Audrey Medd Wins Motion to Dismiss in Connecticut Superior Court
Congratulations to our Senior Associate, Audrey Medd, for winning a Motion to Dismiss for one of our firm''s clients. Audrey appeared for oral argument in Connecticut Superior Court, Judicial District of New Haven before the Honorable Justice James Wilson Abrams where she successfully argued the motion in favor of our client.
Supporting Feeding America and City Harvest
So many are still dealing with food insecurity. Russo & Gould has made contributions to Feeding America and City Harvest this holiday season in honor of our clients and friends. Thank you for your support these past 25 years; we look forward to continuing to work together.
Alan Russo and Marie Castronuovo Discuss Social Inflation on AM Best Podcast
Partners Alan Russo and Marie Castronuovo joined AM Best''s John Czuba on Best''s November podcast. Alan and Marie talked about how social inflation is changing liability insurance, and how liability insurers and defense attorneys can combat tactics to reduce claim settlements.
Meet Terre Villani
Terre has been with Russo & Gould for 15 years, although she and Alan Russo met years before. They stayed in touch when Alan started the firm in 1996 and ten years later, Terre came on board. Terre is an accomplished trial lawyer having tried cases for the greater part of her career. In addition, she is a mediator in the New York State Supreme Court Commercial Division, a Special Master at Supreme Court of New York, Appellate Division 2nd Department and a mediator for the Supreme Court, Bronx County.
Partner Florina Altshiler Serving as Instructor for NITA's Trial Skills Program
Our partner Florina Altshiler is again serving as an instructor for NITA''s Trial Skills Program for Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA) and Legal Aid Association of California (LAAC). The program will run online November 1 - 4, 2021. Florina will present on Evidentiary Foundations on November 2 and will work with the participants to practice what they learn.
Talking with John Komar from His 100-Year Old Home
John has been with the firm since 2004. His trial practice encompasses transportation liability (both personal and commercial auto), labor law and construction liability, coverage claims and premises liability, with a particular focus on livery car and commercial motor vehicle defense. He has tried over 100 cases ending in verdicts, many in defense verdicts or damages awards well below the reserve. John attributes his success at trial to meticulous preparation. "I think of every case as if it''s going to trial, whether it is or not. That way, I can identify the issues that are pro and con to the defense and I know where to go and where not to go with research and investigation. It''s a better use of time and more economical for the client," he says.
Get to Know Marie Castronuovo
Marie Castronuovo handles New York Labor Law and premises liability cases through all phases of litigation, including discovery, making and arguing discovery motions and motions for summary judgment, negotiating and mediating settlements, trial, and appellate proceedings. "We handle the entire thing from soup to nuts," she says. She regularly defends insurance carriers and cleaning contractors in premises liability cases. She has extensive experience in New York Labor Law, defending corporations and contractors in construction site accident claims.
Alexandra Alvarez Wins Motion for Summary Judgment for ConEd and Other Defendants
Congratulations to Senior Associate Alexandra Alvarez for winning Motions for Summary Judgment for firm client, Con Edison and others. Alexandra appeared for oral argument before Justice Katherine Levine of the Supreme Court, 2nd Judicial District on September 15. She successfully argued the motions for ConEd, Verizon, Five Star Electric Corp. and the MTA/NYCTA.
Meet David Gould (and Grab a Slice)
David is a proud named partner of Russo & Gould LLP, a firm he's been with since 2002 and served as partner since 2007. As a trial attorney, David has tried more than 75 cases to verdict throughout New York, and has participated in more than 100 trials. Litigation is not the only path he looks for on behalf of his clients; he also heads Russo & Gould's Early Settlement Division and has settled hundreds of cases on behalf of insurance carriers and self-insured entities within 12 months of their inception. For the past 25 years, David has been an Adjunct Professor at the City University of New York, Queens College where he teaches courses such as Freedom of Speech, Trial Advocacy and Media Law and Ethics. Several of his former students have been hired as paralegals at the firm. He also lectures frequently for the National Business Institute continuing legal education series and has taught such courses as: Advanced Trial Tactics, Trial Skills Workshop, Mini Med School for Attorneys, Working with Experts and Using Medical Records to Prove Your Case.
David Gould and Josh Kardisch to Present on NBI's Mini Med School For Attorneys Program
David Gould and Josh Kardisch to Present on NBI''s Mini Med School For Attorneys Program Legal cases involving medical issues require a strong grasp of how the body functions, how injuries impede those functions and what the prognoses and treatments look like. Attorneys need to know how to effectively evaluate medical records, depose doctors and more. Russo & Gould's David Gould and Josh Kardisch are on the panel for this NBI CLE program on September 30, 2021.
