Attorneys

Tara C. Fappiano concentrates her practice on insurance defense actions, focusing on injury cases arising out of construction accidents, products liability, premises defects, with a particular focus on toxic tort and environmental litigations. In this capacity, she has defended numerous lead paint and other toxic tort claims. She also has experience defending legal malpractice, intellectual property and business tort claims.

Tara regularly lectures on developments in toxic torts and lead paint liability and has authored an article on toy recalls for Andrews Litigation Reporter on Toxic Torts.

Tara is Co-Chair of the Environmental Law Committee of the Westchester County Bar Association, as well as Co-Chair of the Legal Referral Services Committee. She is also the author of a regular column in the Westchester Women’s Bar Association Newsletter entitled “Parenting for Professionals,” dealing with the complex issues that face working attorneys raising families.

Tara is also a member of the New York State Bar Association and the Connecticut Bar Association. She has served as a judge for the Pace University School of Law National Environmental Moot Court Competition for several years and, recently, for the American Bar Association Negotiation Competition, Regional Round and the New York State Bar Association High School Mock Trial Tournament this spring.

Tara has been honored by the Yonkers City Council for her participation as a speaker at The City of Yonkers First Green Conference and Trade Fair.

Tara received her undergraduate degree from Fordham University in 1995 and her Juris Doctor from St. Johns University Law School, where she was an editor of the Journal of Legal Commentary, in 1998. She is admitted to practice in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut and before the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and the District of New Jersey.

Publications

• Potential Litigation Arising From Toy Recalls Over Lead Paint, Andrews Litigation Reporter – Toxic Torts (2007)

• Don't Become a "Spoliated" Sport: Developments in the Defense of Spoliation, Torts, Insurance and Compensation Law Journal, New York State Bar Association (2007)
• Parenting for Professionals: Practical Considerations for the Working Attorney — Facing Maternity Head-On, Westchester Women's Bar Association Newsletter (2007)
• Spoliation Motions: An Increasingly Potent Weapon, by Tara C. Fappiano and Abraham E. Havkins, New York Law Journal (2004)
• Note: Finding a Legal Remedy for the HIV-Positive Infant: Wrongful Life and Lack of Informed Consent Explored, St. John's Journal of Legal Commentary (1997)

Presentations

• Recent Developments in New York Toxic Torts Litigation (November 2008)
• Yonkers Green Conference and Trade Fair
  (Westchester County Bar Association, May 2008)
• Likelihood of Lawsuits from Lead Paint in Toys
  (Andrews/Thompson West Webinar, October 2007)