Practices & Industries

Education

  • New York University School of Law (J.D.)
  • Columbia College (A.B.)

Bar/Court Admissions

  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
  • U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
  • New Jersey
  • New York
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Abraham Y. Skoff

Partner

Contact Me

T(212) 554-7897

F(917) 206-4397

T(201) 646-1900

Abraham Y. (Avi) Skoff is Co-Chair of Moses & Singer's Litigation practice, Chair of the Business Torts/Unfair Competition practice, and Co-Chair of the Labor, Employment & Employee Benefits practice.

Avi has over twenty-five years experience in practicing law, including involvement in a number of major, newsworthy cases.  He served as Assistant U.S. Attorney and Deputy Chief of the Civil Division, U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of New York, and has litigated cases in courts throughout the country.  He has significant experience in an unusually broad range of practice areas, and focuses his practice on complex civil and commercial litigation, business torts, injunctive proceedings, litigation of unfair competition, entertainment, trade secret, restrictive covenant, asbestos/product liability/toxic tort and insurance matters, as well as on health care transactions and Government investigations. 

Avi is an experienced trial lawyer.  He has significant “first chair” trial experience and has represented parties before the Judicial Panel on Multi-District Litigation.  He has coordinated the defense of nationwide class action claims. Avi is admitted to practice in New York and New Jersey, and has served as counsel in other states on a pro haec basis. 

In a case brought in mid-2016, Avi and his team obtained a temporary restraining order and immediate injunctive relief in one of the first cases filed under the U.S. Defense of Trade Secrets Act, 18 U.S.C. § 1836, et seq.  In another case, he was co-counsel to a corporate defendant accused of trade secret misappropriation in connection with the hiring of a new employee.  Our client denied plaintiffs’ claims, asserted an abuse of process counterclaim, and, after extensive litigation, obtained a multi-million dollar verdict on its counterclaim.

In the healthcare area, Avi has been involved in transactional matters, litigation, arbitration and administrative proceedings.  He has represented business entities, healthcare organizations and individual providers, in the structuring and documentation of managed care, disease management, gainsharing and other agreements, in practice and partnership arrangements, in the litigation and arbitration of healthcare, insurance and reinsurance related matters, and in disciplinary proceedings, licensure and credentialing disputes.

In the asbestos/toxic tort/mass tort area, Avi is national coordinating counsel for two defendants, and has represented several defendants in a total of hundreds of lawsuits, as well as coordinated the multi-state defense of cases in several states. 

Avi is rated AV Preeminent™ by Martindale-Hubbell.  He has been listed in New York Super Lawyers® since 2006 and was named as one of "Manhattan's Legal Elite" by Avenue Magazine.   Chambers & Partners, the prestigious legal publisher and research firm, selected Avi as a "Recognised Practictioner" in its 2013 "Litigation General Commercial - New York" category.

Publications
Presentations [View All]

  • Speaker, Trade Secrets and Noncompete Agreements: Addressing Emerging Trends, Developments, and Issues in 2020; Knowledge Group Seminar, July 14, 2020

  • Speaker, Comprehensive Guide on Trade Secrets Protection: Tips and Strategies Explored; Knowledge Group Seminar, December 13, 2019

  • Speaker, Non-Compete Agreements: Leveling Up Trial Techniques and Litigation Strategies; Knowledge Group Seminar, November 20, 2019

  • Speaker, Determining and Calculating Damages in Trade Secrets Misappropriation Cases: Practical Guide in 2019; Knowledge Group Seminar, August 22, 2019

