Uncategorized | Renzulli Law Firm

Arshia M. Hourizadeh

Arshia M. Hourizadeh (Of Counsel) Arshia Hourizadeh is a seasoned commercial and civil litigator, transactional advisor and counselor with over a decade of legal experience. He passionately assists clients in navigating complex issues and partners with them across diverse industries, from small businesses to Fortune 500 companies. Specializing in high-stakes litigation, contracts, product liab...

Michael Engelson

Michael Engelson (Associate) Michael Engelson is an Associate with Renzulli Law Firm where he brings extensive experience in the areas of general defense, mass tort and product liability litigation. He is a member of the firm’s national litigation practice, specializing in firearms and mass tort cases. Before joining Renzulli Law Firm, Michael worked at several nationally recognized litigat...

RLF RANGE DAY 2024

Check out these pictures from RLF 2024 Range Day!

June 9, 2022 - Renzulli Law Firm attended Westchester Magazine's ultimate party, the Burger & Beer Blast at Kensico Dam Plaza in Valhalla, New York. We sampled burgers, craft beer, wine and spirits from 30 local restaurants and then voted for our favorite burger. This year's winner was Southern Table of Pleasantville, whose Bulleit Burger wowed the masses with its Bulleit bourbon glaze, aged ...

Nayel B. Sayegh

Nayel B. Sayegh (Associate) Nayel B. Sayegh is an Associate with Renzulli Law Firm. He is a member of the firm's national litigation practice group, where he focuses on general tort litigation, product liability and other complex civil litigation. Nayel also vigorously defends the firm's clients in a variety of commercial matters. Nayel earned his B.A. from John Jay College before earning ...

ATF Finalizing Rules To Classify Pistols With Stabilizing Braces As Short-Barreled Rifles

On January 31, 2022, the ATF published a Notice in the Federal Register regarding its plans to finalize the proposed rule regarding Factoring Criteria for Firearms with an Attached Stabilizing Brace that it had first published on June 10, 2021. The ATF also noted its plans to finalize the proposed rule regarding the Definition of “Frame or Receiver” and Identification of ...

WASHINGTON STATE SENATE INTRODUCES BILLS TO BAN “ASSAULT WEAPONS” AND “LARGE CAPACITY” MAGAZINES

January 27, 2021 The Washington State Senate recently introduced bills seeking to ban “assault weapons” and “large capacity” magazines. SB5217 would ban “assault weapons,” which it defines as: (1) dozens of specifically named models; (2) any semi-automatic rifle with an overall length of less than 30”; and (3) “copycat weapons.” Copycat weapons are defined as any semi-automatic...

January 10, 2022 The Gun Control Act (“GCA”) requires all federally licensed firearms dealers to certify that they have secure gun storage or safety devices available for purchase by their customers. On Monday, the DOJ published a new regulation in the Federal Register that expands this requirement. The new rule, which goes into effect on February 3, 2022, applies to all fe...

December 16, 2021 Renzulli Law Firm represented an industry leading manufacturer of safety equipment in a lawsuit pending in federal court in Indiana. Plaintiff claimed that one of defendant’s products, a marine flare launcher, caused her serious injuries due to an alleged defect in design. Plaintiff was using the product in her home for self-defense purposes, and had no intent...

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE PROPOSES BILL TO CIRCUMVENT THE PLCAA

January 14, 2022A proposed bill was recently introduced in the California Assembly to bypass the immunity provided to members of the firearms industry by the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (“PLCAA”). AB-1594 would add a new provision to the California Civil Code stating that: A gun industry member shall have created or maintained a public nuisance, as defined in Section 3480, if ...

November 3, 2021 Oral argument was held before the United States Supreme Court this morning in the case of New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Kevin P. Bruen, in his Official Capacity of Superintendent of New York State Police. As previously reported, this lawsuit arises from a challenge to New York’s concealed carry law that requires applicants to make a showing o...

September 21, 2021 The Missouri Court of Appeals issued a decision affirming the dismissal of a case in which plaintiffs alleged that a sporting goods store illegally sold ammunition to a straw purchaser. Renzulli Law Firm represented the store in both the trial court and on appeal. Plaintiffs claimed that the store sold ammunition to a straw purchaser, who was buying it on be...

