The Partners and Associates at Certilman Balin are experts in their respective practice areas and, as such, are often called on by the media to comment on certain issues relative to their experience. The following is a listing of topics we have expertise in and the corresponding attorney’s contact information.
Bernard Hyman, Managing Partner(516) 296-7073
Thomas J. McNamara(516) 296-7062
Partner Thomas McNamara’s practice encompasses a broad range of commercial litigation, including issues related to banking, creditors’ rights, contracts, real estate, employment, trade secrets, estates, and insurance, as well as corporate, shareholder, partnership, and antitrust matters. Mr. McNamara is recognized for his exceptional experience in banking and creditors’ rights litigation, and he is equally at home in state and federal court.
Donna-Marie Korth(516) 296-7095
Partner Donna-Marie Korth practices in the commercial/real estate litigation department. She previously concentrated in cooperative/condominium law and presently represents a number of boards of residential community developments.
Patrick McCormick(516) 296-7062
Patrick McCormick, a partner in the Commercial Litigation Group, litigates all types of complex commercial and real estate matters. These matters include complex mortgage foreclosure cases and commercial and residential landlord/tenant matters in which Mr. McCormick represents both landlords and tenants. Representing clients in both federal and state courts at the trial and appellate level, he has argued more than 35 appeals, including 2 arguments at the New York Court of Appeals-New York State’s highest court.
John H. Gionis(516) 296-7173
John H. Gionis is a Partner in the Litigation Group. His practice encompasses personal injury, medical malpractice, real estate, criminal law, and commercial litigation. Prior to becoming a member of Certilman Balin, Mr. Gionis was a Partner at the East Norwich firm of Murphy, Lynch & Gionis, where he tried high profile real estate and tort cases. A former Nassau County District Attorney from 1983 until 1986, he also served as village Prosecutor for the Village of Kensington.
Jaspreet S. Mayall(516) 296-7061
Partner Jaspreet S. Mayall focuses his practice as a litigator in bankruptcy proceedings and as counsel to trustees, debtors, secured and unsecured creditors. He is also involved in non-judicial workouts, construction litigation, and handles other commercial litigation matters. Mr. Mayall has had significant experience in trials and Appeals before New York’s State and Federal Courts. Mr. Mayall has had eight significant decisions in matters in which he was involved, published in the Bankruptcy Reporter and New York Supplemental Reporter.
Judge Richard J. McCord(516) 296-7801
Partner Richard J. McCord has an in-depth understanding of bankruptcy law, gained from 19 years of experience in many different roles. Since 1987, he has served as a Chapter 7 Panel Trustee for the United States Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of New York. He also served as a Chapter 13 Trustee for the United States Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of New York from 1981 until 1992. He also has the unique perspective of the law from the Bench, as the judge in charge of administrative duties for the City of Glen Cove, presiding over all phases of civil and criminal proceedings.
Michael F. O’Shea(516) 296-7128
Partner Michael F. O’Shea focuses his practice on banking and creditors’ rights law.
Thomas J. McNamara(516) 296-7062
Partner Thomas J. McNamara’s practice encompasses a broad range of commercial litigation, including issues related to banking, creditors’ rights, contracts, real estate, employment, trade secrets, estates, and insurance, as well as corporate, shareholder, partnership, and antitrust matters. Mr. McNamara is recognized for his exceptional experience in banking and creditors’ rights litigation, and he is equally at home in state and federal court.
Donna-Marie Korth(516) 296-7095
Partner Donna-Marie Korth practices in the commercial/real estate litigation department. She previously concentrated in cooperative/condominium law and presently represents a number of boards of residential community developments.
Patrick McCormick(516) 296-7062
Patrick McCormick, a partner in the Commercial Litigation Group, litigates all types of complex commercial and real estate matters. These matters include complex mortgage foreclosure cases and commercial and residential landlord/tenant matters in which Mr. McCormick represents both landlords and tenants. Representing clients in both federal and state courts at the trial and appellate level, he has argued more than 35 appeals, including 2 arguments at the New York Court of Appeals, New York State’s highest court.
John H. Gionis(516) 296-7173
John H. Gionis is a Partner in the Litigation Group. His practice encompasses personal injury, medical malpractice, real estate, criminal law, and commercial litigation. Prior to becoming a member of Certilman Balin, Mr. Gionis was a Partner at the East Norwich firm of Murphy, Lynch & Gionis, where he tried high profile real estate and tort cases. A former Nassau County District Attorney from 1983 until 1986, he also served as village Prosecutor for the Village of Kensington.
