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Adam Rodriguez Featured in Fordham Lawyer

An alumnus of Fordham Law School, Adam Rodriguez was one of four alumni on the cover of the Spring 2018 issue of Fordham Lawyer. The article, “Courtside,” focuses on the clerkship program at Fordham Law that has “turned out a bevy of superstars.”

Mr. Rodriguez discusses his clerkships with the Hon. Ramon E. Reyes Jr., a magistrate judge with the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York, and the Hon. Dora L. Irizarry, Chief Judge of the Eastern District.

“Clerking set the stage for the rest of my career,” Rodriguez says. Observing judges in court and speaking to them afterward proved “invaluable” … because it taught him what tools he needs—now that he’s on the other side of the bench—to provide to a judge that will help him receive a favorable ruling, as well as the importance of professionalism and practicality among attorneys.

Mr. Rodriguez focuses his practice in the areas of real estate, litigation and intellectual property. Previously, he was the Director of Real Estate for Westchester County, where he negotiated complex commercial real estate transactions, including leases for office space throughout the County and multi-million dollar hangar leases at the Westchester County Airport. Before that, he was an Associate County Attorney working on a number of high-profile cases, including the County’s affordable housing settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Bleakley Platt Featured In Special Section in Fortune, Bloomberg Business Week and Money Magazines

A profile of Bleakley Platt detailing the firm’s culture of excellence, history and commitment to the community appears in the June issues of Fortune, Bloomberg Business Week and Money magazines.

With six former members of the firm having served in the State Appellate Division or Supreme Court, Bleakley Platt is the only law firm in New York that can include two federal judges who simultaneously served as chief judges of the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York among its alumni.

The firm’s close proximity to the state and federal courthouses gives Bleakley Platt attorneys ready access to the local courthouses and a familiarity with jurists, further distinguishing the firm from its competitors.

Click here to read the article.

Frances M. Pantaleo Speaks at Alzheimer’s Association’s Conference on Dementia

Bleakley Platt partner Frances M. Pantaleo spoke at the Alzheimer’s Association’s Fourth Annual Hudson Valley Regional Dementia Conference, “Meeting of the Minds,” on May 17^th.

Her presentation, “After the diagnosis: Essential Legal Documents for Persons with Dementia” was well attended, with many questions from the audience about the important legal documents, such as powers of attorney, health care proxies, living wills, and medical records release forms,  which facilitate financial and health care decision making for individuals with dementia.  The presentation also focused on the importance of reviewing estate planning documents, asset titles and beneficiary designations when there is a diagnosis of a potentially life limiting medical condition. 

Ms. Pantaleo leads the Elder Law and Special Needs Practice Group at Bleakley Platt. She is a former member of the Board of Directors of the Hudson Valley/Rockland/Westchester Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association and makes many presentations on Elder Law and Special Needs topics for consumers at the request of community and service organizations including AARP, UJA- Federation, the Pace Women’s Justice Center, Westchester Arc, the Public/Private Partnership for Aging Services and the Westchester County Department of Senior Programs and Services.

A former Chair of the Elder Law and Special Needs Section of the New York State Bar Association and a member of the Trusts and Estates Section, Ms. Pantaleo is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). She is a member and has served as past-chair of the Elder Law Committees of the Westchester Women’s Bar Association and the Westchester County Bar Association. She is co-author of a chapter on elder law in General Practice in New York, published by the West Publishing Company and a frequent lecturer at Continuing Legal Education programs which provide training to attorneys regarding elder law and special needs planning.

Bleakley Platt was pleased to be a premium exhibitor at the event.

Adam Rodriguez Selected for Business Council of Westchester’s 2018 Rising Stars

Bleakley Platt & Schmidt, LLP is pleased to announce that Adam Rodriguez has been named by the Business Council of Westchester as one of its 2018 Rising Stars – 40 Under 40 honorees. Selected for their professional accomplishments, affiliations and leadership skills, Mr. Rodriguez and 39 other honorees will be celebrated at a reception held on June 21, 5:00 – 8:00 PM at The Atrium, 800 Westchester Avenue in Rye Brook.

Mr. Rodriguez focuses his practice in the areas of real estate, litigation and intellectual property. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Rodriguez was the Director of Real Estate for Westchester County, where he negotiated complex commercial real estate transactions, including leases for office space throughout the County and multi-million dollar hangar leases at the Westchester County Airport. Prior, he was an Associate County Attorney working on a number of high-profile cases, including the County’s affordable housing settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Before joining the County Attorney’s Office, Mr. Rodriguez clerked for Chief U.S. District Court Judge Dora L. Irizarry and U.S. Magistrate Judge Ramon E. Reyes, Jr., both of the Eastern District of New York.

Zachary Cohen Speaks at New York Medical College Program

Zachary Cohen, a member of the firm’s Health Care, Corporate and Intellectual Property Practice Groups, gave a presentation to more than one hundred fourth-year medical students at New York Medical College’s School of Medicine “Transition to Residency” program. The medical students, who will graduate later this year, are required to take a one-week course to facilitate their transition from medical school into specialized residency programs. In addition to specialty tracts focusing on procedural skills and case-based problem solving sessions, they also attend sessions that will enhance their professional development. Mr. Cohen was invited to prepare a presentation on Healthcare Law Fundamentals.

The presentation was a one-hour legal primer, reviewing such topics as the Federal Anti-Kickback Statute, Stark Law, Health Care Fraud, Billing, Coding and Documentation, OIG Exclusion authority and State Fraud and Abuse Laws. Mr. Cohen also delved into key employment agreement provisions that young doctors commonly encounter, including indemnification, terminations, restrictive covenants and professional liability insurance issues.

Zachary Cohen has been practicing law since 2007 and specializes in healthcare and corporate law. He has experience representing hospital systems, hospitals, nursing homes, medical practices, physicians, management companies and other health care clients. He advises these clients on a host of business, regulatory and transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, corporate formation, contract negotiations and corporate governance.

Elizabeth Briand Speaks on Medicaid Home Care CLE for NYSBA

Elizabeth Briand, an associate with the Elder Law practice group, gave a presentation for the New York State Bar Association on April 16 in New York City. Her presentation, on financial eligibility for Medicaid Home Care, was part of a 4.5 MCLE credit program titled “Home Care in New York State: Private Hiring of Aides, Managed Long Term Care Plan Options and Immediate Need for Medicaid.” The day-long CLE program was attended by 55 attorneys, including Elder Law attorneys and other attorneys.

Ms. Briand’s presentation covered topics including financial eligibility, spousal issues, the application process and the use of pooled income trusts to shelter income for Medicaid home care recipients.

Elizabeth Briand speaks frequently before consumer and professional groups on Elder Law topics. She represents clients in all matters relating to Elder Law, Estate Planning and Estate Administration, Medicare and Medicaid benefits, guardianship proceedings under Article 81 of the Mental Hygiene Law and Article 17A of the Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act and drafting and administration of Special Needs Trusts (SNTs).

Six Bleakley Platt Women Attorneys Named to New York Metro 2017 Super Lawyers/The Top Women List

Six Bleakley Platt attorneys have been included on the New York Metro 2017 Super Lawyers/The Top Women list. The attorneys receiving this honor are Partners Susan E. Galvao, Mary Ellen Manley, Frances M. Pantaleo and Nancy J. Rudolph, and Mary Anne Wirth, Of Counsel and Elizabeth C. Briand, Associate, in the Rising Star category. The attorneys were named in a special supplement published by Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers and distributed throughout the New York metro area.

Susan E. Galvão, Partner, is a member of the Firm’s Executive Committee, co-chair of the Appellate practice group and a member of the Litigation practice group. Ms. Galvão has represented a variety of corporations, banks, insurance companies and individuals in litigation before federal and state trial and appellate courts. She has extensive experience in appellate practice, Surrogate’s Court practice, and trust and estate litigation, including kinship matters. She is also experienced with complex commercial litigation, including contract disputes, employment litigation, insurance coverage issues and class action defense. She has argued appeals in the state and federal courts on a broad spectrum of issues.

Mary Ellen Manley, Partner, leads the Firm’s Trusts and Estates practice group. Ms. Manley concentrates in the area of Surrogate’s Court practice. She has substantial trust and estate litigation experience, representing fiduciaries and beneficiaries in adversarial proceedings, including will contests, accountings, removal of fiduciaries, will construction or reformation proceedings, fee litigation, determination of right of election, kinship hearings, and validity of creditors’ claims. Ms. Manley is also experienced in all aspects of trust and estate administration.

