Category Archives: Legal / Law: Criminal Law

Criminal Law is a growing field of practice, keep up to date on the current Laws and changing regulations. Follow our Press Release Feeds.

Four Ivey, Barnum & O’Mara Lawyers Named to 2019 Super Lawyers and 2019 Super Lawyers Rising Stars Lists


Attorneys Stephen G. Walko, Andrea C. Sisca, Stephen M. Napier and Taylor Equi Greenwich CT.

Attorneys Stephen G. Walko, Andrea C. Sisca, Stephen M. Napier and Taylor Equi

Greenwich, CT law firm Ivey, Barnum & O’Mara, LLC announced that four of its attorneys have been named among the top attorneys in the state for 2019 by Super Lawyers. Stephen G. Walko, Andrea C. Sisca and Stephen M. Napier, all Partners at the firm were selected to Super Lawyers, for consecutive years. Taylor Equi was selected to the Super Lawyers Rising Stars list, for the third year running.

Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The annual selections are made using a patented multiphase process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates and peer reviews by practice area. Selections are made on an annual, state by state basis.

About Stephen G. Walko – Recognized as CT Super Lawyer, 2015-2019

Stephen Walko focuses his practice in the areas of civil and commercial litigation, real estate and employment law. Mr. Walko, a third-generation resident of Greenwich, takes a hands-on approach regarding all aspects of litigation from pleadings, discovery and motions, through both trial and appeals. He handles matters including real estate title claims, construction disputes, securities fraud, business disputes, zoning appeals and Will contests. Mr. Walko also serves as local counsel for national law firms.

In 2008, Governor Rell appointed Mr. Walko to serve as a Public Member of the State Board of Mediation and Arbitration. In 2011, Mr. Walko was appointed by the Connecticut Neutral Arbitrators’ Selection Committee to serve on the Panel of Neutral Arbitrators until his resignation. From 2008 – 2011, he served as Chairman of the Greenwich, CT Board of Estimate and Taxation. He has also served as Chairman of the Budget Overview Committee of the Representative Town Meeting and as Chairman of the Republican Town Committee. From 2011 – 2013, Mr. Walko served as a State Representative in the Connecticut General Assembly, representing the 150th District, Greenwich’s shoreline. He is currently the Chairman of the New Lebanon School Building Committee, overseeing a $37 million dollar new school construction project.

About Andrea C. Sisca – Recognized as CT Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2016-2019

Andrea Sisca focuses her practice on civil and commercial litigation, including real estate, contracts, construction and other similar types of disputes. She also handles other types of litigation matters including securities fraud, business disputes, zoning appeals and Will contests. Ms. Sisca handles all aspects of litigation from pleadings, discovery (including large e-Discovery productions) and motions through mediation, arbitration or trial, and appeals. Ms. Sisca brings to the Litigation team her experience in defense work, her skill at analysis and strategizing, and her meticulous attention to factual details crucial to successful management and favorable resolution of cases. In addition to her litigation practice, Ms. Sisca advises Boards and Homeowners’ Associations, as well as corporate clients on business-related matters.

Ms. Sisca is actively involved in community and charitable organizations. She sits on the Boards of Meals on Wheels of Greenwich, and the YWCA Greenwich. She is also a member of the Junior League of Greenwich.

About Stephen M. Napier – Recognized as CT Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2017-2019

Stephen Napier practices in the areas of estate & tax planning, trust & estate administration and business succession planning. Mr. Napier regularly advises individuals, families and business owners on developing tax efficient and practical wealth management strategies, including the preparation of wills, revocable living trusts, insurance trusts and business succession plans. He also helps guide fiduciaries and beneficiaries through the trust and estate settlement and administration process. Mr. Napier was a recipient of the 2016 Fairfield County “40 under 40” award given by the Fairfield County Business Journal for his business leadership, professional success and commitment to the community. He was also named by the Connecticut Law Tribune as a “New Leader in the Law” for 2018.

