Biography • Commercial Litigation

Mr Kolb has for over 45 years been a practising litigator and trial lawyer in both federal and state courts throughout the United States. He has also frequently acted as an advocate and neutral in significant mediations and arbitrations.

Mr Kolb has successfully handled a long list of high profile matters with significant client exposure. His clients have typically been major accounting firms, financial and industrial corporations, law firms, and a range of public interest organisations. His experience includes extended trials in courts throughout the United States and significant government investigations. Many of the matters have included litigation in European or Canadian courts.

Mr Kolb's significant matters have centered on issues including alleged securities and banking law violations, financial, accounting and tax fraud, professional malpractice as to both accountants and lawyers, breach of contract, mass torts and antitrust violations. Also included have been significant Constitutional issues, probate issues as to one the largest estates in the United States, significant issues as to jurisdiction and venue, related bankruptcy law issues, and attempts to pierce the corporate veil to recover on claims ranging into the billions of dollars.

Mr Kolb has been appointed to serve as a Mediator in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York and New York's Supreme Court commercial division and appellate division for the first department. He is also a member of the AAA commercial and accounting panels of arbitrators and CPR's panel of distinguished neutrals.

He has served as a mediator or arbitrator in disputes involving the sale of distressed debt, valuation of investment partnership interests, commercial contract interpretation, identity theft, sale and ownership of commercial real estate in the United States and abroad, estate matters, employment discrimination, payment of professional advisory fees, nursing homes and sales of technology.

He is listed as a leading lawyer in Chambers USA: America's Leading Lawyers for Business and Legal Media Group's Benchmark Litigation. He is a recipient of the Gould Award for Outstanding Advocacy, presented by the Office of the Appellate Defender, The Lawyers Committee for Civil Rights Whitney North Seymour Award for Exemplary Support for Those in Need, and several times recipient of the Legal Aid Society's Award for Outstanding Pro Bono Service.

He is a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers and former national chair of the college's access to justice committee. He is also a member of the audit committee of the New York City Bar, and former vice president and chair of the executive, judiciary and litigation committees. He is member of the board of the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (former national co-chair); vice chair of the board, The Legal Aid Society; a member of the ADR section, American Bar Association; a member of the dispute resolution section, New York State Bar; and chair of the audit committee, Brennan Center for Justice.

He was named senior counsel in 2011, was a partner from 1973 to 2011, associate from 1965 to 1973, head of the Washington office from 1980-1988 and practice coordinator for the litigation practice from 1989 to 1999.

Mr Kolb graduated from the College of the Holy Cross in 1963 and received his JD from the University of Michigan Law School, 1965.