Michael S. Farber

Michael is a founder and the managing partner of Farber Balsam Papain Ferrari LLP, where he leads a litigation-driven practice focused on complex commercial disputes in New York’s state and federal courts. His clients span real estate developers, construction and fabrication firms, creative agencies, technology companies, and licensed design professionals.

He also represents a wide range of creative talent—artists, designers, fashion and apparel brands, art dealers, and the entities investing in their intellectual property—handling transactions, negotiations, and strategic advisory work for creators and the businesses built around them.

As outside general counsel to New York City businesses, Michael advises on crisis management, pre-litigation strategy, and dispute resolution, pivoting seamlessly between aggressive courtroom advocacy and pragmatic, value-driven solutions.

He counsels privately held and family-owned companies with significant real estate portfolios and has served as outside general counsel to brands, studios, creative directors, and designers. Previously, he was General Counsel to a real estate enterprise managing more than $1.5B in mixed-use buildings, acting as personal counsel to its principals.

Earlier in his career, Michael built the in-house litigation function for a major national developer, overseeing housing-related litigation across its New York City properties. He also served as counsel at an Am Law 100 firm supporting discovery in the landmark mass-tort litigation arising from the September 11th first-responder actions.

While in law school, he completed the rigorous U.S. Attorney’s Office (E.D.N.Y.) clinical program, working on major RICO, narcotics, and wire-fraud prosecutions. During the same period, he founded an apparel business and represented musical and studio artists, content creators, and designers.

A Queens native and graduate of the Bronx High School of Science, Michael earned his B.A. in Psychology from SUNY Buffalo and his J.D. from Brooklyn Law School. He lives in Westchester.