Thomas E. Stagg

Thomas Stagg, managing partner at Stagg Wabnik Law Group, LLP, focuses his practice on commercial, general and appellate litigation. He represents clients in federal and state courts in New York and New Jersey, as well as in Connecticut federal court, and has argued before New York’s highest court, the Court of Appeals, on behalf of international banking clients. Each year since 2003 Thomas has achieved an “AV” Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating, which is assigned to lawyers who have reached the height of professional excellence and who are recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity. He has also been selected annually as a New York Metro Super Lawyer since 2012. No more than five percent of the lawyers in the state are selected to Super Lawyers, which is a rating service of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement made after a rigorous multi-phased process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates, and peer reviews. In 2012, Thomas was named by the New York State Bar Association as an Empire State Counsel® for providing more than 50 hours of free legal services to low-income individuals and in 2016 was awarded Top Legal Eagle in Litigation for Nassau and Suffolk Counties, which is assigned annually to only ten attorneys.

Thomas has represented the firm’s banking and credit clients in connection with Uniform Commercial Code matters and federal and state consumer credit statutes, including the Truth in Lending Act, Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, Electronic Fund Transfer Act and the Fair Credit Reporting Act. On behalf of corporate, municipal and private clients, he has successfully litigated numerous actions involving federal and state environmental laws, class action constitutional and land use issues. He has also served as counsel to a large municipality in its negotiations with New York State for a multimillion dollar grant and regularly represents clients in trust and estates litigation and administration matters.

Thomas completed advanced commercial mediation training and is an active member of the Southern District of New York Mediation Panel and the New York State Commercial Division Mediation Panel in New York, Nassau, Suffolk and Westchester counties. He has also been certified as a guardian ad litem by New York State. In addition, Thomas is registered with and has volunteered hundreds of hours to the American Bar Association’s Military Pro Bono Project, a nationwide program that connects junior-enlisted servicemembers in need of pro bono legal help with volunteer attorneys throughout the nation. He is a 2015 recipient of the ABA Military Pro Bono Project Outstanding Services Award.

After graduating from the State University of New York at Binghamton and St. John’s University School of Law, where he was Associate Notes and Comments Editor of St. John’s Journal of Legal Commentary, Thomas began his legal career with the Washington, D.C. based firm of Beveridge & Diamond. His publications include, as coauthor, “Contractual Protection: An Existing Remedy for Bondholder Distress.” 4 St. John’s Journal of Legal Commentary 2. He lectures on environmental lender liability and has served on the Long Island Sound Nonpoint Source Pollution Committee.

