfair business practices, trade secrets, commercial contracts, real estate, partnerships, trusts and estates, fiduciary removal suits, and defamation. She has also spent a significant amount of time counseling private clients in more personal matters, including civil harassment restraining orders, tax planning, business formation, and other complex business areas. Brianna puts her years of studying the complexity and interrelationship of legal, social, and ethical issues to use throughout her practice and, therefore, brings a practical but personable approach to business and legal issues.

The Law Office of David Molot is a full service law firm that provides excellent representation throughout the state of New York and all throughout the US when representing immigration clientele before the Immigration Courts and United States Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Deena R. Merlen is a Partner at the firm. She serves clients at both our New York and Stamford offices and heads the Connecticut practice. Her practice areas include intellectual property, employment and labor law, media and entertainment, general business law, commercial transactions and dispute resolution. In her employment practice, Ms. Merlen is a trusted “go to” problem solver and counsel to individuals, established name brand companies and startups alike. She has extensive experience representing clients in matters including general counseling, discrimination actions, mediations and dispute resolution, investigations by federal or state agencies, as well as wage and hour claims and other labor law matters. She also advises on and regularly negotiates employment and separation agreements, independent contractor arrangements and other services-related arrangements. Ms. Merlen also counsels clients on employment and business matters in response to a crisis or other unexpected business impact, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting business closures, including continuity plans, employee furloughs, reductions in force and other critical measures. In her intellectual property practice, Ms. Merlen helps her clients with the development, acquisition and protection of their valuable brands and other vital intellectual property assets. She manages and grows trademark portfolios in the U.S. and internationally; negotiates licensing, assignment, distribution and branding agreements; prosecutes trademark and copyright registrations; enforces intellectual property rights; and provides strategic counsel to safeguard brand platforms and expand the value of her clients’ intellectual property assets. Ms. Merlen’s media practice encompasses the development and protection of creative works in the fields of music, film, television, theatre, publishing, literary arts, performing arts, design and technology. She ran her own business in the entertainment industry for over a decade and brings that business experience and acumen to her legal practice. In addition, Ms. Merlen provides general business counsel and represents clients in company and transactional matters such as partnerships, joint ventures, licensing arrangements, the purchase or sale of businesses, and a wide range of other corporate matters, including company formation, capitalization and governance, compliance and contracts. Representative clients include technology companies, schools and other academic institutions, personal care and beauty companies, fashion and design companies, media, arts and entertainment companies, wholesalers, retailers and more. Prior to her work with RPJ, Ms. Merlen served as Law Clerk to The Honorable Roger J. Miner of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, after which she joined Debevoise & Plimpton, where she practiced for over five years in the areas of corporate law and intellectual property. Ms. Merlen is admitted to practice in Connecticut and New York.