Hodgson Russ LLP

Hodgson Russ Partner Jeffrey Stravino is presenting at the Bar Association of Erie County’s U.S. Supreme Court Review & Preview this Friday, November 1. Jeff will be a part of the Civil Panel and discuss the Supreme Court overturning the Chevron doctrine. Click the link below to register. https://bit.ly/4hlZhFk #BAEC #SupremeCourt #ChevronDoctrine

Hodgson Russ is a co-sponsor of “Ink & Insight: 20 Years of Adam Zyglis Cartoons,” the new exhibit at the Buffalo History Museum. Adam is a Pulitzer Prize winning cartoonist for The Buffalo News. On opening night (October 18), the museum hosted a Q&A session with Adam in its auditorium. Hodgson Russ Partner Jeffrey Stravino is a board member for the History Museum and delivered remarks before the event. Elizabeth Licata of The Buffalo News asked Adam questions and then moderated the Q&A session. The auditorium was packed! After the Q&A,everyone had a chance to check out the exhibit, which is in the recently renovated basement area of the Museum. Attendees pictured left to right include Richelle Kloch, Cheyenne Freely, Jeffrey Stravino, Adam Zyglis, Trey Gardner, Elizabeth Herle, Aravind Herle, Allison Stravino, Kate Sellers. Thank you to everyone who attended! Learn more about the exhibit at the link below. https://lnkd.in/ezNBHyEz #BuffaloHistoryMuseum #AdamZyglis #PulitzerPrize #Cartoonist

In today's dynamic immigration landscape, mastering the complexities of TN classification is essential for practitioners. On December 5, Hodgson Russ Partner David Wilks is scheduled to speak at an American Immigration Lawyers Association seminar, “Navigating TNs: Unlocking the Pathway to Cross-Border Professional Success.” He and other presenters will offer a deep dive into regulatory standards, address profession-specific challenges, provide expert tips for seamless port of entry (POE) experiences, compare Canadian and Mexican TN intricacies, and emphasize TN classification as a strategic solution for corporate clients seeking alternatives to the H-1B visa. This is an intermediate level seminar. CLE credit is available for live participants. Register at the link below. https://bit.ly/3UogFiG #TNclassification #AILA #H1BVisa #CorporateImmigration #CrossBorder

Congratulations to our seven law clerks who recently passed the New York State Bar Exam! Michael Boncardo, Rachel Golden, Ryan Hughes, Jane Kent, Gavin Mead, Ceara Mercilliott, and Daniel Pszonak will all be sworn in to the Bar in the coming months. We’d also like to congratulate Katherine (Kat) Fierle on passing the Bar and being sworn in this past February! We are so proud of all of you and can’t wait to see what you accomplish at the firm. #NYSBarExam #NYSBar #PasstheBar

As counsel for a large, regional supermarket chain, Hodgson Russ Partner Marissa Vitagliano Coheley convinced an administrative law judge and the Commissioner of the New York State Department of Health (“Department”) to dismiss all charges stemming from 32 separate Department inspections of the client’s fuel kiosks. Over the course of 17 months (October 2020 to February 2022), Department inspectors observed tobacco products for sale at 17 fuel kiosks owned by the client. The fuel kiosks are located on the same property as the client’s supermarkets with pharmacy departments but are entirely separate buildings. The Department claimed that the sales violated New York State Public Health Law § 1399-mm-2 (“the law”) prohibiting the sale of tobacco products in pharmacies or retail establishments that contain a pharmacy as a department. The Department claimed that the client’s supermarkets with a pharmacy department and the adjacent fuel kiosks constituted a single “retail establishment” under the law. The Department sought a $2,000 fine for each violation and for the client to immediately discontinue sales of tobacco at fuel kiosks on the client’s properties where supermarkets with in-store pharmacies were also located. Marissa argued that the client did not violate the law because its fuel kiosks are not retail establishments containing “a pharmacy operated as a department” as defined by the law. The fuel kiosks are separate establishments evidenced by the fact that they were not included in either the floor plans for the pharmacy area or the overall retail establishment included with the client’s pharmacy applications. Because the client’s pharmacy departments are not in the same retail establishment as the fuel kiosks selling tobacco products, Marissa argued the Department’s interpretation of the law was not reasonable. An administrative law judge ruled in favor of the client, the order was confirmed by the Commissioner of Health, and all charges against the client were dismissed.

Congratulations to Michael Hecker, Charles H. Kaplan, and Mark Klein for being ranked in the 2024 Edition of New York Metro Super Lawyers and to Richard Slavin for being ranked in the 2024 Edition New York Metro Rising Stars. Super Lawyers annually compiles state- and region-specific top lawyers lists based on the results of a comprehensive, multistage selection process that includes peer nominations and evaluations, and independent research. Mike was recognized for his work in Environmental Law, Charles for Employment Litigation (Defense), Mark for Tax Law, and Rich for his work in Real Estate. #SuperLawyers #NewYork #NewYorkMetro #MetroLawyers #EnvironmentalLaw #EmploymentLitigation #TaxLaw #RealEstate #RealEstateLaw

A new edition of New York Employment Law, co-authored by Hodgson Russ Partner Joshua Feinstein, is now available. Josh, along with senior associate Andrew Drilling and associate Thomas Grenke, reviewed recent developments in New York law which primarily affect anti-discrimination law, along with rules around employee leave, reductions in force, and protected speech and privacy. The three utilized updates the Hodgson Russ Labor and Employment attorneys provide to clients as jumping points for revisions. Over the years, several members of the L&E team have assisted in keeping the information up to date. Explore the new edition by following the link: https://bit.ly/4fc9D8K #NewYorkEmploymentLaw #ALM #EmploymentLawDevelopments

Hodgson Russ Partner Catherine B. Eberl was elected to The American College of Trust and Estate Counsel (ACTEC) during the College’s 2024 Fall Meeting in Chicago. She joins 31 other experienced trust and estate attorneys who bring a wealth of experience and knowledge to ACTEC. Partners Peter Brevorka and Thomas J. Collura are also ACTEC members. To read the full article, click the link below. https://bit.ly/48dPUmM Congratulations Catherine! #ACTEC #TrustandEstate

On Friday, October 25, Jennifer Brevorka, Q. Arb. will present “Effective arbitration advocacy amid parallel criminal proceedings” at the ADRIC National Convention in Toronto. She will examine effective approaches for counsel in such cases, focusing on how lawyers can execute a multifaceted legal strategy that advances a client’s aims in arbitration and parallel criminal matters. To register for the conference, click the link below. https://bit.ly/3BXIwzP #ADRICNationalConference #ADRIC #ARDInstituteofCanada #Arbitration

An OSHA Alert from Hodgson Russ: https://bit.ly/4dLUJoI #OSHA #OSHAViolations #WorkplaceHazards #WorkplaceSafety #OSHACompliance #HealthandSafety #TopTen