Frances M. Pantaleo, Partner, is the head of the firm’s Elder Law practice group. Ms. Pantaleo handles a broad range of matters with a particular emphasis on Elder Law, special needs planning, guardianship proceedings under Article 81 of the Mental Hygiene Law and Article 17A of the Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act, drafting and administration of special needs trusts, estate planning, drafting of wills and trusts, and estate administration.

Nancy J. Rudolph, Partner, concentrates in the area of trusts and estates, estate administration, estate tax, guardianship, Surrogate’s Court practice and estate litigation. Ms. Rudolph litigates in Surrogate’s Court, Supreme Court and the United States Federal District Courts, representing heirs, beneficiaries and fiduciaries, both individual and corporate, in judicial proceedings involving probate, contested probate, administration, lost wills, construction, kinship, removal of fiduciaries, contested accountings, uncontested accountings, turn over, spousal right of election, and in real estate transactions. Ms. Rudolph also represents individuals and corporate fiduciaries as trustees of inter vivos trusts as well as supplemental or special needs trusts.

Mary Anne Wirth,Of Counsel, is the head of the Criminal Defense and Investigations Practice Group and concentrates in white collar criminal defense work and general civil litigation. She is also a member of the Litigation and Appellate Practice Groups. Ms. Wirth served as Associate Independent Counsel in the Office of the Independent Counsel Kenneth W. Starr, in Washington D.C. from 1997 to 1998. She was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York from 1983 to 1988, assigned to the Civil Division. She was also an Assistant District Attorney in the New York County District Attorney’s Office from 1988 to 1996. She has served as District Counsel for the New York District of the Immigration and Naturalization Service of the United States Department of Justice. Ms. Wirth has been an Adjunct Professor of Law at Fordham Law School in the Legal Writing Program since 1987.

Elizabeth Briand, Associate, is with the Elder Law and Trusts and Estates practice groups and handles all matters relating to Elder Law, estate planning and estate administration, Medicare and Medicaid benefits, guardianship proceedings under Article 81 of the Mental Hygiene Law and Article 17A of the Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act, drafting and administration of special needs trusts. Ms. Briand is Chair of the Sponsorship Committee of the New York State Bar Association Elder Law and Special Needs Section, and served as Program Co-Chair of the 2016 Annual Meeting. Ms. Briand is also a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and a member of the Westchester Women’s Bar Association.

Partner Nancy J. Rudolph Honored by Westchester Visiting Nurse Services Group, Inc.

Nancy J. Rudolph, a Bleakley Platt partner in the Trusts and Estates practice group with an emphasis on Surrogate’s Court practice and estate litigation, will be presented with the Distinguished Service Award on May 16 by the Westchester Visiting Nurse Services Group, Inc. at its Annual Spring Benefit Gala.

The award is being presented in recognition of Ms. Rudolph’s six years of outstanding service as a valued Member and Treasurer of the Westchester Visiting Nurse Services Group, Inc.’s Board of Trustees.

In a letter to Ms. Rudolph, Joyce Infante, VNS Westchester, explained “During this era of dramatic changes in regulatory policies for agencies such as ours, your expertise and stewardship have helped VNSW to maintain our fiscal stability, enabling us to sustain and expand essential home healthcare services for the communities we serve. We are extremely grateful for your service and dedication.”

The VNSW Foundation, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization created to solely support the programs and services of VNS Westchester for residents of Westchester, the Bronx, Dutchess, Putnam and Rockland counties.

The gala takes place on Wednesday, May 16, 5:30 – 8:30 pm at the Willow Ridge Country Club, Harrison, NY and Ms. Rudolph’s fellow honorees are Vital Care Services, Community Leadership Award and Carolyn Rogers, RN, Outstanding Achievement in Nursing Award. For information on the gala, visit VNSW Foundation, Inc.

Bleakley Platt Welcomes Atty K. Bruggemann as Counsel to the Firm

Bleakley Platt is pleased to announce that Atty K. Bruggemann has become Of Counsel to the firm. Ms. Bruggemann is experienced in complex matrimonial cases involving high net worth individuals, professional athletes and celebrities. She is also experienced in child custody and support matters and in the drafting and negotiation of prenuptial, postnuptial, separation and settlement agreements.

Ms. Bruggemann’s entire legal career has been dedicated to the practice of Matrimonial and Family Law. She has been recognized by Top Women Attorneys in New York, as well as Super Lawyers Rising Stars (2014 – 2017) and has published articles in The New York Law Journal and New York Family Law Monthly.

Ms. Bruggemann received her J.D. from New York Law School (cum laude, 2009) and her B.A. from Emerson College (cum laude, 2001). She is admitted to practice in New York.

Bleakley Platt Executive Committee Chairman William P. Harrington Leads Schools and County Center to a Win

Relying as much on his diplomatic skills as his legal talents, Executive Committee Chairman William P. Harrington has resolved an ugly battle between numerous local girls and boys basketball coaches’ associations and Section 1, leading to an agreement that has returned high school basketball semi-finals and finals to the iconic Westchester County Center.

In Fall 2017, Section 1 leaders decided to remove championship basketball games from the Westchester County Center. The boy’s basketball games had been held in the arena since 1933, the girl’s games since 1999, and semi-finals and finals have been held there every year since, with the exception of 2005.

The coaches’ complaint accused Section 1 of hijacking the student-athlete’s dreams of playing in the County Center solely with profits in mind.

Represented by Bleakley Platt Executive Committee Chairman William P. Harrington, the coaches filed a lawsuit alleging that the decision to remove the games was illegal and should be nullified. The coaches believed there was a deliberate breakdown in the decision-making process that violated Section 1’s constitution, which mandates that the Athletic Council must give final approval for tournament and sponsor selections. The Athletic Council was not involved in making the decision to move the games.

A deal was brokered between the schools and the office of County Executive George Latimer. Athletic directors Henry Sassone (North Salem) and Roman Catalino (Somers) Chris Drosopoulos (Briarcliff) and Artie McCormack (Irvington) were key players in the deal.

The lawsuit will be dropped and the focus of the coaches and Section 1 can now return where it belongs: on the student-athletes and basketball.

Bleakley Platt Counsel Raymond M. Planell and Partner Matthew G. Parisi Article on Burial and Cemetery Issues Published in NYSBA’s Trust & Estate Section Newsletter

The Winter 2017 edition of the New York State Bar Association’s Trusts and Estates Law Section Newsletter contains an article written by Bleakley Platt Counsel Raymond M. Planell and Partner Matthew G. Parisi, “First Things First: Addressing Burial and Cemetery Issues.” The article addresses the laws, regulations and rulings regarding cemetery matters that often face trusts and estates attorneys. Mr. Planell and Mr. Parisi encourage trusts and estates attorneys to consider burial issues as part of their client’s estate planning.

Some of the key topics in the article include:

Control of the Disposition of the Decedent’s Remains
Control of the Memorial
Burial Rights and Control of the Place of Burial
Disinterment
Transfer of Burial Lots
Tax Impact of Payments to Cemeteries

Raymond M. Planell is a former member of the Firm’s Executive Committee, and former head of the Trusts & Estates Practice Group. His practice includes trust, estate, and tax matters and issues related to the organization and governance of charitable entities and not-for-profit corporations, particularly cemetery corporations.

Matthew G. Parisi is a member of the Firm’s Executive Committee, and is the co-chair of the Cemetery Law Practice Group and chair of the Environmental Practice Group. His practice includes the representation of area municipalities, corporations and individuals in a wide variety of environmental and zoning disputes.

Bleakley Platt has represented cemeteries throughout New York State for over 75 years. The Firm’s cost-efficient representation and knowledgeable attorneys make the firm a valued partner to its cemetery clients. Click here to learn more about the firm’s cemetery law practice.

Partner Matthew G. Parisi Appointed to Bleakley Platt Executive Committee

Bleakley Platt & Schmidt is pleased to announce that Partner Matthew G. Parisi has been appointed as a new member of the firm’s Executive Committee, which is charged with overseeing the management, growth and development of the firm.

William P. Harrington, Chairman of the Executive Committee, said, “The evolution and growth of our law firm is based upon our core of young talented lawyers. Matt has distinguished himself as a future leader and we welcome him to the Executive Committee.”