D.C. VOTES TO AMEND ITS “GHOST GUN” BAN IN RESPONSE TO LEGAL CHALLENGE

November 23, 2021 On November 16, 2021, the D.C. Council voted to amend its recently enacted law banning “ghost guns” on an emergency basis in response to a lawsuit filed by Dick Heller. Renzulli Law Firm, LLP previously reported on the lawsuit filed against the District of Columbia in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia challenging the constitutionality of the new D.C. law b...

NINTH CIRCUIT UPHOLDS CALIFORNIA’S BAN ON MAGAZINES WITH A CAPACITY OF MORE THAN TEN ROUNDS

December 2, 2021 In a split decision by an en banc panel in the case of Duncan v. Bonta, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upheld California’s ban on magazines with a capacity of more than ten rounds (often referred to as large-capacity magazines). In so doing, the court reversed a decision by Judge Benitez of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California, which...

NEVADA SUPREME COURT HOLDS THE NEVADA IMMUNITY STATUTE PROHIBITS CLAIMS AGAINST FIREARM DEFENDANTS FROM THE ROUTE 91 HARVEST FESTIVAL SHOOTING

December 2, 2021 Today the Nevada Supreme Court unanimously held that the Nevada firearm industry immunity statute, NRS 41.131(1), provides the manufacturers and dealers of the AR-type rifles used in the October 1, 2017 shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival in Las Vegas with immunity from the lawsuit filed against them. The court’s decision was issued in response to three questions that Ju...

PROPOSED ILLINOIS LEGISLATION WOULD ALLOW ANYONE TO SUE THE FIREARMS INDUSTRY IN STRICT LIABILITY FOR INJURIES CAUSED BY THE UNLAWFUL DISCHARGE OF FIREARMS

October 8, 2021 The Firearms Dealer and Importer Liability Act, a/k/a/ the Protecting Heartbeats Act, HB4156, which was introduced in Illinois on September 28, 2021 would hold firearms manufacturers, importers and dealers strictly liable for any bodily injury or death caused by the unlawful discharge of a firearm in Illinois. It would allow anyone, other than a state or local government offic...

May 19, 2021 Democrats on Capitol Hill recently introduced bicameral legislation called the “Equal Access to Justice for Victims of Gun Violence Act” that will open the gun industry to even more frivolous lawsuits. In 2005, the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (“PLCAA”) became law. The PLCAA protects the licensed and heavily regulated firearms and ammunition industries fro...

RLF OBTAINS DISMISSAL FOR PISTOL MANUFACTURER PURSUANT TO THE PLCAA

March 19, 2021 The U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona issued a decision on March 11, 2021 granting a motion to dismiss pursuant to the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (“PLCAA”) that Renzulli Law Firm had filed on behalf of a pistol manufacturer. Plaintiff was shot and severely injured (paraplegia) while a passenger in a vehicle when a fourteen-year-old girl (“shooter”), ...

Multiple States Attempt to Preempt Potential New Federal Firearm Restrictions

March 12, 2021 It is no secret that the Biden Administration – along with a Democrat led Congress – is attempting to enact new federal firearms restrictions into law. The new Administration recently called on Congress to pass laws requiring background checks on all firearms sales, ban “assault weapons” and high-capacity magazines, and eliminate the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, a...

FIREARMS IMPORT-EXPORT UPDATE PART III – ENFORCEMENT OF EXPORT LAWS BY THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE AND THE VOLUNTARY SELF-DISCLOSURE PROGRAM

February 12, 2021 This is the third and final update regarding the valuable information obtained from the NSSF’s January 11-14 firearms import-export webinars. As explained in our January 21 and January 26 updates, jurisdiction over the export of the majority of firearms and ammunition was formally transferred from the Department of State to the Department of Commerce on March 9, 2020.&n...

February 5, 2021 UNDERTAKING A RECALL: WHAT A MANUFACTURER SHOULD KNOW Christopher Renzulli and Howard Schilsky of Renzulli Law Firm, LLP were published in the February 2021 edition of Westchester Lawyer Magazine for their article addressing the legal implications of undertaking a recall. Whether to issue a recall of a product, and how to effectively proceed in that endeavor, are s...

