Champlain Lawyers

Over a span of more than three decades, Chris O'Brien has emerged as a distinguished advocate, unwaveringly dedicated to championing the cause of personal injury victims in Western New York. As a founding partner of O'Brien & Ford, PC, Chris, alongside John Ford, has etched their mark by effectively settling or trying more than 40 million- or multi-million dollar cases, garnering widespread acclaim for their relentless commitment to justice. Chris is not merely a seasoned Buffalo personal injury lawyer but a nationally recognized figure and educator, generously imparting his trial skills across the United States and Canada. His significant impact is...

From New York City originally and now residing and practicing law in Buffalo, New York, Mr. Cohen has been successfully trying civil and criminal cases, including high profile civil rights and constitutional law cases, for over 30 years. In addition to corporate and individual litigation clients, he regularly represents local, state and federal law enforcement officers from various agencies, defending them in civil, criminal and administrative proceedings. Admitted to practice in the States of New York and Pennsylvania, he has been admitted pro hac vice to handle matters in many other states. Mr. Cohen is frequently brought in as...

Scott Michael Duquin focuses his practice on Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice and Civil Litigation. Prior to joining us, Scott spent the first 11 years of his career doing insurance defense. He holds an AVVO Super rating, Martindale Distinguished, and has been named a Super Lawyer in Personal Injury every year since 2013.

Scott has extensive trial and appellate experience representing individuals to multi-national corporations in automobile liability, medical malpractice, products liability, toxic tort and catastrophic personal injury matters. Scott has successfully represented several small business owners in various litigated commercial matters.

In 2016, in a highly publicized case Scott was able to...

I am a military veteran with a relentless work ethic. I have applied the lessons I learned during my enlistment to become a proven litigator, negotiator, and leader having obtained nearly $20,000,000 in settlements for my clients.

Dzifa Gan is an Associate Attorney in the firm’s Real Estate Law Department; handling all aspects of residential and commercial real estate. Ms. Gan has varied legal experience having previously worked as a family and matrimonial attorney in London. Her priority across practice areas has always been her clients and ensuring that their needs are met.

Ms. Gan obtained her B.A. in Psychology and concurrently her Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Western Australia in 2008. Ms. Gan is admitted to practice law in New South Wales, Australia; England & Wales, UK and New York State, USA.

Before joining HoganWillig,...

Chair of the largest residential real estate department in Western New York. Extensive third party relocation, REO, commercial and residential lending representation. Recently closed a $3 Million dollar refinance, and a $965,000 commercial purchase secured by properties in Western New York and Florida. Experienced in time share, zoning, land use, condominiums and cooperatives, real estate negotiations and litigation. Voted for inclusion in "Best Lawyers in America" for the past four years.

Mr. Johnsen is an attorney at Tiveron Law primarily focusing in the firm’s Litigation Department. While attending SUNY Buffalo Law School, Mr. Johnsen was part of the University’s Consumer Financial Advocacy Clinic and was the recipient of the CALI Excellence for the Future Awards for his work with the program. While in law school, he was a clerk at New Era Cap Co., Inc. Following law school, Mr. Johnsen has gained exposure to several areas of his litigation practice, including special education claims against school districts, employment discrimination claims, general business disputes and work in Erie County Surrogate's Court on...

Jeffrey B. Novak is an attorney practicing in Tiveron Law’s Litigation Department with a focus on Business & Corporate Law. Mr. Novak graduated Summa Cum Laude from the University of Buffalo with a major in Political Science and History. He received his legal education from the George Washington University Law School while interning for the Army Environmental Law Division. Mr. Novak also served as a summer Law Clerk for the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of New York and as a Judicial Intern for the United States District Court for the Western District of New York. Mr. Novak has...

