Carolyn E. Kruk

• Full Biography

  Carolyn E. Kruk serves as Counsel in the New York office of Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC. She brings almost two decades of demonstrated success in high-stakes civil rights and commercial litigation. Ms. Kruk began her career in Canada as a judicial law clerk at the Alberta Court of Appeal and Alberta Court of Queen’s Bench, completed her articles at Macleod Dixon LLP in Calgary, and then moved to New York to attend Columbia University.
  After earning her LL.M. at Columbia University, Ms. Kruk practiced commercial litigation and arbitration at Hogan Lovells US LLP before joining the New York City Law Department General Litigation Division as an Assistant Corporation Counsel. During her near-decade with the City’s Law Department, Ms. Kruk defended New York City and its agencies in civil rights cases, with a particular focus on disability rights disputes under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and City and State human rights law.
  Before joining Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC, Ms. Kruk practiced at a boutique law firm, Kishner Miller Himes P.C., where she focused on real-estate centered disputes.

  Business and Real Estate Litigation

  Ms. Kruk represents condominium and cooperative boards, sponsors, individual unit owners, and corporations in a wide variety of real estate and complex commercial litigation and arbitration matters, including disputes involving construction defects, contract enforcement, partnership/fiduciary issues, and business torts.

  Civil Rights and Public-Sector Defense

  At the New York City Law Department, Ms. Kruk defended the City, Health + Hospitals, New York City Department of Social Services, NYPD, and other agencies in federal and state civil rights lawsuits—addressing access to services, disability rights, facility accessibility, child welfare, and conditions of confinement.
  Ms. Kruk’s depth in both private and public sectors enhances Scarinci Hollenbeck, LLC’s bench strength across real estate, municipal, and rights-based litigation.

• Representative Matters

  • Represented condominium boards and purchasers of new-construction condominium units in a lawsuit against the condominium sponsor and its principals for major construction defects, resulting in favorable settlements
  • Counsel for the City of New York and the New York City Department of Homeless Services in a class action seeking that individuals in the City’s shelter system be housed in a single-occupancy hotel room for the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Counsel for the City of New York and the New York City Department of Correction in actions seeking that the New York City Department of Correction take additional measures to protect inmates from the COVID-19 virus
  • Counsel for the City of New York and New York City Health + Hospitals in class actions alleging that various City buildings and/or programs, services, and activities are inaccessible to people with disabilities in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and City and State Human Rights Laws
  • Counsel for the New York City Department of Education in federal litigation brought under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
  • Counsel for a sporting goods multi-national in a government investigation of alleged violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act
  • Counsel for a reinsurer in an arbitration in Paris for alleged breach of contract

  * Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.

• Blog posts

• Awards & Recognitions

  • Edith J. Spivack Award, New York City Law Department, 2019
  • Division Chief Award, New York City Law Department, 2018
  • Lawrence A. Wien Prize and Fellowship in Corporate Social Responsibility, Columbia University, 2006

No Aspect of the advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court. Results may vary depending on your particular facts and legal circumstances.