Lawyer Overview
Jessica Kastner is a Partner in the Firm’s Litigation Department and Intellectual Property Department. She practices in both New York and California. Ms. Kastner provides comprehensive litigation and risk management services to an array of individual and corporate clients. With nearly two decades of litigation experience, Ms. Kastner is a highly skilled litigator with considerable experience trying cases in state and federal courts in both New York and California, as well as engaging in alternative dispute resolution and arguing appeals before state and federal appellate courts.
Ms. Kastner’s general commercial litigation practice including business torts, contract disputes, creditors’ rights in bankruptcy, intellectual property, not-for-profit law, employment law and real property litigation. Ms. Kastner has specialized experience in real estate and real property litigation, including title insurance defense of both owners’ and lenders’ claims. Her real estate litigation practice includes quiet title actions to remedy defects in title and determine mortgage validity, lien priority disputes, complex commercial foreclosures, general fraud, mortgage fraud and title insurance coverage litigation. As part of her title insurance defense practice, Ms. Kastner often litigates cases involving unusual factual scenarios and obscure rules of law, including cases of adverse possession, enforcement of ancient or equitable interests, existence and enforcement of easements, tree destruction, enforcement of reversionary interests, boundary line disputes, and complex fraudulent conveyance schemes. Ms. Kastner is skilled at strategically navigating complex areas of law in litigation to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
Ms. Kastner previously served as General Counsel for an international not-for-profit organization, the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ), where she managed all in-house litigation, oversaw outside counsel and advised on corporate compliance issues. Prior to that, Ms. Kastner served as a Commercial Litigation Associate with Proskauer Rose LLP in New York, representing Fortune 100 clients in complex commercial litigation.
In addition to commercial litigation, Ms. Kastner practices juvenile dependency law and represents parents, relatives and caregivers in cases where a county social services agency has opened an investigation or filed a case of alleged child abuse or neglect. As part of this practice, Ms. Kastner also assists former foster youth and parents in evaluating potential civil rights actions against county agencies.
Ms. Kastner previously worked for Los Angeles Dependency Attorneys, where she served as court appointed counsel, defending parents in cases brought by the Department of Children and Family Services. She also previously worked for Advokids, where she provided pro bono legal services in dependency law, engaged in child welfare policy advocacy, and assisted with impact litigation.
Ms. Kastner also serves as a volunteer board member for a number of child welfare non-profit agencies in Southern California.
Publications, Presentations & Lectures
- Presenter, “How to Navigate the Sale and/or Merger of a Small to Midsize Law Practice: What are the Options?”, CLE program, NYSBA 50+ Section Annual Meeting Program, NYC (2023)
- Presenter, “How to Navigate the Sale and/or Merger of a Small to Midsize Law Practice: What are the Options?” Webinar, Virtual CLE program, NYSBA 50+ Section (2023)
- Panelist, “How Employers Have Implemented New Opportunities in DEI… and the Challenges that Remain” presented by the Business Council of Westchester (2022)
- Panelist, “Men as Allies: It Takes All of Us,” 5th Annual Women’s Leadership Summit, Manhattanville College (2019)
- Presenter, “Origination Credit and Partner Compensation: Giving Credit Where Credit is Due”, CLE program, Center for Competitive Management (2015)
- Presenter, “Real Property Law Update”, New York State Bar Association, Senior Lawyers Section Fall Meeting (2014)
- Co-Panelist, “Partners’ Compensation”, New York State Bar Association, Law Practice Management Committee and the Committee on Continuing Legal Education (2014)
- Orientation Presenter, Albany Law School (2014)
- Presenter, “Hot Tips for Building Client Relations” CLE program, New York State Bar Association Marketing Conference (2014)
- Co-Presenter, “See How Technology Makes the Business Side of Law Easier & More Effective” CLE program, Westchester County Bar Association (2013)
- Co-Presenter, “Essential Residential Real Estate Law: Contract to Closing Without a Headache” CLE program, Pace Law School (2013)
- Panelist, Westchester Grow Forum for Entrepreneurs, presented by the Westchester County Office of Economic Development and the Gateway to Entrepreneurship at Westchester Community College (2012)
- Program Faculty, New York State Bar Association, “Strategies for Progressing Equity Partners”, LPM CLE webcast (2012)
- Co-Presenter, Westchester County Bar Association Real Property Section CLE, “Commercial Properties – The Nuts and Bolts of Buying, Selling and Leasing” (2012)
- Presenter, Westchester County Bar Association CLE program entitled “10 Hot Management Tips for Driving the Bottom Line to Profitability and Creating Professional Satisfaction” (2012)
