Ivan is a 1998 Brooklyn Law School graduate and a founding partner in the Okun & Churneftsky, LLP firm. Ivan honed his litigation skills for six-years (from 1998 through 2004) as an Assistant District Attorney in the Bronx District Attorney’s office where he prosecuted numerous felony offenders, including individuals charged with murder, attempted murder, robbery and burglary. The litigation skills and experience Ivan acquired while prosecuting cases in the high-pressure forum of Bronx Criminal Court helped him become the extremely effective litigator he is today with those litigation skills transferring to and benefitting his clients in prosecuting and defending civil actions ever since.
Since his time in the Bronx District Attorney’s office Ivan has focused his efforts on litigating complex civil and commercial matters and taken countless Landlord-Tenant matters to trial on behalf of both landlords and tenants. Ivan has represented his clients in civil actions in the New York Supreme Court and Civil Court regarding a multitude of issues concerning commercial and residential real estate, including, disputes regarding non-primary residence, illegal sublet and assignment, tenant succession rights, illusory tenancy, non-payment of rent, J-51 rent overcharges, sublets, alterations and deregulation.
Ivan also has vast expertise in negotiating tenant buyouts in both residential and commercial situations.
Ivan has served as general counsel for cooperatives and condominiums throughout New York City, Queens and Brooklyn offering his unique skill set and guidance to cooperative and condominium boards for many years.
Ivan has also applied his litigation skills to his representation of individuals who have been injured due to the negligence of someone else. Ivan has consistently applied the same attention to detail, negotiation savvy and courtroom skill to protect the value of personal injury and property damage claims in a wide range of situations including car accidents, public transit accidents, dangerous property conditions and negligent security.
Ivan is admitted to practice in all trial and appellate state courts in New York.