Harvey B. Besunder, Esq.
Mediator/Arbitrator
Harvey B. Besunder joins Mediation Solutions with over 50 years of legal experience and an “AV” rating from Martindale-Hubbell. His practice focuses on commercial litigation, condemnation and tax certiorari, real property, estate and municipal litigation, and professional responsibility matters.
He currently practices law as a partner with the firm of Egan & Golden. He has had his own firm since 1975 under various names, including, most recently with Linda U. Margolin under the firm name MargolinBesunder LLP. During his career, he was also an Assistant County Attorney for Suffolk County in the Condemnation Department, a member of the Suffolk County Attorney's Office and a Law Assistant in the Suffolk County District Court.
In 2017 Harvey was appointed as a Special Master to oversee, mediate, and resolve discovery disputes in the Suffolk County opioid litigation, which was resolved by settlement and verdict in 2022.
Harvey is an active member of a number of bar associations. From 1993-1994, he served as President of the Suffolk County Bar Association and has been a member and/or Chair of that Association's Condemnation Committee, Grievance Committee, Judiciary Committee, and Bench-Bar Committee. From 1993 to 1997, he served on the Executive Committee of the New York State Bar Association's Real Property Section and was a member of the Association's House of Delegates, Committee on Lawyer Discipline, By-Laws Committee and Nominating Committee. From 1996-1999, he served as Chair of the Committee on Lawyer Discipline.
From 1988 to 1996, he served as a member of the Grievance Committee for the Tenth Judicial District, and in 1997, he was appointed to serve on the Judicial Salaries Commission and served on the Independent Judicial Qualifications Commission from 2007-2011. He currently serves as a member of the Committee on Character and Fitness.
He has lectured extensively on behalf of the Suffolk Academy of Law on such topics as ethics and the disciplinary process, real property and condemnation issues, municipal law and for the State Bar on Condemnation valuation and Ethics issues.
Harvey has received several awards of Recognition from the Suffolk County Bar Association, including a Special Award of Recognition as well as two awards for Pro Bono service. He has received two prestigious Presidents Award for Service to the Legal Profession and a Lifetime Achievement award in 2014.
He is available to arbitrate or mediate cases virtually or in our Suffolk County offices.
Mediating Cases In:
- Real estate
- Municipal Law
- Commercial matters
- Tax certiorari
- Estates and will contests
Professional Experience
Egan & Golden, Partner 2023-Present
MargolinBesunder LLP --- Partner – 2015-2023
Bracken Margolin Besunder LLP --- Partner-2010-2015
Law Offices of Harvey B. Besunder, P.C. 2006 - 2010
Partner, Pruzansky & Besunder, LLP, 2001 - 2005
Law Offices of Harvey B. Besunder, 1993 - 2001
Partner, Besunder and Burner, 1991 - 1993
Partner, Cruser, Hills, Hills & Besunder, 1979 - 1990
Partner, Bazell & Besunder, 1975 - 1979
Assistant County Attorney, Condemnation Department, Suffolk County Attorney's Office, 1972 - 1979
Assistant County Attorney, Chief, Family Court Department, 1971 - 1972
Honors
Suffolk County Bar Association Award of Recognition
Suffolk County Bar Association Pro Bono Awards
Suffolk County Bar Association Special Award of Recognition
Suffolk County Bar Association President’s Award, 2010, 2018
Suffolk County Bar Association Lifetime Achievement Award, 2014
Education
Brooklyn Law School, LL.B, June 1967
(By permission of the State of New York, this degree is now changed to Juris Doctor).
Adelphi University, B.A., History, 1964
Memberships and Professional Associations
Suffolk County Bar Association
President, 1993-1994
President Elect, 1992-1993
First Vice President, 1991-1992
Second Vice President,1990-1991
Treasurer, 1989-1990
Secretary, 1988-1989
Director, 1986-1988
Director, 1994-1997
Condemnation Committee, 1978-present (Chair, 1978-1980)
Grievance Committee (Co-Chair, 1982-1984; Overall Chair, 1984-1986)
Judiciary Committee, 1982-1986
Bench Bar Committee, 1991-present (Chair, 1991-1993)
Professionalism and Ethics Committee,1998-present
Judicial Screening Committee,1985-1991, 2018-2020
New York State Bar Association
Condemnation and Tax Certiorari Committee of the Real Property Section, Commercial and Federal Litigation sections
Real Property Section, Executive Committee, 1993 - 1998
House of Delegates, 1990-1994; 1996-1998; 2023-
Committee on Lawyer Discipline, 1999-2015
Chair, 1996-1999
By-Laws Committee ,1999-2003
Commercial and Federal Litigation Section, 2015-present
Committee on Lawyers Wellness, 2020-
Commission on the Legal Profession Post Pandemic-, 2020-
Tenth Judicial District Grievance Committee, 1988 - 1996
Judicial Salaries Commission, 1997 – 1998
Character and Fitness Committee, 2006-Present
Independent Judicial Election Qualification Commission, 2007-2011
Commercial Division Advisory Council, 2013
Commission on Statewide Attorney Discipline, 2015-2016
Commission on Equal Justice, 2021-present
Special Master in Opioid litigation, 2017-2022