With nearly three decades of experience practicing Bankruptcy law and Social Security law in Buffalo, Paul Pochepan is able to help consumers facing financial hardships and disabled individuals and their dependents. He has helped many Western New York consumers navigate the bankruptcy system under chapter 7 or chapter 13. He also helps Buffalo-area residents apply for Social Security Disability (SSD) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or appeal Social Security Administration decisions denying, reducing or revoking benefits. He has accumulated a wealth of knowledge regarding the multiple medical impairments afflicting disability claimants and dealing with the medical profession to secure the...

An experienced defense lawyer and appellate advocate, Jonathan Rosenberg's track record of dismissals and wins is rivaled only by the rap sheets of his clients. As Managing Attorney with the Rosenberg Law Firm, Rosenberg leads a team of talented, experienced, and aggressive lawyers who work together to achieve favorable results in both criminal and post-judgment appellate and exoneration practice. Rosenberg and his team represent clients across the state of New York, from federal indictments to state misdemeanors to major felony appeals before the high courts and beyond. We are fearless in our advocacy, and guarantee a team-oriented approach to your...

Matthew Galluzzo is an intelligent and accomplished litigator who cares deeply about his clients. He concentrates his practice primarily in the areas of criminal defense, criminal appeals, and the representation of whistleblowers. He has experience representing high-profile clients in high-stakes matters, and his tenacious and skillful advocacy routinely yields outstanding results for his clients. He has also helped countless professionals, foreign nationals, and promising students navigate the criminal justice system for the first time, and does so with patience, determination, empathy, and skill. As a result, his clients often rave about him and routinely refer their friends and loved ones...

Jenice L. Malecki is a well-known securities attorney and the founder of Malecki Law. She is a successful and aggressive litigator with a uniquely diverse background representing thousands of investors and industry professionals. Ms. Malecki’s experience as a New York securities attorney began in class action litigation, working on the famed class action case In re Crazy Eddie. Throughout the 1990’s she represented numerous broker dealers in “boiler room” stock fraud cases and the progeny of the real-life Wolf of Wall Street. She has been the Vice-President on the board of the PIABA Foundation, with a mission to educate...

Joseph H. Nivin has been named a top-rated family law attorney in New York every year since 2015. The Law Offices of Joseph H. Nivin, P.C. is a general practice law firm with a focus on family law. He and his team have years of experience with ACS, Family Court, and Supreme Court. Mr. Nivin represents families in court, litigation, hearings and appeals. He has argued successfully before the Appellate Division for the Second Judicial Department. At the Law Offices of Joseph H. Nivin, you will receive expert legal advice and compassion that will reduce time, legal expenses and...

Attorney Irina Yadgarova focuses her practice on Trusts & Estates, Probate & Administration, Elder Law, and Real Estate. She is licensed to practice law in the courts of the State of New York, the State New Jersey, and the U.S. District Courts in the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. Ms. Yadgarova's practice encompasses all aspects of Estate Planning, Elder Law (Medicaid) and Real Estate. She provides legal services to residents of New York and New Jersey and handles matters pertaining to Wills, Trusts & Estates and Long Term Care Planning, including, but not limited...

I started my legal career interning for Legal Aid, where I helped provide legal service to the marginalized. I became a licensed attorney in 2012. I earned a Bachelors in Science in Brain Behavior and Cognitive Sciences from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Campus in 2007. In 2011 I earned my Law Degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Law. I am licensed to practice in the States of Michigan and New York. I understand that dealing with family related legal issues can be overwhelming. My goal is to help my clients navigate the legal maze and reach your desired...

Michael V. Kaplen is a Professorial Lecturer in Law at The George Washington University Law School where he teaches the only course in the nation devoted to traumatic brain injury law. Michael is a member of the New York State Traumatic Brain Injury Services Coordinating Council and chaired the council from 2007 to 2013 and from 2019 to 2021. He is president of the American Academy of Brain Injury Attorneys. He is board certified as a Civil Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy and is board certified by the American Board of Professional Liability attorneys in...

Jennifer B. Cona is the founder and managing partner of Cona Elder Law, Long Island’s leading Elder Law and Estate Planning firm. She is among Long Island’s most accomplished women, exemplifying leadership in business and community outreach.