Mr. Parisi, a member of the Litigation Practice group, joined Bleakley Platt in 1994. To learn more about Mr. Parisi, click here.

Other members of the Executive Committee are William P. Harrington, Chairman of the Executive Committee; Peter N. Bassano, Managing Partner; Robert Braumuller and Susan E. Galvão.

Partner Christopher Palermo Moderates Panel on Medical Devices for New York State Bar Association’s Food, Drug and Cosmetic Law Section’s Annual Meeting

Bleakley Platt partner Christopher C. Palermo is the moderator of a Continuing Legal Education panel discussion on medical devices at the annual meeting of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Law Section of the New York State Bar Association, held on January 25 at the New York Hilton in New York City. Topics of discussion on the panel include updates on FDA device and software regulation and the FDA’s evolving policy on personalized medicine tests.

Mr. Palermo is a litigation partner at the Firm with experience representing pharmaceutical companies and other health care providers in litigation matters and government investigations. He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Law Section of the New York State Bar Association.

Partner Jim Glatthaar Quoted in Habitat Magazine on a New Law for Co-op and Homeowner’s Association Boards

Bleakley Platt Partner Jim Glatthaar was a key source for a January article in Habitat Magazine that examines a new state law which requires all co-op and homeowners associations (HOAs) boards to prepare an annual report of all contracts they awarded in which one of the members of the board of directors has a financial interest.

According to Mr. Glatthaar, the new law has created a lot of headaches for boards, particularly for those that are already well-run and won’t necessarily benefit from the law. A large amount of detailed information is required which will add a significant clerical burden to boards. Note that the statute amends New York’s Business Corporation Law and Not-for-Profit Corporation Law, but does not amend the Real Property Law so the new requirement does not impact most condominiums.

Well-run boards already include much of the information in their minutes, says Mr. Glatthaar, who has created a checklist of tasks to make sure that boards are in compliance and has been speaking before property management companies to educate managers and board members on what is required.

Mr. Glatthaar is a member of the Litigation, Co-Operative and Condominium, Construction and Real Estate Practice Groups at Bleakley Platt. He has represented landlords, tenants, developers, non-profit institutions, sellers, purchasers, realtors, cooperatives and condominiums in building, zoning, housing and disability-based discrimination claims, landlord-tenant and construction defect claims both in courts and before state and federal administrative agencies. He has also represented property owners and purchasers in complex real estate and financing transactions.

Click here to view his complete attorney profile.

Christopher C. Palermo is Moderator for WCBA CLE Program on New State-of-the-Art Technology in Westchester’s Commercial Division Court

Bleakley Platt partner Christopher C. Palermo is the moderator of a Westchester County Bar Association Continuing Legal Education program discussing the new state-of-the-art courtroom that is now up and running in Westchester County Supreme Court’s Commercial Division. The free program, entitled “Integrated Courtroom Technology: Evidence Presentation and Video Conferencing in the Courts,” will be held on January 18, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. in Courtroom 105 of the Westchester County Supreme Court, 111 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. in White Plains. Speakers at the program will include Westchester’s two Commercial Division Justices, Hon. Linda S. Jamieson and Hon. Gretchen M. Walsh, and the program will include a demonstration of the new courtroom technology.

A partner in the firm’s Litigation practice group, Mr. Palermo was appointed by Chief Judge of the State of New York Jonathan Lippman in 2013 to serve on the Commercial Division Advisory Council, which is charged with advising the Chief Judge on an ongoing basis about all matters concerning the Commercial Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York, the branch of the New York court system that handles complex business disputes. Mr. Palermo was also Secretary to the Commercial Courts Task Force, established by Chief Judge Judith S. Kaye in 1995 to create and refine the Commercial Division, the nation’s first general trial court devoted exclusively to business litigation.

Partner Christopher Palermo Moderates Panel on Medical Devices for New York State Bar Association’s Food, Drug and Cosmetic Law Section’s Annual Meeting

For the fifth consecutive year, legal publisher Thomson Reuters has turned to partner Chris Palermo to provide a summary of New York law on product liability for one of its publications. The online publication Cross-border Commercial Transactions, previously known as the Practical Law International Sales and Marketing Guide, is a subscription-only report that provides up-to-date insight in question-and-answer format on a wide variety of legal issues for companies doing business worldwide. The product liability section provides an overview of product liability law in various jurisdictions around the world.

A partner in the firm’s Litigation practice group, Mr. Palermo is also a member of the firm’s Product Liability practice group and represents clients in complex product liability and toxic tort litigation. He is an elected member of the Executive Committee of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Law Section of the New York State Bar Association, which serves to help attorneys stay informed of the latest developments in the food, drug and cosmetic law field. To learn more about Mr. Palermo, click here.

Bleakley Platt Welcomes Adam Rodriguez as Counsel to the Firm

Bleakley Platt & Schmidt, LLP is pleased to announce that Adam Rodriguez has become Of Counsel to the firm. Before joining Bleakley Platt, Mr. Rodriguez was the Director of Real Estate for Westchester County, where he negotiated complex commercial real estate transactions, including leases for office space throughout the County and multi-million dollar hangar leases at the Westchester County Airport.

Prior, Mr. Rodriguez was an Associate County Attorney working on a number of high-profile cases, including the County’s affordable housing settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. While at the County Attorney’s Office, Mr. Rodriguez appeared before federal and state trial courts, federal and state administrative agencies, and argued appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the N.Y.S. Appellate Division, Second Department.

Before joining the Westchester County Attorney’s Office, Mr. Rodriguez clerked for Chief U.S. District Court Judge Dora L. Irizarry and U.S. Magistrate Judge Ramon E. Reyes, Jr., both of the Eastern District of New York.

A graduate of Fordham University School of Law, Mr. Rodriguez received a graduate degree from Polytechnic University and his undergraduate degree from Manhattanville College, where he was co-captain of the baseball team.

Bleakley Platt Welcomes New Attorneys to the Firm

Gabriel M. Goldenberg has recently joined the firm as a member of the Commercial Finance and Real Estate practice groups. He advises and represents regional and national institutional lenders and developers, as well as individual and corporate borrowers in residential and commercial real estate transactions. His background includes working for Congressman Michael Grimm (Brooklyn) as Director of Constituent Services.

Mr. Goldenberg earned his J.D. at Brooklyn Law School and a B.S. from Cornell University. He is admitted to practice law in New York State and is a member of the New York State Bar Association, New York City Bar Association and Brooklyn Bar Association.

Andriana Chryssikos has become Of Counsel to the firm in the matrimonial and family law practice area. Ms. Chryssikos has significant experience in all aspects of matrimonial litigation, and provides clients with compassion and integrity during such difficult times.

Ms. Chryssikos earned her J.D. from New York Law School, and a B.A. from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She is admitted to practice in New York, New Jersey and the District of Columbia. She is a member of the American Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, the New Jersey State Bar Association, The District of Columbia Bar Association and the Women’s Westchester County Bar Association. Ms. Chryssikos was featured in Westchester Magazine’s “Notable hires and promotions from the Westchester business community” in 2017.

Frances M. Pantaleo is Program Co-Chair for the New York State Bar Association’s Elder Law and Special Needs Section Annual Meeting 2018

Bleakley Platt partner Frances M. Pantaleo is Program Co-Chair of the Section’s Annual Meeting, held on January 23, part of the week-long Annual Meeting of the New York State Bar Association, January 22 – 26 at the New York Hilton in New York City.

Mrs. Pantaleo has been planning the program, selecting speakers, developing topics and creating a day-long event that will bring attendees up-to-date on Elder Law in New York State. The program will also feature a session on ethical standards facing Elder Law and Special Needs attorneys.

In addition to her role as Program Co-Chair for this important meeting, Mrs. Pantaleo’s other roles in the New York State Bar Association include service as Vice-Chair for the Mentoring and Special Needs Planning committees of the Elder Law and Special Needs Section and Co-Chair of the Elderly and Disabled Committee of the Trusts and Estates Section. She is a past Chair of the Elder Law and Special Needs Section.

Ms. Pantaleo leads the Elder Law and Special Needs Practice Group at Bleakley Platt and is a frequent lecturer at Continuing Legal Education programs. She also makes frequent presentations on Elder Law and Special Needs topics for consumers at the request of community and service organizations.