“Hearing Protection Act” Aimed at Eliminating Red Tape for the Purchase of Suppressors Reintroduced in the 117th Congress

January 16, 2021 H.R. 155, the Hearing Protection Act, first introduced to Congress in 2015, was reintroduced on January 4, 2021, by Republican Congressman from South Carolina, Jeff Duncan. The bill, if passed into law, would remove suppressors from the National Firearms Act (NFA), removing several restrictions on the purchase and possession of suppressors. A suppressor (sometimes ...

RLF 2019 Range Day

RLF RANGE DAY You have undoubtedly heard us say (many times) that we know the firearms and shooting sports industry, our clients and our clients' products better than any other law firm. There is no better way to prove that sentiment than RLF's 2019 Range Day -- a successful event that brought our employees together for a day at the range. Check out these pictures from RLF 2019 Range Day! ...

WASHINGTON STATE ADVANCES BILL TO BAN GHOST GUNS FOR SOME

WASHINGTON STATE ADVANCES BILL TO BAN GHOST GUNS FOR SOME So-called “Ghost Guns” continue to be a hot topic for state and local governments across the nation. Now, in Washington state, lawmakers are taking steps to limit, but not outright ban, “Ghost Guns.” “Ghost Guns” are firearms that are referred to as “untraceable” because they lack serial numbers and are often built from plastics o...

Howard B. Schilsky

Howard B. Schilsky (Senior Associate) Howard B. Schilsky is a Senior Associate with Renzulli Law Firm. Howard is an aggressive litigator and counselor who applies a trial-ready mentality while vigorously representing clients at all stages of litigation and providing comprehensive legal advice to clients on a national level. Howard’s litigation practice focuses on product liability, complex c...

BACKGROUND CHECK BILLS PASS HOUSE, LIKELY DOA IN SENATE

BACKGROUND CHECK BILLS PASS HOUSE, LIKELY DOA IN SENATE The 2018 election saw the Democratic party take a majority of seats in the United States House of Representatives, and many of the victorious candidates ran on a platform that included support for stricter gun control measures. One of the first actions taken by the house majority was to advance legislation affecting background checks tha...

Government Contracts

The Federal Government reports that it is the single largest buyer of consumer goods and services in the world, with annual spending totaling an estimated $450 billion per year. With $450 billion at stake, an essential requirement for doing business with the Federal Government is to work with a law firm that has the knowledge and experience to provide critical counseling and guidance every s...

Commercial Litigation & Business Disputes

Renzulli Law Firm attorneys represent clients in a wide variety of commercial litigation matters and business disputes. We use a “trial ready” approach that draws on our extensive experience in the courtroom to navigate and guide clients through pre-litigation and pre-trial matters. Our “trial ready” approach enables the effective and efficient resolution of disputes prior to trial whe...

Intellectual Property Portfolio Management & Monitoring

Effective protection of intellectual property assets is a necessity in the modern global business world. Renzulli Law Firm attorneys have experience at every stage of an IP assets' life-cycle, from strategically establishing rights to managing and protecting rights. Our attorneys work closely with clients to understand their drivers and goals and to create a management and enforcement ...

Anti-Counterfeiting & Enforcement

We take a unique, proactive and efficient approach to identify and stop infringement wherever it occurs. We have extensive experience prosecuting all forms of infringement, including trademark infringement, trade dress infringement, patent infringement and the dilutive use of trademarks. We are often able to achieve our clients’ objectives quickly and efficiently through cease and desist letters, ...

Intellectual Property Licensing & Transactions

Just as it is important to protect intellectual property assets through registration and enforcement, we recognize the important of strategically and effectively monetizing and leverage those assets. Our licensing and transaction attorneys possess in-depth knowledge of and experience with a wide-range of intellectual property matters and concepts. Our lawyers have assisted clients in b...

General Liability, Casualty & Insurance

Premises Liability & Construction/Labor Law Renzulli Law Firm attorneys have extensive experience defending premises liability and labor law lawsuits in multiple jurisdictions. We represent defendants in lawsuits involving residential dwellings and a wide array of commercial properties, including restaurants, retail stores and supermarkets. Our clients include municipalities, property owners, ...