Ms. Cona’s work involves representing, counseling and assisting seniors and their families with the preservation of assets, Medicaid planning, estate planning, wealth transfer strategies, administration of estates, estate litigation, guardianships and special needs planning. Under Ms. Cona’s direction, the firm expanded its practice to include a health care reimbursement and recovery department. Currently, Cona Elder Law represents over 175 nursing homes and health care...

Mr. Pulos enjoys a very successful, diverse professional career. A trial lawyer by training, Mr. Pulos returned to his hometown of Alfred, New York following his graduation from Albany Law School and opened a general law practice by hanging out his shingle on Main Street. He is the only person born and raised in Alfred to have graduated from law school and returned to open a law practice in Alfred. From there, Mr. Pulos has developed a reputation as a lawyer for people that have been wronged by others in the workplace or by vehicular accidents or...

In founding El-Hag & Associates, P.C., Jordan El-Hag brings over 15 years of experience in advising employees throughout lower New York State with regard to labor and employment law matters. In those years, he has served as the Chief Officer of several labor unions and has substantial experience in resolving legal disputes that arise at the workplace. Mr. El-Hag can offer a valuable and unique perspective on resolving workplace issues due to his extensive background in labor relations. He regularly counsels clients on a host of employment issues, including unpaid wages, overtime and minimum wage claims, employment contracts, severance agreements,...

Michael H. Joseph is an injury attorney serving New York City, NY, Manhattan, and White Plains. He is also a Partner at the Law Office of Michael H. Joseph, PLLC. He has devoted his career to representing people who were hurt in accidents at construction sites and other locations.

With more than a decade of experience representing clients, Mr. Joseph is an effective advocate in the courtroom, on appeal, at arbitrations, during mediations, and in administrative hearings. Since he understands how stressful and complicated life after an unexpected accident can be, Mr. Joseph vigorously advocates on behalf of injured individuals to...

Established in 2000, the Law Offices of David Bliven assists individuals and families in the Westchester and Bronx County with divorce, child custody, and other family law matters. Attorney David Bliven leverages his nearly 30 years of experience, including prosecutor work, to provide comprehensive and strategic legal counsel. He is ranked in the top 5% of Family Law attorneys in the NYC metro area and has the highest possible rating for Legal Ability & Ethical Standards. He has been published in numerous periodicals and has authored several books, including "Navigating Your New York Divorce Case" and "Navigating Your New York...

ROBERT J. NAHOUM has extensive experience in all areas of litigation before federal and state courts from preliminary injunctions to trials to appeals. He handles complex disputes in a wide variety of fields representing both individuals and businesses. CLIENT WORK In his Individual Practice, Robert has acted as a zealous advocate protecting the consumer protection rights of his clients including those afforded under the Federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the Fair Credit Reporting act and other laws. Robert is devoted to protecting the consumer protection rights of his clients including stopping illegal debt collection practices and keeping distressed...

I am Norka M. Schell, a passionate advocate for my clients. I represent U.S. companies, foreign companies, and individuals in protecting their legal rights across various areas including emigration and immigration, trades, commercial, dispute resolution, import, and export. My approach involves both preventive measures and, when necessary, litigation. Holding a J.D. and an L.L.M. in International Legal Studies, I speak the language of global business and have a first-hand understanding of the issues facing my clients.

I am a Personal Injury and Malpractice Attorney practicing all over New York and Pennsylvania.

I started my career as a felony prosecutor with the Chemung County DA's Office, prosecuting the most serious crimes in Chemung County. From there, I became head of the legal department for the Chemung County Department of Social Services, where I supervised an office of seven attorney and was responsible for prosecuting all child abuse, child neglect, juvenile delinquent and PINS cases occurring in Chemung County

In 2004, I joined the Ziff Law Firm, where I handle all types of personal injury cases.

Throughout my...

Jason A. Richman , Esq., Construction worker injury; medical malpractice; car accidents; wrongful death; other serious personal injuries. Since 1997.

