News & Updates 2014
C & G Attorneys Present 33 rd Annual Labor Law Update
Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP presented its 33 rd Annual Labor Law Update on October 14, 2014 at the Doubletree by Hilton in Binghamton, NY. Over 180 attendees were advised of recent decisions, regulations and other developments in Labor Law, including Family and Medical Leave Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Workers’ Compensation, OSHA, “Ban the Box”, wage and hour laws, social media and health care reform.
Presenters from the firm’s Labor and Employment Law Group included partners Joseph J. Steflik, Jr. (Co-Chair), Paul J. Sweeney (Co-Chair), Mary Lou Conrow and Lars Mead. Steven Wladis of The Wladis Companies, Inc. presented on the topic of “Increasing Health Care Costs and Your Employee Health Plan”.
Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP, which was founded in the 1890s, has grown to be a multi-service law firm, consisting of more than 40 lawyers and a professional support staff. The firm’s main office is located at 99 Corporate Drive, Binghamton. It has convenient branch offices located in Ithaca, Owego, Bainbridge, Hancock, Walton and Montrose, Pennsylvania.
C & G Attorneys Included in New York Super Lawyer Listing
Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP is proud to announce that Mark S. Gorgos, Paul J. Sweeney, Robert R. Jones, Beth E. Westfall, Jeffrey A. Brown, Scot G. Miller, Carl A. Kieper, Bruno Cloapietro, and Joseph J. Steflik have been included in the 2017 Upstate Edition of New York Super Lawyers. Only 5% of attorneys practicing in the Upstate New York region meet the criteria to be named to this prestigious list.
Rachel A. Abbott, Meiying Z. Austin, Brady L. Begeal, Keith A. Gorgos, Kristen K. Luce, Zachary D. Morahan and Nathan D. VanWhy and have also been named as 2017 Upstate New York Rising Stars.
New York Super Lawyers magazine publishes this list annually, and bases its evaluations on information gathered from a variety of sources, including peer recognition and professional achievement.
Mr. Gorgos, whose primary areas of practice include commercial transactions, education and municipal law, credit union law and creditor rights, has been with Coughlin & Gerhart since 1980 and currently serves as Managing Partner. Mr. Sweeney joined Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP in 1992, following active duty as a Marine Corps judge advocate. He is a member of the firm’s Management Committee and is chair of its Labor and Employment Group. He concentrates his practice in labor and employment law and commercial litigation. Mr. Jones joined Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP in 1990 and is a member of the firm’s Management Committee. He limits his practice to litigation, particularly in the areas of motor vehicle/construction site personal injury, estate litigation, gas & oil litigation, and theft of cable and satellite services. Mrs. Westfall joined Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP in 1986 and is chair of the firm’s Trusts and Estates Practice Group. She focuses her practice in the areas of estate planning and administration, elder law, municipal law, land use and zoning, and real estate transactions. Mr. Brown joined the firm in 1986 and practices in the areas of workers’ compensation law, Social Security Disability and insurance defense. Mr. Miller joined the firm in 2002 and practices in the areas of workers’ compensation, social security law and long term disability. Mr. Kieper joined Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP in 1984 and is past chair of the firm’s Public Law Practice Group, which provides representation to school districts, counties, towns, villages, emergency medical services, and fire districts. Mr. Kieper works closely with several Southern Tier school districts. Mr. Cloapietro joined the firm in 2016 and limits his practice to Family Law. Mr. Steflik joined Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP in 1999 and was a former chair of the firm’s Labor & Employment Group. He focuses his practice in the areas of labor, employment and construction law.
Ms. Abbott, a partner in the firm, focuses her practice in the area of plaintiff’s litigation. Mr. Begeal, a partner with the firm and chair of its Business and Banking Practice Group, focuses his practice in the area of business and banking law and municipal law. Mr. Keith Gorgos, an associate with the firm, focuses his practice in the area of litigation and business and banking law. Ms. Luce, a partner with the firm, practices in the areas of estate planning, trusts and estates administration, real estate transactions and oil and gas law. Mr. Morahan is an associate with the firm and focuses his practice in the area of energy and resource law and trusts and estates law and Mr. VanWhy is an associate with the firm and focuses his practice in the area of business/corporate and municipal law.
Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP, which was founded in the 1890’s, has grown to be a multi-service law firm, consisting of more than 50 lawyers and a professional support staff. The firm’s main office is located at 99 Corporate Drive, Binghamton. It has convenient branch offices located in Bainbridge, Cortland, Hancock, Ithaca, Owego, Walton and Montrose, Pennsylvania.
Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP, which was founded in the 1890s, has grown to be a multi-service law firm, consisting of more than 40 lawyers and a professional support staff. The firm’s main office is located at 99 Corporate Drive, Binghamton. It has convenient branch offices located in Ithaca, Owego, Bainbridge, Hancock, Walton and Montrose, Pennsylvania.
