Russo & Gould obtained a pre-answer dismissal in Estate of Robertson v. Abide, a wrongful death action filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York.

The firm represented a government contractor responsible for installing new safety gates at the New York–Canada border. The lawsuit arose after the plaintiff’s decedent drove into a safety barrier and was killed. The Court dismissed all claims against the contractor, holding that it was protected by the doctrine of derivative sovereign immunity for work performed pursuant to a federal government contract.

The defense was successfully handled by Senior Associate Trishé Hynes, who secured this result before the filing of an answer.

This outcome reflects Russo & Gould’s ongoing success in complex federal litigation and reinforces the firm’s reputation for delivering strong results in the defense of government contractors and institutional clients.