2023 Honored Guests
Michael H. Masri, Esq.
Michael H. Masri is a Partner in Meltzer Lippe’s Litigation, Labor & Employment, and Social Media, Software & Privacy Practice Groups. Michael is an active member of the Nassau County Bar Association, where he is a member of the Board of Directors, the Chair of its Labor & Employment Committee, and a member of the Judiciary Committee. The Nassau County Bar Association recognized his many accomplishments by awarding him the Directors Award in 2022.
Relying on nearly thirty years of experience, Michael litigates trade secret, unfair competition, dissolution, slander, breach of contract, discrimination, wage/hour, employment, labor, and other commercial/corporate matters. In addition, Michael is a “C-Suite” advisor providing day-to-day employment, transactional, administrative, and risk avoidance advice.
Michael regularly counsels clients from a broad spectrum of industries, including technology, big data, online gaming, cyber-security, e-commerce, manufacturing, hospitality and food service, real estate, healthcare, entertainment, public relations, securities, construction, not-for-profit, and education. Michael has appeared in Federal, State, and Administrative Courts as well as Arbitration Panels throughout the country.
In recognition of Michael’s extensive experience as a trial advocate, he is frequently asked to work with out-of-state lawyers in connection with representing their clients in New York actions. In this regard, Michael has also served as a court-appointed electronic discovery referee.
Michael has drafted handbooks, employment agreements, trade secret agreements, and separation agreements affecting over a hundred thousand employees. Michael is often requested to provide management training and conduct investigations for both large and small companies.
Michael is routinely invited to teach continuing legal and accounting education courses, to join symposia faculty, and present to the business community concerning an ever-widening range of topics including arbitration and mediation, computer forensics, electronic discovery, social media, employee relations, employment handbooks and policies, trade secret protection, ethical rules governing attorneys, New York civil procedure, the rules of the Commercial Part of the New York State courts, and other matters.
Since 2010, Michael has completed almost twenty long distance obstacle races including Tough Mudders and Spartan Races. Michael looks forward to spending summers on the beach with his blended family including his four children and friends.
Jeffrey Mercado, CFP®, MBA
Jeffrey Mercado leads the Commercial Banking Law Firm Banking Group at Webster Bank. This specialized group provides law firms escrow banking services and custom lending products to help grow their businesses such as Partner Capital Loan programs, IOLA/IOLTA sub-accounts management using Webster’s proprietary next general Virtual Account Manager escrow processing platform, and Bank Check Express, a service that enables law firms to securely print official bank checks from their law firm office.
Prior to joining Webster Bank, Mr. Mercado spent nearly 20 years at Wells Faro in a variety of roles, most recently as a Senior Private Banker in The Private Bank Legal Specialty Group, where he served as the primary source of contact and key strategic resource for Am Law 200 law firms, leading a team of specialists to provide law firm banking solutions and services. These included escrow banking services, partner capital loans, partner lines of credit, working capital credit facilities, treasury management and corporate card services, private banking, and retirement advisory services.
Jeff received his MBA degree from Columbia Business School. Jeff received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of Maryland, and earned the CFP® designation by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards Inc.
Jeff actively participates in New York and New Jersey legal charitable organizations, and serves on the WE CARE Fund Advisory Board of the Nassau County Bar Association.