Second Circuit Issues Recent Decision on Force Majeure Asserted by Energy Companies in Oil & Gas Leases
The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has certified two questions for the New York State Court of Appeals in a Force Majeure case being handled by the attorneys at Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP, finding that the case raises significant and novel questions of New York oil & gas law.
In this lawsuit, the lawyers of Coughlin & Gerhart represent landowners against three energy companies on the issue of whether the term of expired oil & gas leases can be extended by Force Majeure due to the moratorium on high-volume hydrofracking in New York. The trial court, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York, had previously ruled in favor of our landowner clients
, concluding that the leases cannot be extended; the energy companies appealed. This Second Circuit decision was rendered in connection with that appeal. Coughlin & Gerhart and its landowner clients are now waiting for the NYS Court of Appeals to determine whether they will accept the offer to decide the certified questions. A copy of the Second Circuit’s July 31, 2014 decision in the case, Beardslee v. Inflection Energy, LLC, is available here.
Coughlin & Gerhart‘s team of litigation and oil & gas attorneys are being led in this precedent-setting case by Robert R. Jones and Peter H. Bouman, who are based out of our law firm’s Binghamton, New York office.
Coughlin & Gerhart Partner Presents at Southern Tier Nursery & Landscape Association Seminar
On Wednesday, March 5, Coughlin & Gerhart Partner Joseph J. Steflik, Esq. presented at the Southern Tier Nursery & Landscape Association Education Day & Trade Show. The seminar, which served to educate horticulture professionals, took place at the Treadway Inn & Conference Center in Owego, NY. Mr. Steflik, who concentrates his law practice in the areas of labor, employment, and construction law, presented information on the topic of home improvement contracts. Such issues covered by Mr. Steflik included home improvement contract provisions, fraud, and violations/penalties, together with developments in federal and state safety and wage regulations.
Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP, has a main office at 99 Corporate Drive in Binghamton and has been serving the Southern Tier since the 1890s. Today, they are a multi-service law firm consisting of more than 40 lawyers and a large professional support staff. In addition to their main office, Coughlin & Gerhart has branch offices in Ithaca, Owego, Bainbridge, Hancock, Montrose, and Walton.
Coughlin & Gerhart Announces Two New Partners
Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP, is pleased to announce that Kristen K. Luce and Robert H. McKertich became partners in the firm effective January 1, 2014.
Ms. Luce joined Coughlin & Gerhart in 2007, and concentrates her practice in the areas of estate planning, trust and estate administration, guardianships, adoptions, litigated estate matters, real estate and oil and gas law. She is a member of the New York State Bar Association and the Broome County Bar Association. She is on the Board of Directors for the Mothers and Babies Perinatal Network and is a member of the Owego Rotary. She has been selected for inclusion in Rising Stars Edition 2013 among New York lawyers for estate planning in the magazine.
Mr. McKertich joined Coughlin & Gerhart in 2009. His practice is concentrated in land use and zoning law, environmental law, oil and gas law, municipal law, and education law. Mr. McKertich has a background in courtroom litigation and is experienced in practicing before federal, state and local administrative agencies. He was selected for inclusion in Rising Stars Edition 2013 among New York lawyers for municipal law in magazine.
Coughlin & Gerhart has a main office at 99 Corporate Drive in Binghamton and has been serving the Southern Tier since the 1890s. Today, they are a multi-service law firm consisting of more than 40 lawyers and a professional support staff. In addition to their main office, Coughlin & Gerhart has branch offices in Ithaca, Owego, Bainbridge, Hancock, Walton and Montrose.
C & G Attorneys Named to Upstate New York Super Lawyers Listing
Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP proudly announces that Mark S. Gorgos has been recognized as one of only 50 Top Upstate New York Super Lawyers.
The Firm is also proud to announce that in addition to Mr. Gorgos, Paul J. Sweeney, Robert R. Jones, Carl A. Kieper, Joseph J. Steflik, Beth E. Westfall, Jeffrey A. Brown and Scot G. Miller have been included in the 2016 Upstate Edition of New York Super Lawyers. Only 5% of attorneys practicing in the Upstate New York region meet the criteria to be named to this prestigious list.
Rachel A. Abbott, Brady L. Begeal, Keith A. Gorgos, Kristen K. Luce, Ryan L. McCarthy, Brian T. Sadonis and Edward O. Sweeney and have also been named as 2016 Upstate New York Rising Stars.
New York Super Lawyers magazine publishes this list annually, and bases its evaluations on information gathered from a variety of sources, including peer recognition and professional achievement.
