Area of Practice: Art Law John is a litigator and transactional lawyer focusing on legal matters in the art world. His clients include artists, artist’s estates, art advisors, art borrowers, art lenders, auctioneers, art collectors (leading and new), charities/nonprofits, galleries, insurers, investors, museums, and virtual platforms. With more than 30 years of experience, John has helped clients avoid litigation, successfully litigated important cases when necessary, and advised clients on art transactions (commissions, consignments, gifts, insurance, investments, purchases, sales, loans, licenses, etc.), including some of the largest and most complex deals in the art market. While John has spent his career primarily in the private practice of law (including a pro bono practice), he has also been the General Counsel of Phillips and occupied a C-suite role at Sotheby’s in which he oversaw financial deal-making globally and oversaw its art-lending affiliate. He has also served as pro bono counsel to the Appraisers Association of America. John is a past Chair of the field’s leading art law committee (advocating for legislation to protect artists and art experts). He has taught and lectured frequently at many venues (including universities and the academic programs of Christie’s and Sotheby’s), and published articles, book chapters, and educational materials on art law topics. Named as one of the “Art World’s Most Powerful Lawyers” by Artnet News, John is often sought out by art journalists for background analysis and commentary, and he has been quoted in prominent media and publications in the United States and internationally. Chambers High Net Worth has recognized John as a top-tier art lawyer and quoted sources praising his “experience and expertise” and describing him as “a true intellect . . . incredibly knowledgeable on all things art-related.”

Area of Practice: Civil Rights Law Michelle Caiola is a fierce and committed litigator, seeking justice for those experiencing sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and pregnancy discrimination. With her demonstrated success in court and deep knowledge of the law, Michelle can expertly handle any discrimination case from start to finish. Each year, she negotiates millions of dollars in settlements for her clients. Michelle never hesitates to take on powerful entities for her diverse range of clients including executives in finance, technology, media and pharmaceuticals, doctors, lawyers, and models. Michelle is also experienced in handling high profile sexual assault cases. She currently represents women that have been abused by Hip Hop Mogul Sean Combs, a billionaire businessman, and other public figures. Michelle began litigating employment discrimination lawsuits as an attorney for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). While there, Michelle expertly handled class-action lawsuits pertaining to sexual harassment, race, national origin, age, and disability discrimination in the workplace. Among the many notable cases from her years at EEOC, she led a high-profile glass-ceiling sex discrimination lawsuit against Wall Street firm Morgan Stanley, which settled for $54 million. She also played a key role in litigating a large precedent-setting sexual harassment suit against Mitsubishi, a car manufacturing plant in Illinois, which settled for $34 million, and an important class-wide age discrimination suit against a major retailer, which settled for $3.5 million. Michelle was awarded EEOC’s highest honor, the EEOC Chair’s Organizational Award, three times. While overseeing legal departments at Legal Momentum and then Equal Rights Advocates, two women’s rights non-profit organizations, Michelle focused on winning pregnancy and sex discrimination lawsuits on behalf of women law professors and service workers, as well as women working in non-traditional jobs, such as police officers, firefighters, shipyard workers, and tradeswomen. Michelle has been a strong advocate for women receiving workplace pregnancy accommodations and job protections related to domestic violence. Michelle also has a wealth of experience litigating on behalf of people with disabilities. While serving as Managing Director of Disability Rights Advocates in New York City, she achieved numerous court victories and negotiated impactful settlements. In 2020, she was personally awarded the Law360 MVP based on highly significant legal rulings she obtained while litigating five separate class-action cases brought against the Metropolitan Transit Authority to achieve subway access for individuals that cannot use stairs due to a disability. As a long-standing workplace advocate, Michelle has testified at government hearings and presented at employment discrimination conferences. She has co-authored several employment discrimination Amicus Briefs filed with the U.S. Supreme Court: Women’s Rights Organizations in Support of Respondent, Mach Mining, LLC v. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (regarding a woman applicant for a coal mining position), November 2014; Law Professors and Women’s Rights Organizations in Support of Petitioner, Peggy Young v. United Parcel Service, Inc. (supporting pregnancy accommodations at work), May 2013. Michelle attended Washington University School of Law in St. Louis and received her Juris Doctor with distinction from the University of Iowa College of Law. She completed her undergraduate degree at Kent State University in Ohio. Michelle is a member of the bar in New York and Missouri. She is admitted to practice before the United States District Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York, the Northern and Central Districts of Illinois, the Northern District of California, the United States Courts of Appeals for the Second and Ninth Circuits, and the Supreme Court of the United States. She is a member of the National Employment Lawyers Association, the New York State Bar Association, the City Bar of New York, and the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers.

I take a holistic approach to the practice of business law, helping owners start, grow, protect, and sell their enterprises. My experience handling hundreds of state and federal court business litigation disputes also gives me insight on asset protection techniques and ways to minimize exposure to legal risks and litigation.

Law Firm of John L. Calcagni, III Attorney John L. Calcagni III is a very experienced criminal defense trial attorney. He formerly served as a military prosecutor in the U.S. Army JAG Corps and as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice. Attorney Calcagni is admitted to practice in state and federal courts in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, and Florida. He is also licensed in the U.S. Supreme Court, a number of U.S. Courts of Appeals, multiple U.S. District Courts and military courts. As a former federal prosecutor, Attorney Calcagni handled countless cases involving drug trafficking; domestic violence; assault; weapons; gang-related crime; manslaughter; murder; child pornography; solicitation of minors; child abuse; rape; burglary; breaking and entering; terrorism-related offenses; fraud; conspiracy; motor vehicle offenses; DUI or DWI or OUI; and military specific crimes. He now uses the valuable experience gained as prosecutor to defend his many clients.

Attorney Calcagni is an extremely experienced and skilled criminal defense trial lawyer. Before entering private practice, he formerly served as a military prosecutor in the U.S. Army JAG Corps and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York. Attorney Calcagni is admitted to practice in state and federal courts in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, Connecticut, and Florida. He is admitted in other U.S. District Courts, the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the First and Second Circuits, and also in the United States Supreme Court. As a former federal prosecutor, Attorney Calcagni prosecuted countless cases involving charges of drug use, drug possession, drug distribution, and drug trafficking; simple and domestic assault; battery; assault and battery; domestic battery; felony assault; assault with deadly weapons; assault with dangerous weapons; gang-related assault; manslaughter; murder; attempted murder; possession of child pornography, receipt of child pornography, manufacture or creation of child pornography and distribution of child pornography; solicitation of minors and indecent solicitation of minors; child abuse; child molestation, rape; sexual assault; statutory rape; indecent assault; indecent assault and battery; weapons-related charges; firearms charges; burglary; breaking and entering; robbery; theft of government property; possession of bomb-making materials; terrorism-related offenses; fraud; identity fraud; larceny; destruction of property; financial crimes; traffic violations; driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs; trespassing; conspiracy; and attempt-related offenses. Attorney Calcagni now uses the extensive investigation and trial experience he acquired as a federal prosecutor to represent his clients in Criminal Defense matters in State, Federal and Military Courts. He has more individual trial experience than most other attorneys in the market. He also has a well-known and proven track record of not guilty verdicts, acquittals, and lenient sentences, even for the most serious crimes.