Angelo G. Faraci

Attorney in Rochester, NY

Angelo founded the law firm that bears his name in 1968 and has been representing victims of negligence for over 50 years. He focuses his legal practice on personal injury litigation, primarily in the areas of medical malpractice, product liability, premises liability, wrongful death, construction-related injuries, automobile accidents, toxic tort cases and admiralty cases.

Considered one of the leading plaintiff's trial advocates in Western New York, Angelo has been listed in the Personal Injury Law Section of The Best Lawyers in America since its inception in 1983. In 2013, Angelo was selected as Best Lawyers' Personal Injury Litigation Plaintiffs Lawyer of the Year in Rochester, NY. In 2012 and in 2010, Angelo was selected as Best Lawyers' Medical Malpractice Lawyer of the Year in Rochester, NY and in 2009, Angelo was honored by being named Best Lawyers' Rochester Personal Injury Litigator of the Year. He was inducted into the International Academy of Trial Lawyers in July 2003 and has been awarded Martindale-Hubbell's highest rating. In addition, Angelo has been selected as one of Upstate New York's Super Lawyers in personal injury litigation every year since 2007, and was among the Top 50 Super Lawyers in Upstate New York in 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011 and 2012.

Angelo is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers having been inducted in 1978. He also is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, the New York State Bar Association, the Monroe County Bar Association and the Civil Justice Foundation.

A well-known expert on trial advocacy, Angelo has given seminars on the subject for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy, Cornell University Law School, Hofstra University Law School and Emory University Law School. He is a frequent lecturer for the New York State Bar Association, the New York Trial Lawyers Association and the Monroe County Bar Association. Most recently, he participated in "A Trial Demonstration of a Products Liability Case" playing the role of the plaintiff's counsel. This CLE program was sponsored by the Monroe County Bar Association in collaboration with the Rochester Chapter of ABOTA & the Foundation of the American Board of Trial Advocates and took place in May of 2012.

Also in 2012, Angelo was selected to become a Certified Federal Court Mediator in the Western District of New York.
Considered one of the leading plaintiff's trial advocates in Western New York, Angelo has been listed in the Personal Injury Law Section of The Best Lawyers in America since its inception more than 20 years ago. In 2010, Angelo was named as Lawyer of the Year in Medical Malpractice Law in Rochester, NY by Best Lawyers and in 2009, he was honored by being named Best Lawyers' Rochester Personal Injury Litigator of the Year. He was inducted into the International Academy of Trial Lawyers in July 2003 and has also been awarded Martindale-Hubbell's highest rating.

Angelo is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and a sustaining member of the American Association for Justice. He also is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, the New York State Bar Association, the Monroe County Bar Association and the Civil Justice Foundation.

A well-known expert on trial advocacy, Angelo has given seminars on the subject for the National Institute of Trial Advocacy, the New York State Bar Association, Cornell University Law School, Hofstra University Law School and Emory University Law School. He is a frequent lecturer for the New York State Bar Association, the New York Trial Lawyers Association and the Monroe County Bar Association. Recipient: Best Lawyers.com, Lawyer of the Year, 2009, Personal Injury Litigation, Rochester, N.Y.; Best Lawyers.com, Lawyer of the Year, 2010, Medical Malpractice Law, Rochester, N.Y.

Also in 2012, Angelo was selected to become a Certified Federal Court Mediator in the Western District of New York.

Areas of Law:
-Medical Malpractice
-Personal Injury
-Products Liability
-Tort Law
-Wrongful Death Law
-Premises Liability
-Insurance
-Construction Accidents
-Automobile Accidents and Injuries
-Toxic Torts
-Admiralty Law

Experience & Credentials:

Position:
Founding Partner

Admission Details:
Admitted in 1957, New York

Law School Attended:
Albany Law School
Class of 1957
J.D.

University Attended:
University of Rochester
Class of 1954
B.A.

Birth Information:
Born in 1931
Rochester, New York, June 10, 1931

Associations & Memberships:
International Academy of Trial Lawyers, American Association for Justice, New York State Trial Lawyers Association, Civil Justice Foundation, American Trial Lawyer Association, Litigation Counsel of America, New York Academy of Trial Lawyers Fellow: American College of Trial Lawyers, American Board of Trial Advocates.

Albany Law School
Juris Doctorate, 1957

Paul K. Lange

Attorney in Rochester, NY

Paul joined the firm in 1975, creating a partnership with Angelo Faraci that has made Faraci Lange the most well-respected personal injury law firm in Western New York. He focuses his legal practice on construction accidents, motor vehicle accidents, defective product accidents and medical malpractice.

Paul has been awarded Martindale-Hubbell's highest rating and is listed in the Personal Injury Law Section of The Best Lawyers in America. He is admitted to practice law in both California and New York.

