Elena H. Smith

Richard (Rich) Barnes is the President of The Barnes Firm . With more than thirty years of trial experience, Rich has built his career on the principle that there is no substitute for preparation, persistence, and dedication when it comes to protecting clients’ rights . He began his career in public service, spending five years as a Senior Assistant District Attorney , where he prosecuted serious felony cases on behalf of crime victims. During that time, Rich was entrusted with some of ...

Attorney Katherine Liebner focuses her legal practice in the areas of estate planning, estate and trust administration, and labor and employment law. She also handles appellate matters across a wide spectrum of practices. Estate Planning Kathy works closely with her clients to navigate the many nuances of proper estate planning. She has extensive experience working with clients on all levels of estate planning, including: Preparing Wills Drafting Powers of Attorney Drafting Healthcare Proxies...

Michael Ponterio is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs. Michael, who practices law in Buffalo, New York, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Anne Joynt is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs. Anne, who practices law in Buffalo, New York, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Anne is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Judy Wagner, located in Buffalo, New York, is a dedicated attorney at Harris Beach Murtha, specializing in Trusts and Estates. She provides valuable counsel to individuals and families on wealth planning by appreciating current and future financial and personal needs. Judy collaborates with clients to develop plans that preserve, protect, and facilitate the transfer of individual or business assets to future generations. As an estate planning lawyer, she understands the importance of proactiv...

Harry J. Forrest focuses his legal practice on personal injury claims involving motor vehicle collisions, construction site accidents, fall-down accidents and wrongful death. He also practices in the areas of civil litigation, business counseling and long-term disability claims and appeals. He has successfully handled cases in both federal and state courts and has tried cases to verdict involving claims for personal injury, property damage, contract disputes and constitutional civil rights vi...

As an attorney in private practice, Ms. Schröder has been providing employment and labor services to private and public sector clients for more than thirty-two years. Ms. Schröder represents, on both a local and national level, some of the nation’s largest publicly and privately owned companies and municipal entities, in traditional labor and/or regular employment law and/or employment discrimination matters. Ms. Schröder has been named one of the top ten attorneys in Ups...

Scott Philbin is a Buffalo-based litigation attorney handling a broad array of business and commercial matters at the trial and appellate levels in both state and federal court. He routinely represents corporations, insurers and financial institutions in issues relating to breach of contract, the leasing of heavy construction equipment, enforcement of non-compete agreements, banking litigation, investor claims and commercial paper disputes. Scott also has experience in toxic tort cases involv...

Michael Schiavone has provided legal guidance to businesses for 30 years. He concentrates his practice in the areas of business law, commercial real estate, and estate planning. Mr. Schiavone is experienced in regularly counseling clients in a wide array of legal matters, including: Commercial lending and financial transactions Mergers and acquisitions Corporate, partnership, and limited liability matters Business formation Business succession planning Contract negotiation and dispute resolut...

David H. Alexander practices law in New York and Florida, and serves as a foreign legal consultant in Ontario, Canada. His areas of practice include wills, estates and trusts, estate planning and administration, business counseling, corporate law and taxation. He represents Canadian and other foreign corporations in the establishment of United States subsidiaries and in their conduct of business in the United States. He also represents Canadian and other foreign persons who purchase assets in...