James A. Napier

Dave handles a broad range of disputes in state and federal courts, focusing on commercial disputes, construction litigation, intellectual property disputes, including patent and trade dress infringement, surety defense, insurance coverage disputes and product liability matters. He represents clients across many industries, including accounting, agricultural, electrical components, liquor distributors, photographic, mining, printing and sporting goods, as well as mall developers and builders....

Eric Paley is a member of the firm’s Employee Benefits team and practice group co-leader of the Labor & Employment practice group. He advises clients on how to comply with the laws governing their employee benefits programs. What do you focus on? Three hallmarks distinguish my practice. Representing nonprofit organizations I work primarily (though not exclusively) with a wide range of nonprofit organizations—hospitals/health systems, colleges/universities, iconic arts/cultural...

Mr. Gaenzle is a member of the firm and practices in the Public Finance and Economic Development Practice Group and with the Real Estate Developers, Energy, and Municipalities and Local Agencies Industry Teams. Listed in The Best Lawyers in America in economic development, he focuses his legal practice on municipal and tax-exempt bond financings, including manufacturing facilities, civic facilities, CCRC communities, and low income and pooled housing projects. He also assists clients with ind...

James Locke is a business lawyer with experience in a wide range of business law matters. He has been the lead attorney on large public company mergers and on numerous asset and stock acquisitions and dispositions of public and private companies. Mr. Locke is also engaged in counseling boards of directors of public companies, in representing clients with respect to continued compliance with federal securities laws, and in certain venture capital and other financings, including those in the te...

Eric Bach is an attorney with Harris Beach Murtha located in Pittsford, New York, where he practices in the area of Health Care Law. His practice encompasses public finance, tax-related matters, corporate operations, and regulatory compliance issues. Eric is committed to guiding organizations, municipalities, state and local issuers, including Industrial Development Agencies and Local Development Corporations, as well as school districts and other stakeholders involved in public development p...

“I enjoy identifying novel and practical solutions to clients’ real world issues and helping them to achieve their objectives in a cost-effective manner.” Chris focuses on sophisticated commercial transactions, banking and commercial financing and general corporate law. He represents business clients and entrepreneurs at all stages of their business development, negotiating and documenting matters, complex organizational documents (e.g., sophisticated shareholder, operating ...

Mark H. Stein is an attorney with Lacy Katzen LLP in Rochester, New York, focusing his practice on Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law. He has been included in Best Lawyers for this practice area beginning in 2026, based on peer review within the legal profession. Mark has practiced law for more than 20 years, with substantial experience in collections, evictions, and creditor-related matters. He is a partner in the firm’s Default Services Departmen...

"You have to be an attentive listener, and appreciate that every situation presents its own unique challenges as well as opportunities. To that end, it is important for me to design and implement solutions that best fit the client’s needs and business.” Dave focuses on corporate and commercial law, including mergers and acquisitions, business planning, licensing and distribution, private financing transactions, software contracts and general corporate matters. He represents indivi...

Based in Pittsford, New York, Neal Slifkin at Harris Beach Murtha focuses on copyright law, litigation involving intellectual property, patent law, and trademark law. With extensive experience across United States District Courts including Western, Northern, Southern, and Eastern Districts of New York, Neal is well-versed in handling complex intellectual property issues, such as patent, trademark, copyright, and trade dress disputes. Neal's practice involves supporting clients across diverse ...

Christian Hancey is a partner in the firm’s Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation group. He focuses on designing, reviewing and implementing a wide range of benefit and compensation programs structured to suit businesses and nonprofit organizations. What do you focus on? I counsel employers on all types of traditional benefit plans, including defined benefit pension plans, 401(k) and 403(b) plans, multiemployer plans, medical benefit plans, cafeteria plans, disability plans and o...