Mr. Gorgos, whose primary areas of practice include commercial transactions, education and municipal law, credit union law and creditor rights, has been with Coughlin & Gerhart since 1980 and currently serves as Managing Partner. Mr. Sweeney joined Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP in 1992, following active duty as a Marine Corps judge advocate. He is a member of the firm’s Management Committee and is co-chair of its Labor and Employment Group. He concentrates his practice in labor and employment law and commercial litigation. Mr. Jones joined Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP in 1990 and is a member of the firm’s Management Committee. He limits his practice to litigation, particularly in the areas of motor vehicle/construction site personal injury, estate litigation, gas & oil litigation, and theft of cable and satellite services. Mr. Kieper joined Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP in 1984 and is past chair of the firm’s Public Law Practice Group, which provides representation to school districts, counties, towns, villages, emergency medical services, and fire districts. Mr. Kieper works closely with several Southern Tier school districts. Mr. Steflik joined Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP in 1999 and is co-chair of the firm’s Labor & Employment Group. He focuses his practice in the areas of labor, employment and construction law. Mrs. Westfall joined Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP in 1986 and is chair of the firm’s Trusts and Estates Practice Group. She focuses her practice in the areas of estate planning and administration, elder law, municipal law, land use and zoning, and real estate transactions. Mr. Brown joined the firm in 1986 and practices in the areas of workers’ compensation law, Social Security Disability and insurance defense. Mr. Miller joined the firm in 2002 and practices in the areas of workers’ compensation, social security law and long term disability.
Ms. Abbott, a partner in the firm, focuses her practice in the area of plaintiff’s litigation. Mr. Begeal, an associate with the firm, focuses his practice in the area of business and banking law and municipal law. Mr. Keith Gorgos, an associate with the firm, focuses his practice in the area of litigation and business and banking law. Ms. Luce, a partner with the firm, practices in the areas of estate planning, trusts and estates administration, real estate transactions and oil and gas law. Mr. McCarthy, an associate with the firm, focuses his practice in the areas of estate planning, trusts and estates administration and real estate transactions. Mr. Sadonis, an associate with the firm, focuses his practice in the areas of litigation, bankruptcy and foreclosure work. Mr. Edward Sweeney is an associate with the firm and focuses his practice in the area labor and employment and commercial litigation.
Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP, which was founded in the 1890’s, has grown to be a multi-service law firm, consisting of 45 lawyers and a professional support staff. The firm’s main office is located at 99 Corporate Drive, Binghamton. It has convenient branch offices located in Ithaca, Owego, Bainbridge, Hancock, Walton and Montrose, Pennsylvania.
C & G Attorneys Included in Super Lawyer Listing
Coughlin & Gerhart, L.L.P. is proud to announce that Mark S. Gorgos, Paul J. Sweeney,
Robert R. Jones, Carl A. Kieper, Joseph J. Steflik and Beth E. Westfall, have been included in the 2015 Upstate Edition of New York Super Lawyers. Only 5% of attorneys practicing in the Upstate New York region meet the criteria to be named to this prestigious list. Rachel A. Abbott, Brady L. Begeal, Keith A. Gorgos, Kristen K. Luce and Ryan L. McCarthy and have also been named as 2015 Upstate New York Rising Stars.
New York Super Lawyers magazine publishes this list annually, and bases its evaluations on information gathered from a variety of sources, including peer recognition and professional achievement.
Mark Gorgos, whose primary areas of practice include commercial transactions, education and municipal law, credit union law and creditor rights, has been with Coughlin & Gerhart since 1980 and currently serves as Managing Partner. Mr. Sweeney joined Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP in 1992, following active duty as a Marine Corps judge advocate. He is a member of the firm’s Management Committee and is co-chair of its Labor and Employment Group. He concentrates his practice in labor and employment law and commercial litigation. Mr. Jones joined Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP in 1990 and is a member of the firm’s Management Committee. He limits his practice to litigation, particularly in the areas of motor vehicle/construction site personal injury, estate litigation, gas & oil litigation, and theft of cable and satellite services. Mr. Kieper joined Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP in 1984 and is past chair of the firm’s Public Law Practice Group, which provides representation to school districts, counties, towns, villages, emergency medical services, and fire districts. Mr. Kieper works closely with several Southern Tier school districts. Mr. Steflik joined Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP in 1999 and is co-chair of the firm’s Labor & Employment Group. He focuses his practice in the areas of labor, employment and construction law. Mrs. Westfall joined Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP in 1986 and is chair of the firm’s Trusts and Estates Practice Group. She focuses her practice in the areas of estate planning and administration, elder law, municipal law, land use and zoning, and real estate transactions.
Ms. Abbott, a partner in the firm, focuses her practice in the area of plaintiff’s litigation. Mr. Begeal, an associate with the firm, focuses his practice in the area of business and banking law and municipal law. Mr. Keith Gorgos, an associate with the firm, focuses his practice in the area of litigation and business and banking law. Ms. Luce, a partner with the firm, practices in the areas of estate planning, trusts and estates administration, real estate transactions and oil and gas law and Mr. McCarthy, an associate with the firm, focuses his practice in the areas of estate planning, trusts and estates administration and real estate transactions.
Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP, which was founded in the 1890’s, has grown to be a multi-service law firm, consisting of more than 40 lawyers and a professional support staff. The firm’s main office is located at 99 Corporate Drive, Binghamton. It has convenient branch offices located in Ithaca, Owego, Bainbridge, Hancock, Walton and Montrose, Pennsylvania.