Before joining Faraci Lange, Paul defended clients at another law firm in personal injury actions on behalf of insurance companies. He also served as vice president and general counsel for a large California insurance company.

An active member of the legal community, Paul is a sustaining member of the American Association for Justice and long-time member of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, the California State Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association and the Monroe County Bar Association.

Paul lectured on a lawyer's perspective on medical malpractice before the Medical Society of Monroe County, and he has lectured on trial practice in the Judge's walk-through programs for the Monroe County Bar Association. He has also lectured on evaluating personal injury cases for the Monroe County Bar Association.

Areas of Law:
-Personal Injury
-Medical Malpractice
-Motor Vehicle Accidents and Injuries
-Products Liability
-Construction Accidents

Experience & Credentials:

Position:
Founding Partner

Admission Details:
Admitted in 1961, California
1962, New York

Law School Attended:
University of Michigan Law School
Class of 1960
J.D.

University Attended:
Brown University
Class of 1957
A.B.

Birth Information:
Born in 1935
Glens Falls, New York, June 26, 1935

Military:
US Army; Honorable Discharge 1963

Associations & Memberships:
American Association for Justice, New York State Trial Lawyers Association, California State Bar Association, New York State Bar Association, Monroe County Bar Association.

Representative Cases:
Alexander v Eldred, et. al., 63 NY2d 460 (1984) Lamey v Foley, 188 AD2d 157 (4th Dept. 1993).

Hobbies & Interests:
Art History, Music, Tennis

University of Michigan Law School
Juris Doctorate, 1960

Stephen G. Schwarz

Attorney in Rochester, NY

Stephen has been the managing partner of Faraci Lange, LLP since 1995. He focuses his legal practice on personal injury and business litigation, including medical malpractice, serious auto accident cases, product liability and toxic tort and environmental contamination cases in both state and federal courts.

After graduating from Albany Law School in 1981, Stephen joined the Rochester, N.Y., law firm of Harris Beach. In 1982, he accepted an appointment as confidential law clerk to Chief Judge Michael A. Telesca, U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York. After completing his clerkship in 1984 he became associated with the predecessor firm to Faraci Lange, LLP and became a partner in that firm in 1988.

Stephen is a fellow in the American College of Trial Lawyers. He is the immediate past Upstate New York Chair of this organization and also a member of the ACTL's Admission to Fellowship Committee for 2012-2013. He is a past president of the Rochester Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates as well as a past president of the Genesee Valley Affiliate of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association. He is also a member of the American Association for Justice, the New York State Bar Association, where he has served as chair of the Committee on Judicial Administration, and the Monroe County Bar Association, where he has served as chair of various committees and twice on the board of trustees.

Stephen has been awarded Martindale-Hubbell's highest rating and is listed in the personal injury law, medical malpractice and product liability sections of the The Best Lawyers in America directory. Stephen was named Best Lawyers Lawyer of the Year in Product Liability Litigation in 2010 and 2014 and in Personal Injury Litigation in 2012. He has also been selected to be listed under personal injury law in the Super Lawyers directory every year since 2007 and was among the Top 50 Super Lawyers in Upstate New York in 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2013. In 2004 and 2010 he received the Raymond Pauley Award from the Monroe County Bar Association for excellence in continuing legal education presentations to fellow lawyers and was recognized with the prestigious Nathaniel Award from The Daily Record in November of 2012. He also received the Special Service Award from the U.S. District Court, Western District of New York, in 1998, and the President's Award from the Monroe County Bar Association in 1995 for his work on the judicial candidate evaluation program.

Stephen authored a chapter entitled "Representing the Decedent The Wrongful Death Action in New York" for The Plaintiff's Personal Injury Action in New York State published by the New York State Bar Association in 2008 and recently issued in a second addition in 2013. He has written articles for Voir Dire magazine, including an article entitled "The Vioxx Saga" published in the Winter edition of 2005 and "Another Medical Malpractice Crisis" published in the Fall edition of 2003. He has also published articles in Trial Magazine and the New York State Bar Journal as well as numerous essays on topics involving civil litigation for the Rochester Democrat & Chronicle. He is a frequent lecturer on a range of litigation topics at continuing legal education programs presented by the New York State and Monroe County Bar Associations.

Stephen currently serves on the Foundation of the Monroe County Bar Board and is the President of the Board of the Advocacy Center of Rochester, an organization whose mission is to advocate for and teach advocacy skills to the disabled and their families. He has also in the past served on the board and as president of the board of the Family Resource Centers of Rochester and has served on the United Way Campaign Cabinet.

Areas of Law:
-Personal Injury
-Medical Malpractice
-Products Liability
-Environmental Contamination
-Toxic Torts
-Business Litigation
-Auto Accidents

Experience & Credentials:

Position:
Managing Partner

Admission Details:
Admitted in 1982, New York

Law School Attended:
Albany Law School
Class of 1981
J.D.
cum laude

University Attended:
State University of New York at Albany
Class of 1978
B.S.
cum laude

Birth Information:
Born in 1956
Babylon, New York, February 13, 1956

Associations & Memberships:
Monroe County and New York State Bar Associations; American College of Trial Lawyers; American Association for Justice; American Board of Trial Advocates; New York State Trial Lawyers Association.