Ira J. Adler(516) 296-7099
Senior Partner Ira J. Adler leads one of the nation’s most active condominium and cooperative law departments. Mr. Adler enjoys a distinguished reputation for his work in community association law and frequently lectures and writes on the subject.
Morton L. Certilman(516) 296-7002
Senior Partner Morton L. Certilman is the creator of the first low-rise condominium on Long Island. He has been responsible for over 1,500 cooperative, condominium and homeowner association developments in the United States and abroad. He is the author of the New York State Bar Association’s Real Estate Titles Book, as well as numerous articles for the professional press on matters related to condominium and cooperative law. An advocate of responsible growth for Long Island, Mr. Certilman serves the region as Chairman of the Long Island Regional Planning Board; Director of the Long Island Association; Director of the Long Island Sports Commission; and Director of the New Long Island Partnership. He recently accepted the chairmanship of both the Northrop Grumman Master Planning Council and the Nassau Coliseum Privatization Committee.
Richard Herzbach(516) 296-7006
Partner Richard Herzbach concentrates his practice on condominium and cooperative law. Formerly, as an Assistant Attorney General of the State of New York, Mr. Herzbach served in the Real Estate Finance Bureau, the office responsible for the regulation of condominiums and cooperatives in the state. Mr. Herzbach is now an Adjunct Professor, teaching a course in condominium and cooperative law at Hofstra University School of Law.
Brian Ziegler(516) 296-7046
Partner Brian Ziegler concentrates his practice on corporate and securities law. Mr. Ziegler provides counsel to family businesses and to corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies in all areas of finance and mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Ziegler writes and lectures for professional associations on issues related to business organization. An active member of the Long Island community, Mr. Ziegler is the Village Justice of the Village of Woodsburgh.
Fred Skolnik(516) 296-7048
Partner Fred Skolnik focuses his practice on corporate and securities law and is a frequent lecturer on the topics. Mr. Skolnik serves the Nassau County Bar Association as Chair of the Corporation Law Committee and is a member of the Securities Law Committee. Mr. Skolnik’s practice relates primarily to the representation of publicly held corporations in connection with public and private financings, mergers and acquisitions and general corporate representation.
Steven J. Kuperschmid(516) 296-7055
Partner Steven Kuperschmid concentrates his practice on the areas of corporate and securities law, mergers and acquisitions, commercial lending and high-tech transactions. A member of the Nassau County Bar Association, Mr. Kuperschmid serves on the corporate and securities law committee, as well as on the computer law committee. He speaks frequently on topics related to corporate and securities matters, and he is the author of “LLCs and LLPs: Could They Work to Your Advantage?” which appeared in the April 1996 edition of Veterinary Economics.
Gavin C. Grusd(516) 296-7071
Partner Gavin C. Grusd concentrates his practice in the corporate, securities, mergers and acquisitions, corporate finance, commercial and business law areas. He counsels public and closely held companies on all legal aspects of operations, regulatory compliance and business strategy. Mr. Grusd represents companies and investment bankers in private placements and public offerings of equity and debt securities, and companies engaging in acquisitions, mergers, sales of stock or assets and other business combinations.
Glenn B. Gruder(631) 979-3000 (Hauppauge Office)
Litigation Partner Glenn B. Gruder began his criminal law career with his position as a Suffolk County Assistant District Attorney from 1986 until 1992 where he served in the Narcotics Bureau from 1988 until 1992. He obtained numerous felony convictions after trial on major narcotics cases including those typed as Class A Felony. He also is knowledgeable in the areas of real estate, zoning and first property and casualty.
Stephen J. Silverberg(516) 296-7044
Stephen J. Silverberg, a Partner in the Trust and Estates and Elder Law Practice Groups at Certilman Balin, is a nationally known estate planning and elder law attorney who addresses professional conferences throughout the country on complex tax and elder law issues. Mr. Silverberg serves on the Board of Directors of the prestigious National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and previously served for three years as Chairman of its Tax Special Interest Group, its Technology Committee and the Task Force on Estate Tax Reform. A member of the Executive Committee of the Elder Law Section of the New York State Bar Association, he chairs its Estate and Tax Planning Committee and has served as Chair of its Technology Committee. He is also an active member of the Nassau County Bar Association's Elder Law, Social Services and Health Advocacy Committees, and is a member of the Estate Planning Council of Nassau County. A prolific author, he has lectured extensively on a variety of estate planning, elder law and deferred compensation planning issues and is often quoted by the media.