Partner Mary Ellen Manley Honored by St. John’s University School of Law Alumni Association Westchester Chapter

Mary Ellen Manley was honored in December at the annual holiday luncheon presented by the Westchester Chapter of the St. John’s University School of Law Alumni Association. Ms. Manley was the guest of honor at a well-attended luncheon held at the Westchester Hills Golf Club in White Plains. Guests brought toys that were donated to children served by the St. John’s Parish in Bedford Stuyvesant.

Mary Ellen Manley is presented with a festive St. John’s University School of Law sweatshirt by the Honorable Daniel D. Angiolillo, Vice President of the alumni assiciation, President of the Westchester chapter of the alumni association and former member of the New York State Judiciary, at the holiday luncheon.

As head of the firm’s Trusts and Estates Practice Group, Ms. Manley concentrates in the area of Surrogate’s Court practice. She has substantial estate litigation experience, representing fiduciaries and beneficiaries in adversarial proceedings, including will contests, accountings, removal of fiduciaries, will construction or reformation proceedings, fee litigation, determination of right of election, kinship hearings, validity of creditors’ claims and wrongful death compromises.

Ms. Manley is currently Vice President of the Westchester County Bar Foundation, the charitable arm of the Westchester County Bar Association and has served as President of the Bar Association. She was a recipient of the “Above the Bar” award as the leading trusts and estates attorney in Westchester County, and has been named to the Super Lawyers list as a top rated estate and trust litigation attorney in the New York Metro area.

William P. Harrington to be Honored by Legal Services of the Hudson Valley

Legal Services of the Hudson Valley will honor Bleakley Platt Chairman William P. Harrington at its 2018 Equal Access to Justice Dinner, scheduled for April 10 at the Ritz-Carlton, Westchester. The event is the organization’s major fundraiser of the year, attracting more than 400 attorneys, business leaders, judges, lawmakers and community leaders. Proceeds will benefit programs that provide legal services to children and families throughout the Hudson Valley.

The dinner will be co-chaired by Marc L. Greenwald, partner at Quinn Emanuel Urquhart & Sullivan LLP, Jonathan C. Harris, general counsel and secretary of MBIA Inc. and Vanessa Kaye Watson, vice president and senior managing counsel of Mastercard International.

The law firm Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler LLP and the Entergy Corporation will also be honored that night.

Mr. Harrington is Chairman of Bleakley Platt & Schmidt’s Executive Committee and an accomplished trial attorney representing clients in commercial, environmental, civil rights, and complex toxic tort matters. He is a recipient of the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and served on Gov. Pataki’s Advisory Panel for Federal Judicial Appointments. He is also the Chairman of the Westchester County Association and a Trustee of the New York Archdiocese Finance Council and Fund for Inner City Schools of Westchester, Elizabeth Seton Pediatric Center, St. Joseph’s Seminary, and Each One Counts Foundation, Inc. Bill is a graduate of the College of William and Mary, where he was an Academic All American in basketball, and of Fordham University Law School.

About Legal Services of Hudson Valley

The mission of Legal Services of the Hudson Valley (LSHV) is to provide free, high quality counsel in civil matters for individuals and families who cannot afford to pay an attorney where basic human needs are at stake. Headquartered in White Plains with offices throughout the Hudson Valley, Legal Services of the Hudson Valley has helped hundreds of thousands of people since its inception 50 years ago. Last year the organization handled more than 15,500 cases impacting more than 36,000 household members.

Three Bleakley Platt Partners are Recognized in the Best Lawyers in America 2018

Bleakley Platt is pleased to announce that three partners at the firm have been selected by their peers for inclusion in the 2018 Best Lawyers in America:

Joseph DeGiuseppe in the field of Labor and Employment Law

Frances Pantaleo for Elder Law, for the fourth consecutive year

Nancy Rudolph in the practice area of Trusts and Estates (Litigation)

Joseph DeGiuseppe leads the firm’s Labor and Employment and Immigration Practice Groups. He has over 35 years’ experience in representing and advising corporate and other management clients in various areas of labor and employment law, including employment terminations and discipline, reductions-in-force, employment handbooks, non-competition/non-disclosure agreements, and labor arbitrations and negotiations. He is the author of well-known articles on labor and employment law including his seminal work on the employment-at-will rule entitled “The Effect of the Employment-at-Will Rule on Employee Rights to Job Security and Fringe Benefits,” which has been cited by the New York Court of Appeals and many other federal and state appellate courts. Mr. DeGiuseppe has also been a featured lecturer at various labor and employment law seminars.

Frances Pantaleo is the head of the Elder Law Practice Group. She handles a broad range of matters with a particular emphasis on elder law, special needs planning, guardianship proceedings under Article 81 of the Mental Hygiene Law and Article 17A of the Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act, drafting and administration of special needs trusts, estate planning, drafting of wills and trusts, and estate administration. Ms. Pantaleo is the former Chair of the Elder Law and Special Needs Section of the New York State Bar Association and a member of the Trusts and Estates Section. She is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and is a member and has served as past-chair of the Elder Law Committees of the Westchester Women’s Bar Association and the Westchester County Bar Association. She is co-author of a chapter on elder law in General Practice in New York, published by the West Publishing Company.

Nancy Rudolph is a member of our Trusts and Estates and Real Estate Practice Groups. She has served in the public sector as an Assistant Attorney General in the New York State Office of the Special Prosecutor, handling white collar civil litigation related to Medicaid Fraud. Ms. Rudolph concentrates in the area of trusts and estates, estate litigation, estate administration, estate tax, and guardianship proceedings in the Surrogate’s Courts, the Supreme Courts, and before the United States District Courts. Ms. Rudolph represents beneficiaries and fiduciaries, both individual and corporate, in judicial proceedings involving probate, administration, trust litigation, lost wills, construction, kinship, removal of fiduciaries, contested accountings, uncontested accountings, and in real estate transactions. Ms. Rudolph currently serves on the Westchester County Bar Associations’ Trust and Estate’s Executive Committee and is Co-Chair of the Trust and Estate Section of the Westchester Women’s Bar Association.

Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor.

Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. 83,000 industry leading attorneys are eligible to vote (from around the world), and has received almost 10 million evaluations on the legal abilities of other lawyers based on their specific practice areas around the world. For the 2018 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©, 7.4 million votes were analyzed, which resulted in more than 58,000 leading lawyers being included in the new edition. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.”

Frances M. Pantaleo Speaking on Elder Law to the Business Community and Consumers

Bleakley Platt Partner Frances M. Pantaleo will take part in a panel discussion titled “The Business of Aging Today” on December 1 at a Power Breakfast sponsored by the Business Council of Westchester, which will be held at the Crowne Plaza in White Plains. The breakfast will focus on ideas and strategies to help businesses who want to capture the rapidly growing market of adults 55 in Westchester.

Ms. Pantaleo will discuss the ways that an Elder Law attorney can assist business owners and their employees who are dealing with the financial and emotional stress of caring for a loved one with long term care needs.

Ms. Pantaleo will speak on December 5 at an informational open house at The Osborn Retirement Community, a nonprofit organization that provides a continuum of care for residents located in Rye, New York. The open house will feature a tour and discussions about preparing and planning for a move to a retirement community.

Ms. Pantaleo’s program will focus on the legal issues that individuals and families need to focus on before making the transition from living in the family home to moving to a senior living community.

Ms. Pantaleo, who leads the Elder Law and Special Needs Practice Group at Bleakley Platt, is frequently invited to speak before seniors and caregivers. A past Chair of the Elder Law and Special Needs Section of the New York State Bar Association and past Chair of the Elder Law Committee of the Westchester Women’s Bar Association, Ms. Pantaleo also speaks before attorneys on Elder Law matters.

William P. Harrington to Be Presented With Judge Learned Hand Award From AJC

Bleakley Platt Chairman William P. Harrington will be presented with the Judge Learned Hand Award from the Westchester/Fairfield County chapter of the American Jewish Committee for his achievements within and beyond the practice of law. Mr. Harrington will be honored at an awards dinner taking place on November 29 at the Ritz-Carlton in White Plains.

The Judge Learned Hand Award is the highest honor bestowed by the American Jewish Committee upon members of the legal profession. Established in 1964, the award is presented to outstanding lawyers who have contributed meaningfully to the legal community through professional achievement and community leadership and whose work reflects the integrity and broad humanitarian ideals exemplified by Judge Learned Hand.

A legendary figure, Judge Learned Hand served as Senior Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit from 1924 to 1951, and was famous for the extensive range of decisions he rendered in more than two thousand cases.