Albany Law School
Juris Doctorate, cum laude, 1981

Brian M. Zorn

Attorney in Rochester, NY

One of the firm's senior trial attorneys, Brian's personal injury practice includes medical malpractice, automobile accidents, products liability and premises liability.

He is in The Best Lawyers in America under the medical malpractice law, personal injury and product liability sections, and he was chosen by The Best Lawyers in America as the Medical Malpractice Lawyer of the Year in Rochester, N.Y. in 2014 and 2011, and the Product Liability Litigation Lawyer of the Year in Rochester, N.Y. in 2013 and 2012.

In addition, Martindale-Hubbell has awarded Brian its highest rating, and he has been selected as one of Upstate New York's Super Lawyers every year since 2007.

Brian graduated from Syracuse University College of Law in 1977, and for the next year performed a judicial clerkship at the New York State Appellate Division for the Fourth Department. Since then, his personal injury practice has focused on individuals injured by medical malpractice, automobile accidents, defective products and defective premises.

To enhance his understanding of such injuries and their impact on the injured individual's life, he attended anatomy courses, including complete dissection of a human cadaver, as well as autopsies and surgeries done by medical school faculty. Brian has obtained numerous substantial personal injury recoveries that have helped injured individuals and their families cope with the impact of their injuries.

Brian is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, and a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates, the American Association for Justice, the New York State Trial Lawyers Association and the Monroe County Bar Association.

He has served on numerous Monroe County Bar Association committees, including the Academy of Law, Judiciary, Communications (member and chair), Litigation Counsel (co-chair), Deaf Access Task Force and Joint Monroe County Bar Association/Monroe County Medical Society Task Force, and the State Courts Subcommittee (chair).

He also served on the Town of Victor Growth Management Committee. For many years, he was a member of the Board of Directors of the National Kidney Foundation's Upstate New York Affiliate, and served as its Vice-President and President, and on its Executive, Finance, and Development committees, among others. Brian also served at the national level on numerous National Kidney Foundation committees, including the Affiliate Relations Committee (Chair for two years), the Efficiency and Effectiveness Task Force, the Subcommittee to Evaluate Affiliate Share, and the Task Force to Evaluate Performance Standards for Affiliates.

He served as a member of the Volunteer Legal Services Project Board of Directors for 20 years, where he had terms as Vice-President and President and also chaired numerous committees. He continues to serve on the Nominations Committee. He has been a Certified Federal Court Mediator in the Western District of New York since 2012.

Brian has co-authored a chapter on New York law in A.I.A. Insurance and Tort Law Reference and has participated in and chaired numerous legal education programs and seminars for other attorneys on medical malpractice, product liability and other aspects of personal injury law. Most recently, he participated in an ABOTA/Monroe County Bar Association CLE program entitled "A Trial Demonstration of a Products Liability Case" and in a National Business Institute Program entitled "Special Needs Trusts: Planning for Persons with a Disability"

Areas of Law:
-Personal Injury
-Medical Malpractice
-Defective Premises
-Automobile Accidents and Injuries
-Defective Products

Experience & Credentials:

Position:
Partner

Admission Details:
Admitted in 1978, New York

Law School Attended:
Syracuse University College of Law
Class of 1977
J.D.
cum laude

University Attended:
American University
Class of 1973
B.A.
cum laude

Birth Information:
Born in 1951
Bronx, New York, August 20, 1951

Associations & Memberships:
Monroe County and New York State Bar Associations; New York State Trial Lawyers Association; American College of Trial Lawyers; American Association for Justice; American Board of Trial Advocates

Syracuse University College of Law
Juris Doctorate, cum laude, 1977

Matthew F. Belanger

Attorney in Rochester, NY

Matt focuses his legal practice on personal injury litigation, including product liability, motor vehicle negligence, toxic tort, and medical malpractice cases. He joined Faraci Lange in 1990 and was named a partner in 1998.

He has handled all types of complex personal injury litigation in both state and federal courts. During his studies at Northeastern University School of Law, he worked for a number of Massachusetts law firms specializing in plaintiff's civil litigation. Matt has lectured on a range of litigation topics at continuing legal education programs, including on the serious injury threshold in motor vehicle cases and several programs on liens and rights of subrogation in personal injury cases.

Matt has a peer review rating with the prestigious Martindale Hubble, and has been selected by his peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America in the areas of personal injury law and product liability litigation every year since 2008. He has also been selected as one of Upstate New York's Super Lawyers in the area of personal injury litigation every year since 2010.

