Steven Raffaele

Steven Raffaele is a partner in the Litigation Practice Group of Holland & Knight's New York office. Mr. Raffaele concentrates his practice on complex commercial litigation and dispute resolution, with an emphasis on aviation, contract, and product liability matters. Mr. Raffaele also counsels start-up and closely-held businesses regarding corporate structure, contract negotiation and interpretation, and litigation avoidance.

Mr. Raffaele is dedicated to being a trusted counselor and advisor and clients seek out his business judgment, client-driven focus and results. He has represented clients across myriad industries in federal and state courts, including New York's Commercial Division, and has litigated commercial disputes to verdict.

From the start of his career, Mr. Raffaele has represented foreign and domestic air carriers and manufacturers (and their insurers) in state and federal courts throughout the country in all stages of litigation and dispute resolution. He has extensive experience litigating aviation claims, including those involving federal aviation statutes and international treaties, breach of contract and warranty, passenger injury and mass casualty, privacy and consumer protection, delay, denied boarding, discrimination, and class action. Mr. Raffaele also has represented his airline clients in regulatory enforcement proceedings brought by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

Mr. Raffaele is strongly committed to charity and community, including working with 9/11 charities, volunteering with the American Red Cross, and mentoring inner-city high school students. Mr. Raffaele also maintains an active pro bono caseload focused on helping those in need.

While at Fordham Law School, Mr. Raffaele was a member of the Fordham Environmental Law Journal and worked at the New York District Attorney's Office, Queens County, Appeals Bureau.

While at Boston University, Mr. Raffaele studied Psychology and Italian Studies and also completed a course of study at the Università degli Studi di Padova in Padua, Italy, where he studied Italian language and literature. Mr. Raffaele graduated from Boston University with distinction for his academic achievement, and was awarded the College Prize for Excellence for graduating first in his class in Modern Foreign Language and Literature.

Born and raised in Queens, NY, Mr. Raffaele is a graduate of Regis High School in New York City.