Hard work is something I literally grew up with. My father was a factory laborer as were both my grandfathers. My uncles worked the railroad – one as a brakeman, the other as a trackman. My older brothers, Wally and Tony, worked in factories for years. As an attorney, I practice their same commitment to hard work every day.

Growing up in rural Newfane, I knew that I would not get any handouts. If I wanted something, I had to work very hard to get it, and at the age of twelve I went to work at a local farm. While attending college, I worked the graveyard shift as a janitor at Tops Markets. The pay wasn’t much and I couldn’t afford a car, so I walked everywhere. I graduated from Buffalo State in 1984 with highest honors and put myself through law school at the University of Buffalo and graduated in 1988.

I consider it a tremendous responsibility and privilege to represent working families. I understand the pressure to make ends meet – just like my family did. My compassion for our clients comes from a genuine respect I have for people who aren’t given everything in life and who must overcome hardships to simply put food on the table.

This year, I was named as one of the top plaintiff’s personal injury attorneys in Upstate New York by Super Lawyers, named to the Who’s Who list by Buffalo Law Journal as one of the top personal injury attorneys in Buffalo, named to the Million Dollar Advocate’s Forum, received the New York State Bar Association’s Merit Award for Public Service and the Distinguished Alumni Award for Public Service from the University at Buffalo Law School’s alumni association.

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