Rigdon, Jay A.

During the course of his professional career, Tom has distinguished himself as a successful litigation attorney who has won multiple federal and state trials, and has handled all aspects of litigation, as both lead counsel and co-counsel. Through his work, numerous clients have achieved six-figure awards, and multi-million dollar awards, including substantial awards for emotional and punitive damages.  As a result of his litigation successes, Tom has been listed on three separate occasions among Verdict Search's Top Verdicts publications for the years 2008 and 2009.

His successes include his work as co-counsel in Bensy v. Malverne UFSD, et al. (jury award of $100,000 for emotional damages only), as well as Olsen, et al. v. The County of Nassau, et al. (jury award of $1,000,000 in emotional damages).

Tom was co-counsel for the Plaintiff on Bianco v. Flushing Hospital Medical Center, where a jury awarded a record $13.5 million dollar emotional damage verdict in the Plaintiff's favor, and a total verdict of $15 million and was also co-counsel in Wallace v. Suffolk County Police Department, et al. jury award of $875,000 in emotional and punitive damages).

Tom was also lead trial counsel in Fishman v. The Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority, et al. (jury award of $734,000 in emotional and punitive damages).

Tom has been interviewed and quoted in various New York publications, including the New York Times, the New York Post, and Newsday.  He is admitted to practice in all New York Courts, and has orally argued matters at both the New York State Appellate Courts and the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. He has also handled numerous mediations and arbitrations, as well as hearings within the United States Department of Labor and New York State Division of Human Rights.

Tom is also an experienced representative of New York State teachers, having represented numerous teachers successfully within 3020-a hearings and Part 83 hearings.


Tom graduated from the Hofstra University School of Law in 2003. Tom also holds a Bachelor's Degree of Science in Labor and Industrial Relations from Le Moyne College.