Berne Lawyers

Max Smelyansky, who grew up in Bethlehem, graduated from Manhattan College earning a Bachelor of Science with a major in economics. He then graduated from the University of Baltimore School of Law, in Maryland. After graduating from law school, Max Smelyansky developed his law practice in Albany, specializing in Traffic Defense Law, Personal Injury Law, Landlord / Tenant Law, Family Law and Estate Planning Law.

Michael is a board certified commercial and consumer bankruptcy specialist (American Bankruptcy Board of Certification). He is admitted to the New York State Bar, as well as the United States District Court for the Southern, Eastern and Northern Districts of New York, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. His concentration of practice is in the representation of debtors and trustees in bankruptcy liquidations and reorganizations. Michael is the recipient of the President's Award for Pro Bono services, New York State Bar Association (1989, 1993 and 2007), and the Distinguished Service Award from the Legal Aid...

As a graduate of the University at Buffalo and Albany Law School, I began my career as an Assistant District Attorney in upstate New York where I prosecuted thousands of criminal cases. As a prosecutor, I learned the values of fairness and truth. I quickly learned that good people can make mistakes, but that doesn’t make them bad people. The system sometimes forgets that it’s supposed to judge your actions and character, not your address or clothes. I fight for my clients because justice should remain blind. After leaving law enforcement, I joined the New York State Workers’ Compensation...

Daniel “Dan” Dagostino graduated in 1997 from the State University of New York at Albany with a degree in History. Following graduation he worked at Martin, Harding & Mazzotti, LLP as a legal assistant under the supervision of Paul Harding. According to Dan, his first position with Martin, Harding & Mazzotti, LLP allowed him to obtain firsthand experience as to the emotional, physical and financial hardships injured persons endure as a result of an unexpected incident and the positive impact of Martin, Harding & Mazzotti, LLP during and after the legal matter concluded. After working for approximately one...

Expert in Patents and Proprietary Rights Management & Transactions with more than 10 years experience. I love business innovation and helping clients use patents, trade secrets, copyrights, and contracts to strengthen and grow their businesses. I am foremost a business counselor, helping to guide choices, build better business systems, and create intangible assets that support the client's business strategy. My clients appreciate my candor, creative thinking, and business insight, especially when it comes to negotiating licenses and other intellectual property agreements.

Located on the Circle in the Village of Chatham, Columbia County, we have practiced law across upstate New York for over forty-five years, with a particular emphasis on matters in Columbia and its surrounding counties. Our firm is focused primarily on helping clients with the following legal matters: -Real Estate Law including Residential, Commercial & Lenders -Estate Planning and Administration -Elder Law and Medicaid Planning -Municipal Law -School Law -Environmental Law -Business Transactions, including Acquisitions -Limited Liability Companies and Corporations As a small law firm we are able to be personally aware of all aspects of a client's file when he or she calls to discuss it. Our...

Kimberly G. Finnigan is a bilingual attorney who focuses her practice on immigration, employment and labor law, and civil rights litigation. Ms. Finnigan is a graduate of William and Mary Law School, where she was a Jessup International Moot Court Team member, served as President of the International Law Society, and co-founded the LL.M. Student Assistance Program. Ms. Finnigan received honors in Appellate Brief Writing and was acknowledged as a Mary Siegrist Hinz Leadership Fellow and recipient of the Gambrell Professionalism Award. Ms. Finnigan was awarded her Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and Education, magna cum laude, from Middlebury College...

I had a happy childhood growing up on the north shore of Long Island. My wife and I moved to the capital district in 1986 after I had spent some time post-college in the steamship industry. I graduated Albany Law School in 1992 and have been practicing ever since. My practice includes real estate transactions and litigation; general estate planning, administration and litigation. Our clients have a high degree of satisfaction, as proven by the number of return clients and referrals from them. We are a friendly "family" type practice, and we believe our approach makes people...

Terry O’Connor is a 1980 graduate of St. Lawrence University, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and Omicron Delta Kappa. In pursuing his B.S. degree, he also attended the University of Copenhagen in Copenhagen, Denmark. Terry received his J.D. from the University of Notre Dame Law School in 1983. Terry is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell and was recently recognized by the Best Lawyers in America consumer guide. He has also been recognized as one of the top 50 upstate New York lawyers by Super Lawyers consumer guide. Terry is a trial lawyer who defends physicians, manufacturers and...

Practice is concentrated in commercial litigation

Leonard A. Bellavia, founding partner of the law firm of Bellavia Blatt Andron & Crossett, PC, is a nationally recognized authority in the field of automotive franchise law and represents thousands of automobile dealerships across the country in all aspects of commercial litigation and buy/sell transactions. He has been instrumental in negotiating the sale of hundreds of dealerships and has achieved national recognition for advocating the mass action litigation model on behalf of franchised automobile dealers. Most notably, Len has successfully implemented the mass litigation model in the following actions: • In a settlement to recover reasonable compensation for warranty parts...

Prior to re-opening his office in the town of Coeymans, George served as General Counsel to Carver Companies, a group of closely held corporations and limited liability companies within upstate New York and Charleston, South Carolina.

Immediately before that, he served as a Federal Administrative Law Judge for the Social Security Administration.

He has extensive experience working in policy making positions at every level of government, including the local level, the state level, and the federal level, and served as the liaison between the Department of Defense and the American Bar Association from 2010 through 2011.

Military Experience

As a New York Army...

The Law Office of Douglas H. Zamelis is dedicated to assisting clients achieve their objectives by providing accurate, responsive, thorough and sensitive legal services. Doug Zamelis has over 25 years of experience counseling and representing corporate, governmental, and individual clients in compliance and litigation matters involving open government and our shared environment. In addition to his Juris Doctor from the Syracuse University College of Law (1989), Doug holds a B.S from Cornell University (1986) and M.S. from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (1989). Doug brings his extensive scientific knowledge and understanding...

I've been representing clients in the criminal and family courts of New York State since 1999, and I believe that being an attorney isn't a business, it's a craft that requires a sense of personal honor. I've tried cases from open-container violations to murders and, whatever the matter, I'll never leave you in the dark about your case, I'll give your case care and attention, and I'll never sell you out or do anything without your knowledge and consent.

Originally from Mechanicville, New York, and now living in Albany, Nicholas is an Associate working in our Business Law and Transactions and Health Law departments. Joining O&A in August of 2021, Nicholas focuses largely on business law topics and cannabis. Cannabis law is Nicholas’ passion, and he strives to provide guidance to applicants and licensees (including Conditional Adult Use Retail Dispensaries (“CAURD”) and Adult-Use (“AU”)) who are uncertain and overwhelmed by the onerous requirements imposed by New York’s Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (“MRTA”) and the regulations implemented by New York’s Office of Cannabis Management (“OCM”). Additionally, Nicholas advises clients...

David L. Ganje is a commercial law and commercial litigation attorney and also maintains a natural resources practice. He has grounded his legal experience as a practicing attorney, a former commodity arbitrator, a member of the board of directors of an S&L and an adjunct professor to hone his skills in these areas of practice. Born and raised in Aberdeen, South Dakota, David handles matters related to mineral law, oil and gas law, energy law and water law in his natural resources practice. The practice includes representation before local and federal regulatory bodies. In his commercial law and commercial litigation practice, David...

office email: alice@piedmontlawfirm.com Additional Office Location (by Appointment Only) 376 Broadway, Suite 18 Saratoga Springs, NY 12866