The media often calls upon our attorneys to comment on legal issues, topics and trends.

Below is a list of our various areas of practice, and a description of the relevant attorney’s expertise and
contact information.
To arrange an interview, please contact our Marketing Director
Mojgan Masuomi at mmasuomi@certilmanbalin.com or (516) 296-7087.

Law Firm Management Issues 

Howard M. Stein, Managing Partner (516) 296-7093

Bankruptcy / Debtor / Creditor Rights 

Jaspreet S. Mayall (516) 296-7061 
Partner Jaspreet S. Mayall focuses his practice as a litigator in bankruptcy proceedings and as counsel to trustees, debtors, secured and unsecured creditors. He is also involved in non-judicial workouts, construction litigation, and handles other commercial litigation matters. Mr. Mayall has had significant experience in trials and Appeals before New York’s State and Federal Courts. Mr. Mayall has had eight significant decisions in matters in which he was involved, published in the Bankruptcy Reporter and New York Supplemental Reporter. 

Judge Richard J. McCord (516) 296-7801 
Partner Richard J. McCord has an in-depth understanding of bankruptcy law, gained from 19 years of experience in many different roles. Since 1987, he has served as a Chapter 7 Panel Trustee for the United States Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of New York. He also served as a Chapter 13 Trustee for the United States Bankruptcy Court, Eastern District of New York from 1981 until 1992. He also has the unique perspective of the law
from the Bench, as the judge in charge of administrative duties for the City of Glen Cove, presiding over all phases of civil and
criminal proceedings. 

Commercial / Real Estate Litigation 

Thomas J. McNamara (516) 296-7057
Partner Thomas McNamara’s practice encompasses a broad range of commercial litigation, including issues related to banking, creditors’ rights, contracts, real estate, employment, trade secrets, estates, and insurance, as well as corporate, shareholder, partnership, and antitrust matters.
Mr. McNamara is recognized for his exceptional experience in banking and creditors’ rights litigation, and he is equally at home in state
and federal court. 

Jarrett Behar (516) 296-7843
Jarrett M. Behar is a Partner in our Litigation Practice Group and is based in our Hauppauge office. He has vast litigation experience in the areas of real estate, commercial lending, construction, general contractual disputes, land use, bankruptcy, intellectual property, professional liability defense matters and appellate practice in both federal and state courts. 

Banking / Commercial Lending 

David E. Herold (516) 296-7098 
David E. Herold, a Partner in Commercial Lending Group, concentrates his practice representing institutional lenders in financing multi-family and commercial properties and documenting credit facilities for Middle Market and Small Business Borrowers as well as Condominium Associations and Home Owners Associations. He has experience in a variety of lending transactions including fee and leasehold financing, mezzanine financing, and asset based and receivable financing. 

Brendan DeRiggi  (516) 296-7080
Partner Brendan DeRiggi practices in our Real Estate, Commercial Lending and Litigation Groups.  He represents buyers, sellers, lenders and borrowers in an array of commercial transactions. In commercial lending his specific emphasis is upon small business and middle-market loans, construction loans, leasehold financing and asset-based credit facilities.  

Condominium & Cooperative Law 

Richard Herzbach (516) 296-7006 
Partner Richard Herzbach concentrates his practice on condominium and cooperative law. Formerly, as an Assistant Attorney General of the State of New York, Mr. Herzbach served in the Real Estate Finance Bureau, the office responsible for the regulation of condominiums and cooperatives in the state. Mr. Herzbach is now an Adjunct Professor, teaching a course in condominium and cooperative law at Hofstra University School of Law. 

Corporate / Securities 

Brian Ziegler (516) 296-7046 
Partner Brian Ziegler concentrates his practice on corporate and securities law. Mr. Ziegler provides counsel to family businesses and to corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies in all areas of finance and mergers and acquisitions. Mr. Ziegler writes and lectures for professional associations on issues related to business organization. An active member of the Long Island community, Mr. Ziegler is the Village Justice of the Village of Woodsburgh. 

Fred Skolnik (516) 296-7048 
Partner Fred Skolnik focuses his practice on corporate and securities law and is a frequent lecturer on the topics. Mr. Skolnik serves the Nassau County Bar Association as Chair of the Corporation Law Committee and is a member of the Securities Law Committee. Mr. Skolnik’s practice relates primarily to the representation of publicly held corporations in connection with public and private financings, mergers and acquisitions and general corporate representation. 

Elder Law 

Gregory J. Pond (516) 296-7808 
Gregory J. Pond is Partner in the Trusts and Estates Practice Group at Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP. His unique litigation practice with a focus on estate litigation is a culmination of years of advising clients in matters related to the probate and administration of estates, small business transactions and real estate matters. Mr. Pond understands the complex legal, business and personal issues that arise in estate planning, especially those involving closely-held businesses and families concerned for the future of relatives with special needs. He knows the problems that may occur in estate administration and planning matters, having litigated on behalf of clients in the areas of contested wills, accountings and guardianship matters. 

Donna Turetsky (516) 296-7150

Donna Turetsky is a Partner in our Trusts and Estates and Elder Law Practice Groups.  She concentrates her practice on trust and estate administration, elder law, estate planning, special needs planning and guardianships. 

