Overview And Experience

Gigio has achieved prominence and distinction in the practice of law.  Shankar Ninan Law Firm, a highly successful boutique law firm which Gigio started at age 29 and grew to representing over 250 businesses, is a testament to Gigio’s unique and impressive acumen in both law and business development. His clients represent a broad and diverse range of companies from small mom-and-pop shops to large multinational entities. But Gigio is more than just an advocate. He is also known for his ability to bring people together and formulate fair and workable solutions in cases and disputes. For this reason, in 2023, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey appointed Gigio as a Certified Mediator, making him one of the youngest Federal Mediators on its panel.

Gigio has nearly 15 years of legal experience in the areas of business and employment counseling and litigation in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania. Additionally, Gigio serves as outside General Counsel to numerous businesses where he uses his talent for structuring legal operations to turn adversity into opportunity by fulfilling corporate objectives and resolving complex employment and labor law challenges. Few people can represent such a diverse group of businesses and specialty areas while gaining and growing the confidence of all who work with him.

Gigio advises executives on the full gamut of workplace policies, procedures, and practices. Among his specialties are preparing employment agreements, non-compete and confidentiality agreements, separation agreements, and advising on reductions in workforce. In the area of employment litigation, Gigio has handled cases in which he enforced restrictive covenants and defended wage and hour claims both in New York and New Jersey state and federal courts. He also stays on the forefront of these topics by researching and writing about proposed changes to local and national laws regarding non-compete agreements and other important legal issues. By way of example, Gigio authored an article which was published by the New Jersey Lawyer entitled “The Blue Eraser: New Jersey’s Proposed move against Restrictive Covenants.” Gigio was recently quoted by U.S. News in the article entitled, “What a Ban on Noncompete Agreements would mean for you.” Gigio was also cited by Medscape, the leading online global destination for physicians and healthcare professionals worldwide, in the article “8 Careless Errors Physicians Make With Employment Contracts.” Gigio’s adaptive nature allows him to represent clients in a wide variety of industries and sub-specialties, including but not limited to:

As a member of the Asian American Pacific Islander (“AAPI”) community, Gigio stands out as a champion for diversity, equity, and inclusion (“DEI”) as evidenced by his numerous diversity presentations at Continuing Legal Education (“CLE”) programs. Most recently, Gigio taught a CLE on Lawline entitled, “The Business of Law and Succession Planning for Small Law Firms in New Jersey.” And in 2023, Gigio spoke at the New Jersey Association for Lawyers for Justice about “the Role of Diversity for New Lawyers and in Law Schools.” Further, Gigio was a guest speaker on Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney’s Dimensions of Diversity Podcast, where he presented “Race in America: Perspectives from South Asian Communities.

Gigio serves as an active member of several affinity bar associations. Indeed, he takes on leadership and volunteer roles in these organizations and works to expand their influence and impact.  For example, Gigio currently serves on the Board of Directors for Asian American Bar Association of New York in his second term and previously served as the inaugural Mentorship Director and as Executive Vice President for the South Asian Bar Association of New Jersey. He also served two terms as Vice-President for the South Asian Bar Association of New York. Gigio is also a former Director for the Rutgers University Alumni Association where he served on the Philanthropy and Diversity Committees, participated as a member of the DEI Committee for the New Jersey State Bar Association, and was the Head of the Rutgers Law School Alumni Association. 

Gigio has also impacted the lives of students and continues to motivate them in their careers as future lawyers, leaders, and stewards of opportunity for all. Gigio’s commitment to helping future lawyers remains unwavering. For instance, Gigio is one of the youngest ever at Rutgers Law School and Rutgers University-Camden to endow a scholarship for students. In addition, Gigio served on the Dean’s Selection Committee for Rutgers Law School where he vetted and interviewed candidates from all over the country for this prestigious position at his alma mater. Gigio’s demonstrated track record of professional excellence and leadership and commitment to the future of the legal profession helped him in being selected to the New Jersey State Bar Association Leadership Academy and the Collaborative Bar Leadership Academy.

Representative Matters

Gigio’s varied and successful track record as a lawyer is demonstrated by his representative experience below:

