Howard F. Strongin, Esq.

Phone: (212)931-8301
Email: hstrongin@sralawfirm.com

Howard Strongin’s practice is devoted to the defense, through trial, of a variety of tort cases in the fields of product liability, premises security, general liability, and automobile liability.

Among the more noteworthy cases he has handled was the defense of Vera Wang Bridal House in a civil lawsuit stemming from a shooting at the bridal salon, as well as the defense of some of the ownership interests in the Empire State Building stemming from a shooting on its observation deck. He has also represented the United Nations in the defense of tort claims.

Howard is an active member of the Lawyer’s Committee of the Industrial Truck Association. He is also a member of the New York State Bar Association and the New York County Lawyer’s Association. He has lectured at continuing legal education seminars sponsored by the New York State Bar Association.

Howard serves as a Special Master in the Supreme Court, New York County. He has held the position of adjunct assistant professor at New York University, Department of Finance, Law and Tax since 1989. Howard authored commentaries for Consolidate Law Service in the field of New York Practice, and he has published in the product liability and technology fields.

Howard is also a Certified Court Evaluator (New York Mental Health Law Article 81 proceedings) and a member of the New York State Surrogate Decision Making Committee. He serves on the Advisory Council, Creedmoor Psychiatric Center. Howard also provides pro bono legal services in the mental health law field, and he is active in Ohel Children’s Home and Family Services.

Education

  • Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University, J.D., 1981
  • Hunter College of the City University of New York, B.A., with honors, cum laude, 1978

Admissions

  • New York Supreme Court
  • U.S. District Court, Southern, Eastern, Northern & Western Districts of New York
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Wisconsin
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennslyvania
  • Admitted to practice pro hac vice in various matters pending in New Jersey

PUBLICATIONS

Too Plugged In

eNews, the Newsletter of the DRI Technology Committee, July 2005;

Electronic Discovery and Disclosure

For the Defense, June 2004;

Analysis of Crashworthiness Under New York Law

ALFA 50 State Legal Compendium of Crashworthiness Law, March 1996.