  • Speaker, Trade Secrets Theft Uprising: What You Should Know and Do For Your Company's Protection, Knowledge Group Seminar, November 7, 2018
  • Speaker, Restrictive Covenants & Confidentiality Agreements: What Is It and Why You Need to Know, Knowledge Group Seminar, September 26, 2018
  • Speaker, New Considerations Under Employment and Antitrust Law When Creating Restrictive Covenants, Knowledge Group Seminar, July 28, 2017
  • Speaker, "Non-Competes and Trade Secrets: Protecting the Company's Assets," In-House Counsel CLE Seminar, Moses & Singer LLP, 2017
  • Speaker, "Restrictive Covenants and Non-Compete Agreements: Practical Guide for Employers," The Knowledge Group Seminar, 2016
  • Moderator, "Computer Forensics and eDiscovery," CLE Seminar, Moses & Singer LLP, 2016
  • Presenter and Moderator, "Key Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and N.Y. Discovery Rules," Moses & Singer Litigation Department CLE, 2015
  • Speaker, "Protecting the Business Through Non-Competition Agreements," Actus Consulting Group’s The 19th HR Seminar, 2012
  • Speaker, "Key Strategies for Drafting Enforceable Non-Competition Agreements and NDAs," Moses & Singer CLE Program, 2012
  • Speaker, "Fraud and Abuse Issues Under Health Care Reform," and Moderator, "Understanding the Impact of Health Care Reform on Employers," Lorman Education Services, 2012
  • Panelist, "New York Restaurateurs: How Best to Avoid Wage & Hour Audits and Lawsuits," Hofstra Labor & Employment Law Journal and Moses & Singer Symposium, 2012
  • Speaker, "Trade Secret Litigation," ABA Litigation Section Conference, 2012
  • Lecturer, "Recent Changes in Federal Practice: Removal and Other Issues," Moses & Singer CLE Program, 2012
  • Lecturer, "Protecting Company Secrets: Don’t Let Your Key Assets Walk Out the Door," Moses & Singer Webinar, 2011
  • Lecturer, "Protecting Company Secrets: Don’t Let Your Key Assets Walk Out the Door," Moses & Singer CLE Program, 2009
  • Lecturer, “Injunctive Relief In Business Tort Litigation,” New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education, 2009
  • Moderator/Lecturer, “Not Just for Hackers Anymore? Use of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) to Respond to Theft of Information,” Intellectual Property Litigation Roundtable, American Bar Association, Section of Litigation, 2009
  • Lecturer, "Trade Secrets," Moses & Singer CLE Program, 2008
  • Lecturer, “Protecting Your Business Through Injunctions,” ReedLogic Video Seminar, 2008
  • Lecturer, “Injunctive Relief in Business Tort Litigation National CLE Conference,” Civil Litigation Program
  • Lecturer, “Fraud and Abuse in Home HealthCare Telemedicine”
  • Lecturer, “Federal Forfeiture Litigation,” Attorney General's Advocacy Institute, United States Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.
Professional Affiliations
  • American Bar Association, Section of Litigation, Committees on Intellectual Property Litigation, Commercial and Business Litigation and Business Tort Litigation; Past Chair, Second Circuit Subcommittee, and Business Defamation Subcommittee.

  • Member, Sedona Conference. Member, Working Group 12 on Trade Secrets.  Drafting Team Member, Sedona Conference Commentary on Monetary Remedies in Trade Secret Litigation

  • Member, Association of the Bar of the City of New York.  Member, Trade Secret Committee.

  • Early Neutral Evaluator, ADR Panel, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York (1994-1996)
 

 

Representative Matters

Avi's experience includes:

  • Litigation of fraud, unfair competition, entertainment, employment, healthcare, intellectual property, trade secret, non-compete, Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (“CFAA”), insurance, advertising, securities, toxic tort, product liability, regulatory and other matters.
  • Litigation of restrictive covenant, duty of loyalty and employee mobility matters, in actions throughout the United States.  Counseling and litigation on behalf of competitors in several industries, including software, medical and dental distribution, computerized equipment, advertising, financial services and others.  Development of protective non-competition and trade secret programs; drafting of noncompetition and nondisclosure agreements.  Multi-jurisdictional representation and co-ordination in large scale cases.
  • National coordinating counsel for two defendants in the multistate asbestos litigation.  Defense, trial  and multi-state coordination of asbestos toxic/mass tort actions for several defendants.  Served as national class action counsel for three asbestos defendants. 
  • Obtained seven figure recovery on behalf of corporate co-venturor, based on claims of unfair competition, breach of contract and unjust enrichment, after corporate co-venturor terminated business relationship. 
  • Led “due diligence” evaluations of noncompetition agreements in connection with mergers and acquisitions involving hundreds of employees and executives.
  • Representation of performing artists in claims by and against agents and other business partners.
  • Successfully represented producer and performing artist in defense of multimillion dollar claim by agent; lead trial counsel at full arbitration hearing which resulted in voiding agent’s alleged agreement, defeat of agent’s multimillion dollar claim, and voiding claims for future compensation, resulting in eight figure savings for client. 
  • Representation of advertising and media companies, in claims involving entertainment, media, business and employment matters.
  • Representation of business entities and authors, in the litigation of defamation, intellectual property, false advertising, invasion of privacy, Lanham Act and other claims.
  • Insurance and Reinsurance, litigation and arbitration.  Coverage litigation. Healthcare related arbitration.
  • Successfully obtained multimillion dollar recovery from reinsurer, on behalf of service provider to health insurance plan, following pursuit of litigation and arbitration.
  • Successfully represented former board member of not for profit corporation, in judicial challenge to merger allegedly approved by organization’s board.  After extensive litigation, merger was cancelled by the parties.
  • Litigation over the financial consequences of: breaches of fiduciary duties; criminal activity; the conduct of disloyal employees. Civil actions pertaining to diverted corporate opportunities, breaches of noncompetition and nondisclosure agreements, forged stock certificates, forged checks and endorsements, money laundering, federal forfeitures and other matters.