“It is a great honor to accept this award and to be associated with such an inspirational leader,” said William P. Harrington. “Judge Learned Hand exemplifies what all attorneys should strive for: to enhance the lives of others through justice, equality and respect. Today, when the work of the American Jewish Committee has become so important, we all embrace these qualities and hope that by doing so, we can improve our communities and our nation.”

Stanley Twardy, former U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut and Managing Partner of Day Pitney LLP, will also be presented with the Judge Learned Hand Award that evening.

Mr. Harrington is Chairman of the Firm’s Executive Committee and head of the Litigation and Toxic Tort/Complex Litigation Practice Groups. Mr. Harrington is an experienced trial attorney who has represented Fortune 500 companies in criminal, commercial, environmental, civil rights, real estate, gaming and employment discrimination matters. His clients have included major oil companies, pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, racetracks/casinos, financial institutions and significant regional companies in all aspects of complex environmental, toxic tort and commercial litigation. Mr. Harrington also represents both municipalities and developers in all phases of land use development and related litigation.

ABOUT THE AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE

AJC’s mission is to enhance the well-being of the Jewish people and Israel, and to advance human rights and democratic values in the United States and around the world. AJC Westchester/Fairfield connects the local community with AJC’s global advocacy work to enhance the well-being of the Jewish people and Israel. Our access to diplomats, elected officials, and interfaith leaders at the local level advances AJC’s broader global priorities: combating anti-Semitism, promoting Israel’s place in the world, and countering the spread of radicalism and extremism.

Partner James Glatthaar Presents Legal Update to Co-op and Condo Management Firms

Bleakley Platt partner James Glatthaar recently presented a legal update for owners and property managers at Gramatan Management, a co-op and condo managing agent in New Rochelle. His program focused on recent amendments to the BCL (Business Corporation Law) and N-PCL (Not-For- Profit Corporation Law) regarding conflict of interest reporting for co-ops and condos and homeowner’s associations (HOAs). Mr. Glatthaar explained the new law and the resulting new responsibilities to the company’s property managers and property owners, who were invited to attend his presentation.

In mid-November, Mr. Glatthaar is scheduled to speak on the amended laws and new responsibilities for Hudson North Management, a property management company located in Ardsley.

The new law, which takes effect on January 1, 2018, requires additional disclosure by “interested directors” of Cooperatives, Condominiums or Homeowners Associations, i.e. directors who have a direct or indirect interest in a party to a financial transaction approved by the Board.

Click here to read Mr. Glatthaar’s legal advisory.

Click here to view his attorney profile.

Bleakley Platt & Schmidt Sponsors Westchester Biotech Project and Zachary B. Cohen Moderates Panel

Bleakley Platt helped launch the Westchester Biotech Project by sponsoring the Innovation in Research Symposium at Fordham University’s Westchester New York campus on October 26, 2017. Bleakley Platt’s Health Law, Corporate and Intellectual Property practices and deep roots in the Westchester and broader Hudson Valley region make the firm a valuable community partner for the Westchester Biotech Project. The Biotech Project seeks to connect researchers, engineers, data scientists and other professionals engaged in the biotechnology field to promote the development and growth of Westchester County’s biotechnology cluster.

Bleakley Platt associate Zachary B. Cohen served as the moderator for a session on “Regional Resources for Clinical Research.” The panel featured Gary E. Gibson, Ph.D., Professor of Neuroscience at Weill Cornell Medicine and Director of Laboratory at the Burke Medical Research Institute, Amy Weinberg, DNP, Associate Director of Medical Sciences at Gilead Sciences and Christina Brennan, MD, Vice President of Clinical Research at Northwell Health.

Zachary Cohen is an associate in the Firm’s Health Care, Corporate and Information Technology and Cybersecurity Groups. He advises clients on a host of business, regulatory and transactional matters and is experienced in representing clients in the information technology and health care industries on cybersecurity law and HIPAA matters.

Partner Christopher Palermo Published in Law360 on Recent Amendments to Rules in New York’s Commercial Division Courts

Law360 published an article by Partner Christopher Palermo, a member of the firm’s Litigation practice group, on efforts to ensure that the Commercial Division of the Supreme Court of New York continues to be an attractive forum for businesses to resolve disputes.

New York’s Chief Administrative Judge Lawrence K. Marks recently signed an administrative order amending two Rules of Practice of the Commercial Division. The amendments require that attorneys in New York’s Commercial Division courts submit statements in a form prescribed by the Office of Court Administration certifying that they have discussed with their clients the availability of Alternative Dispute Resolution options during several stages of proceedings, and to advise the Court at the preliminary conference whether their clients wish to engage in mediation at some point in the case.

Mr. Palermo, a member of the Commercial Division Advisory Council, was a primary drafter of the proposal to amend the Commercial Division rules.

Click here to read the article in its entirety.

Elizabeth C. Briand Presents Program on Health Care Planning at Bedford Hills Community House

Bleakley Platt associate Elizabeth Briand recently presented a program for seniors about the importance of planning in advance for health care needs. Her discussion, which took place on October 24, addressed the legal documents necessary to ensure that an individual’s wishes are honored, including Health Care Proxies, living wills, the MOLST (Medical Order for Life-Sustaining Treatment) and decision making by members of the family.

Elizabeth Briand speaks frequently before consumer and professional groups on Elder Law topics. She is a member of the Elder Law and Trusts and Estates Practice Groups at Bleakley Platt and handles all matters relating to Elder Law, Estate Planning and Estate Administration, Medicare and Medicaid benefits, guardianship proceedings under Article 81 of the Mental Hygiene Law and Article 17A of the Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act, drafting and administration of special needs trusts.

Frances M. Pantaleo Speaking at Several Professional Events

Bleakley Platt partner Frances M. Pantaleo’s service to the legal profession and the community is evidenced by her busy schedule this fall.

Ms. Pantaleo is dinner chair for the Pace Women’s Justice Center’s “Making a Difference Benefit Dinner,” which will be held on October 19th at Doral Arrowwood, Rye Brook, NY and will honor Gayle S. Lob, CFP of New Rochelle and Chief of Police David M. Ryan, Pound Ridge. Pace Women’s Justice Center is a self-funded nonprofit legal center located at Elisabeth Haub School of Law. Each year, PWJC provides free legal services to nearly 3,000 victims and survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and elder abuse, as well as conducts or participates in over 140 training and outreach events.

On November 14, Ms. Pantaleo will give a presentation entitled “Estate Planning for Individuals with Special Needs,” at a New York State Bar Association Continuing Education program, taking place at the Westchester Marriott. Her program is designed for attorneys whose practices are not focused on this area of the law, and who wish to gain an understanding of the basics of estate planning for individuals with disabilities and their families.

The next day (November 15), Ms. Pantaleo will be a speaker at the Financial Planning Association of New York’s monthly educational meeting, providing an update on Elder Law and Special Needs law for accountants and financial services professionals. The program will take place at New York University’s midtown campus.

Bleakley Platt Partner William H. Mulligan, Jr. To Be Inducted Into Fordham Preparatory School Hall of Honor

Bleakley Platt is pleased to announce that Partner William H. Mulligan, Jr. will be inducted into the Fordham Preparatory School Hall of Honor on November 17 at a dinner at The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, New York. Of the 100 nominations submitted, fourteen alumni were selected for this honor.

The Fordham Prep Hall of Honor was created to recognize illustrious individuals from the school’s long and rich history who have made outstanding contributions to Fordham Prep or to perpetuate the memory of those who have brought distinction and honor to Fordham Prep in their endeavors. Founded in 1841, members of the Fordham Prep family have distinguished themselves in various fields, and include men and women from all walks of life.

A member of the class of 1966, Mr. Mulligan attended Fordham Prep School, Fordham University and Fordham School of Law. His father, William H. Mulligan, was dean of the Fordham University School of Law. Mr. Mulligan’s two sons, William and Rory, are also graduates of Fordham Prep.

Mr. Mulligan is a member of the Litigation and Intellectual Property practice groups. He represents corporate and individual clients in commercial law, trusts and estates litigation, defamation, employment discrimination and sexual harassment matters. Based on his extensive experience in all areas of civil litigation, including trials and appeals in federal and state courts, Mr. Mulligan has represented major institutions, private companies, and individuals in a variety of matters, including, in addition to the areas listed above, patent litigation against the United States and securities litigation.

