A Career Built on
Principle
I didn't become a lawyer because it looked prestigious on paper. I became a lawyer because I watched my father — a small business owner — get taken advantage of in a contract dispute when I was sixteen. No one in our family knew the law. We couldn't afford someone who did. That moment changed everything.
"Every client who walks through my door deserves the same ferocious advocacy I wish my family had received."
— Pietro MissanelliEarly Career & Columbia Law
I earned my undergraduate degree in Political Science from Fordham University in 1990, graduating magna cum laude. From there, I was accepted to Columbia Law School, where I served on the Columbia Law Review and competed on the moot court team, reaching the national finals in 1992.
After graduating in 1993, I joined Whitmore & Crane LLP as an associate, where I cut my teeth on high-stakes commercial litigation. Over seven years, I tried eleven cases to verdict — winning nine — and argued twice before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals.
Going Solo — and Why It Matters for You
In 2001, I left BigLaw to open my own practice. The reason was simple: large firms distribute clients across dozens of attorneys, paralegals, and junior associates. Important matters get delegated. You deserve better than that.
When you hire me, you get me — not a rotating roster of associates. I personally handle every phase of your matter, from intake through resolution. My clients have my direct cell number. They hear back from me — not a paralegal — within hours.