Stephen P. Younger

Stephen Younger, Immediate Past President of the New York State Bar Association, is a leading commercial litigator who is also well-known for his alternative dispute resolution work. Having been with Patterson Belknap since 1985, Mr. Younger has more than 25 years of experience as a commercial litigator. As a seasoned trial lawyer, he has tried many cases in federal and state court and before arbitration panels.

 He also frequently argues appeals, particularly in the appellate courts of New York. Based on his significant ADR experience, he is often called on to serve as an arbitrator or mediator in high-stake matters. Mr. Younger’s clients include financial institutions, mutual funds, hedge funds, pension funds and venture capital firms involved in commercial, securities and real estate disputes. He has also developed an extensive practice representing Latin American companies in U.S.-related matters. In addition to his elected position with the State Bar, Mr. Younger has sat on numerous New York State Bar Association committees.

 He is past Chair of the New York State Bar Association's Commercial and Federal Litigation Section, having previously served as Chair of its Securities Litigation Committee and of its ADR Committee. He was appointed to Governor Andrew M. Cuomo's Transition Committee and was also the Transition Director for Mr. Cuomo when he was the New York State Attorney General. He was also appointed to the Transition Committee for Attorney General Eric Schneiderman. Mr. Younger was a member of the Transition Committee for New York County District Attorney, Cyrus Vance. He is the Chair of the Executive Advisory Committee of the CPR Institute for Dispute Resolution. He is on the Board of Directors of the Fund for Modern Courts and received the Fund’s John J. McCloy Award.

Mr. Younger is counsel to the New York State Commission on Judicial Nominations which nominates New York’s Court of Appeal Judges, and is a member of the First Department Judicial Screening Committee. He currently serves on the Advisory Committee to the Commercial Division of the New York State Supreme Court. He also served as a member of the Chief Judge’s ADR Task Force. A long time Trustee of Albany Law School, Mr. Younger is past president of its National Alumni Council. Mr. Younger has spoken at more than 200 seminars and written over 30 articles in the fields of securities litigation, commercial arbitration and international dispute resolution. Prior to joining Patterson Belknap, Mr. Younger served as Law Clerk to the Hon. Hugh R. Jones, Associate Judge for the New York Court of Appeals.