Matt is a member of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association and the Monroe County Bar Association. Matt was a member of the Board of Directors of the National Kidney Foundation of Upstate New York for many years and served as its President from 2004 to 2006. He has served on the Working Committee of Rochester's Child, a fundraising arm of the Rochester Area Community Foundation providing quality educational programs for young children. Matt is currently on the Board of Directors of the Braddock Bay Bird Observatory and served a three year term as its President from 2010 to 2013. Matt recently joined the Board of Directors of the Genesee Land Trust and is active on GLT's Development Committee.

In his free time, Matt enjoys playing golf, is an avid fly fisherman and home cook. He frequently donates his time and chef skills to local charities for use as auction items offering up home-cooked, four-course dinners for up to eight people. He has done these dinners for the National Kidney Foundation, JDRF, and the Genesee Land Trust.

Areas of Law:
-Personal Injury
-Products Liability
-Medical Malpractice
-Toxic Torts
-Motor Vehicle Negligence

Experience & Credentials:

Position:
Partner

Admission Details:
-Admitted in 1990, Massachusetts
-1991, New York

Law School Attended:
Northeastern University School of Law
Class of 1990
J.D.

University Attended:
College of the Holy Cross
Class of 1983
B.A.

Birth Information:
Born in 1961
Nashua, New Hampshire, January 16, 1961

Associations & Memberships:
American Association for Justice, New York State Trial Lawyers Association, New York State Bar Association, Monroe County Bar Association.

Northeastern University School of Law
Juris Doctorate, 1990

John A. Falk

Attorney in Rochester, NY

John joined Faraci Lange in 1997 and later was named a partner. He focuses his legal practice on personal injury litigation, including medical malpractice, product liability, negligence matters, motor vehicle accidents, and wrongful death matters. Since joining the firm John has obtained numerous substantial recoveries that have helped his severely injured clients and their families cope with the effects of their injuries.

Selected as one of the Best Lawyers in America for medical malpractice, personal injury, and product liability law, John is well respected in the legal community and has been awarded Martindale-Hubbell's highest rating in both legal ability and ethics.

Before joining the firm, John was an Assistant District Attorney for Monroe County prosecuting violent felony offenses. During his near seven years with the District Attorney's office he gained extensive trial experience prosecuting various offenses including sex crimes and child abuse cases. John is a graduate of the University of Dayton School of Law and LeMoyne College. John also serves as a Town Court Justice in the Town of Brighton, New York.

An active member of the legal community, John was invited to join the American Board of Trial Advocates. He is also a member of the American Association for Justice, the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, the New York State Bar Association, the Monroe County Bar Association, the Genesee Valley Trial Lawyers Association, the New York State Magistrates Association, and the Monroe County Magistrates Association. He also has been a lecturer for the Monroe County Bar Association and the Monroe Community College Police Academy.

John is an active member of the community. He has served on such boards as the Western New York Chapter of the American Liver Foundation, the Town of Brighton Planning Board and the Parks and Recreation Citizens' Advisory Committee. He has also coached countless youth baseball, basketball, and soccer teams.

Areas of Law:
-Personal Injury
-Medical Malpractice
-Products Liability
-Negligence
-Motor Vehicle Accidents and Injuries
-Wrongful Death

Experience & Credentials:

Position:
Partner

Admission Details:
Admitted in 1990, New York

Law School Attended:
University of Dayton School of Law
Class of 1990
J.D.

University Attended:
Lemoyne College
Class of 1986
B.S.

Birth Information:
Born in 1965
Rochester, New York, April 4, 1965

Associations & Memberships:
Monroe County and New York State Bar Associations; American Association for Justice; American Board for Trial Advocates; New York State Trial Lawyers Association; Genesee Valley Trial Lawyers Association; New York State Magistrates Association; Monroe County Magistrates Association.

University of Dayton School of Law
Juris Doctorate, 1990

Frank J. Frascogna

Attorney in Rochester, NY

Frank joined Faraci Lange in February 2012 and has since helped establish, grow, and manage the firm's Buffalo office. Having been a civil litigator in the Buffalo area for over 25 years, he focuses his legal practice on personal injury litigation, primarily in the area of medical malpractice.

Frank is considered a top medical malpractice attorney in the Buffalo area. He has been listed under the Medical Malpractice Law Plaintiffs and Professional Malpractice Law Plaintiffs sections of The Best Lawyers in America since 2009 and was selected as an Upstate New York Super Lawyer in 2013. Frank is a member of the American Trial Lawyers Association, the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, the Western New York Trial Lawyers Association, and the Erie County Bar Association.

After graduating from Albany Law School in 1980, Frank worked in the New York State Legislature, and then for Governor Hugh Carey with a focus on health care and mental health care issues. He subsequently practiced with an Albany-based firm representing hospitals and doctors in that area for several years. Frank moved to Buffalo in 1986 and has been representing patients in medical malpractice cases, along with other injured people, ever since. He has extensive experience with complicated medical conditions, and has had successful results for many Western New York and Southern Tier residents.

