WILLIAM E. BETZ

Attorney and Counselor at Law

LAWYER BACKGROUND

William Betz has over 40 years of successful experience as a practicing attorney.  Mr. Betz received his J.D. cum laude in 1983 from New York Law School.  He was a member of the New York Law School Law Review, the recipient of the Jurisprudence Award, and the winner of the Nathan Burkan Copyright competition.  Bill received his Bachelor’s Degree from St. John’s University in New York City and is a graduate of Chaminade High School.

William Betz worked as a law clerk with Cravath, Swaine & Moore while attending law school at night.  In August 1983 he became associated with Weil, Gotshal and Manges in New York City.  In November 1987 Mr. Betz opened his own law office, which he maintained for a period of more than 10 years.  He worked in the law office of Raoul Felder from 1996 to 1997.  In 1999, Bill accepted a position as Assistant Attorney General in Saipan, U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, where he specialized in civil litigation representing the local government.

Mr. Betz is the author of “For the Retention of Diversity Jurisdiction,” published by the New York State Bar Journal, and “Saipan: Golf in Paradise,” accepted for publication by Golf Magazine.

PRACTICE AREAS

The Law Office of William E. Betz has extensive experience in most areas of civil litigation, including counseling and defending and prosecuting complex, high‑stakes cases.

Mr. Betz has been trial counsel in important cases involving the protection and vindication of personal and business rights, including, among others: Hartline v. Gallo (Civil rights, Second Circuit Court of Appeals); Bolden v. Alston; United States v. $19,047 in U.S. Currency; Zenith v. Matsushita (co-counsel); Alaimo v. City of New York; Estate of Albert Goldberg; Cohen v. First Run Features; In re Cosmopolitan Aviation (co-counsel); Alder v. Cargo Brokers; Apsan v. Genesis Consulting; and Iolanda Quinn v. Anthony Quinn.

Appellate

Mr. Betz has briefed and argued cases across a broad spectrum of legal issues in the United Statesl Courts of Appeals, the United States Supreme Court, and the New York appellate courts.  These include matters involving Civil Rights, Constitutional Law, Civil Procedure, Antitrust, Criminal Law, Torts, Contracts, and Securities Law.

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)

Mr. Betz has practiced arbitration before NASD (National Association of Securities Dealers), the American Arbitration Association (AAA) and also participated in ad hoc arbitration.  Mr. Betz is also experienced in mediation.

Business Litigation

William Betz has successfully represented minority shareholders of privately held corporations who claimed they were oppressed or frozen out of the profits and operation of their respective businesses by controlling shareholders.  The matters were all resolved by litigation or settled to the satisfaction of Mr. Betz's clients.

In addition, Mr. Betz has represented corporations in business disputes involving other corporations and individuals.  He has prosecuted claims and defended corporations in breach of contract and employment discrimination disputes. 

Mr. Betz has also represented commercial tenants in disputes with their landlords.

Criminal Practice

William Betz has handled a variety of criminal matters, representing defendants before the Long Island criminal courts and assisting in the prosecution as Assistant Attorney General on behalf of the local government in Saipan, U.S. Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.  Although certain of the criminal cases he has defended were appropriately settled, Mr. Betz has never represented a losing defendant in either a jury or non-jury (bench) trial.

Constitutional Litigation

Mr. Betz has handled several cases involving constitutional issues in the Federal district and appellate courts.

In a case in which a Guyanese immigrant to the United States was subjected, along with several friends, to a warrantless search, the immigrant and her companions were confronted by INS officials in the early morning hours on the day following a Hindu wedding.  The woman was “asked” by an armed immigration agent to give him her purse.  He found cash in the amount of nearly twenty thousand dollars in the purse and confiscated it.  The woman later retained Mr. Betz to try to retrieve her money.  In a forfeiture proceeding brought by the government to consummate the seizure, the client counterclaimed for return of the money.  Following a trial in the Federal District Court, the Judge held that her money was taken in violation of the client's Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable search and seizure and ordered the money returned to Mr. Betz’s client, with interest.

