Big Indian Lawyers

When I was nine my aunt told me I should be a lawyer when I grew up because I argued about everything, really, really well. That's when I learned I could make a living doing what I loved: winning arguments. After graduating from Columbia University, New York City's only Ivy League school I went on to Fordham Law. Fordham was the only law school ranked in the top twenty-five nationwide that offered a night program in New York. Since I was working full time to pay my own way, Fordham's top tier night division was perfect for me. After two...

Sam Breslin represents both individual and corporate clients in a variety of matters, from state and federal criminal defense to personal injury and complex commercial litigation. Criminal: Sam represents clients in all criminal matters including DWI/DUI charges, as well as all other violations, misdemeanors and felonies in federal, state and local courts. Many criminal charges, no matter how minor, carry the risk of long-term consequences. In defending his clients, Sam strives to make them aware of these collateral consequences and craft a defense strategy to minimize them. Personal Injury: Sam aggressively represents clients injured as the...

Scott A. Barbour provides dedicated and skilled representation to corporate and institutional clients with various types of civil and commercial litigation. His practice areas include railroad, products liability and contract litigation. Additionally, Scott is experienced in mediation and arbitration for civil matters.

Scott's trial and appellate experience includes cases in federal and state courts throughout New York. His jurisdictions include the State of New York, the United States District Court for the Northern and Western Districts of New York, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. Scott is a member of...

Prior to opening my own firm, I began my legal career as a paralegal in Cleveland, Ohio assisting in civil litigation and specializing in all areas of plaintiff’s personal injury. After graduating from Thomas M. Cooley Law School, I began practicing law in the state of Michigan where I represented injured drivers, passengers, motorcyclists and pedestrians that were involved in automobile accidents.

When I moved to New York, I specialized in real estate closings and had the pleasure of assisting the public and several Patrolman Benevolent Associations, such as the Rockland County PBA and the Rockland County Sheriff’s Office, in...

I’m Ava (Na) Li, founder of Ava Li Law PLLC, licensed to practice law in both China and the United States. Before coming to the U.S., I practiced in Beijing, where I served on the legal team for the 2008 Olympic Games and led the successful trademark defense of the “Water Cube.” That case taught me something lasting: intellectual property is part of a brand’s soul. In 2012, I moved to the U.S. to pursue an LL.M. in International Intellectual Property Law at Chicago-Kent College of Law, one of the nation’s top IP programs. I graduated with honors and later earned my...

Douglas Goldman has been practicing immigration law for decades. He handles all types of immigration matters, including representation for employers, individuals, and families.

After graduating from Manhattan College in 2009, Jacob began his career as a Special Education Advocate & Paralegal. For seven years he worked for a reputable Manhattan-based law firm that concentrates on advocating for students with special needs. As an Advocate, Jacob would often attend Committee on Special Education (“CSE”) meetings alongside parents, providing them with assistance in the development of their children’s Individual Education Programs (“IEP”) and/or 504 Plans. When disputes arose with local school districts, Jacob assisted attorneys in all phases of the administrative due process procedure provided by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act ("IDEA"). This often...

Robert G. Babcock (Bob) specializes in criminal defense and wrongful conduct investigations throughout New York state and federal courts. He represents individuals and businesses under investigation or charged by the government with committing criminal offenses. Bob crafts unique defense strategies for clients facing criminal charges ranging from misdemeanors in local courts to complex cases involving white-collar crime, organized crime, drug trafficking and firearms offenses, and violent crimes pending in the county and federal district courts of New York. Bob brings years of criminal trial experience to Tully Rinckey and its clients as the lead attorney for the firm’s Capital Region Criminal...

Lisa specializes in complex financing and property transactions. She represents borrowers, lenders, developers, builders, investors, and sellers. Lisa has forged a reputation as being thorough, attentive, and detailed. Her trademark fine tooth comb approach has proven to be an invaluable asset to her clients. It has resulted in her closing over 100 million dollars’ worth of loan transactions and being selected to represent some of the area’s leading commercial lenders and developers. She also has experience in tax credit equity financing, entity matters and helping her clients navigate through the economic development process.

Jim Hacker is a 1981 graduate of Hamilton College and a 1984 graduate of Albany Law School. He is a member of the Hamilton College Board of Trustees and is The Chair of the Albany Law Board of Trustees.

He is an elected Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, one of the premier legal associations in North America. The College is comprised of the best of the trial bar from the United States and Canada and membership is by invitation only. He is also an elected fellow of the International College of Trial Lawyers whose membership is limited to...