Areas of Law:
Medical Malpractice

Experience & Credentials:

Position:
Partner

Admission Details:
Admitted in 1981, New York

Law School Attended:
Albany Law School
Class of 1980
J.D.

University Attended:
State University of New York at Stony Brook
Class of 1976
B.A.

Birth Information:
Born in 1954
Bronx, New York, January 25, 1954

Associations & Memberships:
Erie County Bar Association; New York State Bar Association; American Bar Association; New York State Trial Lawyers Association; Western New York Trial Lawyers Association.

Albany Law School
Juris Doctorate, 1980

Hadley L. Matarazzo

Attorney in Rochester, NY

Ms. Matarazzo focuses her legal practice on toxic torts, environmental law, medical malpractice, and products liability. Prior to joining Faraci Lange in 2010, Ms. Matarazzo practiced for four years as an associate in the Environmental Toxic Tort Unit of Weitz & Luxenberg, P.C. in New York City. At Weitz & Luxenberg, Ms. Matarazzo represented individuals and businesses harmed by environmental toxins. Ms. Matarazzo was the lead attorney for the plaintiffs in Franco, et al. v. Coronet Industries, Inc. where she represented more than 1,400 individuals in Plant City, Florida harmed by heavy metals in the drinking water and air. Ms. Matarazzo also represented the County of Suffolk in the MTBE MDL, which resulted in settlement.

Ms. Matarazzo graduated from Rutgers School of Law Newark where she was the co-chair of the Public Interest Law Foundation and a Legal Services of New Jersey Fellow. While interning at Legal Services of New Jersey during law school, Ms. Matarazzo co-founded the Prisoner Re-entry Project, which removed civil legal barriers to successful re-entry of incarcerated individuals into society.

Ms. Matarazzo is admitted to practice in New York and New Jersey, and became a Partner at Faraci Lange in January 2014.

Areas of Law:
-Toxic Torts
-Environmental Law
-Medical Malpractice
-Products Liability

Experience & Credentials:

Position:
Partner

Admission Details:
Admitted in 2005, New Jersey
2006, New York

Law School Attended:
Rutgers University School of Law Newark
Class of 2005
J.D.

University Attended:
University of Vermont
Class of 1998
B.S.

Birth Information:
Born in 1975
1975

Associations & Memberships:
Monroe County, New Jersey State and New York State Bar Associations.

Rutgers University School of Law Newark
Juris Doctorate, 2005

Joseph A. Regan

Attorney in Rochester, NY

Joe is a graduate of St. John Fisher College and the Cornell University Law School, and has been with the firm since 1978. He focuses his legal practice on personal injury law, including medical malpractice, product liability, toxic torts and automobile accidents. He has extensive experience litigating personal injury matters at the trial and appellate levels in Federal and State courts.

He is listed in the Automobile Collision, Medical Malpractice, Plaintiffs Products Liability and Professional Malpractice sections of the prestigious Best Lawyers in America directory. He is a sustaining member of the American Association for Justice, the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, the American Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association and the Monroe County Bar Association.

He is a past Co-Chair of the Monroe County Bar Association's Medical Liaison Committee, and has served on numerous bar association committees related to litigation and the courts. He is an elected member of the Rochester Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, where he currently serves as Treasurer and as a member of the Executive Committee.

He has frequently lectured on a variety of trial topics at seminars on behalf of the New York State Bar Association and the Monroe County Bar Association, as well as ABOTA and the National Business Institute.

Areas of Law:
-Personal Injury
-Medical Malpractice
-Automobile Accidents and Injuries
-Products Liability
-Toxic Torts

Experience & Credentials:

Position:
Senior Counsel

Admission Details:
Admitted in 1973, New York

Law School Attended:
St. John Fisher College
B.S.

University Attended:
Cornell University Law School
J.D.

Birth Information:
Born in 1947
Binghamton, New York, June 7, 1947

Associations & Memberships:
Monroe County and New York State Bar Associations; American Association for Justice; American Board of Trial Advocates; New York State Trial Lawyers Association; American Bar Association.

Cornell University Law School
Juris Doctorate,

Nicholas Pontzer

Attorney in Rochester, NY

Mr. Pontzer focuses his practice on commercial, employment, and personal injury litigation. He has significant experience conducting complex matters in both state and federal courts, and has handled all phases of civil litigation, including appellate practice.

Upon graduation from the University of Chicago Law School in 2008, Mr. Pontzer joined the Chicago office of Lovells LLP as an associate in the commercial litigation department. While at Lovells, Mr. Pontzer handled cases in state and federal courts involving a wide range of issues, including contract disputes, fraud, business torts, and unfair competition. He presented at several legal education programs and seminars on the topics of e-discovery and personal jurisdiction, and other aspects of litigation.

