George Benaur, the founder and owner of the firm, was born and raised in Moscow, Russia (former Soviet Union) and then immigrated to the United States in 1988. He received his B.A. in English from Lafayette College in 1999, professional degree in acting from the London Academy of Music and Drama in 2000, and his J.D. from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 2004.
Mr. Benaur specializes in domestic and international business litigations and is a recognized trial advocate, speaker and writer. He represents clients worldwide in litigations, general counsel matters and investigations. George has served as lead counsel on many of the significant and complicated civil litigations both domestically and internationally. He regularly handles unique matters calling for the creative, sensitive and artful resolutions and works with a network of trusted counsel around the world, especially in Russia and the United Kingdom to offer global solutions to his clients.
Benaur has extensive experience representing individuals and international corporations in complex litigations, pre-litigation dispute resolution, investigations, and contract drafting and negotiation, both domestically and internationally. He has had back-to-back successes in a broad range of high-stakes cases. For example, George was co-counsel in the representation of BAE Systems Controls in a high-profile bankruptcy of A123 Systems Inc. in Delaware, resulting in $28.5 million valuation of the client’s proof of claim, successful negotiation for post-petition product supply and intellectual property rights. He also served as counsel for BAE Systems in a three-year litigation in Los Angeles federal court over a research and development agreement for a new, highly sophisticated positioning device in the drilling industry, involving extensive expert analysis of complex mechanical engineering and market issues involving the oil and gas industry, fact investigation around the country (Connecticut, New York, Texas, California), expert depositions and reports, summary judgment briefing and various other motions. In that case he presented liability and damages analysis during the course of several court ordered mediations, resulting in settlement in case involving allegations of over $100 million in damages. George also served as counsel in the $2 billion restructuring of the Brazilian meat producer Independencia and briefed, argued and obtained orders for recognition of a Brazilian reorganization proceeding and for permanent injunction enforcing the Brazilian reorganization plan in Chapter 15 proceedings in S.D.N.Y. Bankruptcy Court. Some other clients for whom George has handled complex cases include major pharmaceutical conglomerates, international banks and high-net worth individuals.
George was recognized as among the “New Leaders of the Bar,” formerly known as the “40 Under 40,” by the New Jersey Law Journal and also has been selected as the New Jersey Super Lawyers® Rising Star (which represents only the top 2.5 percent of lawyers in New Jersey) during the past five years. George’s practice is currently principally based in New York and Princeton, with affiliations and strong working relationships with firms and advisors in Moscow and London.