MATTHEW GOODSTEIN is a personal injury attorney at Pollack, Pollack, Isaac & DeCicco, LLP. Mr. Goodstein regularly collaborates with partner and personal injury attorney, Adam Handler, to develop a personalized strategy for each case that will help our injured clients obtain the best results possible. Mr. Goodstein is a 2005 graduate of the Indiana University – Kelley School of Business, Bloomington, Indiana and a 2008 graduate of the John Marshall Law School, Chicago, Illinois. After graduating law school, Mr. Goodstein served as an Assistant State’s Attorney (ASA), representing the State of Illinois in criminal prosecutions. During his time as...

Stewart McMillan, Esq. is a former New York State Prosecutor duly licenced to practice criminal law in both the States of New York and Connecticut since 1995 and 1996, respectively. Mr. McMillan's main office is located in Larchmont, New York in Westchester County. He also has branch offices in Manhattan County in New York City and in Stamford, Connecticut. Over the years Mr. McMillan has represented the accused in all of the New York City Courts as well as in Westchester, Orange, Putnam, Dutchess, Rockland, Nassau and Suffolk Counties and in Fairfield County, Connecticut.

With a dramatic rise in alcohol awareness...

The Diederich Law Office focuses on helping victims of illegality and bias in employment and civil rights cases, particularly wrongful termination and job discrimination cases, and negotiating severance packages. Cases include wrongful discrimination based upon age, gender / sex, national origin, race, pregnancy or disability. I also served as a "citizen soldier" (US Army reservist), with tours of duty in the combat zones of Iraq (2004-05) and Afghanistan (2012), as an Army lawyer. I retired in the rank of lieutenant colonel. We handle cases from Long Island, through New York City and into the Hudson...

I advocate for clients who want to take charge of their lives and resolve conflict using a common sense approach. During my more than 20 years of practice, I have handled hundreds of matrimonial and family law matters. While I have extensive litigation experience, I now focus my practice on mediation and collaborative law because most of my clients fell strongly that they want to stay out of court. I want to make a positive difference in the lives of clients going through stressful family transitions. I help mothers and fathers in developing parenting plans that are practical and that...

Nikki attended Mississippi University for Women, and obtained her B.A. in Political Science in 2013. She also attended Missouri University of Science & Technology where she obtained her B.A., summa cum laude, in History in 2015.

Nikki received her J.D., magna cum laude, in 2018 from the University of Mississippi School of Law with a concentration in Entertainment & Sports Law. Nikki served as a member of the Mississippi Law Journal, Federal Courts Law Review, and Mississippi Sports Law Review. Nikki was selected as a member of the Phi Delta Phi Honor Society and served as the President of the...

Mr. Williams' experience includes both trial and transactional work. Mr. Williams has appeared in Federal and State courts, representing individuals and businesses in various matters, including claims involving Employment Discrimination, Bankruptcy Adversarial Proceedings, Breach of Contract, Real Estate Disputes, Real Estate Partition, Real Estate Litigation, Shareholder Disputes, and Employee Stock Ownership Plans (ESOP). On the transactional side of his practice, Mr. Williams focuses on Private Placement Memorandum (PPM), Choice of Entities issues, Partnership Dissolution, Post-and-pre-nuptial Agreements, and Trusts and Estate Planning.

Named a Super Lawyer for 2023, Michael Ciarlo has been practicing Real Estate law since 1999, providing successful and experienced results for his clients. During this time, his extensive knowledge of commercial, business, and real estate litigation has benefited the clients of the firm. He has a wide range of experience negotiating, analyzing, resolving, and litigating all aspects of real estate, business, co-op, condo, and landlord/tenant matters. Mr. Ciarlo brings a significant depth of understanding to his role in advising large and small businesses, co-ops, condominiums, landlords, tenants, and individuals in their disputes and litigation. Mr. Ciarlo graduated from New...

Edgar M. Rivera is an aggressive and zealous advocate for employees who have been subjected to harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and wage-and-hour violations. Edgar has represented hundreds of employees in individual, multi-plaintiff, collective- and class action litigation before state and federal courts in New York, New Jersey and Florida.