Since joining Faraci Lange in 2010, Mr. Pontzer has focused his practice on contract disputes and a wide variety of personal injury cases, including motor vehicle accidents, products liability, and toxic torts. Mr. Pontzer also has experience in employment cases involving termination issues, discrimination, and wage and hour claims.

Mr. Pontzer has successfully represented clients ranging from individuals to large corporations. Mr. Pontzer's representative experience includes advising a private equity firm in a contract dispute with a foreign company, which resulted in a settlement of over 20 million dollars. He is also a lead associate on the team representing a large class of automobile mechanics seeking unpaid overtime. In 2012, he helped successfully move for conditional certification of a class of more than 1,000 plaintiffs.

Mr. Pontzer is admitted to practice in New York and Illinois, and is a member of the New York State Bar Association and the Monroe County Bar Association.

Areas of Law:
-Commercial Litigation
-Labor and Employment
-Real Estate Litigation

Experience & Credentials:

Position:
Associate

Admission Details:
Admitted in 2008, Illinois
2011, New York

Law School Attended:
University of Notre Dame

University Attended:
University of Chicago Law School
Class of 2008
J.D.

Associations & Memberships:
Monroe County, New York State and Illinois State Bar Associations.

Carol A. Mckenna

Attorney in Rochester, NY

Carol has worked on all types of personal injury litigation cases, including products liability, medical malpractice, toxic tort, automobile negligence, premises liability, and New York State Labor Law cases. She is a member of the American Association for Justice, the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers, the New York State and Monroe Country Bar Associations, and the Greater Rochester Association of Women Attorneys. Carol has a peer review rating with the prestigious Martindale Hubble.

Areas of Law:
-Personal Injury
-Products Liability
-Medical Malpractice
-Toxic Torts
-Automobile Negligence
-Premises Liability
-New York State Labor Law
-Social Security Disability

Experience & Credentials:

Position:
Associate

Admission Details:
-Admitted in 1990, Massachusetts
-1991, New York

Law School Attended:
University of Massachusets
Class of 1984
B.A.

University Attended:
Northeastern University
Class of 1990
J.D.

Birth Information:
Born in 1961
Norwood, Massachusetts, May 6, 1961

Associations & Memberships:
Monroe County and New York State Bar Associations; American Association for Justice; New York State Trial Lawyers Association; Greater Rochester Association for Women Attorneys; Genesee Valley Trial Lawyers Association.

Northeastern University
Juris Doctorate, 1990

Julie S. Jordan

Attorney in Rochester, NY

Ms. Jordan focuses her practice on the litigation and trial of medical malpractice, mass and complex tort and toxic tort, premises liability, products liability and automotive negligence cases.

Ms. Jordan graduated cum laude from Syracuse University College of Law where she was an associate editor for the Syracuse University Journal of International Law and Commerce, and the American Bar Association's Journal, The Labor Lawyer. Ms. Jordan was also a member of the Moot Court Honor Society and National Trial Team. As a third year law student, Ms. Jordan competed in and won the Lionel O. Grossman Trial Competition and was awarded the Best Advocate Award for the final round of the competition. Upon graduation, Ms. Jordan was inducted into the Order of Barristers and was recognized in Who's Who Among American Law Students.

Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Jordan practiced for five years as an associate in the litigation department of Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP where she focused her practice on environmental litigation, as well as litigation of toxic exposure, medical malpractice, products liability, premises liability and defense and insurance coverage and risk management matters for private corporations, as well as for municipal entities.

Ms. Jordan's representative matters include litigation involving claims of environmental contamination, litigation of toxic exposure claims, including litigation of damp indoor environment, inadequate indoor air quality and mold claims, litigation of medical malpractice claims, including those involving injured children, and litigation of products liability claims, including those involving pharmaceuticals.

Ms. Jordan is a member of the American Association for Justice, the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers, the Monroe County and New York State Bar Associations, and the Greater Rochester Association for Women Attorneys.

Ms. Jordan focuses her practice on trial of complex personal injury matters, including medical malpractice, nursing home neglect and abuse, and products liability claims. She heads the firm's Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse Practice.

Ms. Jordan is a tireless advocate in New York State and federal courts for injured individuals and families. She has successfully resolved claims involving injuries suffered due to medical malpractice, negligent care and treatment, defectively designed and manufactured products, and defective premises. Ms. Jordan successfully litigated the case B.T.N. v. Auburn Enlarged City School District establishing case law that differential diagnosis is sufficient to establish causation of injuries in poor indoor air quality exposure cases.

Ms. Jordan graduated cum laude from Syracuse University College of Law where she was an associate editor for the Syracuse University Journal of International Law and Commerce, and the American Bar Association's Journal, The Labor Lawyer. Ms. Jordan was a member of the Moot Court Honor Society, Syracuse University's National Trial Team, and a former winner of the Law School's Lionel O. Grossman Trial Competition. Upon graduation, Ms. Jordan was inducted into the Order of Barristers and was recognized in Who's Who Among American Law Students.