Mr. Betz also represented a New York State prison inmate who claimed his right to Due Process under the Fourteenth Amendment was violated by the arbitrary imposition of prison disciplinary proceedings.  In response to a motion by the State for summary judgment dismissing the complaint, William Betz cross-moved for summary judgment on his client's Due Process claims. The cross-motion was successful and judgment was entered in favor of the client.

Bill also represented a young woman who was unconstitutionally strip-searched after a police officer found a small, unusable amount or marijuana residue on the floor of her car after she was stopped for a missing rear license plate which had come off after she drove away from a snow bank.  

Employment Contracts and Employment Discrimination

The Betz Law Office has represented clients, including on the international level, claiming breach of employment contract and employment discrimination.

Representing two Brazilian nationals in the Information Technology (“IT”) industry, Mr. Betz prosecuted their employment contract claim against a multinational consulting firm, resulting in a substantial settlement on behalf of the plaintiffs.  The dispute was required by contractual provision to be litigated in the Federal District Court in New York City. 

Mr. Betz also represented an applicant to a New York City agency who was denied employment exclusively on the basis of a birth defect that did not affect his ability to perform the responsibilities of the position at issue.  After years of litigation, the case was ultimately resolved at trial for a substantial settlement in the plaintiff’s favor.

Matrimonial and Family Law

The Betz Law Office has represented scores of individuals statewide in divorce, child custody, support and enforcement proceedings before the New York Supreme and Family Courts.  Included among the matters handled by Mr. Betz have been those ranging from high-profile divorces involving substantial assets to cases involving less affluent persons seeking to protect their rights in marital property and child custody. Mr. Betz has had striking success in representing fathers seeking custody of their children.

Torts (Personal Injury, Malpractice)

William Betz has substantial experience in representing individuals who were injured as the result of the negligence of other individuals or corporations, including the City of New York.  Such matters include automobile accident injuries and injuries resulting from the collapse of structures overhanging public byways. 

Bill has also successfully represented individuals claiming negligent injury at the hands of physicians (medical malpractice) and lawyers (legal malpractice). 

Miscellaneous Litigation Matters

Wills and Decedent’s Estates.  The Betz Law Office represented a decedent’s widow seeking her right to receive a portion of her late husband’s estate.  The widow had waived her right of election in a prenuptial agreement.  While he was hospitalized, the decedent and his wife revoked the prenuptial agreement.  The decedent’s sister claimed in Surrogate’s Court that her late brother was incompetent and that the revocation was the result of incompetence, duress, and undue influence.  After an extended trial and the testimony of expert medical witnesses, the Court, in a case involving unique issues of first impression, held that the decedent was, in fact, competent at the time of the revocation and that his widow was entitled to her share of the distribution of his estate.

Bankruptcy.  In connection with the representation of the White Rock Beverage Corporation, a real estate tenant of the client filed for bankruptcy and remained in the premises as a holdover, proceeding to stall eviction in the Federal Bankruptcy Court for years.  Mr. Betz worked with the client’s law firm in an adversarial proceeding seeking to demonstrate the tenant’s misuse of the court for profit.  After substantial and complicated litigation the tenant was ultimately issued an order of eviction.

Other.  Mr. Betz has also participated in proceedings before the United States Immigration and Naturalization Service and the Court of International Trade. 

LOCATION

The Law Office of William Betz is located in Garden City, New York, convenient to the courts in Nassau and Suffolk Counties and the five Boroughs of New York City. 

Contact

Mr. Betz may be contacted by mail at 1225 Franklin Avenue, Suite 325, Garden City, NY 11530.  By telephone, call (516) 641-9906.  To contact Mr. Betz by e-mail, please click on the link below.

 e-mail:  Betzlaw@aol.com

To discuss your legal rights and needs, please contact Mr. Betz for a consultation, available by appointment. 

The firm represents both plaintiffs and defendants.