Michael J. Geraghty is an accomplished trial lawyer with over 25 years’ experience prosecuting and defending all aspects of business and commercial litigation in state and federal courts in New York, New Jersey and other jurisdictions throughout the United States. Mr. Geraghty has been lead trial counsel in numerous cases involving banking, contract disputes, business torts, real estate, including complex landlord-tenant issues, environmental recovery and insurance coverage, trusts and estates, unfair competition and trademark, copyright, trade secrets, restrictive covenants, securities, ERISA, employment, executive compensation and admiralty. He has represented clients in various industries including multinational and national banks, brokerage firms, public agencies, insurers, reinsurers, property owners, commercial landlords, manufacturers, vendors, shareholders and trustees in cases involving claims for damages up to tens of millions of dollars.
Before joining the Firm in 2015, Mr. Geraghty was a partner at Saiber LLC for 17 years. He started his career by serving as a law clerk to the Hon. James J. Petrella, Presiding Judge of the New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division.
Practices
- Banking and Finance Litigation
- Estate Litigation
- Litigation
Representative Matters
- Lead trial and appellate counsel for successful defense of multinational bank against claims brought by large casino and obtaining an award of substantial attorneys’ fees in favor of the bank pursuant to an offer of judgment.
- Lead attorney for successful series of highly publicized, multi-forum litigations for bi-state port authority leading to the dismissal of claims for $30 million in damages by a marine terminal operator.
- Lead trial defense attorney for large community bank in jury trial resulting in verdict dismissing $7 million in claimed lost profits by travel company.
- Obtained dismissal of trademark, copyright and defamation claims brought against prominent non-profit organization by its former executive director.
- Obtained order in favor of purchaser of former Soviet navy vessel vacating temporary restraining order against purchaser from delivering vessel to destination in India.
- Obtained dismissal in federal district court of complaint by beneficiary for $3 million against institutional trustee.
- Negotiated the setting aside of revocations of insurance broker’s licenses with several state insurance departments.
- Obtained summary judgment on behalf of large group of retirees of an international manufacturer for unpaid incentive compensation, leading to favorable multimillion dollar settlement.
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
Rankings and Recognition
- Selected for inclusion in:
- New Jersey Super Lawyers®* 2011-2017, Business Litigation; Banking
- Inducted into the Bucknell University Hall of Fame in 2006.
- Inducted into the Don Bosco Preparatory High School Hall of Fame in 2002.
* See Award Methodology. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
Affiliations
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Member, New Jersey State Bar Association
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Member, New York State Bar Association
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Member, Association of the Federal Bar of the State of New Jersey
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Member, American Bar Association
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Member, Essex County Bar Association
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Member, Bergen County Bar Association
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Member, Ireland Chamber of Commerce in the USA
Education
- J.D., New York Law School
- B.A., Bucknell University, with honors