- Co-Presenter for the Westchester County Bar Association webinar, “Tech Tips to Enhance Profitability and Competitiveness” (2011)
- Co-Presenter, “BANKRUPTCY Defalcation and Rooker-Feldman Doctrine/Res Judicata” CLE program (2011)
- Co-Presenter, “Commercial Purchasing, Leasing and Workouts” seminar, sponsored by Skyline Title, Inc. and promoted in part by the Westchester County Bar Association and the Westchester Women’s Bar Association (2009)
- Guest Speaker, Pace Law School’s New Directions Program (2008)
- Presenter, Westchester Women’s Bar Association Real Estate Expo on the subject of commercial real estate transactions (2008)
Volunteer Positions
Foster Care Legal Network, Board Member
Extraordinary Families, Board Member 2021-2024
Appointed Positions
- Chairman of the Board, LittleMissMatched, LLC. (privately held iconic tween apparel company)
- Trustee, Board of Trustees of Albany Law School
- Board Member, Former Executive Committee Member and Former General Counsel of the Business Council of Westchester
- Board Member, Hudson Valley Economic Development Corporation
- Former Vice President, Executive Committee and Board Member, Westchester County Bar Association
- Former Chair, Westchester County Bar Association, Law Office Management Special Committee
- Former Acting President, Orienta Point Association (neighborhood organization)
- Former Chair, Law Practice Management Section, New York State Bar Association
- Former Town Prosecutor, Town of Mamaroneck
- Former Member, Village of Mamaroneck, Harbor Commission
Awards & Accomplishments
- Gender Fair Award, for recognition as a true model for diversity and inclusion, presented by the NBA’s New York Liberty, 2019
- 2019 Gender Fair Certification, for being the first and only law firm certified for diversity and inclusion, by Gender Fair NYC
- 2017 Small Business Award, for Excellence in overall firm growth, featured in the Fall issue of 914Inc.
- 2012 Equal Access to Justice Award recipient, an honor extended by Legal Services of the Hudson Valley
- New York Metro Super Lawyers: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021
- Business Hall of Fame’s Small Business Success Award, sponsored by The Business Council of Westchester and received on behalf of the Firm, 2009
- Pace Setter Award, for excellence in professional and community work, sponsored in part by Pace Law School and the Westchester County Bar Association, 2008
- Family Friendly Employment Policy Award, presented by the Westchester Women’s Bar Association and received on behalf of the Firm, 2008
Presentations & Lectures
- Presenter, “How to Navigate the Sale and/or Merger of a Small to Midsize Law Practice: What are the Options?”, CLE program, NYSBA 50+ Section Annual Meeting Program, NYC (2023)
- Presenter, “How to Navigate the Sale and/or Merger of a Small to Midsize Law Practice: What are the Options?” Webinar, Virtual CLE program, NYSBA 50+ Section (2023)
- Panelist, “How Employers Have Implemented New Opportunities in DEI… and the Challenges that Remain” presented by the Business Council of Westchester (2022)
- Panelist, “Men as Allies: It Takes All of Us,” 5th Annual Women’s Leadership Summit, Manhattanville College (2019)
- Presenter, “Origination Credit and Partner Compensation: Giving Credit Where Credit is Due”, CLE program, Center for Competitive Management (2015)
- Presenter, “Real Property Law Update”, New York State Bar Association, Senior Lawyers Section Fall Meeting (2014)
- Co-Panelist, “Partners’ Compensation”, New York State Bar Association, Law Practice Management Committee and the Committee on Continuing Legal Education (2014)
- Orientation Presenter, Albany Law School (2014)
- Presenter, “Hot Tips for Building Client Relations” CLE program, New York State Bar Association Marketing Conference (2014)
- Co-Presenter, “See How Technology Makes the Business Side of Law Easier & More Effective” CLE program, Westchester County Bar Association (2013)
- Co-Presenter, “Essential Residential Real Estate Law: Contract to Closing Without a Headache” CLE program, Pace Law School (2013)
- Panelist, Westchester Grow Forum for Entrepreneurs, presented by the Westchester County Office of Economic Development and the Gateway to Entrepreneurship at Westchester Community College (2012)
- Program Faculty, New York State Bar Association, “Strategies for Progressing Equity Partners”, LPM CLE webcast (2012)
- Co-Presenter, Westchester County Bar Association Real Property Section CLE, “Commercial Properties – The Nuts and Bolts of Buying, Selling and Leasing” (2012)
- Presenter, Westchester County Bar Association CLE program entitled “10 Hot Management Tips for Driving the Bottom Line to Profitability and Creating Professional Satisfaction” (2012)
- Co-Presenter for the Westchester County Bar Association webinar, “Tech Tips to Enhance Profitability and Competitiveness” (2011)
- Co-Presenter, “BANKRUPTCY Defalcation and Rooker-Feldman Doctrine/Res Judicata” CLE program (2011)
- Co-Presenter, “Commercial Purchasing, Leasing and Workouts” seminar, sponsored by Skyline Title, Inc. and promoted in part by the Westchester County Bar Association and the Westchester Women’s Bar Association (2009)
- Guest Speaker, Pace Law School’s New Directions Program (2008)
- Presenter, Westchester Women’s Bar Association Real Estate Expo on the subject of commercial real estate transactions (2008)