Brainard Lawyers

Mrs. Gules-Guctas's primary practice area is immigration law involving employment-based immigrant and nonimmigrant petitions, labor certification, waivers, family-based immigration and asylum. Prior to starting her own practice she was employed as an Associate for the New York City firm of Akin & Smith, LLC and, before that as an Associate Attorney for the Sanli Karabiyik Law Offices. She has received her L.L.B from Istanbul University School of Law in 1999 and her Masters degree in political science from Brooklyn College of the City University of New York in 2005. She received her Master of Laws degree from Benjamin N....

I joined the Matrimonial and Family Law Department of McNamee Lochner P.C. in 2014. My practice is focused on Matrimonial Law, Family Court, Plaintiff's Personal Injury, and Civil Defense matters. With 20 years of experience, I am a skilled and accomplished civil litigator. Upstate New York Super Lawyers Magazine has honored me as a Super Lawyer for Family Law in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

In 1994, I received my B.B.A. from the University of Hartford. I earned my J.D. from Albany Law School of Union University in 1999. I am a member of the Capital District Women's Bar Association, Albany County...

“Rare indeed is the impressive dedication shown by an individual for the benefit of others that John K. Powers has displayed throughout his life”. Resolution of the New York State Legislature recognizing John’s lifetime of professional and community service, which includes: • Tirelessly representing and advocating for catastrophically injured individuals and their families for nearly 50 years; • Selection by his peers for 30+ years as one of "The Best Lawyers in America" in three separate areas of practice: “medical malpractice law”; “product liability litigation”; and “personal injury litigation”; • Being named “Lawyer of the Year” in the field of medical malpractice...

I am an Associate Attorney at E. Stewart Jones Hacker Murphy, LLP (www.joneshacker.com). I graduated from Albany Law School in 2014. While in school I worked as a clerk at Hacker Murphy, LLP and was offered post-graduate employment. We merged with The E. Stewart Jones Law Firm on January 1, 2015. While working in law school I was directly immersed in the full range of litigation, including commercial litigation,labor & employment and plaintiff's personal injury. I very well versed in all aspects of the above mentioned practice areas. As a newer attorney I have fewer personal clients...

Bruce J. Wagner practices exclusively in the field of matrimonial and family law, and represents clients in the negotiation and litigation of pre-nuptial agreements, separation and divorce. His areas of concentration include divorce; high net worth property cases; prenuptial agreements; interstate support; and international custody.

Bruce joined the firm in 1987, has been a principal since 1994, and chairs the firm's Matrimonial and Family Law Department. He also has a successful statewide appellate practice before the Appellate Divisions and the New York Court of Appeals. In January 2005, he began a two-year term as President of the American...

Dan is an accomplished trial lawyer with over a decade of experience devoted exclusively to litigating medical malpractice actions. He received his J.D. Magna Cum Laude from Syracuse University College of Law in 2010, where he was an Editor of the Law Review, and his B.A Summa Cum Laude in Philosophy from Syracuse University at Utica College in 2006. Dan served in the U.S. Marine Corps, achieving the rank of Sergeant and being decorated for achievement in 55 combat operations during deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has been admitted to practice law in New York State and the Northern...

Provide closing and title services to national and local banks, mortgage companies, loan officers, brokers, and consumers. Write deeds, search titles, prepare and process closing documents, disburse settlement funds, and execute closings. Landlord-tenant law. Analyze legal liability of businesses and implement crucial policies necessary to safeguard against potential legal claims. Form domestic and foreign corporations and other business entities. Prepare various legal disclaimers and contracts essential to protect businesses including but not limited to employee handbooks, confidentiality agreements, and corporate resolutions. Represent parties at school meetings, mediation sessions, and due process hearings. Civil litigation. Select constitutional law and discrimination cases...

Michael is a board certified commercial and consumer bankruptcy specialist (American Bankruptcy Board of Certification). He is admitted to the New York State Bar, as well as the United States District Court for the Southern, Eastern and Northern Districts of New York, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. His concentration of practice is in the representation of debtors and trustees in bankruptcy liquidations and reorganizations. Michael is the recipient of the President's Award for Pro Bono services, New York State Bar Association (1989, 1993 and 2007), and the Distinguished Service Award from the Legal Aid...

