Class Action - April '16

Hon. John T. Curtin ’49 has retired as senior United States District Court judge, Western District of New York in Buffalo. He is a past recipient of the SUNY Buffalo Law School and Law Alumni Association's Jaeckle Award, the Distinguished Alumnus Award, and the 2013 Dean's Medal in recognition of his longtime commitment to justice and the rule of law. Curtin is a Buffalo resident.

Hon. Ralph A. Boniello III ’69 will receive the Distinguished Alumnus Award for the judiciary from the SUNY Buffalo Law Alumni Association at its 54th annual dinner on May 11. Boniello is a New York State Supreme Court justice, 8th Judicial District, in Niagara Falls, N.Y. He is a resident of Lewiston, N.Y.  

David G. Brock ’72 has become senior counsel with Kavinoky Cook in Buffalo. He concentrates his practice in negligence, personal injury, products liability, professional liability, legal ethics, insurance coverage and litigation, arbitration and mediation, and trial practice and appeals. Brock was previously a partner with Jaeckle Fleischmann & Mugel in Buffalo. He is a former vice president of the SUNY Buffalo Law Alumni Association. Brock lives in East Amherst, N.Y.

Thomas F. Segalla ’72, a founding partner with Goldberg Segalla in Buffalo, will receive the Distinguished Alumnus Award for private practice from the SUNY Buffalo Law Alumni Association at its 54th annual dinner on May 11. He lives in Amherst, N.Y.

Neil A. Goldberg ’73 of Eden, N.Y., will be honored at the SUNY Buffalo Law Alumni Association’s 54th annual dinner on May 11 with the Distinguished Alumnus Award for private practice. He is a founding partner with Goldberg & Segalla in Buffalo.

Scott L. Slesinger ’75, legislative director of the Natural Resources Defense Council in Washington, D.C., was profiled by Bloomberg Government, Sleslinger is a resident of Washington, D.C.

Marilyn Tebor Shaw ’79 will receive the SUNY Buffalo Law Alumni Association's Distinguished Alumna Award for community service on May 11 at its 54th annual dinner. She is principal of TeborShaw Law and associate judicial administrator with Cornell University in Ithaca, N.Y., where she resides.

Patrick M. Kelly ’81 has become special counsel with Colucci & Gallaher in Buffalo. He practices real estate, banking and finance, and estate planning. Kelly lives in Williamsville, N.Y.

J. Joseph Wilder ’83 was elected to the board of directors of the Fund for Modern Courts, a nonprofit dedicated to judicial reform in New York State. Wilder is founding partner with Wilder & Linneball in Buffalo, handling cases involving civil litigation, environmental, products liability, utilities law, constitutional and First Amendment law. He lives in Orchard Park, N.Y.

Mason P. Ashe ’89 will receive the SUNY Buffalo Law Alumni Association's Distinguished Alumnus Award for business at its 54th annual dinner on May 11. Ashe is founder/CEO of Ashe Sports & Entertainment Consulting in Washington, D.C. He lives in Bethesda, Md

Kathleen M. Reilly ’91 has become associate general counsel with Ensign Services in Mission Viejo, Calif. Reilly provides risk management, regulatory and legal support to over 200 skilled nursing, assisted living, home health, hospice and acute care operations in 14 states. She was previously a partner with Anspach Meeks Ellenberger in the Buffalo office. Reilly resides in Aliso Viejo, Calif.

Melanie C. Marotto ’92 has joined Harris Beach as senior counsel in the Buffalo office. She practices in the firm’s commercial real estate practice group. She is a resident of Amherst, N.Y.

Trini E. Ross ’92 will be honored with the SUNY Buffalo Law Alumni Association's Distinguished Alumna Award for public service at its 54th annual dinner on May 11. She is senior litigation counsel with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of New York, in Buffalo, where she resides.

Frank T. Housh II ’93 has been elected to the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library System board of trustees. Housh founded Housh Law Offices, with offices in Buffalo and Rochester, N.Y. He is a Buffalo resident.

Elizabeth Tommaney ’94 has become of counsel with Housh Law Offices in Buffalo. Tommaney is a former vice president and deputy general counsel with Osmose Holdings in Buffalo and former senior counsel at Fisher-Price in East Aurora, N.Y.

Richard E. Updegrove ’94 of Lockport, N.Y., was named county manager of Niagara County in Lockport, N.Y. He previously served as majority leader of the Niagara County Legislature and was a partner with Spadafora & Verrastro in Buffalo.