Related News View All

Related Events View All

Related Articles

Biography

Abraham Y. (Avi) Skoff is Co-Chair of Moses & Singer's Litigation practice, Chair of the Business Torts/Unfair Competition practice, and Co-Chair of the Labor, Employment & Employee Benefits practice.

Avi has over twenty-five years experience in practicing law, including involvement in a number of major, newsworthy cases.  He served as Assistant U.S. Attorney and Deputy Chief of the Civil Division, U.S. Attorney's Office, Eastern District of New York, and has litigated cases in courts throughout the country.  He has significant experience in an unusually broad range of practice areas, and focuses his practice on complex civil and commercial litigation, business torts, injunctive proceedings, litigation of unfair competition, entertainment, trade secret, restrictive covenant, asbestos/product liability/toxic tort and insurance matters, as well as on health care transactions and Government investigations. 

Avi is an experienced trial lawyer.  He has significant “first chair” trial experience and has represented parties before the Judicial Panel on Multi-District Litigation.  He has coordinated the defense of nationwide class action claims. Avi is admitted to practice in New York and New Jersey, and has served as counsel in other states on a pro haec basis. 

In a case brought in mid-2016, Avi and his team obtained a temporary restraining order and immediate injunctive relief in one of the first cases filed under the U.S. Defense of Trade Secrets Act, 18 U.S.C. § 1836, et seq.  In another case, he was co-counsel to a corporate defendant accused of trade secret misappropriation in connection with the hiring of a new employee.  Our client denied plaintiffs’ claims, asserted an abuse of process counterclaim, and, after extensive litigation, obtained a multi-million dollar verdict on its counterclaim.

In the healthcare area, Avi has been involved in transactional matters, litigation, arbitration and administrative proceedings.  He has represented business entities, healthcare organizations and individual providers, in the structuring and documentation of managed care, disease management, gainsharing and other agreements, in practice and partnership arrangements, in the litigation and arbitration of healthcare, insurance and reinsurance related matters, and in disciplinary proceedings, licensure and credentialing disputes.

In the asbestos/toxic tort/mass tort area, Avi is national coordinating counsel for two defendants, and has represented several defendants in a total of hundreds of lawsuits, as well as coordinated the multi-state defense of cases in several states. 

Avi is rated AV Preeminent™ by Martindale-Hubbell.  He has been listed in New York Super Lawyers® since 2006 and was named as one of "Manhattan's Legal Elite" by Avenue Magazine.   Chambers & Partners, the prestigious legal publisher and research firm, selected Avi as a "Recognised Practictioner" in its 2013 "Litigation General Commercial - New York" category.

Publications
Presentations [View All]

  • Speaker, Trade Secrets and Noncompete Agreements: Addressing Emerging Trends, Developments, and Issues in 2020; Knowledge Group Seminar, July 14, 2020

  • Speaker, Comprehensive Guide on Trade Secrets Protection: Tips and Strategies Explored; Knowledge Group Seminar, December 13, 2019

  • Speaker, Non-Compete Agreements: Leveling Up Trial Techniques and Litigation Strategies; Knowledge Group Seminar, November 20, 2019

  • Speaker, Determining and Calculating Damages in Trade Secrets Misappropriation Cases: Practical Guide in 2019; Knowledge Group Seminar, August 22, 2019