Peter is a passionate and dedicated advocate. Peter has represented clients in various forums, including the United States District Court for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York, as well as in New York State Courts in the region. Throughout his career that has spanned more than a decade, Peter has served as defendants' and Plaintiffs' counsel in single and class action employment related litigation. Most recently, Peter won a jury trial on a First Amendment retaliation case in Federal Court. Additionally, Peter has appeared extensively in cases before arbitration tribunals and administrative agencies, including...

Practical, pragmatic advice and representation offered to clients to resolve real world complex problems.
Thoughtful dispute resolution and mediation services offered to litigants and their counsel.
Cost-effective strategies.
Depth of experience.
Individual focus.

The art of representing people.

Introducing Tom Anelli, Your Expert Defender Against DWI Charges Unlocking nearly two decades of dedicated expertise, Tom Anelli stands as the Senior Partner at Tom Anelli & Associates—a distinguished practice entirely devoted to DWI defense. With a fervent commitment to refining the most effective strategies, Tom has honed his skills to protect individuals facing DWI allegations. Tom's remarkable achievements extend far and wide, including prestigious recognitions such as selection to Super Lawyers, the Nation’s Top One Percent, and the Nation’s Top 100 Trial Lawyers. Notably, Tom has received specialized training directly from National Patent Analytical Systems, the leading manufacturer of the breath-testing devices...

Paul J. Tortora Jr. is an accomplished attorney with extensive experience in family and matrimonial law. As a Partner at Rupp Pfalzgraf LLC, Paul leads the Syracuse office’s legal team, ensuring efficient case management, high-quality representation, and client satisfaction. He plays a key role in firm leadership, overseeing associate attorneys and support staff while providing expert counsel in a broad range of family law matters, including divorce, custody disputes, child support, and domestic violence cases. With a legal career spanning over a decade, Paul has held prominent positions at a number of respected law firms. His impressive track record includes managing...

Described by his clients as an attorney of the “highest quality”, Jeff DeFrancisco, Esq. has made a career achieving top results in his field of medical malpractice and personal injury. A few examples of his many great achievements include: PARALYSIS: $10,000,000 jury verdict following a 3-week trial against 3 defense lawyers for a case where an individual became paralyzed due to medical malpractice. BRAIN INJURY: $17,500,000 in payments: $3,000,000 cash; $12,000,000 expected payout between a lump sum payment and lifetime monthly payments to an individual who sustained a brain injury; and $2,500,000 in guaranteed lifetime payments to the child of the...

Greg T. Rinckey, Esq. serves as the Managing Partner of Tully Rinckey PLLC. Mr. Rinckey concentrates his practice on military law, federal employment and discrimination litigation, and national security clearance mitigation. During his previous tenure as an attorney with the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps, Mr. Rinckey prosecuted and defended military personnel in over one hundred felony cases with charges ranging from drug possession to murder. He has represented federal and private sector employees in investigations and cases in front of the Merit Systems Protection Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the Office of Special Counsel. Since...

Mary T. Colwell (nee Pasqualino) graduated from Albany Law School of University in Albany, New York in 2001 with a concentration in Criminal Law. While at Albany Law School, Mary was a member of the Moot Court Board, the Women’s Law Caucus and Vice-President of the Italian-American Law Students Association. Ms. Colwell was admitted to the New Jersey State bar in December of 2001 and the New York State bar in January of 2002. She is also admitted in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey and the United States District Court for the Northern District...

Giancarla Sambo is a distinguished entertainment attorney specializing in media contracts, talent agreements, and production deals. With over 15 years of experience, she has successfully negotiated and managed thousands of entertainment, fashion, and luxury agreements. Giancarla's unique experience as a pageant attorney sets her apart in the field. Having served as the Executive Director of The Miss America Opportunity and State Board President of Miss Puerto Rico, she was pivotal in managing sponsorships, overseeing operations, and advising on contracts for events broadcast to millions. Her expertise in the pageant sector underscores her ability to handle complex agreements and protect the interests...

