Jeffrey D. Buss heads both the Litigation Department and the Energy Practice Group at Smith, Buss & Jacobs.

Mr. Buss has successfully tried numerous jury and non-jury trials, and has successfully argued appeals before the Appellate Divisions for the First, Second, and Third Departments, the Appellate Term for the First and Second Departments, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. His trials and appeals have involved significant and complex issues in the areas of environmental, fraud, bankruptcy, civil rights, health, construction, corporate, and real estate law. Cases tried by Mr. Buss include: Weissman v. Hasset (judicial immunity for bankruptcy trustee), In re OPM Leasing Services (right to a jury trial in fraudulent transfer litigation), Manti v. NYCTA (right of private business to recover damages under the civil rights laws for competitive injury caused by governmental agency), Rubin v. Sieh (tenant’s right to damages for breech of warranty of habitability), NYS Dept of Environmental Conservation v. Britestarr (landfill enforcement litigation), Robinson v. Olivarez (right of tenants to participate in federal energy assistance program), Seidman v. Merchants Bank (bank liability for improper set off against corporate pension fund), Jones v. Smith (First Amendment rights of prisoners to access the courts and postal mail), Flatbush Manor v. Gotham (rate reimbursement and rent calculations under NYS Department of Health regulations), Nadler v. FDIC (Freedom of Information Act), and Gold v. Feinberg (civil rights and election law).

Mr. Buss is admitted to practice before all Courts of the State of New York, before the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and before the United States District Courts for the Southern, Eastern, Northern and Western Districts of New York. Mr. Buss served as a member of the Pro Bono Discretionary Appeal Panel for the U.S. District (2d Circuit) and the Pro Bono Panel for the U.S. District of the Southern District of N.Y., and sits as an Arbitrator for the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of N.Y. Mr. Buss has been a member of the Federal Bar Council, the Association of the Bar of the City of New York, the New York State Bar Association, and the New York State Trial Lawyers Association.

Mr. Buss began his legal career as a Reginald Heber Smith Fellow and as staff counsel for the Public Utility Law Project (PULP). He served as the Governor’s appointee and Chair of the New York State Low Income Energy Assistance Block Grant Advisory Committee and remains active in numerous community and public organizations.