Ms. Jordan was recognized by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star in the field of Plaintiff's Medical Malpractice in 2013. She is also a recipient of the Daily Record's 2010 Up and Coming Attorneys Award.

Additionally, Ms. Jordan has lectured at various seminar engagements for lawyers and medical professionals throughout New York State on topics involving medical malpractice, discovery and use of electronic medical information, and environmental law. She has co-authored a chapter in the second edition of the book, "Products Liability in New York: Strategy and Practice".

Ms. Jordan is a member of the American Association for Justice serving on its Public Affairs Committee and is also a member of the AAJ Nursing Home Neglect and Abuse Litigation Group. As part of her role on the Public Affairs Committee, Ms. Jordan advises Executives of AAJ on policies, legislation pending before congress and state legislatures that affect trial lawyers, and offers strategies on how to deal with it. She is also a member of the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers, the Monroe County and New York State Bar Associations, the Western New York Trial Lawyers Association, the Greater Rochester Association for Women Attorneys and the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care.

Areas of Law:
-Medical Malpractice
-Toxic Torts
-Automotive Negligence
-Premises Liability
-Products Liability

Experience & Credentials:

Position:
Associate

Admission Details:
Admitted in 2005, New York

Law School Attended:
Syracuse University College of Law
J.D.

Birth Information:
Born in 1979
Metairie, Louisiana, April 12, 1979

Syracuse University College of Law
Juris Doctorate,

Raul Emilio Martinez

Attorney in Rochester, NY

Over the years, Raul has belonged to numerous Monroe County Bar Association committees and has participated in seminar presentations regarding trial practice and personal injury litigation. He is committed to providing service to the poor. Currently, he is on the board of Volunteer Legal Services Project, an agency that coordinates free legal services for low income individuals and through VLSP, provides many hours of pro bono services. In addition, Raul tutors bi-lingual students in the Rochester City School District and is fluent in Spanish.

Raul's law practice in personal injury litigation spans over 20 years and covers the gamut of actionable claims in New York including Labor Law violations, medical malpractice, products liability, premises liability, and automobile liability. He has successfully litigated cases in trial and appellate courts all over Central and Western New York and has litigated in administrative proceedings, arbitrations and mediations. Raul approaches all of his cases with the assumption that each case will go to trial which he believes ensures that Faraci Lange clients obtain the maximum recovery possible.

Raul's experience as a trial attorney began in 1990 immediately after graduating Boston College Law School and accepting a position as an Assistant District Attorney at the Bronx County District Attorney's office in New York City. There, he jumped head first into the gritty world of criminal trial practice where he was constantly in the courtroom handling all manner of violent felony prosecutions.

In 1995, he left the Bronx and moved to Rochester to start his career in civil litigation and in 1997 joined one of Rochester's most prestigious firms, Chamberlain D'Amanda. His trial practice focused primarily on plaintiff's personal injury and involved litigation against individual tortfeasors as well as major national corporations. In 2003, Raul accepted a senior trial counsel position at One Beacon Insurance Company, an insurance liability carrier, where he conducted an insurance defense trial practice defending small to medium corporations and individuals against personal injury law suits. At One Beacon, Raul continued to pick juries, try cases and litigate in administrative proceedings, arbitrations and mediations. He also provided the company with insurance coverage opinions. Raul is listed under Insurance Law in Best Lawyers in America and was named Best Lawyers' Lawyer of the Year in Insurance Law in 2013. His work on behalf of One Beacon Insurance provided insight into the policy and decision making process of a large liability carrier which proved to be useful when he returned to a plaintiff's oriented personal injury practice.

Raul joined Faraci Lange in January 2009, returning to the representation of individuals who have suffered serious injuries. His current practice continues to encompass claims involving New York State Labor Law violations, medical malpractice, products liability, premises liability, and automobile liability. It is from his broad experience in personal injury litigation from the perspective of both plaintiff and defendant that he can provide sound judgment and counsel to Faraci Lange clients. His experience on both sides of personal injury litigation is one reason why he is regularly asked by plaintiff and defense attorneys to arbitrate personal injury disputes in binding arbitrations.

In support of his trial practice Raul has litigated in the appellate courts. His recent appellate successes include: Thompson v. 1241 PVR LLC, 104 A.D.3d 1298 (4th Dept. 2013) which affirmed summary judgment in a rare Labor Law 241(6) win for plaintiffs in the Appellate Division Fourth Department; Taylor v. Danrich Homes, 107 A.D.3d 1474(4th Dept. 2014) which affirmed summary judgment in a Labor Law 240(1) claim involving a worker who suffered multiple injuries in a fall from a ladder; and Herbst v. Lakewood Shores Condominium Association, 2013 NY App Div LEXIS 8675 in which he reversed a lower court decision that improperly dismissed the res ipsa loquitur case of a Faraci Lange client.

