Damian Cavaleri represents clients in all capacities and litigates and arbitrates a wide breadth of business and employment-related disputes. He handles all aspects of litigation, including discovery, motion practice, trial, and appeal, and has litigated in federal and state courts in New York. He also counsels clients regarding employment agreements, employment separation agreements, and non-competition restrictions and covenants.
Damian as lead counsel, has won a multimillion-dollar jury verdict against Mastercard International on behalf of a Jordanian financial services firm; and successfully defended attempts by a foreign company to enforce a seven-figure judgment in New York. Recently, he represented a top advertising industry executive against Verizon over a noncompete clause that threatened to scuttle his client’s career-defining job. He also regularly represents the MTA and an international medical service provider in defending New York-based discrimination and retaliation claims from employees.
Damian is a member of the Federal Bar Council and serves as co-chair of the Employment Litigation Subcommittee of the Commercial and Federal Litigation Section of the New York State Bar Association. Damian has been recognized as a “Litigation Star” since 2021 and “Labor and Employment Star” since 2023 by Benchmark Litigation and recognized on the “40 & Under List from 2019-2022, named an Employment Law Trailblazer by The National Law Journal, shortlisted for Euromoney Legal Media Group’s inaugural 2018 Americas Rising Star Award for “Best in Litigation: Trial Lawyer,” and has been named a New York Metro Super Lawyers “Rising Star” from 2015-2017 and “Super Lawyer” from 2021-22.
Damian has an affinity for the arts and serves as a trustee for the Kaufman Music Center. He is admitted to practice before the United States District Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts and the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Damian previously practiced at Schulte Roth & Zabel LLP.
Education:
- Cornell Law School (J.D.)
- University of California, Berkeley (B.A.)
Updated Aug 2023
