Attorney Phillip Oswald filed a complaint on behalf of the residents of the Saratoga Sites housing complex in Cohoes, NY, who feel their health has been harmed by the fugitive dust emissions from Norlite. The class action lawsuit seeks monetary relief and measures to monitor, and potentially stop, the emissions, as well as monitor residents’… Read More
Greg Gaglione has witnessed the legal clean up side of organization’s devastating cybersecurity incident. Benjamin Franklin once said, if you fail to plan, then you are planning to fail. The same is true when it comes to an organization’s data security program. An organization that is well prepared for a cybersecurity incident with a robust… Read More
Labor and Employment partner attorney, Matt Miller defends an East Aurora Spanish teacher in a discrimination lawsuit. Matt says she, “was repeatedly denied by the district.” East Aurora Middle School Spanish teacher, Julie Rizzo, loves her job. She’d like to be able to continue teaching, however, Rizzo has a serious immune deficiency disorder she was… Read More
There has been a lot of reporting lately on what the legal standard is for sexual harassment claims in New York in light of the recent allegations of three women against Governor Andrew Cuomo. Matt Miller clarifies the current state of New York law in this area. There are two primary laws at play here. … Read More
When you wake up every morning and “Make Your Bed”, and give 120% to everything you do — you make a difference. Congratulations on the Power 250! Our founding and managing partner, David R. Pfalzgraf Jr., has been named to the Buffalo Business First 2021 Power 250. It is an honor to have one of… Read More
John Kolaga, NYSBA Environmental Committee Member, is presenting The “New Normal” for TENORM (Technically-Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Material) in New York, on Thursday, February 25th. The environmental practice in Western New York continues to evolve, with its industrialized legacy driving the need for practitioners to stay on top of regional-based considerations. This program highlights a… Read More
Business Law focuses on innovative companies at the forefront of their respective industries. The recent disclosure of Tesla’s $1.5 billion investment in bitcoin (“BTC”)[1] has served as an exclamation point to the growing institutional acceptance of BTC as a credible store of value, akin to cash reserves or gold. This trend has advanced partially due… Read More
Gestational Surrogacy is finally legal in New York State, allowing for many couples to have their dreams of becoming parents within their reach. Our passionate fertility and surrogacy team of partner attorneys Jamie Batt, and Elizabeth DiPirro, and associate attorneys Micelle Graham, and Keli Iles-Hernandez understand well beyond just the legalities of surrogacy. If this… Read More
New York State’s Department of Labor (“NYSDOL”) recently issued new Quarantine Leave guidance that affects all employers, regardless of size. Back in March 2020, New York State enacted legislation that forced employers to provide job-protected leave for any employees who become subject to a mandatory or precautionary order of quarantine/isolation due to COVID-19. That mandate subsequently was modified to… Read More
Legalizing gestational surrogacy in New York State is moving the state closer to fertility equality for all. Fertility equality is the belief that the ability to create a family should not be determined by one’s wealth, sexuality, gender, marital status or biology. On February 15, 2021, New York State moves closer to making fertility equality… Read More
Tony Rupp Civil Rights attorney interviewed on GMA as he continues to hold those responsible accountable. Jake Reinhardt and his fiancée, Taylor Schmieder were in shock when Buffalo police officer and bounty hunters from Bail Bond LLC arrived on their doorstep in the middle of the night. The bounty hunters were armed and pointed their… Read More
Please join Rupp Baase partner attorney and construction law practice area leader, Dan Sarzynski in conjunction with Niagara Frontier Construction Financial Management Association for a virtual conversation on contract provisions and negotiations. On February 23rd, Dan will be discussing multiple important topics such as: Pay-if-paid provisions Indemnity provisions Lien waiver and lien exhaustion provisions No-damage-for… Read More
Rupp Baase partner attorney, and construction law practice group leader, Dan Sarzynski, partners with the Construction Exchange of Buffalo and Western New York for an educational mechanics liens webinar that will cover topics such as: • Overview of Mechanics Liens• Filing and Timing Requirements• Private vs. Public Projects• Discharging the Lien• Foreclosing the Lien• Defenses… Read More
On January 29, 2021, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“OSHA”) published revised COVID-19 guidance (“Guidance”) to help employers identify COVID-19 risks and determine appropriate control measures. Our Labor & Employment team breaks down the Guidance for employers. The move came following an order from President Biden directing OSHA to release clear guidance for employers to… Read More
Fertility equality is the belief that the ability to create a family should not be determined by one’s wealth, sexuality, gender, marital status or biology.On February 15, 2021, New York State moves closer to making fertility equality a reality by enacting the Child Parent Security Act, (The Act). New York residents who rely on assisted… Read More
The U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate approved a new COVID-19 stimulus package for the fiscal year 2021. The stimulus package includes further relief for American citizens and businesses that were negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Included in the stimulus package is an extension and second round of funding to small businesses through… Read More
The COVID-19 era is an unprecedented time. Let us help you do all you can for your business right now. Rupp Baase Labor and Employment practice group leader, Matt Miller joins a panel of professionals including, Liz Warren, from Employer Services Corp. along with Thomas Mazurek, Jr. and Charles Pezzino from Tronconi Segarra & Associates… Read More
We want to wish a congratulations to our four Law Clerks for passing the bar exam. Your hard work, dedication and courage has helped you achieve this incredible accomplishment. We at Rupp Baase Pfalzgraf Cunningham are proud to introduce you to our wonderful clients. Meet Elizabeth Costello, the newest member of our Business Law team,… Read More
If you are an owner of a property which saw a significant decrease in net operating income in 2020 and didn’t see a commensurate decrease in your property’s assessed value, you may want to consider challenging your commercial property tax assessment. More specifically, if your property is a hotel, restaurant, or retail location, it’s even… Read More
Property taxes rank right up there with root canals, necessary evils all property owners must face. The COVID-19 crisis has put an unprecedented strain on commercial property owners in New York State. Business owners are seeing reduced income and rent while having to comply with expensive COVID-19 related health compliance measures. This unfortunate combination has… Read More
Our Partner and conservation ambassador Phillip Oswald weighs in on recent decision from the Third Department. This decision from the Third Department is a great win for conservation. The matter of Darwak vs. City of New York, involved John J. Darwak who owns approximately 403 acres of undeveloped land. In September 2017, the City of… Read More
On Monday, November 23rd NYS Forward Loan Fund (“NYFLF”) opened an economic recovery program for small businesses, non-profits, and small residential landlords across New York State. Our practice runs deeper than the law, we’re business owners too, so we broke this new offer down for your review. What is the offer? The NYFLF offers five-year… Read More
Members of our Business Law team, like Jamie Batt are joining with members of our Family Law team, Beth DiPirro and Keli Iles-Hernandz to create a fertility law practice to work with people who are navigating the rollercoaster ride of surrogacy as the NYS laws change. The laws for surrogacy in New York are changing… Read More
Matt Miller and our Labor & Employment team once again providing timely information for NYS COVID restrictions. Effective November 20, 2020, Governor Cuomo put parts of Erie County into an “Orange” zone under his micro-cluster initiative. This meant that, pursuant to Executive Order 202.68 and related Empire State Development guidelines, certain non-essential businesses, including all… Read More
Marco Cercone, has been a member of the Daemen College faculty since 2012, teaching Litigation, Contracts, Adv. Litigation, and Intro to Legal Skills. Marco is highlighted in this months Faculty Profile. What inspired you to pursue your career? “Since I was a little boy, I’ve always wanted to be a lawyer. My pediatrician was actually the… Read More