Environmental Law 

Barry S. Cohen (631) 979-3000 
With eighteen years of experience in the environmental law field, Partner Barry Cohen’s environmental law practice is multi-faceted. A significant portion of his practice is devoted to assisting clients in achieving compliance with environmental laws and regulations, and in representing members of the regulated community in matters commenced by the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation and local environmental and health agencies. Mr. Cohen has handled matters involving leaking underground storage tanks, air emissions, industrial discharges, community right-to-know reporting, the management and abatement of asbestos-containing materials and lead paint’s compliance-related practice, petroleum spills and the handling, storage, treatment and disposal of hazardous chemicals, hazardous waste and pesticides. Mr. Cohen also spends a substantial amount of time representing clients in connection with the investigation and remediation of contaminated properties, the redevelopment of those properties, and litigation commenced under the federal Superfund Law, the New York State Navigation Law, and other federal and state environmental statutes and theories. Mr. Cohen has also presented defendants in toxic tort litigation, including cases involving alleged exposure to solvents, asbestos, pesticides and mold. Another area of Mr. Cohen’s practice involves providing advice and litigating issues that arise under the State Environmental Quality Review Act. 

Estate & Tax Planning / Probate Law & Estate Administration 

Gregory J. Pond (516) 296-7808 
Gregory J. Pond is Partner in the Trusts and Estates Practice Group at Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP. His unique litigation practice with a focus on estate litigation is a culmination of years of advising clients in matters related to the probate and administration of estates, small business transactions and real estate matters. Mr. Pond understands the complex legal, business and personal issues that arise in estate planning, especially those involving closely-held businesses and families concerned for the future of relatives with special needs. He knows the problems that may occur in estate administration and planning matters, having litigated on behalf of clients in the areas of contested wills, accountings and guardianship matters. 

Donna Turetsky (516) 296-7150
Donna Turetsky is a Partner in our Trusts and Estates and Elder Law Practice Groups.  She concentrates her practice on trust and estate administration, elder law, estate planning, special needs planning and guardianships. 

Labor Relations 

Paul S. Linzer (516) 296-7182 
Partner Paul S. Linzer concentrates his practice on all aspects of public sector labor law litigation, and criminal defense litigation. He represents a variety of public sector labor unions and their membership, including County and Village-level Police unions, the supervisors’ union from the New York City Department of Corrections and the New York City firefighters’ union. He handles most labor counsel responsibilities for these unions, including their grievance arbitrations, improper labor practice proceedings, and all contract negotiations. Mr. Linzer also represents union members in Internal Affairs, disciplinary proceedings, or other internal or administrative investigations. 

Land Use 

J. Timothy Shea, Jr. (516) 296-7885
Timothy Shea, Jr., a Partner in our Real Estate Group and Land Use and Zoning Groups and is based in our Hauppauge office. In his real estate law practice, Mr. Shea concentrates on land use and zoning matters and real property litigation.   He represents clients in various jurisdictions who are seeking a variety of land use approvals, including Change of Zone, Zoning Board of Appeals and Planning Board. These clients range from local development companies to Fortune 500 companies and include solar array development, big box stores, multi-family developments, medical offices, commercial centers and industrial projects.  

Mediation

Donna-Marie Korth (516) 296.7095
Donna-Marie Korth is a Partner in our Coop/Condo and Litigation Practice Groups.  She handles the regulatory and compliance work for residential and commercial developments, and also litigates all aspects of commercial and real estate law, including banking and commercial foreclosure, and handles lending workouts.

Nonprofit/Tax Exempt/Religious Organizations 

David A. Goldstein (516) 296-7811 
David Goldstein is a member of the Nonprofit/Tax Exempt/Religious Organizations Practice Group at Certilman Balin Adler & Hyman, LLP, where he concentrates his practice in the area of not-for-profit law. Mr. Goldstein represents a range of national, regional and local not-for-profit and religious entities across a wide variety of nonprofit sectors. He is a member of the New York State Bar Association’s Not-for-Profit Corporations Law Committee. He counsels and advocates for not-for-profits and religious organizations in a wide variety of areas, including governance, regulatory matters, ethics and conflicts of interest, risk assessment, risk management, operations, disputes and litigation,
as well as commercial matters. 

Real Estate 

Howard M. Stein (516) 296-7093 
Partner Howard M. Stein concentrates on matters related to real property acquisitions, real estate finance, loan workouts, real estate transfer and mortgage tax issues and leasing. An adjunct professor of real estate law at Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center where he sits on the school’s board of visitors, Mr. Stein lectures extensively on issues relating to real estate law and is frequently quoted in the media. 

Real Property Tax Certiorari & Condemnation Law 

Allan Hyman (516) 296-7075 
Senior Partner M. Allan Hyman concentrates his practice on real estate tax certiorari and condemnation law. He has successfully obtained significant tax refunds and savings for clients during his 32-year professional career. Additionally, he has handled condemnation proceedings in New York and other jurisdictions that resulted in awards greatly in excess of initial offers to purchase made by condemning authorities. Mr. Hyman has lectured extensively in his field at Hofstra University School of Law, the Nassau County Bar Association Academy of Law, the Institute of Property Taxation, and the Columbia Society of Real Estate Appraisers. 

Bernard Hyman (516) 296-7073 
Senior and managing partner Bernard Hyman concentrates his practice in the area of real estate tax certiorari law and condemnation litigation. An authority on real estate valuation, Mr. Hyman lectures frequently on the subject of real estate tax relief. Recently, Newsday referred to him as one of the most influential figures in Long Island real estate. 

Telecommunications 

Jaspreet S. Mayall (516) 296-7061 
Jaspreet S. Mayall is a well known expert in the wireless industry having negotiated wireless contracts with every wireless carrier and manufacturer. He is regularly called upon to provide advice on wireless issues, is well versed on the Telecommunications Act of 1996, and has an in-depth understanding of the commercial and technological aspects of the telecommunications industry.