Shawn Schatzle

Earlier in his career, Mr. Schatzle clerked at New York’s Appellate Division, Second Department, one of the busiest appellate courts in the United States, if not the busiest. He first worked as a court attorney within the court’s law department before serving as the senior principal law clerk to Hon. Lourdes M. Ventura. During his time at the court, he worked on various types of appeals, including, among others, those in election law proceedings, criminal actions, commercial disputes, child custody and neglect proceedings, administrative law matters, real estate disputes, and personal injury actions. He also had the opportunity to assist Justice Ventura in resolving multiple issues of first impression in New York.

Prior to joining London Fischer LLP, Mr. Schatzle worked as a partner in the appellate practice group of a nationwide AmLaw 100 firm. In that role, he worked primarily on appeals and dispositive motions in the defense of personal injury actions arising from construction site incidents and motor vehicles accidents, as well as matters asserting legal and dental malpractice. He also previously served as an assistant attorney general at the Office of the New York State Attorney General, where he defended federal and state court actions against government officers and employees.

Mr. Schatzle resides in Long Beach with his wife, who is also an attorney, and two boys. Since January 2025, he has served as a volunteer attorney advisor to the “Future Advocates Mock Trial” program within the Long Beach City School District.

Notable Decisions/Results:

 

Mr. Schatzle has secured favorable results for clients in numerous cases throughout his career, including in the following instances.

 

• AAEB5 Fund 17, LLC v Duval & Stachenfeld, LLP (247 AD3d 631 [1st Dept 2026])
• On an appeal in a legal malpractice action, persuaded the appellate court that the trial court incorrectly denied on procedural grounds the defendants’ motion to compel discovery in the form of allegedly privileged communications between the plaintiffs and their successor counsel in the underlying bankruptcy proceeding, resulting in a modification of the trial court’s order and a remand to the trial court to consider the motion on the merits. Order issued March 26, 2026.
• Araujo v Monadnock Constr., Inc. (241 AD3d 740 [2d Dept 2025])
• On an appeal in a Labor Law action, successfully opposed the plaintiff’s assertions that the trial court erred, obtaining an affirmance of so much of the trial court’s order as denied the plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment on his Labor Law 240(1) cause of action on the ground that there were issues of fact as to whether the plaintiff misused the subject ladder and, if so, whether such misuse was the sole proximate cause of the accident. Order issued August 6, 2025.
• Vargas v AP-Tech Contracting Corp. (NY Sup Ct, Queens County, No. 707360/2018)
• Secured judgment as a matter of law on the eve of trial in a Labor Law action in favor of the defendants property owner and management company on their contractual indemnification cross-claim against the general contractor after prior counsel’s earlier motion for summary judgment on that cross-claim was denied as untimely, including by persuading the trial judge that the cross-claim solely involved legal issues on an undisputed factual record and that it thus did not need to await trial testimony to be resolved. Decision issued March 5, 2025.
• Schvimmer v Randall, et al (US Dist Ct, EDNY, No. 18-cv-07419-PKC-JRC)
• Secured pre-answer dismissal of the plaintiffs’ complaint asserting various 42 USC 1983 causes of action against employees of the New York State Office of Court Administration arising from underlying Family Court proceedings and the claim of the plaintiffs, a married couple, of an alleged conspiracy to unlawfully separate them from their children. Order issued September 29, 2022.
• Quirk v Katz (US Dist Ct, SDNY, No. 20-cv-09910-LAK)
• Obtained pre-answer dismissal of the plaintiff court officer union president’s complaint asserting causes of action for defamation and infringement of constitutional free speech rights against a New York State senator, the Chief Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals, and other officials arising from disputes concerning the COVID-19 pandemic on the grounds of pleading insufficiencies and legislative immunity, among other defenses. Order issued September 13, 2022.
• Matter of Hutchinson v O'Neill-Levy (185 AD3d 509 [1st Dept 2020])
• Secured dismissal of an article 78 petition as against a NY County Supreme Court Justice in an original proceeding commenced in the Appellate Division, First Department. Order issued July 16, 2020.
• Enowitz v TSE Group, LLC (NY Sup Ct, NY County, No. 155720/2016)
• Obtained summary judgment in favor of the defendant operated of B.B. Kings Blues Club & Grill dismissing the plaintiff’s complaint on the ground that her Dram Shop Act and negligent security causes of action were without merit. Order issued March 1, 2019.
• Kiser v Port Imperial Ferry Corp. (US Dist Ct, SDNY, Nos. 16-cv-07620-LAK, 16-cv-10013-LAK)
• Negotiated a favorable settlement on behalf of a kayak touring company in an action alleging maritime claims arising from an accident on the Hudson River involving a group of kayakers and a ferry. Settlement reached in June 2018.
• Etman v Greater Grace World Outreach, Inc. (US Dist Ct, NDNY, No. 17-cv-00473-TJM-DEP)
• Secured pre-answer dismissal of the plaintiff’s complaint against a religious corporation arising from an accident occurring at an event in Pennsylvania sponsored by the corporation on the ground that the action was time-barred, applying the “gist of the action” doctrine under Pennsylvania law. Order issued on February 22, 2018.
• U.S. Center for SafeSport v John Doe
• Obtained a favorable arbitration decision in a confidential proceeding vacating a suspension issued by the U.S. Center for SafeSport against a respondent athlete relating to alleged misconduct against another athlete, and reducing a separate suspension relating to an alleged failure to be forthcoming during the investigation. Decision issued in 2018.
• Sirianni v Town of Oyster Bay (156 AD3d 739 [2d Dept 2017])
• On an appeal in a premises liability action, secured reversal of a trial court’s order, thereby obtaining summary judgment in favor of the defendant youth baseball league dismissing the complaint of a plaintiff who slipped on mud in the spectator area of a baseball field on the ground that the condition was open and obvious and not inherently dangerous. Order issued December 13, 2017.
• Nielson v Vornado Forest Plaza LLC, et al (NY Sup Ct, NY County, No. 160372/2013)
• Secured summary judgment in favor of the defendants Planet Fitness gym entities dismissing the plaintiff’s Labor Law 240(1) cause of action on the ground that the plaintiff was engaged in routine maintenance at the time of the accident, not a covered activity. Also secured summary judgment dismissing the plaintiff’s Labor Law 241(6) causes of action, as well as summary judgment in favor of the gym entities on their breach of contract for failure to procure insurance cause of action against a third-party defendant HVAC contractor. Order issued July 7, 2016.