1/31/08 Gary Maas, Susan
Benz and Brian Gwitt Named Damon & Morey Partners
BUFFALO, N.Y. – Damon & Morey LLP is pleased to announce that Gary R.
Maas, Susan A. Benz and Brian D. Gwitt have been
named Partners.
Gary Maas
concentrates his practice in the areas of health law, tax exempt bond
transactions and finance. He is a member of the Business & Corporate
and Real Estate & Banking Department, and a member of the Health Care
Practice Group.
Within the
health care field, Mr. Maas focuses on finance and development of
health care projects, mergers and acquisitions in both the for-profit
and not-for-profit arenas, fraud and abuse, anti-trust and other
compliance issues. Much of his litigation experience is in the areas
of construction contract, development and eminent domain law. Much of
his litigation experience is in the areas of construction contract,
development and eminent domain law.
He is a
member of the Bar Association of Erie County and the New York State
Bar Association.
Mr.
Maas received his BA, with honors, from Union College and his JD, cum
laude, from Suffolk University.
Co-chair of the firm’s Health Care Practice Group, Susan Benz
is a member of the firm’s Business & Corporate Department.
Her health care practice focuses on
regulatory, reimbursement, and compliance matters. Ms. Benz represents
skilled nursing facilities, home health agencies, assisted living and
adult care facilities, hospices, pharmacies, emergency transportation
providers, and health care professionals. She also represents
not-for-profit organizations that provide services to individuals with
developmental disabilities and behavioral health issues.
Ms. Benz received her Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in 1981
from Harpur College, University of Binghamton, and her J.D. degree in
1986 from Northeastern University School of Law in Boston,
Massachusetts.
Ms. Benz is admitted to practice in New York, Massachusetts,
Vermont and before the United States Supreme Court. She is a member of
the American Health Lawyers Association, the Health Law Section of the
New York State Bar Association and the Health Care Law Committee of
the Bar Association of Erie County. Ms. Benz is also a member of the
Western New York Chapter of the Women’s Bar Association of the State
of New York.
A frequent lecturer, Ms. Benz has also authored numerous articles
on health law issues. In 2007, she was named to Business First
of Buffalo's "Who's Who in Law List".
Brian Gwitt
practices in the
Business Litigation and Insolvency
Department. His practice focuses on business and commercial
litigation, including contract disputes, Uniform Commercial Code,
corporate governance, intellectual property/trade secret litigation,
bankruptcy litigation, real estate litigation, and debtor/creditor
matters. A large part of Mr. Gwitt’s practice involves handling
critical matters for businesses, including seeking/defending against
temporary restraining orders and preliminary injunctions, and handling
other forms of emergency relief.
He is a member of the American Bar Association, New York State Bar
Association and the Bar Association of Erie County. He is admitted in
the United States District Courts for the Southern and Western
Districts of New York and the United States Bankruptcy Court for the
Western District of New York.
A frequent lecturer on business litigation, trial and procedural
issues, Brian has authored many articles including: “UCC § 1-102(c):
Under Certain Circumstances, It Might Make Out-of-State Commercial
Decisions Controlling Precedent”, UCC Bulletin, September 2001,
and “Section 2-716 And The ‘Liberalized` Remedy of Specific
Performance”, UCC Bulletin, March 2004.
Prior to joining Damon & Morey, Mr. Gwitt was a partner at the law
firm Ice Miller LLP, located in Indianapolis. He was also an attorney
advisor to the Honorable Michael B. Thornton of the United States Tax
Court in Washington, D.C.
Mr. Gwitt received his B.A., summa cum laude, in Political Science
and Pre-Law from the State University of New York at Fredonia, and his
J.D., magna cum laude, from the State University of New York at
Buffalo School of Law.
Founded
ninety-one years ago, Damon & Morey LLP is a full-service law firm
calling on the knowledge and experience of eighty-four attorneys. The
firm’s major areas of practice include Business and Corporate Law,
Business Litigation and Insolvency, General Litigation, Healthcare,
Labor & Employment, Probate, Trust, & Estate, and Real Estate &
Banking. Employing nearly two hundred people in Western New York, the
firm currently maintains four offices - Buffalo (firm headquarters),
Clarence, Batavia and Rochester. For complete information, visit the
firm’s web site at www.damonmorey.com.
1/15/2008
Attorney John "Mr. Cornell" Kirschner Dies at Age 81
October 6, 1927 - January 13, 2008
John L. Kirschner served as Of Counsel
practicing in Damon & Morey's Corporate and Real Estate Departments.
His legal practice focused on the areas of real estate and condemnation
law. Previously, he served as a senior partner at Saperston & Day and
as of counsel at Hiscock & Barclay.
He was an active member of the New York
and Erie County Bar Associations. In April of 2007, John
was selected as the recipient
of the Bar Association of Erie County's Charles H. Dougherty Civility
Award.
Known throughout Western New York, John
was actively involved with many charitable organizations. He served
on numerous organizations' boards including Child and Adolescent
Treatment Services, Buffalo Prep, and the Arthritis Foundation of
Western New York. In addition, John held volunteer leadership roles
for the United Way, Catholic Charities, the Diabetes Association, and
Canisius High School. He also served as a past president of the Erie
County Bar Foundation and the Central Referral Service.
A native of Lowville, New York, John was
a World War II veteran who served in the United States Army from
1945-1947 (Caribbean Defense Command and Panama Canal Zone).
He went on to received his undergraduate
degree in economics from Cornell in 1951 and his law degree from Cornell
Law School in 1953.
"Mr. Cornell", as he was known, was
honored on numerous occasions by the University. Most notably, he was
awarded Cornell's prestigious Frank H. T. Rhodes Exemplary Alumni
Service Award in 2002, the title of Foremost Benefactor of Cornell in
1998, and the honor of lifetime member of the University Council in
1996. Active in Cornell admissions for over fifty years, John was an
ardent ambassador for the University. Feeling that financial support
for students was essential, he was an enthusiastic fundraiser. He
chaired the Mabel Merritt Scholarship Committee in Buffalo for many
years.
His other Cornell activities included a
variety of leadership roles for the Cornell Club of Buffalo and The Law
School's Dean's Advisory Council. He was a past president of the Law
School Alumni Association, a member of the Cornell Law Quarterly and the
College of Human Ecology's Advisory Council. As a member of the
Cornell University Council, John also served on the Arts Council, the
Real Estate Council, and the National Estate Affairs Committee.
As a charter member of the Real Estate
Council, he helped create the first courses ever offered in that
specialty. Over the years, the program has continued to grow, and now,
the university offers an advanced degree in this area.
John was a long time member of the
Buffalo Club who also served as a past director.
John is survived by Mary Alyce (Blanco),
his wife of forty years, his step-daughter, Logan Blanco of
Charlottesville, Virginia, 2 cousins, and numerous nieces, nephews,
grandchildren, great-nieces and great-nephews.
Calling hours will be held at Amigone
Funeral Home (1132 Delaware Ave.) on Friday, January 25th from 2-5 pm
and 7-9 pm. Funeral Services will be held at the Blessed Sacrament
Church (1035 Delaware Ave.) on Saturday, January 26th at 10 am. Mr.
Kirschner will be laid to rest at Mount Olivet Cemetery and Mausoleum in
Kenmore.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations
may be made in John's name to the
Erie County Bar
Foundation and the
Cornell Law School Foundation.