Bleakley Platt Partner Jim Glatthaar To Speak At Council Of New York City Cooperatives & Condominiums 37th Annual Housing Conference & Expo

Bleakley Platt partner Jim Glatthaar has been invited to speak at the 37th Annual Housing Conference & Expo presented by the 2017 Council of New York City Cooperatives & Condominiums on November 12. This all day conference and expo, held at the Eleanor Roosevelt High School, East 67th Street in NYC is one of the biggest gatherings for the New York City condo and cooperative sector.

Mr. Glatthaar will present a session on what occurs when dissidents are elected to the board of directors of a coop or condo. The election of malcontent directors and/or managers presents a unique set of challenges to boards. He will discuss why such individuals run, why other residents vote for them and what happens when a ‘rogue’ board member is elected. He’ll address how board members can work productively with these individuals and develop strategies to manage a dissident, and ways that a board can minimize the likelihood of a dissident’s success in an election.

To learn more about the conference, visit cnyc.com.

Mr. Glatthaar is a member of the Litigation, Co-Operative and Condominium, Construction and Real Estate Practice Groups at Bleakley Platt. He concentrates his practice in the areas of zoning and land use law and litigation, cooperative and condominium law, construction law and real estate litigation. He has represented landlords, tenants, developers, non-profit institutions, sellers, purchasers, realtors, cooperatives and condominiums in building, zoning, housing and disability-based discrimination claims, landlord-tenant and construction defect claims both in courts and before state and federal administrative agencies. He has also represented property owners and purchasers in complex real estate and financing transactions.

Click here to view his attorney profile.

Bleakley Platt Attorneys Names to New York Metro Super Lawyers 2017 and New York Metro Rising Stars 2017 Lists

Twelve Bleakley Platt attorneys have been selected to the New York Metro Super Lawyers list as top New York metro area lawyers for 2017. One partner and three associates were named “New York Metro Rising Stars.”

Each year, Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters publication, identifies no more than five percent of the lawyers in New York State as “Super Lawyers” – “outstanding lawyers” who have attained a “high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.” The selection process includes independent research and peer evaluations.

The attorneys receiving this honor are:

Joseph DeGiuseppe, Jr.

Susan E. Galvao

William P. Harrington

Mary Ellen Manley

Robert D. Meade

William M. Murphy

Christopher C. Palermo

Frances M. Pantaleo

Matthew G. Parisi

Raymond M. Planell

Nancy J. Rudolph

Mary Anne Wirth

Bleakley Platt Partner Stephen J. Brown and associates Elizabeth C. Briand, Daniel P. Buckley and Justin M. Gardner were named to the 2017 New York Metro “Rising Star” List by Super Lawyers, an honor received by no more than 2.5 percent of lawyers in the state.

Bleakley Platt Partner Frances M. Pantaleo Selected for Inclusion in 2018 Best Lawyers in America for Elder Law

Frances M. Pantaleo has been selected by her peers for inclusion in the 2018 Best Lawyers in America in the field of Elder Law. Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor.

Bleakley Platt congratulates Ms. Pantaleo for achieving this recognition for the fourth time.

Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. 83,000 industry leading attorneys are eligible to vote (from around the world), and has received almost 10 million evaluations on the legal abilities of other lawyers based on their specific practice areas around the world. For the 2018 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©, 7.4 million votes were analyzed, which resulted in more than 58,000 leading lawyers being included in the new edition. Corporate Counsel magazine has called Best Lawyers “the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice.”

Click here to read Ms. Pantaleo’s complete attorney profile.

Bleakley Platt Celebrates With Provident Design Engineering

Bleakley Platt partner Stephen J. Brown congratulates Provident Design Engineering on its one year anniversary. Stephen represented Provident on their purchase and acquisition of the Hawthorne Office of TRC Engineers, Inc.

Provident Design Engineering is a civil engineering firm located in Hawthorne, New York that provides large scale site, civil, and traffic consulting firm with projects in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Delaware and Pennsylvania.

Stephen J. Brown is a member of the Firm’s Litigation, Corporate and Estates and Trusts Practice Groups. He represents clients in complex civil and commercial litigation, corporate, and trust and estate matters for clients before state and federal trial courts in New York and Connecticut. He has extensive experience with contract disputes and employment, education, and commercial litigation.

Bleakley Platt Partner Frances M. Pantaleo Quoted in 914 INC Magazine’s Fall Issue

The Firm is pleased to note that Partner Frances M. Pantaleo was included in 914 INC. Magazine’s Best Lawyers® edition for Fall 2017. In addition to being listed as a Best Lawyer in Elder Law, Ms. Pantaleo was quoted on page 76 regarding the biggest challenge facing her practice area.

“The growing popularity of do-it-yourself legal services presents a real problem. People are being sold on the idea that one-size-fits-all-estate planning documents can solve their problems. Online and DIY estate planning lulls clients into a false sense of security. Even a minor mistake in execution of a will or power of attorney may invalidate a document,” she stated.

Ms. Pantaleo, who leads the Elder Law Practice Group at Bleakley Platt, handles a broad range of matters with a particular emphasis on Elder Law, special needs planning, guardianship proceedings under Article 81 of the Mental Hygiene Law and Article 17A of the Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act, drafting and administration of special needs trusts, estate planning, drafting of wills and trusts, and estate administration.

Partner James Glatthaar Article Published in Westchester Business Journal

The July 10 issue of Westchester County Business Journal’s special focus on real estate included an article by Bleakley Platt partner James Glatthaar entitled “Top 10 mistakes when selling or buying multifamily property.” These are complex transactions where mistakes on either side of the deal can quickly become costly and time consuming.

The article draws on Jim Glatthaar’s decades of experience in real estate law and highlights the top challenges faced by both buyers and sellers.

James W. Glatthaar is a member of the Litigation, Co-Operative and Condominium, Construction and Real Estate Practice Groups. He is a frequent speaker on real estate topics for CLE programs and has published numerous articles in Habitat Magazine.

Bleakley Platt Welcomes New Of Counsel Gus Dimopoulos

Bleakley Platt is pleased to announce that Gus Dimopoulos has joined the firm as Of Counsel. Mr. Dimopoulos focuses his practice in the area of matrimonial law and represents high net worth individuals in divorce, spousal maintenance, child custody, child support and prenuptial, separation and postnuptial agreements and related matters.

Mr. Dimopoulos will continue to maintain a separate law practice while affiliating with Bleakley Platt on an “of counsel” basis to provide the firm’s clients with quality representation in the area of matrimonial law.

Mr. Dimopoulos received his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law in 2000 and his B.A. from New York University (cum laude, 1997). He is admitted to practice in New York.

Partner Frances Pantaleo Speaking at Yonkers Office for the Aging Program

Frances Pantaleo, who leads the Elder Law practice area at Bleakley Platt, will speak at a Caregiver Forum presented by the Yonkers Office for the Aging and Southwest Livable Communities Connections on July 18 from 3 – 5 PM at Westchester Center for Independent & Assisted Living, located at 78 Stratton Street, Yonkers.

Ms. Pantaleo will speak about how Medicare and Medicaid work, and how they can be used to pay for Long Term Care, at home or in a nursing care facility.

A second speaker will discuss essential estate planning documents for individuals with dementia or other significant health problems.

Click here to read Ms. Pantaleo’s complete attorney profile.

William P. Harrington Speaks at Westchester County Association’s Women in Tech Luncheon

Firm Chairman William P. Harrington spoke at the 4th Annual Women in Tech Luncheon, presented by the Westchester County Association on June 22 at the Tappan Hill Mansion in Tarrytown. The luncheon recognizes the accomplishments of women in life sciences, technology, and innovation in Westchester, demonstrating the WCA’s commitment to encouraging women to enter STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) careers.

In his remarks, Mr. Harrington noted that Westchester County is emerging as a significant biotech and health tech hub, and the region is gaining a reputation as a growing, world-class hub of innovation, research and entrepreneurship. Mr. Harrington is Chairman of the Westchester County Association.

The honorees were Jaime Fabricant, Senior Marketing Manager, Cultural Foresights & Innovation at Pepsi Beverages North America; Jeannine Haggerty, General Manger of Con Edison’s Bronx and Westchester Electric Operations; Merin Joseph, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Officer of WESTMED Practice Partners and WESTMED Medical Group; and Julie Roche CEO, co-founder, and head of product technology for Burbio.com.

