Attorneys

Steven L. Wittels

Sanford Wittels & Heisler, LLP
1350 Avenue of the Americas
31st Floor
New York, NY 10019

Phone: (646) 723-2947
Fax: (646) 723-2948
E-mail: swittels@nydclaw.com
Web site: http://www.nydclaw.com

Steven L. Wittels is a founding partner of the New Jersey and New York offices of Sanford Wittels & Heisler, LLP. Mr. Wittels graduated from The University of California at Berkeley (Boalt Hall) in 1984 with highest honors on his class action thesis.

A practicing trial lawyer for twenty years, Mr. Wittels has achieved success on multiple fronts from complex, multi-party trials to multi-million dollar class actions. Mr. Wittels is known for his aggressive and innovative litigation strategies and has produced remarkable results for both the class plaintiffs and the individuals he represents.

Courts have designated him Co-Lead Counsel for class action plaintiffs in six national class actions. Mr. Wittels has developed a solid track record of ardent representation through his role as zealous class advocate and New York counsel to the Toro Company, an international Fortune 500 company

As testament to his versatility as a trial lawyer, Mr. Wittels has tried more than 30 cases and has represented both plaintiffs and defendants. Most recently, he obtained the following recoveries for individual victims, including:

  • $925,000 plaintiffs’ verdict in New York Supreme Court for a victim assaulted in a building due to negligent security;
  • $460,000 verdict in Kings County Supreme Court against The City of New York for a victim brutally assaulted by an off-duty police officer; and
  • $300,000 settlement mid-way through trial in Richmond County Supreme Court for a victim of medical malpractice, who suffered severe nasal injuries.

After graduation from Boalt Hall, Mr. Wittels joined the New York office of Milberg, Weiss, Bershad, Specthrie & Lerach, the nation's foremost class action law firm. At Milberg, Weiss, Mr. Wittels litigated numerous sophisticated class action suits on behalf of plaintiffs, including a $75 million consumer fraud class action against International Gold Bullion Exchange, a Florida-based corporation that defrauded and misled tens of thousands of investors nationwide in a complex pyramid scheme. He also helped spearhead a claim for more than $100 million in damages arising from widespread fraud and securities violations against Fortune Computer Systems. Additionally, Mr. Wittels prosecuted a $150 million claim under international treaties against Reffet, a consortium of Lloyds-based insurance companies that perpetrated a multi-tiered subterfuge on US companies.

After leaving Milberg, Weiss, Mr. Wittels has had great success in class actions and complex multi-party and multi-state litigation. As Co-Lead Counsel with Mr. Heisler in nationwide consumer fraud class actions, Mr. Wittels has produced more than $40 million in benefits to thousands of victimized class members since 1997, including:

  • Nasoff v. G.E. Capital, et al. , Supreme Court, New York County: settlement approved in 2000 by Judge Ira Gammerman obtaining benefits of $19.2 million for over 400,000 consumers who leased vehicles from G.E. Capital and were overcharged on late fees;
  • Greenberger v. Citicorp Vendor Finance, Inc., Superior Court Bergen County: settlement approved in 2002 by Judge Jonathan N. Harris obtaining benefits totaling $14.2 million for a class of nearly 500,000 lessees who were subjected to the leasing company’s unfair business practices;
  • Northern Valley E.N.T. v Marlin Leasing, Superior Court Burlington County: settlement approved in May 2003 by Presiding Judge Cynthia E. Covie-Leese obtaining benefits of $2.1 million for a class of approximately 45,000 equipment lessees who had been charged non-disclosed late fees and document fees;
  • The Matthews Group, Inc. v. Studebaker-Worthington , Supreme Court, Nassau County: settlement approved in 2000 by Honorable Kenneth A. Davis obtaining a $675,000 recovery for approximately 4000 lessees of defendants’ office equipment who were victimized by defendants’ excessive late fees;
  • Targovnik v. First Union Auto Finance, Superior Court Bergen County: class-wide settlement approved in June 2003 by Presiding Judge Sybil R. Moses obtaining a $4.5 million recovery for approximately 150,000 automobile lessees who had been double-billed on lease payments and charged excessive late fees
  • Zukowsky v. Bank of America Auto Finance Corp., United States District Court for the Southern District of New York Court, Civil Action: class-wide settlement approved in June 2003 by the Hon. Charles L. Brieant obtaining $400,000 for approximately 3,500 automobile lessees charged unjustified fees.

Mr. Wittels is a member of the New Jersey Bar (1985) and the New York Bar (1984), as well as the Federal Courts of New Jersey and the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. He is a member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America and the National Association of Consumer Advocates. He actively litigates in both New Jersey and New York state and federal courts.

Bar Admissions:

  • New Jersey, 1985
  • New York, 1984
  • U.S. District Court District of New Jersey
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York

Education:

  • University of California at Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law, Berkeley, California, 1984
    J.D.
    Honors: Summa Cum Laude
    Honors: With Highest Honors on Class Action Thesis

Representative Cases:

  • Velez v. Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation (United States District Court, Southern District of New York)
  • Nasoff v. G.E. Capital, et al. (Supreme Court, New York County)
  • Greenberger v. Citicorp Vendor Finance, Inc. (Superior Court Bergen County)
  • Northern Valley E.N.T. v Marlin Leasing (Superior Court Burlington County)
  • The Matthews Group, Inc. v. Studebaker-Worthington (Supreme Court, Nassau County)
  • Targovnik v. First Union Auto Finance (Superior Court Bergen County)
  • Zukowsky v. Bank of America Auto Finance Corp. (United States District Court, Southern District of New York Court)

Representative Clients:

  • Toro

Professional Associations and Memberships:

  • Association of Trial Lawyers of America
    Member
  • National Association of Consumer Advocates
    Member

Past Employment Positions:

  • Milberg, Weiss, Bershad, Specthgie & Lerach, New York