Areas of Law:
-Plaintiff Personal Injury
-Litigation

Experience & Credentials:

Position:
Associate

Admission Details:
-Admitted in 1991, New York
-1995, U.S. District Court, Western District of New York

Law School Attended:
Boston College Law School
Class of 1990
J.D.

University Attended:
State University of New York at Stony Brook
Class of 1987
B.A.

Birth Information:
Born in 1963
New York, New York, January 31, 1963

Languages:
Spanish

Associations & Memberships:
Monroe County Bar Association.

Hobbies & Interests:
Triathlons, snowboarding

Boston College Law School
Juris Doctorate, 1990

Kathryn K. Lee Bruns

Attorney in Rochester, NY

Katie joined Faraci Lange in 2007 and focuses her legal practice on personal injury litigation, including medical malpractice, wrongful death, product liability, premises liability, automobile negligence, and New York State Labor Law. She has extensive experience with all phases of civil litigation, including motion, trial and appellate practice and procedure.

After receiving her B.A. from the University of Minnesota, Katie earned her J.D., cum laude, from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law in 1997, where she was awarded the Robert J. Connelly Award for Excellence in Trial Technique and was selected for the Order of Barristers. During law school, she served as the Head Note and Comment editor of the Buffalo Law Review and was an active member of the Buffalo Moot Court and Jessup International Law Moot Court Boards.

Upon graduation, Katie completed a judicial clerkship with the New York State Appellate Division, Fourth Department, where she worked on a wide variety of civil and criminal appeals. After her appellate clerkship, she joined the Litigation Department of Nixon Peabody LLP, and later joined Ward Norris Heller & Reidy LLP, where her practice focused on all areas of civil defense litigation, including medical malpractice, premises liability, product liability, toxic tort, commercial and employment law.

In 2002, she accepted an appointment as confidential law clerk to the Hon. David G. Larimer, then Chief Judge for U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York. During her five years in Federal Court, Katie gained invaluable experience working closely with the Court in preparing for and deciding civil motions and cases involving a broad array of New York State and Federal Law, and assisting the Court with all phases of trials, including pre-trial motions, evidentiary issues, and drafting jury instructions and verdict sheets.

Katie is a member of the Greater Rochester Association for Women Attorneys (1998-present), and currently serves as the Co-Chair of the Women's Health Committee (2007-present). She is also a member of the New York State Bar Association (1998-present), the Monroe County Bar Association (1998-present; Lawyers for Learning Volunteer, 1998-2001), the New York State Trial Lawyers Association (2007-present), the American Association for Justice (2007-present), and the Rochester Inns of Court (1998-2005; Secretary, 2002-2004). Katie also serves as a fundraising volunteer for Camp DayDreams, a free education-based summer camp program for Rochester's underprivileged inner-city and at-risk youth.

Katie joined Faraci Lange in 2007 and focuses her personal injury practice on medical malpractice, wrongful death, product liability, vaccine injury, premises liability, automobile negligence, and New York State Labor Law. Katie also has a practice in Federal and State employment law, including handling claims of employees who have unpaid overtime and commissions. She has extensive experience with all phases of civil litigation, including motion, trial and appellate practice and procedure.

After receiving her B.A. from the University of Minnesota, Katie earned her J.D., cum laude, from the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law in 1997, where she was awarded the Robert J. Connelly Award for Excellence in Trial Technique and was selected for the Order of Barristers. During law school, she served as the Head Note and Comment editor of the Buffalo Law Review and was an active member of the Buffalo Moot Court and Jessup International Law Moot Court Boards.

Upon graduation, Katie completed a judicial clerkship with the New York State Appellate Division, Fourth Department, where she worked on a wide variety of civil and criminal appeals. After her appellate clerkship, she joined the Litigation Department of Nixon Peabody LLP, and later joined Ward Norris Heller & Reidy LLP (now Ward Greenberg Heller & Reidy LLP), where her practice focused on all areas of civil defense litigation, including medical malpractice, premises liability, product liability, toxic tort, commercial and employment law.

In 2002, she accepted an appointment as confidential law clerk to the Hon. David G. Larimer, then Chief Judge for U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York. During her five years in Federal Court, Katie gained invaluable experience working closely with the Court in preparing for and deciding civil motions and cases involving a broad array of New York State and Federal Law, and assisting the Court with all phases of trials, including pre-trial motions, evidentiary issues, and drafting jury instructions and verdict sheets.

Areas of Law:
-Personal Injury
-Medical Malpractice
-Wrongful Death
-Toxic Torts
-Products Liability
-Premises Liability

Experience & Credentials:

Position:
Associate

Admission Details:
Admitted in 1998, New York and U.S. District Court, Western District of New York