Tesser, Ryan & Rochman, LLP

Partners: Gregory J. Ryan (Managing Partner), Alexandra G. Lyras, and George Kontogiannis

Emeritus Counsel: Lewis Tesser

Additional Fee-Earners: Randall Tesser and Jackson Kerr

Tesser, Ryan & Rochman, LLP has been serving clients in the NYC Metro area since 1974. Presently the firm's offices are in White Plains, NY.

Firm Overview

At Tesser, Ryan, we communicate and work closely with our clients, listen to their concerns, and ensure that we understand their needs. We strive to provide the most efficient and exceptional representation possible and our goal is to expand our roster of satisfied clients. This requires not only dedication to achieving clients’ goals, but also commitment to making the experience as accessible as possible.

Tesser, Ryan’s attorneys have over fifty years’ experience representing individuals, professionals, and large and small businesses. Our attorneys have been nationally recognized for their achievements, have been selected to Super Lawyers and Top 100 Trial Lawyers lists, and have been honored to chair numerous committees concentrating on the advancement of the law. Among them, their experience includes being a Judge Advocate in the U.S. Army, an Assistant United States Attorney, a Clerk to a Federal Circuit Court Judge, and an Assistant District Attorney.

Main Areas of Practice

Corporate and Commercial Matters 

Tesser, Ryan's attorneys can help your business with general corporate matters, commercial finance, mergers and acquisition. We have served our business clients as outsourced corporate counsel, assisting and advising on daily issues which affect doing business, including governance, operations, employment issues, transactions, and disputes.

We are proud of our attorneys’ experience handling complex corporate and commercial matters. Partner Gregory Ryan, recognized as a National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Trial Lawyer for 2014 and 2016, has represented large and small businesses in Federal and State court for over thirty years. Mr. Ryan has represented businesses in complex commercial matters involving contract disputes, business torts and unfair labor practices. Lewis Tesser, a former Assistant United States Attorney, continuously recognized for selection to the SuperLawyers lists, has represented clients in sophisticated business disputes involving fiduciary obligations, financial torts, insurance disputes and legal and professional malpractice. Our attorneys also serve as mediators and arbitrators in complex business, employment and commercial disputes. Specifically, Lewis Tesser has served as an Arbitrator and a Mediator for the American Arbitration Association, a Mediator for the United States District Court for the South District of New York, the New York Supreme Court, New York County (Commercial Division), and for FINRA. Individuals involved in such meditations have recognized Mr. Tesser’s professionalism, dedication, skill and mastery of the facts and law involved in their disputes.

Our clients include a regional steel fabrication and manufacturing company, residential and commercial property developers, a national publishing business, a women's clothing retailer, an international shipping company, a national business conference and event hosting company, an international diamond dealer, the estate of a Nobel prize winner.

Financial Services 

Tesser, Ryan also offers its clients advice regarding private equity, fund formation, SEC regulatory compliance, mergers and acquisitions of advisory businesses by other advisors, and private placements. We have represented investment advisers in formation and registration matters, including operations and annual compliance review, and disclosures and public reporting. Our attorneys have served as Chief Compliance Officer for advisers to private funds and registered companies.

Our clients include commercial real estate developers, international financial services providers and wealth managers, registered and unregistered investment adviser firms, and advisers to registered investment companies and private pooled vehicles,

Litigation – Civil Litigation, Arbitration, Mediation, and Criminal Defense

Tesser, Ryan works with each client to understand its goals and in resolving its dispute in the smartest, most cost-effective way possible. We recognize and often advise our clients that the best and most cost-effective approach in any dispute is to protect yourself in advance. To this end, we advise large companies, small businesses and individuals on practical ways to avoid litigation through risk assessment, mitigation, and counseling to avoid liability. In order to properly anticipate exposure and identify a cost-effective way of protecting clients and their businesses, it is important to have a law firm with substantial business and trial experience. For those times a lawsuit cannot be avoided, engaging an experienced law firm is necessary to contain and manage the potential financial exposure, business disruption, time loss and publicity issues. For over thirty years, we have represented clients in complex litigations matters in both Federal and State court and before dozens of administrative and regulatory bodies. Through our experience with the court system, we understand what judges and juries look for when assigning fault. We look for those weaknesses and offer practical advice on the best ways to close those holes in your business.

We have successfully represented individuals in high-profile criminal matters who were charged with fraud, white collar business crimes, conspiracy, and other serious felonies and high-profile crimes. We work with clients to identify the best possible resolution of their matter. In many instances, this involves avoiding a criminal prosecution or investigation altogether, negotiating an acceptable plea, defending a client in trial, negotiating a lenient sentence or vigorously prosecuting an appeal. In addition to representing clients in commercial litigation, we are strong believers in forms of alternative dispute resolution such as mediation and arbitration, which help protect our clients’ interests while avoiding much of the cost, exposure, stress and time associated with litigation.

Private Client: Estate Planning; Probate; Real Estate 

Whether you are making arrangements for your future or are carrying out the wishes of a loved one, Tesser, Ryan treats each case with sensitivity and competence, offering stability and confidence through what may be a difficult time. We work with our clients to develop an estate plan to suit their individualized goals at a reasonable price-point. Our estate planning services include:

• Drafting wills so assets will be distributed according to a client's wishes
• Establishing trusts to safeguard assets
• Drafting health care proxies to ensure that someone trusted can make decisions about health care treatment if a client is unable
• Drafting powers of attorney to enable trusted parties to manage assets if a client is unable

Dealing with the death of a friend or loved one is painful enough without having to navigate the legal technicalities of administering an estate. Our experienced team works with its clients throughout the estate process from start-to-finish, whether the decedent passed away with a will (probate) or without one (administration). Our probate services include:

• Guiding the through the intricacies of the Surrogate’s Court and probate and administration process
• Contesting the admission of a will to probate or contesting the appointment of an executor/administrator
• Collecting and managing estate assets paying estate debts
• Responding to claims against the estate
• Assisting in the preparation of estate tax returns
• Distributing estate assets to beneficiaries

We have assisted a wide array of clients of various ages and wealth levels and at various stages of their estate planning process to, among other things, prepare to be eligible for Medicaid benefits, protect their assets, ensure future generations are provided for, and maximize savings. Our clients include high net worth individuals, celebrities, musicians, and social media personalities, families and individuals working with a sudden health crisis or death.

As a corollary to our corporate and private client practices, we also represent our individual and commercial clients in the purchase, sale and financing of their residential and commercial properties.

Professional Practices and Discipline  

Tesser, Ryan offers individualized full-service representation, partnering with professional practices and licensed professionals in the establishment, transitions, growth, and sale of practices, all while protecting their licenses and certifications. Professionals rely on our advice in growing and maintaining a practice that is both successful and ethical. Sometimes, however, even the most competent and thorough professional may find themselves the subject of a disciplinary complaint or even a malpractice suit, either of which can have devastating implications. When facing potential disciplinary, licensing or liability issues, it is important to have a law firm with experience representing licensed professionals.

We have over fifty years’ experience advising and assisting a wide range of clients, including civil servants, attorneys, doctors, nurses, dentists, CPAs, architects, and countless other licensed professionals in the regulations governing their practice. We have represented such professionals before Federal, State and local administrative agencies, disciplinary bodies, investigatory boards, and employee disciplinary tribunals. We have defended licensed professionals in court in both disciplinary actions and malpractice suits.