Partner Frances Pantaleo Speaking at the Elder Law Committee of the Fairfield County Bar Association

On June 28th, Bleakley Platt Partner Frances Pantaleo will co-present a CLE program titled “Medicaid Planning in Connecticut and New York: Neighboring States, Drastically Different Laws,” at the Fairfield County Bar Association. Topics will include a comparison of basic Medicaid eligibility rules in each state, spousal planning issues and interstate planning options. Ms. Pantaleo will discuss New York Medicaid law, and her co-presenter Joel D. Muhlbaum will discuss Connecticut Medicaid law.

Ms. Pantaleo is the head of the Elder Law practice group at Bleakley Platt and a member of the Trusts and Estates Practice Group. She handles a broad range of matters with an emphasis on Elder Law, special needs planning, guardianship proceedings and drafting and administration of special needs trusts.

A former Chair of the Elder Law and Special Needs Section of the New York State Bar Association, Ms. Pantaleo is a member of the Trusts and Estates Section and a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA). She is a member and has served as past-chair of the Elder Law Committees of the Westchester Women’s Bar Association and the Westchester County Bar Association.

Bleakley Platt Associate John McGowan Elected President of the Rockland County Ancient Order of Hibernians

Bleakley Platt is pleased to announce that John McGowan has been elected President of the Rockland County Ancient Order of Hibernians (AOH). The Rockland County AOH is comprised of four divisions with around 900 members. The Rockland County AOH presents many special events throughout the year, including two signature events, the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade, which is the second largest parade in New York State, and the Emerald Ball. The Ancient Order of Hibernians is the oldest and largest Irish Catholic fraternal organization in the US and traces its roots back to similar organizations that existed in Ireland more than 300 years ago.

Mr. McGowan is a member of the Firm’s Litigation Practice Group. Prior to joining Bleakley Platt, Mr. McGowan served as a Senior Assistant District Attorney with the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office assigned to the Special Victims Unit and an Assistant District Attorney in Bronx County. Mr. McGowan began his career with a law firm in Westchester County handling insurance coverage litigation.

Mr. McGowan is also an adjunct professor at St. Thomas Aquinas College in Sparkill, New York, where he teaches undergraduate courses in criminal law and evidence.

William P. Harrington Co-Chairs 30th Annual Westchester County Inner City Scholarship Fund Breakfast to Help Underprivileged Children Attend Westchester Catholic Schools

Firm Chairman William P. Harrington co-chaired the 30th Annual Westchester County Inner City Scholarship Fund breakfast on June 22 at the Westchester Country Club. Proceeds from the breakfast provide scholarships to thousands of children living below the poverty line in Westchester County so they may attend local Catholic schools. Mr. Harrington spoke about the impact that the Inner City Scholarship Fund has on financially disadvantaged children, giving them an opportunity to receive a quality education in a safe environment that helps propel them out of poverty.

The breakfast included a presentation of The William F. Harrington Award to Carl A. Petrillo, Chairman of Yonkers Contracting Company. Mr. Petrillo is a respected philanthropist and community leader in Westchester County, and supports many area organizations, with a special dedication to improving the quality of life in Yonkers, including the Catholic Schools.

Mr. Harrington is the Chair of the Firm and heads the Firm’s Litigation practice group. He is a trustee of St. Joseph’s Seminary, a member of the New York Archdiocese Finance Committee and a long-time supporter of the Inner City Scholarship Fund.

Bleakley Platt Partner Mary Ellen Manley Chairs Joseph F. Gagliardi Award for Excellence

Partner Mary Ellen Manley chaired the Westchester County Bar Foundation’s annual Joseph F. Gagliardi Award for Excellence. The award is presented every year to non-judicial employees of the Unified Court System for the Ninth Judicial District, in recognition of outstanding service to the public and dedication to the administration of justice. The awards were presented at a ceremony conducted by the Honorable Alan D. Scheinkman, Administrative Judge, Ninth Judicial District, at the Westchester County Courthouse, Gagliardi Courtroom, on June 8th.

This year’s honorees were: Albert J. Degatano, Esq., Court Attorney-Referee Westchester Supreme/County Courts; Denise Helms, Court Assistant, Rockland Surrogate’s Court; and Renee McAllister, Associate Court Clerk, Westchester Supreme/County Courts.

Mary Ellen Manley, currently Vice President of the Westchester County Bar Foundation, the charitable arm of the Westchester County Bar Association, has also served as President of the Bar Association. She was a recipient of the “Above the Bar” award as the leading trusts and estates attorney in Westchester County, and has been named to the Super Lawyers list as a top rated estate and trust litigation attorney in the New York Metro area.

As head of the firm’s Trusts and Estates Practice Group, Ms. Manley concentrates in the area of Surrogate’s Court practice. She has substantial estate litigation experience, representing fiduciaries and beneficiaries in adversarial proceedings, including will contests, accountings, removal of fiduciaries, will construction or reformation proceedings, fee litigation, determination of right of election, kinship hearings, validity of creditors’ claims and wrongful death compromises.

Partner Joseph DeGiuseppe Interviewed in The Fordham Lawyer on Labor and Employment Law

Bleakley Platt Partner Joseph DeGiuseppe was featured in the “How To…” column in the Spring edition of The Fordham Lawyer, with a look at how Fordham alumni practice labor and employment law. DeGiuseppe’s employment law background is explored in detail in “How to Do Right by Employers and Employees.” 

His practice began just out of Fordham Law School with editing soon-to- be Dean John Feerick’s book on National Labor Relations Board representation law, which led to a job at Skadden Arps. Joe became the go-to source on the employment-at- will rule after writing an oft-cited law review article for the Fordham Urban Law Journal.

As head of the Labor and Employment and Immigration practice groups at Bleakley Platt, Joe represents large and small companies and has adapted to the new legal reality of working with insurance companies in the passenger seat when clients carry employment practices liability insurance protecting them against potentially significant liability resulting from employment discrimination lawsuits.

He has also seen a swell of wage-and- hour class-action litigation as employers have struggled to keep up with the application of the Fair Labor Standards Act to the various types of employment relationships in today’s service economy.

As for the future, he expects to see an increase in sexual orientation discrimination lawsuits and litigation revolving around employees and their free speech rights on social media.

“In one recent case an employee called an employer a very derogatory name and it was upheld as free speech,” says Joe. “Labor law is much more complicated than people think.”

The New York Law Journal Quotes Partner Chris Palermo Regarding Proposed Changes to Commercial Division Rules Regarding Alternative Dispute Resolution

Litigation Partner Christopher Palermo was recently quoted in The New York Law Journal in an article, “Rule Would Require Certification That Parties Were Informed of ADR,” appearing in the April 25, 2017 edition.

Mr. Palermo is a member of the Commercial Division Advisory Council and was the primary drafter of a proposal by the Advisory Council to amend the Commercial Division rules to require attorneys to certify to the court that they have spoken with their clients about the availability of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms in cases pending in New York’s Commercial Division.

Mr. Palermo predicted that the business community would “strongly support” the proposed amendment.  Similar procedures are in place in some federal courts.  The proposed rule change would also require parties to disclose to the court whether the client is willing to pursue mediation at some point in the litigation.

Mr. Palermo noted that businesses and in-house counsel “want mediation, and they want mediation early on in the case.”

This proposal is the latest of numerous recommendations by the Advisory Council to respond to the needs of the business community and to ensure that the New York Commercial Division remains one of the leading venues in the country for efficient resolution of complex commercial disputes.  Since the Advisory Council was established in 2013, more than two dozen of its proposals have been approved for use in the Commercial Division.

Robert Braumuller and Zachary Cohen Speak at New York Medical College

On April 28, Robert Braumuller and Zachary Cohen gave a presentation at New York Medical College before a group of more than 100 graduating medical students on the challenges that will face them as they enter their residency programs.

The one-hour presentation on Healthcare Law Fundamentals provided the students, who will begin residency programs after graduation, with a basic understanding of healthcare compliance law, including information about fraud and abuse laws, negotiating employment contracts and medical malpractice.

New York Medical College is a part of the Touro College and University system, based in Valhalla, New York.

Robert Braumuller is a member of the Firm’s Executive Committee, the head of the Health Law Practice Group, and a member of the Corporate Law, Intellectual Property and Real Estate Practice Groups. Prior to joining Bleakley Platt, Mr. Braumuller was associated with several national law firms in their Business Law and Health Law practice groups and was Associate Counsel of the Catholic Health Care System.

