We are thrilled to announce Rupp Pfalzgraf is a finalist for Buffalo’s Best Places to Work for the 16th consecutive year! We are so grateful to every member of the Rupp Pfalzgraf team whose hard work and commitment made this achievement possible. At Rupp Pfalzgraf, we understand that cultivating a positive workplace culture is an… Read More
Rupp Pfalzgraf LLC proudly announces a strategic move in its ongoing growth plan. Effective April 8, 2024, Rupp Pfalzgraf acquired Ingold Law PLLC, a respected boutique firm based in Williamsville specializing in Elder Law, Trusts, as well as Estate Planning and Administration. This significant move marks a pivotal step forward in Rupp Pfalzgraf’s strategic expansion… Read More
Congratulations to our 22 attorneys across four offices who were named to the 2023 Upstate New York Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists. We are incredibly proud of these exceptional individuals. Their dedication, expertise, and unwavering commitment to justice make them extraordinary advocates in our midst. It is evidence of their outstanding legal skill that only 5% of attorneys… Read More
We are thrilled to extend our heartfelt congratulations to Dominick Muto, our COO/CFO, for his well-deserved recognition as a recipient of the 2023 C-Level Executives Award. This award, presented by Buffalo Business First, celebrates Western New York’s most effective business leaders, and we can think of no one more deserving than Dom. Dom’s unwavering commitment… Read More
Environmental attorney John Kolaga wants you to know: In New York, the Rules, They are A-Changing Every person who works with petroleum products in their business should know that, if you have a petroleum spill, you need to report it, and fast. The failure to report a petroleum spill in a timely way can result in… Read More
New York healthcare workers are now required to be vaccinated against COVID-19. Effective August 26, 2021, all employers of health care workers must mandate that their personnel receive a full COVID-19 vaccination. Employers should pay close attention to the new regulations as they have significantly changed the landscape of the healthcare industry in New York State.… Read More
As was much anticipated following Governor Cuomo’s prior declaration that most COVID restrictions would be lifted if New York State reached the threshold mark of 70% of those age 18 and older having at least one vaccination shot, the Governor excitedly followed through on his promise by lifting COVID restrictions in commercial and social settings,… Read More
Yesterday, May 6, 2021, Governor Cuomo signed into law the New York Health and Essential Rights, or HERO Act. The HERO Act, which becomes effective on June 6, 2021, is considered by many to be landmark legislation because it amends the Labor Law by significantly changing and adding to the minimum workplace health and safety… Read More
If you have any questions or concerns contact Jamie Batt in our Business Law team or Matt Miller in our Labor Employment team. The U.S. Small Business Administration has announced that May 3rd will be the date the award portal opens for the restaurant revitalization fund. This $28.6 billion program is meant to give new… Read More
Our business law team is dedicated to helping the hard-hit restaurant business owners stay informed of post COVID-19 pandemic opportunities to recover and to thrive. The American Rescue Plan Act Established a $28.6 Billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) within the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). These funds will help to revitalize the restaurant industry across… Read More
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
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
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
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
Open Letter to Buffalo Businesses We’re getting back to business. But not business as usual. There is nothing usual about what we’ve all experienced. We’re getting back to business, inspired by simple acts of bravery, ready to take on difficult questions. We’re getting back to business guided by lessons learned as moms and dads, neighbors… Read More
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, school districts have more time to create and implement measures increasingly important in today’s tech-savvy and tech-reliant world: cybersecurity and data privacy. The Board of Regents extended the compliance deadline for educational agencies and their vendors to meet the terms of Commissioner’s regulation Part 121—which implements Education Law § 2-d’s… Read More
As life slowly begins to return to normal and restrictions on business activities are lifted, many businesses may be concerned about a COVID-19 lawsuit. What if a customer gets sick with Covid-19 after shopping in a store or eating at a restaurant? Can the store or restaurant be held liable? To date, there have been… Read More
New York Forward: The 4 Phases of Business Re-Openings The four-phase New York plan to reopen businesses, “New York Forward” (the “Plan”), is underway, with Phase Two of the Plan commencing in Western New York (“WNY”) on June 2nd and in several other NYS regions on May 29th. This alert sets forth: (i) the regions… Read More
Partner attorney Jamie Batt and the rest of our Business Law team provide a brief overview of the Main Street Lending Program the Federal Reserve has established to provide financing opportunities for certain American businesses that were unable to receive funding under the Paycheck Protection Program or need additional financial support after receiving the previous… Read More
On April 3, 2020, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed into law the New York State Child Parent Security Act (the “Act”), which reverses New York’s decades-long ban on compensated surrogacy. The Act, which will take effect on February 15, 2021, is a landmark bill that will provide many New York residents legally protected access… Read More
New Title IX rules are here. Jill Yonkers and our Campus Disciplinary Defense Team have been waiting for this day to come. The wait is over. Today, the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) released the long-anticipated final version of its Title IX rules governing how schools must respond to allegations of sexual harassment. Although there… Read More
Do you have questions about how COVID-19 will affect your construction business? Construction law and partner attorney, Dan Sarzynski along with Drew Miller from Webster Szanyi provided an informative webinar on the topic of “Navigating Construction Projects during the COVID-19 Crisis” on Thursday, April 30th, 2021 for the Construction Exchange. Before the Coronavirus pandemic hit… Read More
Labor & Employment attorney Matt Miller partners with BNP to discuss the NYS Shared Workforce Program and provide direction for business owners who are facing difficult questions: How do I avoid layoffs? How do I retain my trained employees during a slowdown? How do I attract them back during a slow rampup period – especially… Read More
Are you working from home? Don’t get too comfortable in your home office. The switch to remote working can present new cybersecurity challenges. Hackers know that organizations are particularly vulnerable now as many organizations are preoccupied with COVID-19. By way of example, on March 15, 2020 the United States Department of Health and Human Services… Read More