Thomas is a member of the bars of New York, New Jersey and Washington, D.C. His reported cases include: Bryant v. Shopping Center Associates, et al., Sup. Ct. of N.J., Middlesex Co. Docket No. MID-L-4759-16 (defense jury verdict following trial); JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. v. Maurer, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16023 (S.D.N.Y. Feb. 9, 2015); Texas 1845, LLC v. Kyaw, 117 A.D.3d 1028, 986 N.Y.S.2d 574 (2d Dep’t 2014); Texas 1845, LLC v. Kyaw, 117 A.D.3d 1031, 986 N.Y.S.2d 577 (2d Dep’t 2014); Mosbacher v. JP Morgan Chase Bank, N.A.,109 A.D.3d 525, 970 N.Y.S.2d 872 (2d. Dep’t 2013); Kevin Kerveng Tung, P.C. v. JP Morgan Chase & Co., 105 A.D.3d 709, 963 N.Y.S.2d 145 (2d Dep’t 2013); Atkins-Payne v. Branch, 95 A.D.3d 912, 944 N.Y.S.2d 269 (2d Dep’t 2012); Spira v. J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., No. 09-8412, 2010 WL 3910290 (S.D.N.Y. Sept. 29, 2010) aff’d Spira v. J.P. Morgan Chase & Co., No. 10-4590, 466 Fed. Appx. 20, 2012 WL 615597 (2d Cir. Feb 28, 2012); Texas 1845 LLC v. Wu Air Corp., 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14979 (E.D.N.Y. Feb. 3, 2012); Apostolidis v. JP Morgan Chase & Co., 2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 157733 (E.D.N.Y. Nov. 2, 2012); Winkler v. Battery Trading, Inc., 89 A.D.3d 1016, 934 N.Y.S.2d 199 (2d Dep’t 2011); Lin v. Chase Card Services, 09-5938, 2010 WL 1265185 (D.N.J. March 26, 2010) aff’d Lin v. Chase Card Services, 10-1612 & 10-2205, 427 Fed. Appx., 118 2011 WL 1770532 (3d Cir. May 10, 2011); Wimbledon Fund LP v. SV Special Situations LP, No. 4780-VCS, 2011 WL 378827 (Del. Ch. February 4, 2011); Golden-Koether v. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 136472 (D.N.J. Nov. 29, 2011); Harvey v. Fresquez, 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 25353 (S.D.N.Y. Mar. 7, 2011), aff’d 479 Fed. Appx. 360, 2012 U.S. App. LEXIS 8794 (2d Cir. 2012); Estate of Merna v. Simuro, 74 A.D.3d 1277, 904 N.Y.S.2d 197 (2d Dep’t 2010); Estate of Jerry Castellone v JPMorgan Chase, N.A., 60 A.D.3d 621, 875 N.Y.S.2d 130 (2d Dep’t 2009); In re Estate of Ray, 874 N.Y.S.2d 891 (Sur. Ct. Kings County 2009); Provident Bank v. Community Home Mortg. Corp., 498 F.Supp.2d 558 (E.D.N.Y. 2007); Elio Bruno v. First USA Bank, N.A. (In re Bruno), 356 B.R. 89 (W.D.N.Y. 2006); Salles v. Chase Manhattan Bank, 12 Misc.3d 1165(A), 820 N.Y.S.2d 845 (Sup. Ct. Bronx County, 2006); Punk Ziegel & Co., L.P. v. Energy Partners, Ltd., et al., (Sup. Ct. New York County, 2006); Neama v. Town of Babylon 18. A.D.2d 836, 796 N.Y.S.2d 644 (2d Dep’t 2005); Overby v. Chase Manhattan Bank & JPMorgan Chase (S.D.N.Y. 2005);Kurz v. Chase Manhattan Bank USA, NA., 324 F.Supp.2d 444, (S.D.N.Y. 2004) (reported as Decision of Interest, June 17, 2004 New York Law Journal); Kurz v. Chase Manhattan Bank USA, N.A., 319 F.Supp.2d 457, (S.D.N.Y. 2004); Salles v. Chase Manhattan Bank, 300 A.D.2d 226, 754 N.Y.S.2d 236 (1st Dep’t 2002); Doremus v. Town of Oyster Bay, 274 A.D.2d 390, 711 N.Y.S.2d 443 (2d Dep’t 2000);Barbara Anne, Inc. v. Smithhaven Center Associates, LLC, 273 A.D.2d 331, 709 N.Y.S.2d 596, (2d Dep’t 2000);Mouradian v. Astoria Federal Sav. and Loan, 91 N.Y.2d 124, 667 N.Y.S.2d 340 (1997);Resolution Trust Corp. v. Hidden Ponds Phase IV Development Associates, 873 F.Supp. 799 (E.D.N.Y. 1995); Village of Grand View v. Skinner, 947 F.2d 651 (2d Cir. 1991).

Areas of Practice

• Banking Litigation
• Commercial Litigation
• Environmental Law
• General Liability Defense
• Trust and Estates Litigation/Administration

Bar Admissions

• New York, 1991
• New Jersey, 1991
• District of Columbia, 1991
• U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York, 1992
• U.S. District Court Southern District of New York, 1992
• U.S. District Court Western District of New York, 2006
• U.S. District Court District of New Jersey, 1991
• U.S. District Court District of Connecticut, 2002
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, 2002
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit, 2010
• United States Supreme Court, 2007

Education

• St. John’s University School of Law, Jamaica, New York, 1990 – J.D.
• State University of New York at Binghamton, Binghamton, New York, 1984 – B.A.

Published Works

• Contractual Protection: An Existing Remedy for Bondholder Distress, 4 St. John’s Journal of Legal Commentary 2, 1989

Classes/Seminars Taught

• Environmental Lender Liability
• Safe Deposit Box Litigation
• Trust Administration

Professional Associations and Memberships

• L.I. Sound Nonpoint Source Pollution Committee

Stagg Wabnik Law Group LLP

Stagg Wabnik Law Group practices in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. The firm has achieved the highest peer review rating by Martindale-Hubbell, which rates legal ability and ethical standards.

We are a highly respected full service law firm. Our practice areas include banking, creditors rights, securities law, commercial and general liability litigation and consumer litigation, labor and employment, municipal law, real estate, zoning and land use, environmental law, and corporate transactions.

The firm’s clients include several of the largest companies in the world, including Home Depot U.S.A., Inc., JPMorgan Chase & Co., Simon Property Group, Bank of America, N.A., and Masco Corporation, among many others. These Fortune 500 clients turn to the Stagg Wabnik Law Group for our expertise, experience and value, and because we take an original and fresh approach to resolving matters for our clients.

We are equally adept at representing small companies, municipalities and individuals, many of whom turn to us for quality representation at a reasonable cost. By truly listening to the needs of our clients and looking for ways to resolve conflicts in nontraditional ways, we have established long-standing relationships with our clients, many of whom we have represented for many years. We are proud of the trust and loyalty that all of our clients, both large and small, have placed in the Stagg Wabnik Law Group.