Barry S. Cohen(631) 979-3000
With eighteen years of experience in the environmental law field, Partner Barry Cohen’s environmental law practice is multi-faceted. A significant portion of his practice is devoted to assisting clients in achieving compliance with environmental laws and regulations, and in representing members of the regulated community in matters commenced by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and local environmental and health agencies. Mr. Cohen has handled matters involving leaking underground storage tanks, air emissions, industrial discharges, community right-to-know reporting, the management and abatement of asbestos-containing materials and lead paint’s compliance-related practice, petroleum spills and the handling, storage, treatment and disposal of hazardous chemicals, hazardous waste and pesticides.
Mr. Cohen also spends a substantial amount of time representing clients in connection with the investigation and remediation of contaminated properties, the redevelopment of those properties, and litigation commenced under the federal Superfund Law, the New York State Navigation Law, and other federal and state environmental statutes and theories. Mr. Cohen has also presented defendants in toxic tort litigation, including cases involving alleged exposure to solvents, asbestos, pesticides and mold. Another area of Mr. Cohen’s practice involves providing advice and litigating issues that arise under the State Environmental Quality Review Act.
James P. Rigano(631) 979-3000
James Rigano has concentrated his practice exclusively in environmental law for more than two decades. In September 2002, Long Island Business News featured him in their Who’s Who in the Law edition. He has served in the Enforcement Division of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, where he was involved in a variety of water pollution control programs, was environmental counsel to the New York Power Authority, and was a partner responsible for environmental matters at a major law firm. Additionally, he has extensive experience on subsurface contamination and solid waste issues. Mr. Rigano has represented clients in many matters before environmental regulatory agencies, on numerous projects involving the development of contaminated property, and on substantial waste disposal permitting projects involving landfills, incineration facilities, and transfer stations. He also has handled a broad range of cases involving wetlands, open space, and air pollution issues, and has litigated cost recovery actions.Mr. Rigano has extensive experience with environmental issues in brownfield development projects. He has negotiated technical and environmental issues and has addressed a broad range of complex regulatory concerns in the redevelopment of contaminated property. Prior to practicing law, Mr. Rigano was employed for five years as an aquatic biologist conducting research on the environmental effects of industrial operations.
Michael C. Axelrod(516) 296-7172
Partner Michael C. Axelrod concentrates his practice in the areas of labor relations, discrimination law, municipal law and government relations. He primarily has been engaged in representing public sector unions and has negotiated numerous contracts on their behalf. He currently serves as legislative counsel for more than 50,000 police officers. He served as a delegate to the 1996 Republican National Convention and is a Commissioner on the Waterfront Commission of New York and New Jersey Harbor.
Howard M. Stein(516) 296-7093
Partner Howard M. Stein concentrates on matters related to real property acquisitions, real estate finance, loan workouts, real estate transfer and mortgage tax issues and leasing. An adjunct professor of real estate law at Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center where he sits on the school’s board of visitors, Mr. Stein lectures extensively on issues relating to real estate law and is frequently quoted in the media.
Herbert M. Balin(516) 296-7132
Senior Partner Herbert M. Balin has practiced law for more than 40 years. One of the first attorneys to introduce planning concepts such as clustering, Mr. Balin enjoys a distinguished reputation for his work in commercial real estate, environmental law and land use. He is a member of the Central Pine Barrens Advisory Committee and the Long Island State Park, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commission.
Louis Soloway(516) 296-7025
Partner Louis Soloway has built a distinguished reputation for legal counsel in matters surrounding land use and real estate transactions, over the past forty years. Concentrating his practice on Long Island and in the New York metropolitan region, he has also handled transactions across the country. Retained by developers and corporate real estate departments, Mr. Soloway assists clients in every phase of commercial and residential projects. With experience in most local jurisdictions, he advises clients on zoning, site plans, variances and other aspects of land use.
David A. Sloane(631) 979-3000 (Hauppauge Office)
Partner David A. Sloane is well-known for his representation of clients in the areas of commercial real estate, land use, zoning, tax certiorari and condemnation law. Certilman Balin merged with his firm, Mars, Sloane & Conlon on September 15, 2001. He served as the Special Town Attorney for the Town of Brookhaven.
Frederick M. Mars(631) 979-3000 (Hauppauge Office)
Partner Frederick M. Mars practices in the Real Estate Group. Over the course of his career, Mr. Mars has successfully prosecuted and defended Article 78 Proceedings, and he has also prosecuted declaratory judgment actions both for and against municpalities. He is often called upon for his problem solving ability in clearing titles to real estate. Additionally, Mr. Mars practices in the areas of estate planning and corporate law. Certilman Balin merged with his firm, Mars, Sloane & Conlon on September 15, 2001. He held the position of Special Town Attorney in the Town of Brookhaven. He is graduated from Harvard Law School.
