Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
Brian J. Shoot
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2012 Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
Brian Shoot is a member of the firm and an appellate specialist who has argued some 250 cases in appellate courts throughout New York. He is admitted to a variety of courts, including the United States Supreme Court, and his experience has made him a sought-after expert by members of the bar on appellate issues.
He is a member of the Office of Court Administration’s Advisory Committee on Civil Practice, which advises the state courts on the potential changes in matters of civil procedure. And he is a frequent lecturer on municipal liability, premises liability, tort damages, appellate practice, labor law, and procedural practice. Mr. Shoot has spoken at the behest of such organizations as the Office of Court Administration, Civil Court Judge’s Association, Brooklyn Barrister Association, New York State Trial Lawyers Association, Bar Association of the City of New York, and New York State Bar Association. He has been a member of Sullivan Papain since 2003.
Areas of Practice- Plaintiff’s Personal Injury
- Appellate Advocacy
- Municipal Liability
- Premises Liability
- Product Liability
Overview
- New York University, J.D., graduated 1979
- Union College (Schenectady), BS, graduated 1976
- American Academy of Appellate Lawyers - Member
- New York State Trial Lawyers Association - Member
- Office of Court Administration’s Advisory Committee for Civil Practice - Member
- American Academy of Appellate Lawyers - Member
- New York State Trial Lawyers Association - Member
- Office of Court Administration’s Advisory Committee for Civil Practice - Member
- New York University, J.D., graduated 1979
- Union College (Schenectady), BS, graduated 1976
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus
Named "Lawyer of the Year" by Best Lawyers® for:
- Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs, New York City (2025)
- Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs, New York City (2014)
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
- Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
Additional Areas of Practice:
- Appellate Practice
Awards:
- The Best Lawyers in America, Lawyer of the Year 2014 for the New York City area
- (AV®) from Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings (highest possible peer rating for legal ability and ethical standards for the last 25 years)
- Top 100 Attorneys, New York Metro Area, 2011
- Super Lawyers Appellate Attorney 2008-2016
News & Media
Case History
Cases
- Victims of Hurricane Sandy
Mr. Shoot has argued hundreds of appeals and recently he worked with fellow Sullivan Papain member Eric Schwarz on behalf of victims of Hurricane Sandy.
- Sullivan Papain vs. Long Island Power Authority
When the storm hit New York City, the Long Island Power Authority and its private contractor failed to turn off power, resulting in hundreds of fires that caused several residents to lose their homes. Sullivan Papain brought suit against the authority and its contractors on behalf of 40 such residents. But the utilities said they were acting in a “governmental function” and, thus, were above the law. Justice Beatrice Siegel rejected the utilities claim. And in a landmark 2016 decision, the New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division upheld her ruling and Sullivan Papain’s case. The Court, in its decision, said: “The functions of electric utilities in the ordinary course of providing electricity and in responding adequately to a hurricane are both part of the proprietary core functions of their business … Simply put, the appellants have not established that their decision not to de-energize the Rockaway Peninsula involved governmental function powers.”
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