Sheldon K. Smith

Sharon Schwartz is an attorney at Harris Beach Murtha, located in Buffalo, New York. With over twenty years of experience in Real Estate Law, Sharon is well-qualified to guide clients through various transactions and legal matters. She represents lenders and businesses in mortgage and lending transactions, ensuring that the interests of her clients are carefully considered. In addition, Sharon provides legal support to purchasers and sellers involved in commercial real estate dealings, offeri...

Erik Goergen is a litigator, based in Buffalo, who represents a diverse array of local, national and international clients in complex commercial disputes and product liability matters at both the trial and appellate levels. My focus My practice focuses on litigating disputes in a wide range of complex commercial litigation and product liability matters, representing international, national, and local clients in the aviation, healthcare, manufacturing, and commercial real estate industries. My...

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 ...

Melanie C. Marotto serves as the co-managing partner at Harris Beach Murtha's Buffalo office. Her practice focuses on assisting purchasers, sellers, governmental, and quasi-governmental agencies in development projects. She has a substantial background in real estate law, with particular attention to real property and title issues within New York's renewable energy sector. As examining counsel, Melanie works with two national title insurance companies and represents a variety of community-bas...

Lawlor is a trial attorney with a broad-based litigation practice. He has successfully represented severely injured individuals, defended physicians in medical malpractice trials, represented corporations in contract and shareholder derivative suits, represented policy holders in insurance coverage disputes, and represented individuals, corporations, institutions, and municipalities in a wide variety of other matters. The notable client successes in which he has been involved include a $58.6 ...

Cherie L. Peterson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs. Cherie L., who practices law in Buffalo, New York, has been recognized since 2019. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Cherie L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Joseph J. Gumkowski practices in the areas of general business law, e-commerce, taxation, and intellectual property. His practice is concentrated in servicing select clients of the firm in the entertainment business. Mr. Gumkowski is an active member of the Sports Car Club of America; the Sports Car Club of America, Western New York Region; the South Towns Motor Club; and the Central New York Ice Racing Association. Mr. Gumkowski earned second place in the 2002 New York State Road Racing Cham...

Michael P. McClaren is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation. Michael P., who practices law in Buffalo, New York, has been recognized since 2017. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael P. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

John K. Rottaris concentrates his practice in the areas of commercial and business litigation, creditors’ rights, commercial collections, landlord-tenant law, bankruptcy law and tax certiorari. He also represents manufacturers and manufacturers’ sales representatives in commission and contract disputes. John has represented clients in all phases of trial and appellate practice before local, state and federal courts, as well as alternative dispute resolution forums. He has extensiv...

Patrick C. O’Reilly focuses his practice on matrimonial litigation, handling all aspects of divorce and separation and representing clients in matters related to the modification or enforcement of existing matrimonial judgments and orders. For more than 25 years, Mr. O’Reilly has served as a panelist and speaker on matrimonial and family law topic for numerous seminars, workshops, and symposiums sponsored by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, New York State Office of Cou...