Marilyn Price(516) 296-7038
Partner Marilyn Price handles all aspects of commercial real estate transactions and concentrates on residential real estate transactions, consisting of the representation of the lenders on residential mortgages; developers on the sale of new homes (including homeowner’s associations, condominiums and cooperative apartments); and individual buyers and sellers of homes. Ms. Price has lectured in programs sponsored by the Nassau County Bar Association on topics relating to residential real estate transactions.
M. Allan Hyman(516) 296-7075
Senior Partner M. Allan Hyman concentrates his practice on real estate tax certiorari and condemnation law. He has successfully obtained significant tax refunds and savings for clients during his 32-year professional career. Additionally, he has handled condemnation proceedings in New York and other jurisdictions that resulted in awards greatly in excess of initial offers to purchase made by condemning authorities. Mr. Hyman has lectured extensively in his field at Hofstra University School of Law, the Nassau County Bar Association Academy of Law, the Institute of Property Taxation, and the Columbia Society of Real Estate Appraisers.
Bernard Hyman(516) 296-7073
Senior and managing partner Bernard Hyman concentrates his practice in the area of real estate tax certiorari law and condemnation litigation. An authority on real estate valuation, Mr. Hyman lectures frequently on the subject of real estate tax relief. Recently, Newsday referred to him as one of the most influential figures in Long Island real estate.
Dale Allinson(516) 296-7153
Partner Dale Allinson concentrates her practice in the area of real estate tax certiorari law and condemnation litigation. This concentration has, as its focus, issues of real property valuation; particularly the review of assessed valuation-seeking opportunities where taxes may be reduced. Ms. Allinson was the successful lead attorney on the Greentree at Lynbrook Condominium I and II vs. Board of Assessors, Village of Lynbrook Case. She has written on property valuation for a number of professional journals and she is a frequent lecturer on the topic before professional and civic associations.
Eileen O’Boyle Bitetto(516) 296-7151
Partner Eileen O’Boyle Bitetto concentrates her practice in the area of real estate tax certiorari law and condemnation litigation. This concentration has, as its focus, issues of real property valuation; particularly the review of assessed valuation-seeking opportunities where taxes may be reduced. Ms. O’Boyle Bitetto also represents clients whose property has been acquired, or is about to be acquired, in Eminent Domain proceedings.
Daniel S. Cohan(516) 296-7031
Daniel S. Cohan is Estate Planning and Trusts Counsel to the firm. Mr. Cohan concentrates his practice in the area of sophisticated estate planning, probate law, private family foundations and complex trust arrangements. Mr. Cohan is a frequent lecturer on estate planning issues.
Lisa S. Hunter(516) 296-7042
Lisa S. Hunter, a Partner in the Trust & Estates and Elder Law Practice Groups at Certilman Balin, has concentrated in all aspects of estate tax and business succession planning, primarily for high net worth individuals, for more than twenty years. She has also devoted substantial time to representation of clients in connection with their closely held business relationships and transactions, and in the representation of professionals and professional practices. Ms. Hunter is a member of the Estate Planning Council of Nassau County and the New York State and Nassau County Bar Associations. She serves on the Tax Law, Surrogate’s Court. Estates and Trusts, and Health and Hospital Law Committees of the Nassau County Bar Association. She is a frequent lecturer in the area of estate tax planning. In addition, Ms. Hunter has appeared on the Bloomberg Business program “Moneywise,” and her estate planning articles are featured regularly at www.SeniorPlanet.com.
Stephen J. Silverberg(516) 296-7044
Stephen J. Silverberg, a Partner in the Trust and Estates and Elder Law Practice Groups at Certilman Balin, is a nationally known estate planning and elder law attorney who addresses professional conferences throughout the country on complex tax and elder law issues. Mr. Silverberg serves on the Board of Directors of the prestigious National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA) and previously served for three years as Chairman of its Tax Special Interest Group, its Technology Committee and the Task Force on Estate Tax Reform. A member of the Executive Committee of the Elder Law Section of the New York State Bar Association, he chairs its Estate and Tax Planning Committee and has served as Chair of its Technology Committee. He is also an active member of the Nassau County Bar Association's Elder Law, Social Services and Health Advocacy Committees, and is a member of the Estate Planning Council of Nassau County. A prolific author, he has lectured extensively on a variety of estate planning, elder law and deferred compensation planning issues and is often quoted by the media.
