News

Legal briefs.

Legal briefs.

Innovation in Professional Growth

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

Four Questions to Ask a Divorce Lawyer on the First Visit

Preparing for an initial consultation with a divorce attorney can seem a little intimidating. After months (or even years) of contemplation, it’s only natural, though there’s no need to stress. Really, when it comes right down to it, finding an attorney is less a knowledge-based quest, and more of an interpersonal one, where you discover… Read More

Jamie Batt & Anne Bowling Speak to BLJ on narrowing the gender gap

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

Dan Sarzynski to Speak on Residential Mortgage Foreclosures & Workouts

Dan Sarzynski to Speak on Residential Mortgage Foreclosures & Workouts Rupp Baase Pfalzgraf Cunningham partner attorney, Dan Sarzynski will be the speaker for a  New York State Bar Association (NYSBA) CLE on Residential Mortgage Foreclosures & Workouts.  The event will be held on Tuesday, November 13th 2018 at Classics V on Niagara Falls Boulevard in… Read More

Elizabeth DiPirro Speaks to BLJ on Exclusive Possession of Marital Residence

Elizabeth DiPirro shares recent outcomes regarding Domestic Relations Law Sections 234 and possession of marital residence. Actions don’t always speak louder than words. Justice Richard A. Dollinger of the Monroe County Supreme Court granted a mother the right to live in the family home with the children, forcing the father to find different living arrangements,… Read More

16 Lawyers named to the 2018 Upstate New York Super Lawyers List

Congratulations to the following partners, who have been recognized by the 2018 Upstate New York Super Lawyers list.  Tony Rupp, (Commercial Litigation), Jeff Baase, (Products Liability), Tom Cunningham, (Insurance Defense), Marco Cercone, (Property Law), Beth DiPirro, (Matrimony & Family), Bill Kennedy, (Insurance Defense) and Josh Rubin (Insurance Defense). Super Lawyers, is a Thomson Reuters business… Read More

Dan Sarzynski discusses construction and development trends

Dan Sarzynski speaks to the Buffalo Law Journal on the legal and logistical trends that have emerged while construction and development continue to sore in Buffalo. As construction and development continue at a steady pace in Buffalo, several legal and logistical trends have emerged. For one thing, said Daniel Sarzynski of Rupp Baase Pfalzgraf Cunningham LLP, the state… Read More

Chautauqua Lake Partnership and Rupp Baase proved the naysayers wrong

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

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

Dan Sarzynski Panelist for SAWNY on May 10th

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

Attention Employers: NYS Clarifies the Employee Weekly Contribution Rate for PFL

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

Can Emails Be Binding?

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

Jamie Batt and Matt Miller discuss trending fee structures

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

Rupp Baase Recognized as 6th Largest

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

Partners John Kolaga & Sean Costello counsel the NF Water Board

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

Matt Miller on Paid Family Leave Act

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

John Kolaga weighs in on the cleanup of radioactive waste in Tonawanda landfill

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

The Law is Starting to Recognize Verbal Abuse

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

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

Anne Bowling – Discussing Federal Debarment in BLJ

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

Elizabeth DiPirro Discusses Changes in Spousal Maintenance

Elizabeth DiPirro sits down with Michael Canfiend of the Buffalo Law Journal to discuss catalysts for changes in spousal maintenance. BLJ: Changing economics drive practice When Elizabeth DiPirro of Rupp Baase Pfalzgraf Cunningham LLC started practicing matrimonial law nearly 30 years ago, women were primarily the caretakers who stayed home with the children, often putting their careers and education… Read More

14 Attorneys Named to the 2017 Super Lawyers List

Rupp Baase Pfalzgraf Cunningham LLC is honored to announce that 14 of its attorneys have been named to the 2017 Upstate New York Super Lawyers list. The Buffalo partners named to this year’s list include: R. Anthony Rupp III (business litigation), Jeff Baase (insurance defense), Tom Cunningham (insurance defense), Marco Cercone (property insurance litigation), Elizabeth DiPirro… Read More

Matt Miller presents about New York’s Paid Family Leave Act

Matt Miller presents about New York’s Paid Family Leave Act On Wednesday, June 14th 2017, Rupp Baase Pfalzgraf Cunningham partner attorney Matt Miller spoke to more than 130 human resource professionals and members of the New York Job Service Employer Committee through the New York State Department of Labor about New York’s new Paid Family… Read More