Peter A. Lauricella

Commercial Litigation
Peter's practice focuses on complex commercial and breach of contract lawsuits; business “divorces” and dissolution proceedings; shareholder and partnership disputes; claims involving financial improprieties by companies; breach of fiduciary duty claims against corporate directors and officers; business defamation and unfair business practice claims; non-compete agreements; intellectual property matters; Lanham Act claims; and real estate, construction, and creditors’ rights and collections matters. In 2022, Peter tried one of the largest business divorce and valuation cases in Upstate New York ever reported, obtaining a very favorable verdict for the firm’s client. Furthermore, as a testament to his experience, Peter has been selected by his peers on several occasions to act as a mediator on complex commercial cases, as well as to testify as an expert witness on contractual disputes.

Outside General Counsel
In this role, Peter has represented companies in many matters, including conducting internal investigations, handling employment matters (such as drafting employment agreements, conducting hirings and terminations, and counseling on statutory compliance), ensuring compliance with their corporate governance, reviewing their vendor contracts, and managing their interactions with various regulatory agencies.

Employment/Corporate/General Counsel Services
Additionally, Peter is regularly called on to defend employers in claims by employees involving alleged illegal employment practices, such as alleged discrimination, hiring, termination of employment, and workplace accommodations. Separately, Peter’s background in commercial matters has led to his retention by clients to handle transactional matters, such as drafting and reviewing corporate equity and buyout agreements; drafting and reviewing vendor, services, credit, and security agreements; as well as counseling clients on corporate finance, UCC issues, and secured transactions.

Government Investigations/Internal Investigations
As a business litigator in New York’s Capital District, Peter is called upon to represent companies being subjected to an investigation, complaint, or claim by the Attorney General’s office or another state or federal regulatory agency, whether it be for alleged unfair business practices or corruption charges, or other alleged regulatory infractions. Further, Peter has handled many internal investigations for clients, ultimately issuing reports containing recommendations to the client on how to mitigate its risk from further legal action and proposals to implement changes to the client’s by-laws and internal policies to prevent the issues that caused the investigation. Peter assists corporate clients in navigating the complex maze of business regulations, provides representation to companies that are the subject of government investigations initiated by state and federal regulatory agencies, and handles proceedings involving the award or denial of bids on government contracts.

Professional Liability
Peter represents and defends engineers and architects in a wide variety of claims, including alleged design defects, improper drafting of specifications, improper construction site supervision, and general errors and omissions. He has handled such claims prior to litigation, in mediation and arbitration, and in litigation in state and federal courts. His professional liability experience also includes the representation of directors and officers, accountants, dentists, physicians and other health care professionals, insurance agents and brokers, financial professionals, and lawyers.

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Professional/Community Activities
Outside his roles at the firm, Peter is very active in the professional and not-for-profit community. He is often asked to serve on boards of directors and committees. Until 2015, Peter served as chair of the board of directors of the Capital District YMCA, and in that same year received the YMCA’s “President’s Award,” the highest recognition for a volunteer. Currently, Peter is a director on the boards of Empire State Youth Orchestra, Inc. (ESYO) and Junior Achievement of Northeastern New York. In 2011, the Albany County Bar Association selected Peter to serve on its Judicial Qualifications and Screening Committee, where he assisted in interviewing and reviewing the qualifications of candidates running for state and local judgeships. In addition, Peter was appointed by the Albany County Legislature in 2007 to serve as vice chairman of the Albany County Ethics Commission, where he served for six years, and several years later was selected by the Town Board of Bethlehem, New York, to serve on its Ethics Board. Peter has volunteered for multiple organizations that seek to better the legal profession. In this regard, he currently serves as chair of DRI’s national Commercial Litigation Committee and has been a volunteer on several committees for the Albany County Bar Association.