Nancy Burner is Founder and Partner of Burner Prudenti Law, (successor firm to Burner Law Group P.C.) a women-owned trust & estates and elder law firm established in 1995. She is also a Founding Member of Mediation Solutions of NY, Suffolk County’s first full-service mediation and arbitration company. With nearly three decades of experience, Nancy has been recognized as one of New York’s prominent elder law and trust & estates attorneys. She holds the designation of a Certified Elder Law Attorney (CELA), awarded by the National Elder Law Foundation as accredited by the American Bar Association. Since 2014, Nancy has been...

Matthew Weinick is a Long Island employment lawyer. Since the beginning of his career, Matt has been fighting for his clients’ workplace rights before Federal and State Court judges and administrative law judges. He has tried employment discrimination and retaliation cases before juries in Federal Court, represents clients at mediation and arbitration, and has argued appeals before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and the New York Appellate Divisions, First and Second Departments. Matt’s success has been recognized for five consecutive years by Super Lawyers Magazine which listed him as a Rising Star from 2012-2016, a recognition reserved for...

I was admitted to practice law in 1994, and since then the bulk of my practice has been focused on matrimonial and divorce law, appeals and closely related areas such as foreclosure defense.

My approach in representing clients is straightforward. Good people sometimes find themselves in bad situations, and people come to lawyers for solutions. That means whenever possible, negotiating a fair agreement is often the best route. Nevertheless, agreements, negotiations, litigation and appeals are only the tools used to obtain these answers. By taking a broader holistic approach, it allows me to see solutions that others may miss.

Reaching a fair...

The Law Offices of Adrienne Woods, P.C. was founded in 2013 to provide individuals and businesses with full-service bankruptcy counsel. We represent businesses and individuals in chapter 7, chapter 11 and chapter 13 of the Bankruptcy Code. We also represent creditors of bankrupt debtors, whether they seek to assert claims against the estate, defend avoidance actions, protect contract and lease rights or enforce obligations, or negotiate lease or contract interests. We provide innovative and strategic advice to assist clients in meeting their business and personal goals. The firm’s diverse practice includes representing clients in bankruptcy litigation, transactions including the purchase...

Principal Attorney Vonnie Dones is the founder of Legalcleanup.com. The Law Firm of Vonnie C. Dones, III ESQ. at LegalCleanup.com is a general practice law firm. We offer legal services in New York, New Jersey, Texas, and Washington D.C. Dones worked as a Criminal Prosecutor for the Harris County District Attorney's Office prosecuting and managing thousands of misdemeanor and felony cases. Dones' caseload was approximately 2,600 cases. Dones also worked as a Staff Attorney for the Earl Carl Institute at Thurgood Marshall College of Law supervising law students and representing juveniles in juvenile court adjudication matters throughout Harris County and...

Howard E. Knispel has been practicing law since 1989, having graduated from Eisenhower College of World Studies of the Rochester Institute of Technology with a degree in International Politics in 1981 and New York Law School in 1988 with a Doctor of Jurisprudence.

Howard concentrates his practice to Divorce, Family Law, Bankruptcy, Criminal, Traffic and DWI, Real Estate and Wills. Howard has conducted numerous trials, both jury and non-jury. Howard has negotiated and settled hundreds of divorce, custody and support matters.

Howard has helped many people get out from crippling debt to get a fresh start....

Mr. Ross Pitcoff, Founder of Pitcoff Law Group, has 10+ years of corporate transactional and business litigation experience. A graduate of Fordham University School of Law in 2010. Ross Pitcoff represents business owners and, on occasion, individuals, in all types of complex commercial disputes. Ross Pitcoff also provides general counsel and corporate-transactional services to businesses in the financial services, and medical professional industries. This includes company formation and strategy, review of contractual and vendor agreements, acquisitions and overseeing asset purchases and sales. Contact Ross Pitcoff: ross@pitcofflawgroup.com (646) 386-0990