Christopher A. Gorman is a Partner at Abrams Fensterman, LLP where he serves as the Director of the firm’s Real Estate and Construction Litigation Department. Mr. Gorman concentrates his practice in all phases of complex commercial litigation in State and Federal Courts. Mr. Gorman has litigated cases on behalf of corporations and individuals involving a variety of substantive areas of the law, including breach of contract, commercial and residential mortgage foreclosure actions, construction litigation, landlord-tenant litigation, partnership and shareholder disputes, bankruptcy litigation, estate litigation, employment and restrictive covenant disputes, RICO, trademark litigation, and a wide array of real estate-related litigation. Mr. Gorman also serves as outside general counsel to several start-up entities and other corporations providing advice to clients on all general corporate, mergers and acquisitions, contract and employment-related matters.
Mr. Gorman has been designated as a New York Super Lawyer in Business Litigation since 2021, a distinction earned by only 5% of the lawyers in the NY metro area. Mr. Gorman was selected as a “New York Super Lawyers Rising Star” in the area of business litigation for the years 2013 through 2017. In 2016, Mr. Gorman was selected by the Long Island Business News as one of Long Island’s “40 Under 40” future business leaders of Long Island.
Mr. Gorman is frequently called upon to lecture to the Bar on various matters. Recent presentations include a presentation made on behalf of the Nassau County Bar Association entitled “The Anatomy of a Mortgage Foreclosure Action,” a presentation made on behalf of the Construction Law Committee of the Nassau County Bar Association on New York State’s Prompt Payment Act, a presentation made on behalf of the New Jersey Law Journal entitled “Recent Developments in the Law Governing the Preservation of Electronically Stored Information”, as well as a program on behalf of the New York State Bar Association entitled “Debt Collection and the Enforcement of Money Judgments,” where Mr. Gorman’s presentation focused upon the ethical obligations of lawyers and others collecting consumer debts, including obligations imposed by the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
Mr. Gorman also regularly publishes articles on matters of interest to the Bar. Articles that Mr. Gorman has authored have appeared in, among other publications, the New York Law Journal, Law360, Nassau Lawyer, and the Vermont Law Review.
Mr. Gorman is admitted to practice in New York State, as well as the United States District Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York. Mr. Gorman is also a qualified receiver for the New York State Office of Court Administration and is certified to be appointed receiver or counsel to receivers in matters pending in the New York State Supreme Court and local federal courts.
Mr. Gorman attended The Catholic University of America, where he graduated cum laude with a degree in Politics and played four years on the varsity football team. Mr. Gorman earned his law degree magna cum laude from Brooklyn Law School, where he was a Richardson Scholar and a Notes and Comments Editor for the Brooklyn Law Review.
Bar Admissions
- New York
- United States District Court, Southern District of New York
- United States District Court, Eastern District of New York
Education
- Brooklyn Law School — J.D. 2004
- Notes and Comments Editor, Brooklyn Law Review
- Richardson Scholar
- The Catholic University of America — B.A. 2001
Published Works
- “A Narrow Exception to New York’s Foreclosure Limitations Period,” Law360 (March 17, 2017)
- “Casting Doubt on the Validity of Servicer Affidavits in Foreclosure Litigation,” New York Law Journal (October 20, 2016)
- “The Statute of Limitations Defense in Foreclosure Actions,” Law360 (November 30, 2015)
- “UCC and the Importance of a Paper Clip,” Law360 (October 1, 2015)
- “Stage is Set for New York High Court Review of Standing Waiver,” Law360 (July 24, 2015)
- “New York High Court Standing Ruling Looks Like a Win for Lenders,” Law360 (July 6, 2015)
- “Road Map to Complying With RPAPL Pre-Foreclosure Notice Requirement,” New York Law Journal (June 18, 2015)
- “‘Waived’ Standing Defense in Mortgage Foreclosures: Far From a Model of Clarity,” New York Law Journal (May 5, 2015)
- “Mortgage Securitization: What is its Impact on Lenders’ Ability to Foreclose,” New York Law Journal (March 19, 2015)
- “Independence Bank v. Valentine: Placing Limits on CPLR 3408 Settlement Conferences in Commercial Mortgage Foreclosure Actions,” Nassau Lawyer (September 2014)
- “Preservation of Electronically Stored Information: It’s Not Just for Litigators Anymore,” Nassau Lawyer (May 2012)
- “Public School Students’ Fourth Amendment Rights After Vernonia and Earls: Why Limits Must be Set on Suspicionless Drug Screening in the Public Schools,” 29 Vermont L. Rev. 147 (Fall 2004)
Presentations and Seminars
- Rising Levels of Foreclosures: Insights for Owners, Investors & Lenders – Free Webinar – Hosted by PincusCo Media, LLC, Panelist
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Nassau County Bar Association
- New York State Bar Association
- Long Island Real Estate Group, New Generation Committee
Government Service
- Law Clerk to the Honorable Gabriel W. Gorenstein, United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (2004-2005)
Notable Reported Decisions
- Citibank, N.A. v. Herman, — A.D.3d —, 2023 WL 2778406 (2d Dep’t April 5, 2023)
- Citibank, N.A. v. Herman, — A.D.3d —, 2023 WL 2778444 (2d Dep’t April 5, 2023)
- Bank of New York Mellon v. Mannino, — A.D.3d —, 2022 WL 6851270 (2d Dep’t Oct. 12, 2022)
- Deutsche Bank National Trust Company v. Weininger, — N.Y.S.3d —, 2022 WL 2232069 (2d Dep’t June 22, 2022)
- U.S. Bank National Association v. Tesoriero, — A.D.3d —, — N.Y.S.3d —, 2022 WL 1231650 (2d Dep’t Apr. 27, 2022)
- Raymond James Bank, NA v. Guzzetti, — A.D.3d —, — N.Y.S.3d —, 2022 WL 385992 (2d Dep’t Feb. 9, 2022)
- 2010–3 SFR Venture, LLC v. Schiavoni, — N.Y.S.3d —-, 2021 WL 5226042 (2d Dep’t Nov. 10, 2021)
- U.S. Bank National Association v. Weinman, 2021 WL 2551822 (2d Dep’t June 23, 2021)
- LNV Corporation v. Almberg, 2021 WL 1774185 (2d Dep’t May 5, 2021)
- Bayview Loan Servicing LLC v. Starr-Klein, 2021 WL 1396244 (2d Dep’t Apr. 14, 2021)
- Federal National Mortgage Association v. Hollien, 2021 WL 1202850 (2d Dep’t Mar. 31, 2021)
- Wilmington Trust, National Association v. Bona, 187 A.D.3d 1099 (2d Dep’t 2020)
- U.S. Bank National Association v. Moulton, 179 A.D.3d 734 (2d Dep’t 2020)
- Hudson City Savings Bank v. 59 Sands Point, LLC, 153 A.D.3d 613 (2d Dep’t 2017)
- Austin v. Gould, 137 A.D.3d 495 (1st Dep’t 2016)
- Citibank, N.A. v. Herman, 125 A.D.3d 587 (2d Dep’t 2015)
- BAC Home Loans Servicing, LP v. Hassett, 2013 WL 497314 (Sup. Ct. Suffolk Co. Jan. 28, 2013)