  • Structuring Essential Corporate Agreements: Preparing comprehensive employment agreements, separation agreements, non-compete covenants, and confidentiality agreements, utilizing plain-language principles to enhance clarity and adoption among clients.
  • Strategic Workforce Management: Providing decisive counsel on reductions in force and advising physician practice groups on office expansion, hiring, retention, and termination protocols.
  • Technological Competency: Handling matters demanding a technologically savvy approach, including drafting and reviewing software service agreements for technology companies and negotiating agreements with major pharmaceutical firms.
  • Definitive Enforcement of Arbitration Award Against High-Profile Defendant Successfully obtained and subsequently secured judicial confirmation from the Superior Court of New Jersey of a substantial favorable award following a three-day arbitration trial concerning a breach of contract claim against a former NFL player. This outcome demonstrated a decisive command of the facts necessary to resolve the complex dispute and confirm the judgment.
  • Strategic Defense Against Multi-Jurisdictional Class Action Litigation Led the defense and resolution of an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title III web accessibility class action lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The matter required technologically savvy counsel to navigate complex federal regulatory compliance for a European-headquartered, high-end furniture corporation.
  • Complex Corporate Transactions: Acquisition, Divestiture, and Business Dissolution Provided comprehensive representation in high-stakes corporate transitions, including:
  • Managing Multi-Million Dollar Acquisitions. Successfully managed the acquisition and divestiture of multiple businesses (including IT staffing, physician practices, and pharmacies) across New York and New Jersey, utilizing tailored stock purchase and asset purchase structures.
  • Executing Law Firm Separation. Represented the founding partner of a substantial (15+ person) New Jersey law firm in the complex process of business separation and formal dissolution.
  • Establishing Foundational Corporate Governance and Compliance Counseled multiple entities on establishing robust internal structures to mitigate risk, including:
    • Implementing Corporate Formalities. Instituted essential corporate formalities and membership agreements for small law firms, strengthening governance and preemptively resolving potential internal disputes.
    • Federal Compliance Defense. Represented corporate clients before the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, effectively guiding them through sensitive immigration investigations and I-9 audits.
  • High-Value Commercial Real Estate Negotiations Secured favorable outcomes in complex real estate transactions by negotiating lease agreements for office spaces exceeding 30,000 square feet, including critical financial and construction provisions for build-outs, free rent, triple net terms, and fixed yearly increases.

 

Many lawyers have an impressive list of clients, but Gigio stands out because he is also on the cutting edge of legal representation. He adopted and drafted plain-language agreements for his clients, which several bar associations and organizations have been promoting for years for wider adoption. Gigio also drafts and reviews software service agreements for technology companies and negotiates agreements regularly with some of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. These services call for a technologically savvy attorney to handle. As a leader and innovator, Gigio understands the needs of a rapidly changing business landscape and will continue to act as an experienced practitioner in new and complex technologies in the years to come.

Background

Gigio’s drive for personal success, inspired leadership skills, and his commitment to the community grew out of his personal experience as a first-generation South Asian and growing up in a multiracial community in the Bronx, New York.

In 1989, Gigio and his family immigrated to the United States from India.  Gigio’s late father worked two jobs for most of his life to support Gigio and his brother, Major Ajus Ninan, who has served in the United States Military since December 1999. Gigio’s mother worked initially as a nursing assistant before opening her own small business, a nail salon, in the Bronx.  These experiences led Gigio to pursue his career as a small business attorney, helping immigrants, new small business owners, traditionally disadvantaged minorities, first-generation business owners, and others who need help navigating the complexities of our legal system. Gigio began that journey at Cardinal Spellman High School in the Bronx before attending Binghamton University, the State University of New York. At Binghamton, Gigio was a member of Sigma Beta Rho Fraternity where he served as Chair of the Philanthropy Committee and served as a teaching assistant in both the English and Political Science Departments before graduating cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy, Politics and Law.

After graduation, Gigio attended Rutgers Law School, where he served on the Journal of Law and Religion. In law school, Gigio was the only student on the Scholastic Standing Committee, which adjudicated appeals by students who were dismissed or placed on academic probation. He remained an active member of Asian Pacific American Law Student Association throughout his student tenure at Rutgers Law School until he graduated in 2011.  After graduation, Gigio accepted a clerkship for the Honorable Stephen M. Holden of the Superior Court of New Jersey where he gained valuable and practical insight on all aspects of real-world litigation. After completing his clerkship, he began his legal career by joining private practice and took on several associate roles. He first worked at a mid-size boutique firm in New York before moving on to a national law firm. These experiences provided him with the tools to start his own law practice in 2015.

Gigio and his wife struggled with infertility, ultimately turning to surrogacy as an option to build their family. In November 2023, they welcomed their first baby boy, and in July 2025, they welcomed their second baby boy, both through surrogacy. In March of 2024, Good Morning America ran a special featuring Gigio and his wife’s surrogacy journey. Gigio and his wife have been very passionate about raising awareness about infertility, especially in the South Asian and Asian communities where these issues are often not discussed.

Education

Awards*

* No aspect of this or any advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey, the Supreme Court of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, or the New York State Court of Appeals.

Leadership

Anderson Center for Autism International (ACI)
New Jersey Leadership Academy - NJSBA
Collaborative Bar Leadership Academy (CBLA)
Rutgers Law School Dean's Search Committee
New Jersey State Bar Association
Asian American Bar Association of New York
South Asian Bar Association of New Jersey
Rutgers University Alumni Association
Rutgers Law School – Camden Alumni Association
South Asian Bar Association of North America
South Asian Bar Association of New York

Publications & Media

Gigio Ninan actively contributes to legal discourse, demonstrating his capacity to educate the court about the law (and its connection to the facts). His written work focuses on legal issues ranging from employment law complexities to technological practice management.

Legal Articles & Journals

Forbes & Other Legal Commentary

Media Citations

Mr. Ninan’s expertise is sought by national media outlets:

Speaking Engagements

Teaching Experience

Court Appointment

Bar and Court Admissions

Professional Membership

Practice Areas

Outside General Counseling

Litigation

Businesses

Individuals

Mediation

Surrogacy

Client Testimonials**

Our Awards

What Our Clients Say

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