Max Smelyansky, who grew up in Bethlehem, graduated from Manhattan College earning a Bachelor of Science with a major in economics. He then graduated from the University of Baltimore School of Law, in Maryland. After graduating from law school, Max Smelyansky developed his law practice in Albany, specializing in Traffic Defense Law, Personal Injury Law, Landlord / Tenant Law, Family Law and Estate Planning Law.

Seasoned intellectual property attorney with 17 years of litigation experience, including 12 years exclusively to intellectual property enforcement and litigation in state and federal courts, including patent, copyright, trademark, unfair competition, and trade secret misappropriation matters.

Kevin O’Brien is highly passionate about fighting for the underdog in criminal defense law. He strongly believes that criminal defense attorneys have to be more skilled and better than the prosecutors. He understands that when his clients are charged with a crime, they are not just facing the assistant district attorney who is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government, but also all the resources of the U.S. government, including crime labs, investigators, police, and other governmental agencies. While nobody is able to match the endless resources that the government has to prosecute the case, he believes that his...

Practice is concentrated in commercial litigation

Michael is a highly accomplished trial attorney based in Upstate New York. A student leader at Harvard who distinguished himself through Army R.O.T.C., he served on active duty in the U.S. Army JAG Corps after earning his juris doctor degree from Syracuse University College of Law. Devoting his practice to representing injured individuals and families in catastrophic personal injury cases, Mike has secured multiple million-dollar verdicts across consecutive trials, demonstrating his exceptional skills and dedication. An active lecturer and member of various bar associations, Mike currently resides in Fayetteville with his wife and children.

Terry O’Connor is a 1980 graduate of St. Lawrence University, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and Omicron Delta Kappa. In pursuing his B.S. degree, he also attended the University of Copenhagen in Copenhagen, Denmark. Terry received his J.D. from the University of Notre Dame Law School in 1983. Terry is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell and was recently recognized by the Best Lawyers in America consumer guide. He has also been recognized as one of the top 50 upstate New York lawyers by Super Lawyers consumer guide. Terry is a trial lawyer who defends physicians, manufacturers and...

Prior to re-opening his office in the town of Coeymans, George served as General Counsel to Carver Companies, a group of closely held corporations and limited liability companies within upstate New York and Charleston, South Carolina.

Immediately before that, he served as a Federal Administrative Law Judge for the Social Security Administration.

He has extensive experience working in policy making positions at every level of government, including the local level, the state level, and the federal level, and served as the liaison between the Department of Defense and the American Bar Association from 2010 through 2011.

Military Experience

As a New York Army...

Terence E. Shanley attended Loyola University in Rome, Italy and graduated from the College of the Holy Cross. He received his law degree from Columbia University Law School. He is admitted to practice in all of the federal and state trial and appellate courts in New York State. He was a member of the Committee on Character and Fitness, New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Third Judicial Department. Mr. Shanley is a member of the Rensselaer County, Albany County, and New York State Bar Associations. In addition he has been member of the Collaborative...

Attorney James Linnan has taken more than 200 jury verdicts and was awarded the prestigious "Lawyer of the Year for Medical Malpractice in Albany" by Best Lawyers. We have represented thousands of injured people and have been involved in numerous high-profile state and federal trials. We have taken many of these cases to a verdict and have obtained verdicts and settlements in excess of $1 million in Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Construction Site Accidents and Motor Vehicle Accidents.

I am a very well-rounded practitioner. I have had extensive experience in the past with litigation and appeals both to the Appellate Division and the NY Court of Appeals. I have recently cut back on litigation and have concentrated my practice in wills, trusts, estates, estate planning, probate and elder law.

I am honest and fair in my charges. I am particular in what matters I take on and will not take on any and every matter that walks in my door. I expect cooperation and a positive attitude from my clients so that I may...

Fred Korkosz:

Admitted to practice in 1989
Winner of the Legal Aid Society of Northeastern NY's Distinguished Service Award, 2002
Former Secretary of American Immigration Lawyer's Association Upstate New York Chapter
Continuing Legal Education Lecturer for the New York State Bar Association