Lenora B. Foote-Beavers ’97 has accepted a position as executive assistant to Hon. Gerald Whalen ’83, presiding justice, New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, 4^th Department, in Buffalo. Foote-Beavers previously served as an Erie County Family Court support magistrate and is a past president of the SUNY Buffalo Law Alumni Association. She resides in Buffalo.

Jennifer L. Berger ’98 received the 2016 Jerrold Scoutt Prize, one of the highest honors available to public interest lawyers in the Washington, D.C., area. Berger is a supervising attorney with AARP Legal Counsel for the Elderly, in Washington. She lives in Silver Spring, Md.

Gregory A. Mattacola ’98 has joined Hancock Estabrook as counsel in Rome, N.Y., where he resides. Mattacola practices health law, labor and employment law, litigation, real estate, estate planning and municipal law.

Heath J. Szymczak ’98 has been elected to the board of directors of Habitat for Humanity Buffalo. He founded the Canisius College campus chapter of Habitat. Szymczak is a partner with the Buffalo firm Bond Schoeneck & King, handling cases involving business-related torts, complex commercial litigation and civil litigation. He is a resident of Java Center, N.Y.

Jeremy B. Honig ’04 has become a partner with Rivkin Radler in Uniondale, N.Y. He practices in the firm’s real estate department. Honig resides in Melville, N.Y.

Steven E. Peiper ’04 was named co-chair of the insurance coverage department with Hurwitz & Fine in the Buffalo office. Peiper, a partner with the firm, focuses his practice in insurance coverage analysis and coverage litigation of both first- and third-party claims. Peiper lives in Amherst, N.Y.

Elizabeth L. Perry ’04 was appointed to the board of directors of Child Care Resource Network, in Buffalo. Perry is a partner with Lippes Mathias Wexler Friedman in Buffalo, where she resides.

Rachelle S. Mercier ’06 of Cambridge, Mass., has become associate general counsel with Group Insurance Commission in Boston. She previously served as manager, health care policy and analysis, with the Massachusetts Hospital Association in Boston.

Erin E. Molisani ’08 has been appointed to the board of directors of the Defense Trial Lawyers Association of Western New York, in Buffalo, for a three-year term. Molisani is an associate with Cohen & Lombardo in Buffalo, practicing personal injury and liability. She is a Buffalo resident.

Heather L. Dechert ’10 has become associated with Webster Szanyi in Buffalo. She handles cases involving civil litigation, employment law and employment discrimination. Dechert resides in East Aurora, N.Y.

Matthew K. Pelkey ’10 was named Emerging Business Leader of the Year by the Amherst Chamber of Commerce in Amherst, N.Y. He is a partner with Colligan Law in Buffalo. Pelkey concentrates his practice on business and real estate transactions, start-ups, public and private financing, community economic development and litigation. He lives in Buffalo.

Sarah B. Balogh ’14 has accepted a position as a staff attorney with Legal Services for the Elderly, Disabled or Disadvantaged of Western New York, in Buffalo. She was previously a social worker with New Directions Youth and Family Services in Amherst, N.Y. Balogh is a resident of Lockport, N.Y.

Dana Y. Lee ’14 of Bayside, N.Y., received the “40 Stars Under 40” Award from the Star Network and The Queens Courier. Lee is an associate with Forchelli, Curto, Deegan, Schwartz, Mineo & Terrana in Uniondale, N.Y. She handles cases involving commercial real estate transactions, real estate lending, condominiums and cooperatives, and corporate law.   

Brian D. Barnas ’15 is practicing as an associate with Hurwitz & Fine in Buffalo. Barnas counsels clients regarding insurance law. He lives in Amherst, N.Y.

Christopher M. Berloth ’15 has joined Duke Holzman Photiadis & Gresens as an associate in Buffalo. Berloth concentrates his practice in business and corporate law, civil litigation and appellate practice, construction law and insurance coverage. He lives in Tonawanda, N.Y.

Ryan G. Ganzenmuller ’15 of East Amherst, N.Y., has become an associate with Duke Holzman Photiadis & Gresens in Buffalo. He practices business and corporate law, civil litigation and appellate practice, construction law, labor and employment law, and insurance coverage

Nicole M. Komin ’15 has become associated with Cohen & Lombardo in Buffalo. Komin practices matrimonial and family law and insurance defense litigation. She lives in Tonawanda, N.Y.

Ashley E. Trank ’15 is practicing as an associate with Chelus Herdzik Speyer & Monte in Buffalo. Trank handles cases involving litigation, insurance defense and bankruptcy. She is a resident of West Seneca, N.Y.