Matt Miller, our Labor & Employment leader spoke with Patrick Connelly, from the Buffalo Law Journal, answering questions many people in the business community continually have as mental health and addiction awareness grows. What can you do if you think an employee is dealing with addiction issues? If you suspect that an employee is dealing with… Read More
Every New York employer is required to provide all employees performing work in New York with sexual harassment prevention training. By law, all employees must be trained by October 9, 2019, and at least once a year thereafter. New hires must receive the mandatory training as soon as possible. The training must: Best Practices If… Read More
Our Campus Disciplinary Defense team successfully exonerated three college students accused of using hate speech on and around campus. The private college in New York began an investigation based on an anonymous complaint that the students used inappropriate and derogatory language toward a non-student in an off-campus residence. The college called the three students to… Read More
Partner Jill Yonkers, spoke with Patrick Connelly from the Buffalo Law Journal about the importance of knowing your local zoning rules when renting home space to travelers. How have entities such as Airbnb disrupted the marketplace? Airbnb and others like FlipKey, Homeaway and VRBO have added lodging alternatives to the marketplace. Short-term or transient rentals are… Read More
Recently, our Campus Disciplinary Defense team successfully vindicated a community college student who was accused of sexual assault. The student enlisted the help of attorneys Jill Yonkers and Adam Brasky before the initial interview with the college occurred, which proved to be a key to success in the sexual assault case. “College misconduct processes… Read More
When Buffalo Law Journal editor, Patrick Connelly decided to find out what local attorneys do when they are out of the office he uncovered the story of how partner Cory Weber and his wife Caitlin brew their own beer, eight different kinds of beer. Attorney Cory Weber and his wife had unique wedding favors when they married… Read More
Campus misconduct proceedings can have devastating repercussions on a student’s life, academically and professionally. Jill Yonkers and Matt Miller have formed our new practice group, Campus Disciplinary Defense, to ensure due process for students. A Buffalo law firm wants to be the first place a college student turns when accused of wrongdoing on campus. Attorneys… Read More
Congratulations to Ben Burge as Buffalo Law Journal’s most recent Emerging Attorney. You can tell that Benjamin Burge is a fun-loving guy by one of his nicknames (he has several): BenJAMIN. But his serious side comes out in his work as associate attorney in the business law and litigation group of Rupp Baase Pfalzgraf Cunningham LLC. “The work varies… Read More
At Rupp Baase we love professional growth. Congratulations to Anne Bowling, Geff Gismondi and Cory Weber for starting the year off right by being promoted to Partner. We would also like to congratulate our new attorneys who were recently sworn in Shawn Byrns, Chad Davenport and Stephen Stachowski. The road to partner does not happen overnight. … Read More
Jamie Bryant and Anne Bowling spent time with Buffalo Law Journal’s Patrick Connelly discussing some of our firm’s women’s initiatives. With the #MeToo movement front and center and a recent report by the American Bar Association on bias, closing the gender gap in the legal profession has become a hot topic. To help bridge the… Read More
Rupp Baase Assists Municipalities in Completing Approval Process to Apply Herbicides to Chautauqua Lake On June 11, municipalities surrounding Chautauqua Lake applied herbicides to the lake for the first time in twenty-five years after months of dedicated efforts by the Chautauqua Lake Partnership (CLP) and the assistance of John Kolaga and Anne Bowling of Rupp… Read More
Jill Yonkers Serves as BAEC Panelist Rupp Baase Pfalzgraf Cunningham partner attorney, Jill Yonkers will serve as one of the panel moderators for the Bar Association of Erie County Municipal and School Law Committee’s CLE: School Safety in Western New York Legal Roles and Critical Responsibilities. The continuous legal education program will be held from 9:00 a.m.-12:00… Read More
Join Rupp Baase Pfalzgraf Cunningham partner attorney, Dan Sarzynski, Bob Stark of CJS Architects, Steve Perrigo of Turner Construction and Sal Sciandra of Frey Electric for a panel discussion about the increasing use of design delegation in today’s construction industry. This panel discussion is hosted by the Subcontractors Association of Western New York (SAWNY). Dan… Read More
