Michael D. Pinnisi

Michael D. Pinnisi is a New York business lawyer at Pinnisi & Anderson who provides commercial dispute resolution, contract negotiation, corporate governance, internal investigation, intellectual property, and other legal services for sophisticated corporate clients. His practice draws on four decades of public, private, corporate, and academic experience. He advises businesses on disputes, governance questions, contracts, investigations, and operational legal issues that can involve litigation exposure, executive decision-making, regulatory concerns, and complex commercial relationships.

Pinnisi earned a J.D. from Cornell Law School and an A.B. cum laude from Cornell University’s College of Arts and Sciences. At Cornell, he received academic and leadership distinctions and participated in the law school’s Moot Court Board. His education provided a strong foundation in legal analysis, advocacy, government, and institutional decision-making, supporting a practice that spans corporate counseling, litigation, investigations, contract work, and executive-level business responsibilities.

Pinnisi’s career includes service as a partner at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft, general counsel and senior operating roles at investment and technology businesses, and legal leadership for an international music rights company. He has also served as an Honor Program Trial Attorney for the US Department of Justice and as an Assistant US Attorney in civil and criminal divisions. In addition, he has taught as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Cornell Law School and serves as a federal-court-approved mediator.

Michael D. Pinnisi brings a combined litigation, corporate, government, and executive perspective to business law matters. His experience advising officers and directors and managing legal functions helps him understand how legal strategy affects company operations and decision-making. He assists clients with commercial disputes, governance, contracts, internal investigations, intellectual property concerns, and other matters requiring balanced judgment across litigation risk, regulatory exposure, corporate priorities, and practical business objectives.

Law Office Affiliations

• Attorney, Pinnisi & Anderson
• Member, New York State Bar Association
• Honorary Inductee, Phi Delta Phi (Legal Service and Ethics Fraternity), Cornell Law School Chapter

Licensed State

• New York

Education

• Cornell Law School
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• Cornell University, College of Arts and Sciences
  A.B. (Cum Laude)

Awards & Badges