Zachary Cohen is a member of the Firm’s Health Care, Corporate and Intellectual Property Practice Groups. He advises clients on a host of business, regulatory and transactional matters, including mergers and acquisitions, corporate formation, joint ventures and corporate governance. Mr. Cohen is particularly experienced in representing clients in the information technology and health care industries on cyber security law and HIPAA matters.

Bleakley Platt Welcomes John W. McGowan to Litigation Practice Group

John W. McGowan has joined the firm as a litigation associate. Prior to joining the firm, Mr. McGowan served as a Senior Assistant District Attorney with the Rockland County District Attorney’s Office, assigned to the Special Victims Unit and prior to that, he was an Assistant District Attorney in Bronx County, New York.

Since 2013, Mr. McGowan has been an adjunct professor at St. Thomas Aquinas College, where he teaches undergraduate courses in criminal law and evidence.

Mr. McGowan is the third member of the McGowan family to practice law at Bleakley Platt. Both his father, the late Bart R. McGowan, and his sister Margaret E. McGowan were attorneys with the firm in the 1990s.

Mr. McGowan received his J.D. in 2010 from New York Law School (cum laude), where he was the Managing Editor of the New York Law School Law Review. He holds a B. A. from St. Thomas Aquinas College (summa cum laude, 2007). He is admitted to practice law in New York State.

In 2013, he was a recipient of the Rockland County Economic Development Corporation’s Forty Under 40 award. Mr. McGowan is a member of the Rockland County Ancient Order of Hibernians Bagpipe Band, serving as a Bagpiper and Pipe Major.

Six Bleakley Platt Women Named to New York Metro 2016 Super Lawyers/The Top Women List

Six Bleakley Platt attorneys have been included on the New York Metro 2016 Super Lawyers /The Top Women list. The attorneys receiving this honor are Partners Susan E. Galvao, Mary Ellen Manley, Frances M. Pantaleo, Nancy J. Rudolph, and Annette Hasapidis, who is Of Counsel to the Firm and Mary Anne Wirth, also Of Counsel to the Firm. The attorneys were named in a special supplement published by Thomson Reuters’ Super Lawyers and distributed throughout the New York metro area.

Susan Galvão is a member of the Firm’s Executive Committee, co-chair of the Appellate practice group and a member of the Litigation practice group. Ms. Galvão has represented a variety of corporations, banks, insurance companies and individuals in litigation before federal and state trial and appellate courts. She has extensive experience in appellate practice, Surrogate’s Court practice, and trust and estate litigation, including kinship matters. She is also experienced with complex commercial litigation, including contract disputes, employment litigation, insurance coverage issues and class action defense. She has argued appeals in the state and federal courts on a broad spectrum of issues.

Mary Ellen Manley, Partner, leads the Firm’s Trusts and Estates practice group. Ms. Manley concentrates in the area of Surrogate’s Court practice. She has substantial trust and estate litigation experience, representing fiduciaries and beneficiaries in adversarial proceedings, including will contests, accountings, removal of fiduciaries, will construction or reformation proceedings, fee litigation, determination of right of election, kinship hearings, and validity of creditors’ claims. Ms. Manley is also experienced in all aspects of trust and estate administration.

Frances M. Pantaleo, Partner, is the head of the firm’s Elder Law practice group. Ms. Pantaleo handles a broad range of matters with a particular emphasis on Elder Law, special needs planning, guardianship proceedings under Article 81 of the Mental Hygiene Law and Article 17A of the Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act, drafting and administration of special needs trusts, estate planning, drafting of wills and trusts, and estate administration.

Nancy J. Rudolph, Partner, concentrates in the area of trusts and estates, estate administration, estate tax, guardianship, Surrogate’s Court practice and estate litigation. Ms. Rudolph litigates in Surrogate’s Court, Supreme Court and the United States Federal District Courts, representing heirs, beneficiaries and fiduciaries, both individual and corporate, in judicial proceedings involving probate, contested probate, administration, lost wills, construction, kinship, removal of fiduciaries, contested accountings, uncontested accountings, turn over, spousal right of election, and in real estate transactions. Ms. Rudolph also represents individuals and corporate fiduciaries as trustees of inter vivos trusts as well as supplemental or special needs trusts.

Annette Hasapidis, Of Counsel, is co-chair of the Appellate practice group. Ms. Hasapidis has practiced before both State and Federal Appellate Courts in numerous areas of law, including trusts and estates, commercial, matrimonial, medical malpractice, personal injury, and employment law. Ms. Hasapidis has appeared in more than 340 reported cases in state and federal appellate courts. Ms. Hasapidis also provides strategic consultation to help trial counsel define and preserve legal issues in order to improve the odds of success on appeal or to prevent the need for one. Prior to joining the Firm, Ms. Hasapidis was an Assistant District Attorney, Kings County and Assistant Attorney, Westchester County.

Mary Anne Wirth,Of Counsel, is the head of the Criminal Defense and Investigations Practice Group and concentrates in white collar criminal defense work and general civil litigation. She is also a member of the Litigation and Appellate Practice Groups. Ms. Wirth served as Associate Independent Counsel in the Office of the Independent Counsel Kenneth W. Starr, in Washington D.C. from 1997 to 1998. She was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District of New York from 1983 to 1988, assigned to the Civil Division. She was also an Assistant District Attorney in the New York County District Attorney’s Office from 1988 to 1996. She has served as District Counsel for the New York District of the Immigration and Naturalization Service of the United States Department of Justice. Ms. Wirth has been an Adjunct Professor of Law at Fordham Law School in the Legal Writing Program since 1987.

Bleakley Platt Partner Jim Glatthaar Speaks at Council of New York Cooperatives & Condominiums

Jim Glatthaar, a member of the Cooperatives and Condominium practice, was invited to speak at an evening program of the Council of New York Cooperatives & Condominiums on March 8th. His presentation focused on what happens when a cooperative finds itself with one or more dissidents on the board whose interests are not aligned with either the board or other owners.

Topics covered included the characteristics of a good board, why dissidents run for board positions, why they are sometimes elected to the board, the impact dissidents can have on a co-operative or condominium board and the board’s options when dealing with a dissident or rogue board member.

Jim Glatthaar is a member of the Litigation, Co-Operative and Condominium, Construction and Real Estate Practice Groups. He concentrates his practice in the areas of zoning and land use law and litigation, cooperative and condominium law, construction law and real estate litigation. He has represented landlords, tenants, developers, non-profit institutions, sellers, purchasers, realtors, cooperatives and condominiums in building, zoning, housing and disability-based discrimination claims, landlord-tenant and construction defect claims both in courts and before state and federal administrative agencies. He has also represented property owners and purchasers in complex real estate and financing transactions.

Learn more about James W. Glatthaar here.

Learn more about Bleakley Platt’s Co-operative and Condominium practice group.

Janet Linn Elected Vice Chair of Food, Drug and Cosmetic Law Section of NYSBA

Bleakley Platt Partner Janet Linn has been elected to the position of Vice Chair of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Section of the New York State Bar Association.

Ms. Linn has served as a member of the Executive Committee for the Section for several years and is looking forward to increasing her involvement. She recently spoke as part of the Drug Committee panel of the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Section at the NYSBA Annual Meeting, with a presentation titled “Evolving Requirements for NCE [New Chemical Entity] Exclusivity.” The presentation discussed recent court and FDA decisions affording pharmaceutical companies longer periods of exclusivity precluding generic competition and concomitant delays of Hatch-Waxman challenges by generic companies.

As Vice Chair, Ms. Linn will assist the Section chair in arranging CLEs and other events of interest to practitioners in the area and with submission of commentary by the Section on relevant proposed federal and state legislation.

Last November, Ms. Linn co-moderated a CLE program “REMS and Other Drug Distribution Restrictions” presented by the Food, Drug and Cosmetic and the Antitrust Sections of the New York State Bar Association.

Ms. Linn, a Partner in the firm’s Intellectual Property Litigation practice group, focuses her practice on patent, trademark and trade secret litigation and counseling. She has extensive trial and litigation experience in a broad range of technologies, including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, consumer products, and mechanical devices. Ms. Linn also has substantial experience in trademark prosecution and inter partes proceedings, as well as unfair competition, false advertising, and copyright litigation. She has particular expertise in pharmaceutical (Hatch-Waxman) patent litigation, and has acted as trial counsel in patent, trade secret and antitrust actions involving pharmaceuticals with annual billion dollar sales.