  • Speaker, Trade Secrets Theft Uprising: What You Should Know and Do For Your Company's Protection, Knowledge Group Seminar, November 7, 2018
  • Speaker, Restrictive Covenants & Confidentiality Agreements: What Is It and Why You Need to Know, Knowledge Group Seminar, September 26, 2018
  • Speaker, New Considerations Under Employment and Antitrust Law When Creating Restrictive Covenants, Knowledge Group Seminar, July 28, 2017
  • Speaker, "Non-Competes and Trade Secrets: Protecting the Company's Assets," In-House Counsel CLE Seminar, Moses & Singer LLP, 2017
  • Speaker, "Restrictive Covenants and Non-Compete Agreements: Practical Guide for Employers," The Knowledge Group Seminar, 2016
  • Moderator, "Computer Forensics and eDiscovery," CLE Seminar, Moses & Singer LLP, 2016
  • Presenter and Moderator, "Key Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure and N.Y. Discovery Rules," Moses & Singer Litigation Department CLE, 2015
  • Speaker, "Protecting the Business Through Non-Competition Agreements," Actus Consulting Group’s The 19th HR Seminar, 2012
  • Speaker, "Key Strategies for Drafting Enforceable Non-Competition Agreements and NDAs," Moses & Singer CLE Program, 2012
  • Speaker, "Fraud and Abuse Issues Under Health Care Reform," and Moderator, "Understanding the Impact of Health Care Reform on Employers," Lorman Education Services, 2012
  • Panelist, "New York Restaurateurs: How Best to Avoid Wage & Hour Audits and Lawsuits," Hofstra Labor & Employment Law Journal and Moses & Singer Symposium, 2012
  • Speaker, "Trade Secret Litigation," ABA Litigation Section Conference, 2012
  • Lecturer, "Recent Changes in Federal Practice: Removal and Other Issues," Moses & Singer CLE Program, 2012
  • Lecturer, "Protecting Company Secrets: Don’t Let Your Key Assets Walk Out the Door," Moses & Singer Webinar, 2011
  • Lecturer, "Protecting Company Secrets: Don’t Let Your Key Assets Walk Out the Door," Moses & Singer CLE Program, 2009
  • Lecturer, “Injunctive Relief In Business Tort Litigation,” New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education, 2009
  • Moderator/Lecturer, “Not Just for Hackers Anymore? Use of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (CFAA) to Respond to Theft of Information,” Intellectual Property Litigation Roundtable, American Bar Association, Section of Litigation, 2009
  • Lecturer, "Trade Secrets," Moses & Singer CLE Program, 2008
  • Lecturer, “Protecting Your Business Through Injunctions,” ReedLogic Video Seminar, 2008
  • Lecturer, “Injunctive Relief in Business Tort Litigation National CLE Conference,” Civil Litigation Program
  • Lecturer, “Fraud and Abuse in Home HealthCare Telemedicine”
  • Lecturer, “Federal Forfeiture Litigation,” Attorney General's Advocacy Institute, United States Department of Justice, Washington, D.C.
Professional Affiliations
  • American Bar Association, Section of Litigation, Committees on Intellectual Property Litigation, Commercial and Business Litigation and Business Tort Litigation; Past Chair, Second Circuit Subcommittee, and Business Defamation Subcommittee.

  • Member, Sedona Conference. Member, Working Group 12 on Trade Secrets.  Drafting Team Member, Sedona Conference Commentary on Monetary Remedies in Trade Secret Litigation

  • Member, Association of the Bar of the City of New York.  Member, Trade Secret Committee.

  • Early Neutral Evaluator, ADR Panel, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York (1994-1996)
 

 

Practices & Industries
Education
  • New York University School of Law (J.D.)
  • Columbia College (A.B.)
Bar/Court Admissions
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
  • U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut
  • U.S. District Court, District of Colorado
  • New Jersey
  • New York
Representative Matters

Avi's experience includes:

  • Litigation of fraud, unfair competition, entertainment, employment, healthcare, intellectual property, trade secret, non-compete, Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (“CFAA”), insurance, advertising, securities, toxic tort, product liability, regulatory and other matters.
  • Litigation of restrictive covenant, duty of loyalty and employee mobility matters, in actions throughout the United States.  Counseling and litigation on behalf of competitors in several industries, including software, medical and dental distribution, computerized equipment, advertising, financial services and others.  Development of protective non-competition and trade secret programs; drafting of noncompetition and nondisclosure agreements.  Multi-jurisdictional representation and co-ordination in large scale cases.
  • National coordinating counsel for two defendants in the multistate asbestos litigation.  Defense, trial  and multi-state coordination of asbestos toxic/mass tort actions for several defendants.  Served as national class action counsel for three asbestos defendants. 
  • Obtained seven figure recovery on behalf of corporate co-venturor, based on claims of unfair competition, breach of contract and unjust enrichment, after corporate co-venturor terminated business relationship. 
  • Led “due diligence” evaluations of noncompetition agreements in connection with mergers and acquisitions involving hundreds of employees and executives.
  • Representation of performing artists in claims by and against agents and other business partners.
  • Successfully represented producer and performing artist in defense of multimillion dollar claim by agent; lead trial counsel at full arbitration hearing which resulted in voiding agent’s alleged agreement, defeat of agent’s multimillion dollar claim, and voiding claims for future compensation, resulting in eight figure savings for client. 
  • Representation of advertising and media companies, in claims involving entertainment, media, business and employment matters.
  • Representation of business entities and authors, in the litigation of defamation, intellectual property, false advertising, invasion of privacy, Lanham Act and other claims.
  • Insurance and Reinsurance, litigation and arbitration.  Coverage litigation. Healthcare related arbitration.
  • Successfully obtained multimillion dollar recovery from reinsurer, on behalf of service provider to health insurance plan, following pursuit of litigation and arbitration.
  • Successfully represented former board member of not for profit corporation, in judicial challenge to merger allegedly approved by organization’s board.  After extensive litigation, merger was cancelled by the parties.
  • Litigation over the financial consequences of: breaches of fiduciary duties; criminal activity; the conduct of disloyal employees. Civil actions pertaining to diverted corporate opportunities, breaches of noncompetition and nondisclosure agreements, forged stock certificates, forged checks and endorsements, money laundering, federal forfeitures and other matters.
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Related Events
Related Articles

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