Florina Altshiler Article Published in Stetson Journal of Advocacy and the Law
Florina Altshiler''s article, entitled "Employing Generally Accepted Scientific Principles to Address False Eyewitness Testimony Through Trial," Appears in the 2021 Stetson Journal of Advocacy and the Law.
Russo & Gould Welcomes Nima Baratzadeh
Please join us in welcoming Nima Baratzadeh to Russo & Gould. Nima has substantial litigation experience. He has worked in insurance defense for several years, after gaining valuable insight into the workings of opposing counsel during his tenure with a high-volume plaintiff''s personal injury firm. Nima started his legal career with the Chicago Public Defender''s Homicide Task Force.
Cecil Floyd Elevated to Partner
Please join us in congratulating our newest partner, Cecil Floyd! Cecil joined us in 2012, bringing his decades of experience to the firm. He focuses on the defense of general liability matters and works with a broad range of clients, including construction companies, property owners and managers, restaurants, trucking companies, product manufacturers, gas stations, bus companies, utilities and small businesses.
Audrey Medd Joins Russo & Gould
Russo & Gould is pleased to welcome Audrey D. Medd to the firm as a senior associate in our Hartford and Stamford, CT offices. A seasoned trial attorney, Audrey's practice covers all aspects of insurance defense in both Connecticut and New York, including motor vehicle accidents, premises liability and medical malpractice. Audrey has been practicing law since 2004. She has tried multiple cases to verdict in both New York and Connecticut and was even admitted pro hac vice upon request of a client to try a case in state Court in Nashua, New Hampshire.
David Gould Wins Trial - Nassau County Jury Renders A Unanimous Defense Verdict Finding That The Plaintiff Did Not Sustain A Serious Injury - Joseph Cataldo v. Irving Myones and Jason Myones, Index No.: 604616/17
On July 14, 2021, David Gould received a unanimous defense verdict in Nassau Supreme Court before Justice R. Bruce Cozzens. The plaintiff, a 31-year old physical education teacher claimed that he sustained torn meniscus as a result of a motor vehicle accident on January 24, 2015 in Bethpage New York involved defendant Jason Myones. The plaintiff underwent a left knee meniscectomy in June of 2017.
Helping Americans Facing Food Insecurity and Hunger
Russo & Gould is proud to support Feeding America, making a donation in the spirit of freedom and the Fourth of July holiday. Feeding America is helping many Americans, including United States military families, who face food insecurity and hunger. Our contribution will help provide meals to 1,000 families in need here in the United States.
Congratulations to Alexandra Alvarez
Congratulations to Alexandra Alvarez on getting a permanent stay of arbitration for our client, Progressive Insurance. Judge Elizabeth Taylor of the Supreme Court Bronx County granted Petitioner Progressive Insurance's request for a permanent stay of arbitration, so neither NYCM nor Christina Cousins, the former insured whose policy was canceled 39 days before the accident, were added as Additional Co-Respondents.
State of New York - Governor's Executive Orders and Chief Administrative Judge's Orders Related to Practice of Law In A Coronavirus Environment (Updated)
State of New York - Governor''s Executive Orders and Chief Administrative Judge''s Orders Related to Practice of Law In A Coronavirus Environment
Lee-David Weiner Wins in the Appellate Division
The Appellate Division First Department unanimously affirmed the lower Court''s decision which granted our client summary judgment. The Appellate Division determined that Vehicle and Traffic Law 1214 was violated when the passenger in plaintiff's parked car opened the passenger door into oncoming traffic when it was not safe to do so. The Court determined that the photographs submitted of the damage to our client''s bus was consistent with our client''s testimony that plaintiff''s passenger opened plaintiff''s car door and struck the middle of the bus while it was passing.
Lee-David Weiner Wins Summary Judgment on Behalf of Snow Removal Contractor
In Russo v. Lake Grove Owners, et al., Supreme Court Suffolk County, Index No: 003987/14, the plaintiff slipped and fell on ice on a walkway while exiting a store in a shopping plaza. Mr. Weiner successfully argued that our client did not owe a duty to the plaintiff, owed no duty under the terms of the snow removal contract with the owner of the shopping plaza and did not create the ice condition that caused plaintiff''s fall.