Asbestos Litigation

Renzulli Law Firm's asbestos litigation practice focuses on the defense of corporate clients in asbestos personal-injury actions filed in the State of New York. Renzulli Law Firm provides full coverage throughout New York, including New York County ("NYCAL") and all venues in upstate New York. Our attorneys have served as local counsel and National Coordinating Counsel for corporate clients, ...

New York has long sought to rival California as a preferred filming destination for the motion picture industry. And why not? New York offers some of the most diverse filming locations in the U.S. (think of the endless possibilities ranging from Manhattan skyscrapers to the Adirondack mountains). But what is drawing Hollywood to New York is not just the landscape or culture - it's money. T...

/* unvisited link */ a:link {color: blue !important;} /* visited link */ a:visited {color: purple !important;}/* mouse over link */ a:hover {color: blue !important;}/* selected link */ a:active {color: blue !important;} Saying that licensing is a dominant marketing and retail force might be an understatement. In 2014, licensing accounted for $241.5 billion in the global marketplace. However, that'...

Kaine Introduces New Firearms Transfer Legislation; Kalashnikov Announces Plan to Enforce Patents

Kaine Introduces New Firearms Transfer Legislation September 16, 2015; United States Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia has introduced legislation seeking curb “straw sales” and other firearms sales to prohibited persons under federal law. The Responsible Transfer of Firearms Act would require any transferor of a firearm to take “reasonable steps” to make sure that the firearm does not wind ...

Small Victory for NYCAL Defendants!

July 14, 2015; Even though the First Appellate Department unanimously affirmed in part NYS Supreme Court Sherry Klein Heitler’s Order entered on April 15, 2014 (“April Order”) that lifted the 18-year deferral on punitive damages in New York City Asbestos Litigation (“NYCAL”) actions, the First Appellate Department’s Decision also reversed and remanded a significant portion of the April Order. Ther...

New York Court Orders Release of Firearm Registration Data; 3-D Firearm Designer Sues State Dept.

May 8, 2015; Judge Thomas J. McNamara (NY Supreme – Albany County) has ruled that the New York State Police must release data regarding the registration of firearms that may qualify as “assault weapons” under the provisions of the NY SAFE Act. The case, Robinson v. Cuomo et al., was filed in 2014 by pro-firearm group Shooters Committee on Public Education (SCOPE) after the New York State Police re...

Lawsuits: One Awaiting Decision, One Decided, Two on Appeal

April 18, 2014: Just more than a week ago, the trial ended in the 2nd Amendment challenge to Colorado’s 2013 anti-firearms legislation. Now, the fate of the law rests with Judge Marcia Krieger, and a decision could come any day. /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priori...

NYS Troopers Officially Instructed Not to Enforce 7 Round Limit

March 31, 2014: On December 31, 2013, Judge William Skretny of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York declared the 7 round loading limitation of Penal Law 265.37 unconstitutional. Nearly three months later, the New York State Police, Office of General Counsel, has revised its field guide to enforcing the New York SAFE Act to officially instruct state troopers not t...

Federal District Court Grants Renzulli Law Firm’s Summary Judgment Motion & Awards Sanctions

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CBS News Quotes Christopher Renzulli On The PLCAA

CBS News quoted Renzulli Law Firm's Christopher Renzulli in an article addressing the Mexican Government's retention of an American law firm to explore civil lawsuits against firearm manufacturers. In the article, Christopher Renzulli states his opinion that civil lawsuits against firearm manufacturers would be difficult for the Mexican government to win because the "Protection of Lawful...

Sellers Beware: New Breed of Aggressive Plaintiffs Hunt Expired Patent Numbers on Products and Product Literature; Demand Billions

What do bow ties, children's shoes, “Etch A Sketch,” and toothpaste have in common? Answer: Each company is being sued for using expired patent numbers on their products or in their product materials. Since 2008, over 600 cases have been filed in federal courts against manufacturers, distributors and retailers for misusing patent numbers on products – roughly half of those have been...

