Bankruptcy – Pankaj was introduced to Bankruptcy in law school when she served as an editor on the American Bankruptcy Institute Law Review. Early in her career she worked for a small bankruptcy firm that represented trustees in complex bankruptcy litigation. Over the years she has represented multiple small businesses, creditors, and debtors in Chapters 7, 13 and 11, adversarial proceedings, and creditors proceedings in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.
Entertainment & Media – Pankaj has represented many hundreds of international entertainers, live performers, musicians, production companies, movie and television actors, directors, film crews, athletes, models and has assisted them in obtaining entertainers Visas to the United States and has represented them at many Consulates abroad.
Estate Planning and Probate – Pankaj has represented many clients in incompetency proceedings, Estate probate and Administration Proceedings, will contest proceedings, accountings and other Surrogate Court matters and litigation.
Matrimonial & Family Law – Pankaj has successfully handled many complex matrimonial and family court matters that involve highly contested issues of child custody, annulment, equitable distribution, child support, family offenses and the like. Pankaj represents her clients with an individualized approach as these highly emotionally charged and involved cases need attention and are not a one size fits all.
Immigration & Global Mobility – Immigration has been a core practice area for Pankaj since the 1990’s. Over the years she has represented may high profile foreign entertainers, Michelin star chefs, fashion design houses, and international conglomerates to successfully navigate their various immigration needs. She has handled Direct Investment EB5’s, complex global L1A’s, O’s; P’s H1B’s, PERMS’s and all other Visa categories. In addition, she has represented many individuals in immigration litigation matters such as Waivers, Writs of Mandamus and Habeas Corpus, District Court and Circuit Court Appeals, Immigration Court removal proceedings, bail and bond hearings, and appeals at the Board of Immigration appeals.
Litigation & Dispute Resolution – Litigation has been one of Pankaj’s core practice areas since she first started practicing. She has represented clients in multi-million-dollar commercial disputes, partnership and corporate entity disputes, real estate, Employment law, land use and many other disputes from inception to trial. She has extensive trial court and appellate court experience and manages and supervises litigation associates and paralegals. Clients can expect Pankaj to handle their litigation matters in a sophisticated, attentive, and innovative manner.
Real Estate – Pankaj has applied her litigation skills and her in-depth knowledge of real estate and banking laws to successfully represent many homeowners in her foreclosure defense practice at the State Court and Appellate court levels. She has written many articles on the topic and her successful cases have been written up in the media.
In 2003, Pankaj was awarded Certification as a Section 8(a) contractor by the US Small Business Administration. As an 8(a) contractor she was awarded a federal government contract to be the exclusive closing agent for the US Department of Housing & Urban Development (“HUD”) covering the five boroughs of NYC and Nassau and Suffolk Counties. For the following eight years Pankaj represented HUD in thousands of residential and multi-unit HPD building real estate transactions. Pankaj received many excellent performance reviews from HUD officials throughout.
In 2006 Pankaj was selected out of hundreds of New York applicants by HSBC Mortgage Corporation (USA) to handle the electronic conversion of over 5000 UCC cooperative apartment liens in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Pankaj can set up systems to handle volume work in an efficient and professional manner and has been recognized for such ability by the prestigious contracts she has been awarded throughout her career.
Pankaj also represents multiple businesses in commercial leasing and real estate and business sale transactions, as well as individuals in residential real estate transactions.