Partner Richard Apat is the head of VMM’s Personal Injury and Real Estate Litigation Practices.
Mr. Apat is a seasoned attorney with over 30 years of experience in plaintiff personal injury litigation, real estate litigation, and commercial litigation.
His personal injury work encompasses all aspects of representing clients injured due to the negligence or wrongdoing of another, including motor vehicle accidents, construction accidents, workplace accidents, all types of premises accidents, slip & falls, product liability, and wrongful death cases.
Many of his cases involve severe injuries, perennially affecting the lives of his clients and their families. Mr. Apat and the VMM team work aggressively and tirelessly to make sure our clients receive the compensation they deserve.
Mr. Apat’s real estate litigation practice includes boundary disputes, adverse possession, easements, actions to remove encroachments, partition actions, breach of real estate contracts, specific performance, down payment forfeiture, fraudulent deeds or transactions, building collapse cases, litigation and drafting of real estate access agreements, construction litigation, and other commercial real estate litigation.
AREAS OF PRACTICE
BAR ADMISSIONS
- New York, 1989
- U.S. District Court Southern District of New York, 1990
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York, 1991
EDUCATION
- J.D., Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center, 1988
- B.A., Communications, State University of New York at Albany, 1985
MEMBERSHIPS & ASSOCIATIONS
- New York State Trial Lawyers Association
- New York State Bar Association
- American Association for Justice
- Queens County Bar Association
- Nassau County Bar Association
AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS
- New York Metro Super Lawyers, Personal Injury, 2019 – Present
- Avvo, 5-star reviewed member
- Nominee, LI Herald “2021 Top Lawyer of Long Island,” Personal Injury
PRO BONO & COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
- Volunteer, attorney adviser of the Locust Valley High School team, New York State High School Mock Trial Tournament
- Volunteer, Big Brother Big Sister Program of the Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services in New York City