Mesothelioma lawyer Robert I. Komitor is a partner at Levy Phillips & Konigsberg, LLP, and serves as lead trial lawyer specializing in products liability, negligence, and personal injury cases involving mesothelioma, hazardous wastes, and pollution. Bob was named one of the nation's Best Lawyers, in the area of mass torts, in Gregory W. Smith and Steven W. Naifeh's The Best Lawyers in America 2005-2012 (Woodward/White). Bob has consistently won some of the highest damage awards in the nation. For three consecutive years, he made The National Law Journal's list of lawyers winning the highest verdicts. He was trial lawyer on the "New...

Scarinci Hollenbeck is a business law firm that provides its clients with fierce strategic advocacy in the courtroom and sage advice in the boardroom. Our approach is to give our clients the freedom to pursue their vision while mitigating their risks and minimizing liability exposure. Scarinci Hollenbeck represents privately held businesses of all sizes as well as investors and not-for-profit organizations in everything from formation and deal-making to protecting their rights in litigation and arbitration. Contact Chris Warren today to learn about how Scarinci Hollenbeck can protect your rights and bring your business to the next level.

To Jonathan S. Damashek, the best part of his job is being able to stand up for people who deserve their day in court. “I like fighting for the little guy against the large corporate defendants and insurance carriers to help them recover what they lost in their lives,” he says.

In this regard, Damashek seeks to recover monetary compensation for his clients that covers their past and future pain and suffering, medical expenses, lost earnings and benefits, and loss of their enjoyment of life. After graduating from New York Law School in 1997, Damashek started his career...

Joel R. Brandes, of the New York Bar, concentrates his practice in New York divorce and family law appeals. He also consults with and advises attorneys on appellate, trial court and international child abduction matters in all of the New York state and federal courts. He has been recognized by the New York Appellate Division as a "noted authority and expert on New York family law and divorce .” He is the author of the treatise Law and the Family New York 2024-2025 Edition (12 Volumes), Law and The Family New York, 2d (9 volumes), Law and the Family...

For the past 30 years Valerie Wolfman Esq. has concentrated her law practice on Family, Matrimonial and Divorce Law, Child Custody, Divorce and Equitable Distribution (both simple and complex). Many of her cases have International components, including issues such as whether a French or Chilean or Swiss pre-nuptial agreement is valid; whether a divorce should proceed in France, New York or Australia, whether the mother may relocate the residence of the child away from the father. She has also litigated Will contests and has proven heirship with the aid of a genealogist and has been a guardian in guardianship...

Attorney Stuart Meissner was born in 1962 in Brooklyn, New York. He earned his Bachelor’s and Juris Doctorate from Hofstra University. He went on to earn his masters of law degree from New York University Law School. He opened his own practice, Meissner Associates, twenty years ago in 2001 in Manhattan, New York. His practice focuses primarily on SEC whistleblower cases, investment disputes, securities violations, and FINRA arbitration. After 9/11, Attorney Meissner volunteered at Ground Zero on “the pile” on the “bucket brigade” along with fire and police officers, sifting through debris trying to find survivors. He was later subsequently...

Mr. Tantone graduated from St. John's University School of Law in 2016 and is admitted to practice law in the state courts of New York and New Jersey, as well as the federal District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, and the District of New Jersey. His practice is currently focused on employment related litigation, with specific expertise in employment discrimination and wage and hour violations. Prior to joining the Bell Law Group in 2021, Mr. Tantone represented employees in discrmination and wage cases in federal and state courts. Prior to that, he represented employers in employment...

Jon Bell began his career at one of the largest litigation law firms in New York. Despite gaining vast experience in multi-million dollar claims, Mr. Bell was dissatisfied with not being able to select his own clients and, therefore sometimes had personal conflicts in handling cases where he believed to be "on the wrong side." Thereafter, he started his own law firm, which allowed him to select his own cases, handling them with passion in realizing he has made a personal commitment to each client. Jon Bell became interested in Federal Employee litigation as he discovered the need for Federal Employees...

My passion is family law. It is what drove me to become a lawyer, motivated me through law school, and gets me excited to start my day. Family law has always been a part of my life, in experience, study, and practice. A childhood spent in and out of domestic court piqued my interest in the different elements of such a complex and human-driven area of the law. My goal is to make every client feel heard in a situation where communication may have broken down. I will vigorously advocate for all of my clients, because I am...

Glen A. Kendall has an exceptional track record representing small and medium-sized businesses and individuals in complex, high stakes litigation and arbitration across the New York area.

He regularly serves as lead counsel in business and employment matters involving breach of contract, fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, employment discrimination, restrictive covenants, defamation, trade secret misappropriation, and copyright and trademark infringement. Mr. Kendall also handles trusts and estates matters involving probate, will contests, contested accountings, and fiduciary removal proceedings. Clients entrust Mr. Kendall because of his compassion, zealous advocacy, and creativity in problem-solving.