New York’s Paid Family Leave (“PFL”) program is one of the most comprehensive employee-benefit programs in the country, but its roll-out has prompted many questions from employers and required occasional clarification from regulators. One issue employers have struggled to fully grasp is the amount of the employee contribution rates to cover the costs of the… Read More
In March, the New York State Senate passed a bill that, if passed by the Assembly and signed by Governor Cuomo, would bolster and reform state sexual harassment laws. The most significant changes that will affect New York employers are the proposed bans on confidential settlements and mandatory arbitration clauses. If passed in its current… Read More
Can emails be binding? Join business law attorney, Phillip Oswald as he discusses the legal effects of today’s most common form of business communication. In today’s technological business world, communicating via email is a common everyday practice. Some people may send close to 100 emails every day, while others may even send well over 100… Read More
Partners Jamie Batt and Matt Miller sat down with Michael Canfield from the Buffalo Law Journal to discuss trends in legal fee structures for business litigation and corporate matters. While contingent and flat fees are nothing new in the legal world, there’s something else that’s taken hold for law firms and clients: payment structures. “It’s something we have been open… Read More
Partner Dan Sarzynski, Chapter Attorney for Subcontractors Association of WNY and associate Geff Gismondi,explain the broad impact the new Paid Family Leave Act (PFLA) will have on employers. Are you prepared? THE NEW PAID FAMILY LEAVE ACT WILL HAVE BROAD IMPACT ON NEW YORK STATE EMPLOYERS New York’s groundbreaking new law – the Paid Family Leave… Read More
Rupp Baase Pfalzgraf Cunningham Recognized by Buffalo Business First as 6th Largest Law Firm in Buffalo, New York. In 2000, Rupp Baase Pfalzgraf Cunningham started as a boutique firm of 4 attorneys. Today we’re honored to be ranked 6th on the Buffalo Business First 2018 List of Largest Buffalo Law Firms. We are now a… Read More
In a victory for residents of and visitors to Niagara Falls, New York State has announced plans to contribute $20.5 Million to fund the first phase of the improvements to the Niagara Falls Wastewater Treatment Plant. Rupp Baase partners John Kolaga, a veteran environmental lawyer, and Sean Costello, who focuses his practice on municipal law, continue… Read More
Partner, Matt Miller, speaks with Business First reporter, Allissa Kline, about the different circumstances which employees are eligible for Paid Family Leave. Under what circumstances could employees apply for PFL? There are three categories: 1. To bond with a child during the first 12 months after birth or placement. That includes cases of adoption or foster care.… Read More
Environmental attorney John Kolaga, believes the situation in Tonawanda sharply illustrates the federal government’s attempt to balance both scientific risks and political considerations in the environmental arena. Because radioactive materials have been used in Western New York for decades – both in connection with defense projects like the Manhattan Project and in heavy industrial processes… Read More
Actions don’t always speak louder than words. New York State law is starting to recognize verbal abuse. A recent decision in Rochester granted a mother the right to live in the family home with the children, forcing the father to find different living arrangements, in order to protect the children from being exposed to constant… Read More
Congratulations to our 2017 Legal Elite It’s official, we have two of Western New York’s 2017 legal elite amongst us. Congratulations to partner attorneys Jeff Baase and David Pfalzgraf, Jr. for once again being selected Legal Elite of Western New York. The Legal Elite are recognized by Business First and the Buffalo Law Journal. To be selected,… Read More
Buffalo Law Journal Guest Columnist Anne Bowling, Opinion: Federal Debarment and why clients should care Your client, who receives substantial income from federal contracts or subcontracts and intends to bid on future federal contracts or subcontracts, is staring down the barrel of criminal charges and gets offered a sweetheart plea that lets them off with… Read More