REPORTED DECISIONS

  • Gerner v. Greenbaum, et al., (New York State Supreme Court, Kings County, Index No.: 501300/12, November 20. 2014)( Dismissal of all claims against various defendants in a negligence action pursuant to CPLR ยง 306-b and CPLR 3211 (a)(8) based on Plaintiff’s failure to timely seek leave to serve certain defendants and properly serve those
    defendants, failure to obtain leave of Court to serve an Amended Complaint, and failure to state a cause of action against certain defendants).
  • Dixon v. Foot Locker, Inc. and Nike USA, Inc., 13-CV-01926 (JFM), 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 144100 (MDD October 8, 2014)( summary judgment granted to Nike in a product liability lawsuit in the absence of evidence that any defect in the shoe was the proximate cause of plaintiff’s fall).
  • Gunn v. Hytrol Conveyor Co., Inc., 10-cv-00043 (JG), 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 72650 (E.D.N.Y. May 22, 2013)(Partial summary judgment obtained on behalf of product manufacturer dismissing breach of warranty, manufacturing defect, and design defect claims).
  • Borges v. Heldrich Assocs., et al., 09-cv-4830 (WFK), 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 25406 (E.D.N.Y. February 25, 2013)(New York Labor Law claims dismissed in action pending in New York where New Jersey loss-allocation rules apply).
  • Chalusian v. Kawasaki Rail Car, Inc., et ano. (New York State Supreme Court, Westchester County, Index No: 15586-2009, 2013)(summary judgment awarded to lessee).
  • Kigel v. The Fifty-fifth Street, LLC, et al. (New York State Supreme Court, New York County, Index No.: 108338/04, 2012)(Out of possession owner and a prior tenant awarded summary judgment).
  • Borges v. Heldrich Assocs., et al., 09-cv-4830 (WFK),2012 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 123877 (E.D.N.Y. August 30, 2012)( New Jersey substantive law applies in New York federal court action)
  • Nickel v. Nike Inc., et al., 11-cv-4495 (PKC), 2011 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 93313 (S.D.N.Y. August 18, 2011)( federal court diversity jurisdiction retained).
  • Ozoria v. Acculift, Inc., et al., 2008 NY Slip Op 7641, 2008 N.Y. App. Div. LEXIS 7557 (2d Dept. 2008)(jury verdict and judgment in favor of forklift manufacturer unanimously affirmed, products liability action)
  • Great Am. Ins. Co. v. TA Operating Corp. et al., 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 33496 (SDNY 2008)(plaintiff’s motion to amend Complaint based on successor liability denied)
  • Merchs. Ins. Group v. Mitsubishi Motor Credit Ass’n, 2008 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4755(EDNY 2008)(defendant’s summary judgment motion granted based on preemption by the Graves Amendment)
  • Hoogland v. Transport Expressway, Inc., et al., (Sup. Ct., Orange Ctny., 8741/04, Dec. 18, 2007) (summary judgment awarded to NYK defendants, catastrophic motor vehicle accident)
  • Pesantes v. Komatsu Forklift USA, Inc., et al., (Sup. Ct., Nassau Ctny., 2412/07, November 28, 2007)(summary judgment awarded to forklift manufacturer dismissing design and manufacturing defect claims)
  • Rasheed-Waters v. Kawasaki Rail Car, Inc., et al., (Sup. Ct., Queens Ctny., 24097/04, September 18, 2007)(summary judgment awarded to manufacturer based on contract specifications defense, products liability action)
  • Allan v. Casperkill Country Club, 38 A.D.3d 579; 832 N.Y.S.2d 597 (2d Dept. 2007)(summary judgment awarded to property owner affirmed, premises liability action)
  • Klein v. Hongkong & Shanghai Hotels, Ltd., 2007 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 27340 (SDNY 2007)(defendant’s motion to dismiss the Complaint pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(5) granted, premises liability action)
  • Bah v. Nordson Corp., 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 15683 (SDNY 2005)(defendant’s Daubert motion granted in part, products liability action)
  • Merchants Insurance Group v. Mitsubishi Motor Credit Ass’n., 2005 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14180 (EDNY 2005)(defendant’s summary judgment granted, declaratory judgment action)
  • DiMaria v. Komatsu Forklift U.S.A., Inc., 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 10550 (EDNY 2003)(summary judgment awarded to forklift manufacturer, prod-ucts liability action)
  • Schaeffer v. Vera Wang Bridal House, Ltd., 64 F. Supp. 2d 286 (SDNY 1999)(summary judgment, premises security action)
  • Buckman v. New York On Location, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14892 (SDNY 1996)(summary judgment awarded to manufacturer of generator, products liability action)
  • Vesligaj v. PMT Forklift Corp., 222 A.D.2d 431, 634 N.Y.S.2d 543 (2d Dept. 1995)(summary judgment awarded to forklift manufacturer, products liability action)
  • Pangallo v. Mitsubishi International Corp., 220 A.D.2d 650, 632 N.Y.S.2d 647 (2d Dept. 1995)(summary judgment awarded to forklift manufacturer, products liability action)
  • Wilhouski v. Canon U.S.A., 212 A.D.2d 525, 622 N.Y.S.2d 319(2d Dept. 1995)(summary judgment awarded to property owner affirmed, Labor Law action)

PRESENTATIONS & LECTURES

  • “Product Liability Case Handling Considerations” Client Seminar; March 20-30, 2012, Tokyo and Beijing;
  • “Practical Skills – The Basics of Civil Practice – The Trial,” The New York State Bar Association, Spring 2000;
  • “Practical Skills – How to Commence a Civil Lawsuit,” The New York State Bar Association, Fall 1999;
  • “Practical Skills – Basic Civil Trial Practice – The Trial,” The New York State Bar Association, Fall 1998.