Benjamin J. Kallos was elected in 2013 and represented the Upper East Side, Midtown East, Roosevelt Island and El Barrio in the New York City Council through the conclusion of his term in 2021.
Mr. Kallos' has served as lead Counsel to a venture capital firm with investments in film distribution, software for the financial and insurance industry, as well as health and rehabilitation service providers.
Prior to founding this firm, Mr. Kallos was an associate at Abrams, Fensterman, Fensterman, Eisman, Greenberg, Formato & Einiger, LLP a health law firm and Gorlick, Kravitz and Listhaus, P.C. a union-side labor and employment law firm.
At Abrams, Fensterman, Fensterman, Eisman, Greenberg, Formato & Einiger, LLP he improved upon the firm's knowledge management to quickly resolve several hundred cases to the clients' satisfaction. Soon thereafter, Mr. Kallos’ role was expanded to include serving as lead on insurance law. While in these roles Mr. Kallos litigated several hundred cases in Civil and Supreme Courts throughout the State of New York.
At Gorlick, Kravitz and Listhaus, P.C., Mr. Kallos was working in the fields of ERISA litigation before the Federal Courts, employment litigation before the New York State Division of Human Rights, labor litigation before the National Labor Relations Board, as well as the development of employer policies and agreements including executive compensation.
Mr. Kallos’ professional activities have included the New York City Bar Association’s Election Law Committee where he focused on government reform and the New York County Lawyers’ Association’s Federal Courts Committee, Electronic Case Filing Subcommittee where he worked with the Clerks for the Federal Courts to improve the filing system.
Prior public policy and government experience includes serving as Director of Public Policy and Special Counsel to New York State Lieutenant Governor candidate Bill Samuels, Director of Policy and Communication to former New York City Public Advocate Mark Green in 2009, and Chief of Staff to Assembly Member Jonathan L. Bing for the 73rd Assembly District starting in 2007. Prior to joining Bing, Kallos served on Community Board 8 for Manhattan’s Upper East Side founding the youth and education committee, and serving on zoning and land use committees. During law school Kallos also served with United States Senator Charles Schumer, the New York State Attorney General’s Internet Bureau, Hon. Renee Forgensi Minarik in the New York State Court of Claims. Prior political activities include serving as Executive Director for the New Roosevelt Initiative, Legal Director for the New York State Young Democrats, and Chair of the Statewide Coordination Committee for the New York Democratic Lawyers Council protecting voting rights.
Prior to receiving his J.D., Mr. Kallos worked in the field of technology and business consulting where he received recognition from the New York Times and other publications for his work with hospitals, pharmaceutical companies, public universities, and sports franchises.
A graduate of the State University of New York, Mr. Kallos earned a B.A. in Psychology, Communication and Rhetoric from the State University of New York at Albany and a J.D. from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Mr. Kallos’ activities included serving as Executive Managing Editor for the Buffalo Intellectual Property Law Journal, Publications Editor for the Buffalo Public Interest Law Journal, Executive Board for the Philip C. Jessup International Moot Court Board and Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity, Investor Representative for the Securities Law Clinic, and University Advisor for the University at Buffalo Office of Judicial Affairs.
Mr. Kallos is admitted to practice in New York, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., Southern District of New York, Eastern District of New York, the District of New Jersey and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. Kallos briefly retired from for profit practice in order to focus on his duties as a citizen legislator and member of the New York City Council from 2014 - 2021 though he appeared pro-bono on behalf of the community.
- New York
- New Jersey
- Washington, D.C.
- U.S. District Court Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court District of New Jersey
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
Education:
State University of New York, Buffalo School of Law, Buffalo, New York
J.D.
Activities: Executive Board, Philip C. Jessup International Moot Court Board
Activities: Investor Representative, Securities Law Clinic
Activities: University Advisor, University at Buffalo, Office of Judicial Affairs
Law Journal: Buffalo Intellectual Property Law Journal, Executive Managing Editor
Law Journal: Buffalo Public Interest Law Journal, Publications Editor
Oxford University, USD Institute on International & Comparative Law, Oxford, United Kingdom
State University of New York, Albany, New York
B.A.
Majors: Psychology, Communication and Rhetoric
Past Professional Associations and Memberships:
- New York Democratic Lawyers Council, Statewide Coordination Committee Chair
- New York State Young Democrats, Legal Director
- New York City Bar Association’s Election Law Committee
- New York County Lawyers’ Association’s Federal Courts Committee, Electronic Case Filing Subcommittee
Past Employment Positions:
- Bill Samuels for New York State Lieutenant Governor, Director of Public Policy and Special Counsel
- Mark Green for New York City Public Advocate, Director of Policy and Communication
- Abrams, Fensterman, Fensterman, Eisman, Greenberg, Formato & Einiger, LLP, Associate
- Gorlick, Kravitz and Listhaus, P.C., Associate
- United States Senator Charles Schumer, Legislative Intern
- New York State Attorney General’s Internet Bureau, Legal Intern
- Hon. Renee Forgensi Minarik, New York State Court of Claims, Judicial Intern