Civil Litigation, From People Who Learned It Inside the Courthouse
Most litigators learned New York's courts from counsel table. Our Managing Attorney learned them from the other side of the bench.
Before entering private practice, Douglas Mace spent eight years as a law clerk inside Kings County Civil Court — eight years reading motions by the thousand, watching which arguments landed and which were skimmed, seeing exactly where cases are won, lost, delayed, and dismissed. Not the courtroom of television. The real one: the calendars, the conference parts, the procedural machinery that actually decides most disputes long before any dramatic closing argument.
That vantage point is this practice's foundation. When we litigate, we're not guessing how the court will process your case. We've watched it happen from the inside, thousands of times.
What We Litigate
- Business and partnership disputes. Broken agreements between partners, deadlocked owners, departing members, and the fights that follow when the handshake deal meets reality. Often for companies we already know through our business practice — counsel with context.
- Breach of contract. Unpaid invoices, unperformed agreements, vendor and customer disputes — pursued and defended. We're candid about the economics before filing anything: some contract cases are worth a lawsuit, some are worth a demand letter, and some are worth walking away from. You'll get the honest math.
- Real estate litigation. Contract-of-sale disputes, deposit fights, title and boundary issues, and disputes among co-owners of property — including the family-owned kind, where the law is only half the problem.
- Employment litigation. The courtroom side of our employment practice, for both employees and employers.
- Estate-adjacent civil matters. Where our probate practice meets adversarial process — recovering estate property or resolving fiduciary questions — handled with the same preference for early, quiet resolution that governs everything we do in that field.
- Defense. Being sued is disorienting — the summons, the deadlines, the certified mail. We defend individuals and small businesses with the first thing they need: a calm explanation of what the papers actually mean, what the clock requires, and what the realistic outcomes are.
How We Approach a Dispute
- Resolution first, honestly pursued. The best litigation outcome is often the one that never becomes litigation. A well-built demand letter, a negotiation from a position of visible preparation, mediation where it fits — most disputes should settle, and the leverage to settle well comes from being genuinely ready to try the case.
- Procedure as strategy. Here is what eight years inside the system teaches: cases are won on preparation and procedure far more often than on eloquence. Deadlines met precisely. Motions built the way courts actually read them. Records assembled before they're needed. It's unglamorous, and it's decisive.
- Straight talk about cost and odds. Litigation is expensive, slow, and uncertain — anyone who tells you otherwise is selling something. At every stage you'll know what the next step costs, what it's for, and whether we still think the fight is worth it. Clients make the decisions; we make sure they're informed ones.
Our Civil Litigation Services
The Insider's Guide
- Eight years inside the New York courts. Douglas Mace's clerkship years in Kings County Civil Court are the rarest kind of litigation credential — not cases argued before the system, but the system itself, learned from within. He has processed the calendars, staffed the parts, and read the motion practice of an entire borough. Litigants hire lawyers who know the rules; our clients get one who watched the rules operate from the inside, every working day, for eight years.
- A firm built by an outsider who mastered the inside. Danny Grace — Limerick-born, University of Limerick School of Law, admitted in New York in 2011, founder of this firm in 2012, Super Lawyers 2022–2026 — built this practice on a single idea: that the system is navigable when someone who knows it from the inside explains it plainly. In litigation, that philosophy pairs with Mr. Mace's insider procedural knowledge to make the process — usually the most opaque experience a client ever has — fully legible at every step.
- Context most litigators lack. Because this firm practices business, real estate, employment, and estates, our litigation team understands the underlying deal, not just the dispute — from offices at 225 Broadway, in the heart of the court district.
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Legal Guidance You Can Trust
Personalized Legal Strategy
Tailored solutions that reflect your unique personal or business objectives.
Clear, Practical Communication
Jargon-free guidance so you always understand your options and next steps.
Responsive Client Service
A dedicated team that prioritizes timely updates and accessibility.
Multi-Practice Legal Experience
Broad expertise across probate, estate planning, immigration, employment, business, real estate, and litigation.
Solutions Focused On Your Goals
We focus on outcomes that protect your interests and help you move forward with confidence.
Why Clients Trust Danny Grace PLLC
Clear Communication
We explain litigation in plain English, helping you make informed decisions without overwhelming legal jargon.
Experienced Guidance
Our attorneys have extensive experience inside and before the New York courts, from motions through trial.
Personalized Support
Every dispute is different. We provide tailored strategy designed around your goals and your economics.
Steadfast Representation
From demand letter to resolution, we're committed to protecting your interests with dependable counsel.
A New York litigation practice built on candor and diligence.
At Danny Grace PLLC, we handle civil litigation with professionalism, care, and attention to detail. We guide individuals and businesses through demand letters, negotiation, and courtroom proceedings while protecting your position and your resources.
Our Mission
To pursue every dispute with the same judgment we would want for our own matter.
Our Standard
Precise filings, transparent communication, and outcomes that stand up to scrutiny.
Guiding Clients with Trusted Legal Counsel Through Every Stage of Life and Business
Client-Focused Service
Every client receives personalized attention and thoughtful guidance.
Clear Communication
We explain complex legal matters in plain, straightforward language.
Comprehensive Experience
Supporting individuals, families, and businesses across multiple practice areas.
Frequently Asked Questions
I've been sued. What do I do first?
Note the date you were served and call counsel promptly — response deadlines in New York are short, and a missed one can mean a default judgment. Don't contact the other side, and don't ignore it hoping it resolves. It won't.
How long does a civil lawsuit take in New York?
Realistically, one to three years to trial for a typical civil matter, though most cases settle well before that. Procedural posture matters enormously — part of our job is keeping your case from drifting.
What does litigation cost?
It varies with the fight, but we quote structure up front — hourly with budgets by phase, and flat fees for defined steps where possible. We'll also tell you plainly when a case's economics don't justify the battle.
Will my case go to trial?
Statistically, probably not — the large majority of civil cases settle. But settlements favor the side that's visibly prepared to try the case, which is exactly how we prepare.
Can you just send a demand letter?
Yes, and it's often the right first move. A precise letter from counsel who is clearly ready to file resolves a surprising share of disputes at a fraction of litigation's cost.
What's the difference between suing in Civil Court and Supreme Court?
New York's Civil Court handles claims up to $50,000; Supreme Court handles larger and more complex matters. Where you file shapes procedure, pace, and cost — and our Managing Attorney knows the first forum from the inside.
Is arbitration or mediation better than court?
Sometimes — faster and more private, though with trade-offs. If your contract has an arbitration clause, that decision may already be made. We'll read it and tell you where you actually stand.
Can I recover my attorney's fees if I win?
In New York, generally only if a contract or statute says so — the default is each side pays its own. This single fact shapes the strategy of most disputes, and we address it in the first conversation.
The other side has no money. Should I still sue?
Maybe not — a judgment you can't collect is an expensive piece of paper. Collectability analysis comes before filing here, not after winning.
Do you handle disputes for businesses you didn't form?
Of course. Though we'll note: the businesses we counsel from formation tend to arrive in fewer disputes — the documents did their job. Either way, we meet your case where it is.
How Can We Help?
