Growing up in a community where public service was encouraged, my own commitment began as a youngster with my active involvement in Boy Scouts at Troop 104 in Kenmore.  The values and commitment to helping others continued with service in my Church, my service as a volunteer firefighter and with my good fortune in sitting on several non-profit boards, including the NYS Fire Academy FSA and most recently the Fireboat E.M. Cotter Conservancy, whose mission is to promote the operation, maintenance and restoration of the Edward M. Cotter fireboat in Buffalo, the world’s oldest operational fireboat.

 

After completing a bachelor of arts in philosophy and while working on a masters degree in American constitutional history, I fell in love with the law and am a proud graduate of the Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School where I participated in and received awards in mock trial and client counseling competitions.

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As an active firefighter-EMT and fire officer, I gained first-hand experience in the delivery of emergency services to the public. I have also served as a fire-service and EMS educator, including development and delivery of recruit firefighter training, instructor and officer education, and training program management as well as fire district commissioner training programs. I have been privileged to have authored articles for fire journals and have delivered training at national firefighting and instructor conferences, as well as instructing fire science students at the college level.

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My practice of law over the last 30-plus years has been a broad combination of litigation, business and corporate law, non-profit and municipal work.  Being able to combine my love of the law and the fire service has been a unique experience and guides my work in advising and representing fire and emergency service agencies throughout New York State every day.