Professional Biography:
An attorney since 1998, Mr. Bopst has represented a range of clients from small closely held corporations to Fortune 500 companies in both litigation and transactional matters.  He has a strong experience in commercial and construction litigation and arbitration.

Most recently, Mr. Bopst served as Chief Legal and Financial Officer for Sam-Son Logistics, a logistics and warehousing company in Cheektowaga, New York.  In that capacity, he represented the company in all of its litigation and dispute resolution as well as in the negotiation of all of the company’s labor agreements, leases and contracts.  Before that he was a partner at Golberg Segalla (2011-2015) in Buffalo, New York, and at Yoss, LLP (2006-2011) in Miami, Florida.

Mr. Bopst’s litigation experience is noteworthy for its diversity.  He has handled litigations in state and federal court (including bankruptcy court), arbitrations and appeals involving, among others, commercial transactions, construction disputes, employment matters, personal injury and wrongful death claims, and allegations of constitutional violations.  Many of these matters were “bet the company” litigation. Here is a small sampling of litigation and arbitration matters handled by Mr. Bopst:

• Served as one of counsel representing a condominium purchaser in a fraud and civil RICO case against developer.  This involved multiple false advertisements in the sale of condominium units; jury awarded a seven-figure award of compensatory and punitive damages.

• Acted as lead counsel in multi-million dollar litigation and arbitration concerning construction of luxury car dealership; case was ultimately resolved before final hearing on terms favorable to client.

• Obtained partial directed verdict on behalf of owner of parcel of real estate in case brought by promoter, substantially reducing potential damages available to plaintiff; case was resolved shortly thereafter.

• Represented event promoter in federal court litigation against celebrity chef, which arose out of canceled tour; resolved on eve of trial following numerous unsuccessful motions by opponent to dismiss. 

• Represented real estate conglomerate in bankruptcy of commercial tenant, resulting in novel application of bankruptcy code and successful eviction of tenant.

• Represented third-party defendant manufacturer of chemicals in multi-million dollar litigation involving alleged deficient performance of wells hydraulically fractured; case was ultimately decided at trial in favor of client.

• Successfully represented a condominium developer in obtaining summary judgment and on appeal against purchaser of units in case of first impression involving interpretation of condominium statute.

Mr. Bopst’s experience is not limited to litigation and disputes.  He has represented employers in negotiating collective bargaining agreements and has represented commercial clients in corporate law matters and in the negotiation of transactions, ranging from commercial real estate deals to financing transactions.

Mr. Bopst is an expert on the New York State Constitution.  He is the co-author (with Peter Galie) of a leading reference work on New York’s State Constitution, THE NEW YORK STATE CONSTITUTION (Oxford University Press 2012) and a contributor to and co-editor (with Peter Galie and Gerald Benjamin) of a volume of essays entitled NEW YORK’S BROKEN CONSTITUTION: THE GOVERNANCE CRISIS AND THE PATH TO RENEWED GREATNESS (SUNY Press 2016), as well as numerous articles.  He currently serves as a member of the Judicial Task Force on the New York State Constitution.

Before going in-house, Mr. Bopst was named a New York Super Lawyer for the years of 2013 through 2015.  He is active in the community, serving as the Chair of the Phi Alpha Delta Subcommittee for the Desmond Law Society of Canisius College, and as a Member of the Board of Directors for the Amherst Chamber Ensembles.