Michael Ponterio and I formed our law partnership in 1995. Now we are celebrating our 15 year anniversary. At that time, we had no way of knowing that fifteen years later our firm would become a leader in representing Western New Yorkers with claims for exposure to toxic substances and occupational disease.
In 1995, I was representing workers from different industries suffering from asbestosis, as well as about ninety retirees from the Goodyear plant in Niagara Falls, whose lifetime healthcare benefits were threatened by the company. Mike was already an accomplished trial lawyer, whose focus was on representing victims of mesothelioma, plaintiffs in medical malpractice cases, and other serious injury matters.
Mike grew up in the City of Tonawanda, and his grandfather worked at the Durez plant in North Tonawanda. I am from the City of Buffalo. While we are both very proud of the area’s rich industrial history, we are also keenly aware of the need to provide older workers with top-notch legal representation because of the legacy of contaminated workplaces, mostly as the result of the unregulated or poorly regulated use of asbestos in the decades following World War II. As our practice has grown, we have learned more and more about the numerous job sites throughout Western New York where industrial conditions were so contaminated with asbestos and other toxic substances that many retirees have subsequently become sick from a variety of occupational diseases.
Throughout the steady growth of our firm and expansion into such practice areas as childhood lead poisoning, our philosophy has not changed. Our attorneys effectively advocate for our clients. If you are injured as a result of negligence, you can call our office or send an inquiry through our website, and you will receive prompt and courteous service from our legal staff. We’re very proud to be celebrating our 15 year anniversary.
– John N. Lipsitz