A significant portion of Mr. Kendall’s practice involves...

Ephraim Jacob (‘E.J.”) Fink has been litigating in the Connecticut and New York Courts since 2000. After representing hundreds of carriers and their policy holders as well as corporations, product manufacturers and healthcare facilities from negligence and contract claims, EJ practiced at a boutique in the areas of personal injury, family law/divorce, estate and trust litigation. EJ graduated from Syracuse University’s Newhouse School of Public Communications with a degree in journalism and thereafter obtained his JD at New England Law-Boston where his dean’s list grade average earned him an associate editor position on the New England Journal on Criminal...

Jacqueline Newman joined Berkman Bottger Newman & Rodd, LLP in 1998 and is now the managing partner of the firm. Ms. Newman's practice consists of litigation, collaborative law and mediation. She specializes in complex high net worth matrimonial cases and negotiating prenuptial agreements. Ms. Newman has taught the Collaborative Family Law class for The NY Association of Collaborative Professionals and the Center for Mediation in Law, as well as the Introduction of Matrimonial Law for Collaborative Divorce Professionals for the New York State Unified Court System. At Fordham University School of Law, she taught Family Law Practice with Barry Berkman....

I am a New York-based corporate lawyer with more than 15 years of experience representing middle market public companies, particularly in technology, retail, mining and energy businesses, in securities law compliance and corporate governance matters, financing transactions and corporate acquisitions and mergers. I have guided several dozen U.S. public companies and foreign private issuers in complying with federal securities law periodic reporting requirements and new regulations including the JOBS Act, the Dodd-Frank Act and the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. I also advise major shareholders and corporate insiders in resales of restricted securities, estate planning transactions involving public company stock and compliance with insider...

I have practiced business law for two decades, and have significant experience in counseling companies from their start-up phase through a sale. My experience includes negotiating strategic transactions and advising on day to day business issues. I have significant experience in technology transactions, from SaaS to Agile development and traditional software licensing.

Howard B. Leopold is Brooklyn born and a member of the New Jersey, New York, and Bergen County Bar Associations. He graduated from the State University of New York at Albany in 1987 (Phi Beta Kappa and Summa Cum Laude) with a B.A. in U.S. History and Minors in Hebrew and Business. Mr. Leopold went on to attend Albany Law School and earned a J.D. in 1990. After graduating, he worked as an associate in the litigation department of a New York City law firm for numerous years and then spent four years at a law firm in Rochelle Park,...

I am a graduate of Wesleyan University and the Boston University School of Law. During my career as an attorney, prior to my current solo practive, I have worked as a government regulatory trial attorney for the State Public Service Commission, an in house counsel for a Fortune 100 corporation, and as a partner or counsel for a several Albany and Syracuse based medium sized law firms. I am committed to helping people and small businesses with their legal problems at a reasonable, fixed "no surprises" rate not based on the common "hourly billing" model. I am...

Consummate legal professional bringing creative solutions to the legal challenges of modern times for clients in the areas of Wills, trusts, estate planning and estate administration; real estate (commercial and residential); land use and economic development; and the needs of business owners including LLC and other new business formations, purchases and sales of businesses, and contract reviews of every type.

A former investigative journalist, Mark is a successful anti-fraud attorney with more than twenty years of experience in complex civil litigation. He has represented qui tam whistleblowers under the False Claims Act as well as victims of fraud under the federal securities laws and the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). His efforts have resulted in the recovery of hundreds of millions of dollars for clients.

Prior to founding Mark A. Strauss Law, PLLC, Mark was a partner at Kirby McInerney LLP, a respected plaintiffs’ class action firm that was named one of the “Most Feared Plaintiffs’ Firms” by Law360.com....

Manuel Portela Manuel@portelalaw.com Law School: The Washington College of Law at American University, Degree: JD 1990 Undergraduate School: Fordham University, 1986 Foreign Language: Spanish Manuel Portela Esq. is the founding partner of The Portela Law Firm, P.C. He specializes in Criminal Defense, Immigration, Family Law and Personal Injury. After graduating from Fordham University and American University Washington College of Law, Mr. Portela accepted an appointment as an Assistant District Attorney at the Kings County District Attorney‘s Office in New York. During his tenure as an Assistant District Attorney, he received extensive training and instruction in the Criminal Court...