Daniel S. Ratner

Daniel S. Ratner has been an appellate lawyer for 35 years. He has briefed and argued more than 350 reported civil and criminal appeals in the United States Courts of Appeals, the New York Court of Appeals, the Connecticut Supreme Court, and the state intermediate appellate courts. He regularly appears in New York’s Appellate Division, First and Second Departments. His appeals often involve multi-million-dollar claims and judgments, and he has tackled a variety of procedural and substantive legal issues, including issues of standing, legal duty, jurisdiction, statutes of limitations, summary judgment, Frye/Daubert challenges to expert testimony, evidentiary errors during trial, jury instructions, sufficiency of evidence, and contested damage awards. His cases are regularly cited as precedent by the Bench and Bar. He is proud of his reputation for skilled advocacy.

After serving for five years as an assistant district attorney in the Appeals Bureau of the Bronx District Attorney’s Office, in 1994 Dan joined Heidell, Pittoni, Murphy & Bach LLP, where he headed its appellate practice group for thirty years, served as managing partner and was a member of the firm’s executive committee.

During his career Dan has handled appeals and motions in the areas of product liability, medical malpractice, legal malpractice, personal injury, premises liability, automobile liability, mass torts, toxic torts, libel/defamation, sexual abuse, commercial disputes, and criminal law.

Dan frequently gets involved in matters at the outset. He works closely with trial attorneys to develop legal strategies and litigate evidentiary issues pre-trial and during trial, at a time when it is crucial to develop the record and preserve issues for appeal. He also prepares and argues complex, substantive motions. These include pre-Answer, discovery, summary judgment, in limine, and post-trial motions.

In addition to his written and oral advocacy, Dan regularly provides cost-effective, result-oriented strategic advice to clients. He has a deep and instinctive understanding of what works at the trial and appellate levels.

Since 2012, Dan has been annually nominated by his peers as a Best Lawyer in America® and a Super Lawyer® in the area of Appellate Law. He received his BA from Dickinson College in 1986 and his JD from Fordham University School of Law in 1989. He is admitted to the Bars of the United States Supreme Court, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, the State of New York, and the State of Connecticut.

Dan and his wife of 35 years are avid golfers and travelers, and Dan is a long time participant in the Big Brothers Big Sisters Program of Westchester County.