Benjamin P. Argyle

Representative Matters

Arbitration

• Prosecuted, as lead trial counsel, a multi-party construction arbitration that resulted in a 94% reduction in contractor's claims and an apology to the client from the contractor on the witness stand
• As trial counsel in a confidential arbitration proceeding to exercise Venable client’s put right, obtained an arbitration award in excess of $450 million
• Represented a shipping logistics company in an arbitration with claims regarding a vendor's failed software development

Commercial Disputes

• Secured a nearly $30 million judgment on an unpaid promissory note, affirmed on appeal (International Fin. Grp. v. Hambrecht, 162 N.Y.S.3d 725 (1st Dep't 2022))
• Successfully represented Ideanomics Inc. in obtaining a judgment by confession for $16.3 million after bringing a motion for summary judgment in lieu of complaint on a defaulted promissory note (Ideanomics, Inc. v. Silk EV Cayman LP, 651668/2022 and 652937/2022 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. Comm. Div. 2022))
• Successfully defended a state agency against breach of contract and tort claims brought by a disaster recovery vendor (ProSource Technologies, LLC v. Housing Trust Fund Corp., No. 5972-14, 2015 WL 5797028 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. Comm. Div. Oct. 2, 2015))
• Defeated an emergency injunction and secured complete dismissal of the entire action for a prominent equipment rental company in connection with a government bid protest

Risk Management Review and Insurance Disputes

• Guided private equity owner and portfolio company through complex post-judgment settlement of a record-setting jury verdict involving claims against the client’s ongoing and largest business partner, and multiple insurance towers
• Provides coverage analyses on the intersection of general liability, builders' all-risk, property and casualty, employer’s liability, and professional malpractice insurance portfolios
• Counsels construction industry clients on insurance matters, particularly as to builders' all-risk insurance policies and construction defects (LEG 1/96, 2/96, 3/06, and similar) exclusions
• Represented a maritime parts manufacturer in a "historical lost policy" insurance archaeology coverage dispute seeking coverage for 60+-year-old asbestos claims

Trade Secrets

• Served as lead plaintiff’s counsel to a preeminent third-party hotel management company in successful action against its former president for theft of competitive business information and knowing participation in breach of fiduciary duty
• Defending, as lead counsel, a mobile device manufacturer for alleged theft of mobile antenna designs

Shareholder and Governance Disputes

• Provided strategic advice to a public company in its securities law proceedings arising out of multi-year proxy contests
• Directed multi-state litigation strategy to successfully fend off hostile takeover attempt by a public company’s largest shareholder

Antitrust

• Represents a major technology company regularly targeted as a third-party witness in FTC merger investigations
• Defending a major producer of poultry products against putative antitrust class action, opt-out, and attorney general lawsuits in multiple venues, alleging illegal price-fixing conspiracies in the poultry industry
• Part of a cross-office litigation team that represented generic pharmaceutical companies against multidistrict antitrust class action lawsuits alleging price-fixing claims under the Sherman Act

Non-Profits

• Obtained dismissal of all claims, and secured sanctions against party bringing them, on behalf of a religious corporation client
• Successfully prosecuted and defended against multiple lis pendens and mechanics' lien disputes, and the underlying breach of construction contract claims, for claims ranging from $500 to $30 million
• Won a motion to dismiss contract claims and successfully canceled a notice of pendency on behalf of the Archdiocese of New York (Ace Fire Door Corp. v. Construction Contractors of NY, St. Anthony of Padua Roman Catholic Church, et al., No. 806709/2021 (N.Y. Sup. Ct. Bronx Cnty. Comm. Div. Apr. 5, 2023))
• Outside counsel to religious and cultural not-for-profits in resolving real estate development and construction disputes

Education

• J.D. magna cum laude Brooklyn Law School 2014
• B.A. Syracuse University 2006

Bar Admissions

• New York

Court Admissions

• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York

• The Best Lawyers in America, Ones to Watch, 2021 – 2025

Pro Bono

• Maintains an active pro bono practice representing asylum applicants fleeing sexual-orientation persecution