Overview

Lisa A. Linsky focuses her practice on complex litigation, including product liability and toxic tort, civil trials, trusts and estate litigation, business investigations, client counseling and civil rights litigation.

Lisa was McDermott’s first partner-in-charge of Firm-wide Diversity and partner-in-charge of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) Diversity and Inclusion. She created and chaired the Firm-wide LGBT Committee, and currently serves on the Firm’s Pro Bono and Community Service Committee.

Lisa comes to McDermott with extensive trial experience. She was formerly with the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office, where she held to the positions of associate chief of the Special Prosecutions Division and chief of the Child Abuse and Sex Crimes Bureau of the same division. Lisa has been recognized for her work in the fields of domestic violence, child abuse and investigations and trials.

In addition to her litigation skills, Lisa has received numerous awards for her distinguished service, and has a wide range of public speaking and teaching experience.

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Results

Serves as handler for the corporate representatives of a Fortune 500 company for a national docket of product liability cases
Represents clients in contested trusts and estates litigation and related private client matters

Represents asylum-seekers in federal court
Represents The Mattachine Society of Washington, DC, in connection with its work to uncover deleted governmental documents evidencing discrimination against LGBT Americans
Served as national and local counsel to a major corporate client, managing large dockets of product liability cases and conducting investigations and trials of asbestos personal injury claims; successfully argued summary judgment motions, conducted fact investigations, hearings and trials
Represented an HIV/AIDS provider in litigation against a former subsidiary that resulted in a successful settlement
Represented the board of a New York special needs plan in connection with an independent investigation into allegations of fraud, mismanagement and discrimination
Served as lead investigator in a major breach of personally identifiable information for a New York hospital that resulted in the return of the data
Represented a New York City nonprofit facility that provides long- and short-term care to vulnerable populations in connection with allegations of discrimination by former employees resulting in dismissals by the New York State Division of Human Rights

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Recognition

Above and Beyond Award by City & State New York 2019
The LGBT Community Center of NYC’s Women’s Event 2017 Community Impact Award for Social Justice
Minority Corporate Counsel Association Paula L. Ettelbrick Award for LGBT Lawyer of the Year 2016

New York Law Journal Lawyers Who Lead by Example, Award for Public Service 2016
Edward R. Murrow award for best documentary on work with the Mattachine Society of Washington, D.C. 2016
Chambers Diversity Award for LGBT Equality Lawyer of the Year in Private Practice 2016
Arthritis Foundation, Woman on the Move Award 2013
Empire State Pride Agenda, Equality@Work Award 2010
HELP/PSI, Empowerment Award 2014
Minority Corporate Counsel Association (MCCA), named Mover & Shaker in 2009 and 2013
New York Observer 2011, New York City Top 50 Power Gay
New York City Bar Association, Art Leonard Pride Award 2013

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Community

Supreme Court, Appellate Division, First Department, Attorney Grievance Committee, member, 2018
National Association of Women Lawyers, Diversity Committee Chair, 2012 to 2017

New York City LGBT Community Center, elected to serve on the board of directors
Lambda Legal, officer of the board of directors from 2007 to 2014, and member of the National Leadership Council
Law Firm Diversity Professions, elected as director at large to the board of the association 2011 to 2013

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Credentials

Education
Pace University School of Law, JD, with honors, 1984
Villanova University, BA, with honors, 1981

Admissions
New York

Courts / Agencies
Supreme Court of the United States
US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
US District Court for the Eastern District of New York
US District Court for the Southern District of New York