John Renzulli Named To New York Law Journal’s “Top Cases”

John Renzulli represented GLOCK, Inc. in one of the most publicized and contentious cases waging war against the firearms industry as a whole. A copy of the article from New York Law Journal Magazine is available below.

John Renzulli Delivers Critical Lecture at Major Seminar

John Renzulli presented a lecture to guests at the Damages Seminar presented by the Defense Research Institute (DRI) in Las Vegas in March 2009. Renzulli's lecture focused on one of the most difficult variables in litigation -- where defense counsel is litigating far from home in an unfamiliar jurisdiction, often in the plaintiff's backyard. A link to Renzulli's course material...

Defense Research Institute Lauds Renzulli Law Firm for Major Victory

In October 2009, Defense Research Institute (DRI) selected the Renzulli Law Firm's victory in Ileto v. Glock as one of the major defense victories of the month in the United States. Ileto v. Glock, Inc., et al., 565 F.3d 1126 (2009) was a significant test of the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA) in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. The case itself was highly publicized in media o...

Judge Clears Way for City to Sue Gun Companies

John Renzulli is quoted on behalf of GLOCK, Inc. and other firearms distributors denouncing a decision by United States District Court Judge Weinstein (EDNY) that permitted the City of New York to continue a lawsuit against some of the world's largest firearms manufacturers and distributors. The lawsuit sought to hold manufacturers and distributors liable for illegal firearms in the marketplace by...

Georgia Gun Laws Under Fire in Federal Court

John Renzulli is quoted in the Atlanta-Journal Constitution in connection with a case where a retailer was sued by the City of New York over gun sales in Georigia. New York alleged that the retailer in Georgia should be held liable for firearms they sold that were used to commit crimes in New York.

City Suit Misfires – Gunmakers win

John Renzulli is quoted for his representation of GLOCK, Inc. following the Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that the City of New York's case against firearms manufacturers for the illegal sale of firearms by others should be tossed out.

Circuit Holds Magistrates Lack Power to Remand

John Renzulli and Scott Allan are quoted in connection with the Second Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that Magistrate Judges do not have the power to "remand" cases to state court.

City can still take shot at gunmakers

John Renzulli is quoted in connection with the firearms retailer cases brought by the City of New York.

Judge Throws Out Verdict Against Gun Company In Florida Teacher’s Slaying

RENZULLI LAW FIRM WINS COMPLETE DISMISSAL

Renzulli Law Firm successful won a complete dismissal in Werner v. Pars & Strikes, a case previously pending in the New York Supreme Court, County of Richmond. Our firm represented the defendant in the litigation. This matter was commenced by Stephanie Werner, a teenager, and her mother against a recreational facility. Among the many attractions at the recreational facility ...

General Contractor Obtains Summary Judgment in New York Labor Law Case

We recently obtained a dismissal of an interesting lawsuit that was pending in the New York Supreme Court, County of Queens. Our firm represented the defendant general contractor in the litigation. This case was brought by an electrician who fell off a ladder during the construction of a restaurant in the food court of the Manhattan Mall in New York City. Plaintiff alleged that as he was standing...

U.S. District Court Judge Dismisses Entire Case Against Firearms Manufacturer

In August we successfully obtained a complete dismissal of all causes of action alleged against a well-recognized domestic firearm manufacturer in a complaint brought in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana. The plaintiffs alleged that the manufacturer’s pistol unexpectedly discharged causing severe injuries. Plaintiffs claimed substantial damages under theories of neglige...

Firearms Industry Litigation, Counseling & Consulting

Renzulli Law Firm is nationally recognized as one of the premier law firms in the country serving the Firearms Industry. We have an experienced, full-service firearms defense team that handles all legal issues and regulatory concerns that affect Industry members. Product Liability Our experience in defending product liability claims filed against our clients is unmatched. Our firm has tried nume...

Product Liability, Mass Tort & Class Actions

The attorneys at Renzulli Law Firm have expertise in defending clients against product liability lawsuits that is second to none. We represent manufacturers, distributors and retailers in connection with a wide range of products, including, but not limited to, firearms, ammunition, industrial machinery and equipment, elevators and escalators, household products, chemicals and pesticides, food pro...