Dejan Kezunovic

Counsel

Dejan represents developers, owners, landlords, and tenants primarily in connection with complex commercial and real estate disputes.

Dejan Kezunovic, Counsel

Dejan focuses his practice on complex commercial and real estate litigation matters. He advises clients in commercial contract, lease and guaranty disputes, partnership disputes, residential landlord/tenant disputes, condominium and cooperative disputes, contract disputes, construction and adjoining access disputes. Dejan helps clients achieve favorable outcomes in both state and federal courts as well as through alternative dispute resolution and has broad experience with mediation and arbitration (before AAA, JAMS, and pursuant to the Delaware Rapid Arbitration Act). In addition, he has experience with product liability and property damage litigation in New York, California, New Jersey, Florida, and Illinois.

Prior to joining ArentFox Schiff, Dejan practiced at a boutique real estate law firm in New York City. His previous experience also includes a three-year clerkship with the Hon. Melvin L. Schweitzer in the Commercial Division of the New York Supreme Court, where he worked on several high-profile cases including a lawsuit concerning the development rights for the tallest residential tower in the United States, as well as financial disputes arising from the 2008 financial crisis.

Client Work

Dejan’s experience includes:

  • Counseling owners and developers in connection with large commercial portfolios and projects.
  • Counseling owners in connection with residential portfolios, including compliance with regulatory laws and agreements with government agencies.
  • Negotiating and drafting settlement agreements, lease amendments, lease guaranties, relocation agreements, licenses and access agreements, regulatory agreements, purchase and sale agreements, and brokerage agreements.
  • Drafted, argued, and won appeals in the Appellate Division of the New York State Supreme Court (First and Second Departments).
  • Successfully arbitrated and mediated commercial, partnership, and residential disputes.

Publications, Presentations & Recognitions

Publications

  • “Liquidated Damages Provisions: An Update,” New York Law Journal, April 2023
  • “Why common law excuses can’t be tolerated from commercial rent debtors,” Real Estate Weekly, August 2020
  • “Proposed New York City Commercial Rent Regulation: An Improper Usurpation of State Power,” New York Law Journal, April 2020
  • “Proposed commercial rent regs an improper usurpation of state power,” Real Estate Weekly, March 2020

Boards, Memberships & Certifications

Memberships

  • New York State Bar Association, Commercial and Federal Litigation Section

Life Beyond the Law

Outside of work, Dejan enjoys family time, sports (especially NBA and European football – yes, football!), exploring Serbian/Croatian/Bosnian food spots in the city, and reading historical fiction.

  • Languages
    Serbian
  • Bar & Court Admissions
    • New York Bar
    • US District Court, Eastern District of New York
    • US District Court, Southern District of New York
  • Education
    Fordham University School of Law, JD, 2011
    Northeastern State University of Oklahoma, BA, summa cum laude, 2008