About Taylor Equi – Recognized as CT Super Lawyers Rising Star, 2017-2019

Taylor Equi practices in the areas of commercial and civil litigation, personal injury and wrongful death, employment law, and trusts and estates litigation. She handles all aspects of litigation, from drafting pleadings and motions, discovery, and through trial and appeals. Taylor has experience litigating cases at the Administrative Hearing, Superior Court, Appellate Court; District Court, and the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals level. Prior to joining Ivey, Barnum & O’Mara, Taylor worked for a civil defense litigation firm in Stamford, CT, focusing her practice on professional malpractice claims, dram shop and liquor law claims as well as catastrophic personal injury claims.

About Ivey, Barnum & O’Mara, LLC

Ivey, Barnum & O’Mara, LLC is a general practice law firm which was established in Greenwich, CT in 1950. It is the largest Greenwich-based law firm, with additional offices in New Canaan, CT and New York City. The firm has more than thirty attorneys who handle a wide range of legal matters in areas including Litigation, Personal Injury, Wrongful Death, Trusts & Estate Planning, Residential and Commercial Real Estate, Corporate, Employment Law, Franchise Finance and Franchise Acquisition.

Please visit us at http://www.ibolaw.com and http://www.ibopersonalinjurylawyers.com.

Brach Eichler Names Keith J. Roberts and Rosaria A. Suriano Co-Chairs of Litigation Practice


Brach Eichler continues to evolve and grow and nowhere is this more evident than our Litigation Practice.

Brach Eichler LLC announced today that Keith J. Roberts and Rosaria A. Suriano have been named co-chairs of the firm’s Litigation Practice.

“Brach Eichler continues to evolve and grow and nowhere is this more evident than our Litigation Practice,” noted John D. Fanburg, Managing Member and Healthcare Law Practice Chair. “Rose and Keith are exceptional litigators who have distinguished themselves among members of the New Jersey bar and the courts. They have both demonstrated the kind of leadership that will be pivotal in taking Brach Eichler’s Litigation practice to the next level.”

He added, “Rose has cultivated an impressive practice and impeccable reputation as one of New Jersey’s top business litigators. Similarly, Keith is an aggressive, skilled advocate, especially within New Jersey’s competitive healthcare arena. Our Executive Committee thanks former Litigation Chair Charles Gormally for his mentorship and skill in leading the litigation department to where it is today.”

Speaking on his appointment, Roberts commented, “Brach Eichler is a special place, where I am privileged to work beside quality professionals. I look forward to our continued growth as a firm, and working with Rose to expand our Litigation Practice.” Says Suriano, “As co-chair of Brach Eichler’s highly respected Litigation Practice, I feel privileged to be able to lead and grow this tremendous group of skilled and talented lawyers who zealously and tirelessly advocate for our clients.”

This announcement follows the firm’s appointment earlier this year of Susan Dromsky-Reed to the firm’s Executive Committee, making her the first woman to sit on the five-person Committee. Brach Eichler also celebrated a year of impressive growth. The firm’s 2018 revenue of $43.1 million now ranks Brach Eichler #18 statewide, according to the New Jersey Law Journal.

“I am enthusiastic that Rose and Keith have earned co-leadership positions in the firm after having successfully transitioning and growing their practices at Brach Eichler. This promotion formally recognizes their contributions to the firm and I look forward to continuing the growth and development of the firm and its litigation group for many years,” Gormally commented. “Now more than ever in this very competitive environment, transitioning leadership roles is vital to the firm retaining its well-regarded status.” Gormally noted that, “This transition of departmental administration will also enable me to focus on the ‘bet the company’ litigation matters that I find both fulfilling and challenging as well as growing and developing the cannabis practice that we formed a few years ago.” Gormally is a member of the bars in New York, New Jersey, Colorado and California—all states with growing cannabis businesses.

Concludes Fanburg, “Our firm is bolstered by an entrepreneurial culture that allows the firm’s third generation of lawyers, now in their 30s, 40s, and 50s, to expand and innovate their practices. We are thoroughly committed to their advancement and are very excited for what the future holds for Brach Eichler.”

About Keith Roberts

Roberts is certified by the New Jersey Supreme Court as a Civil Trial Attorney, a distinction awarded to less than two percent of the lawyers in the state. He is an experienced and formidable advocate for his clients with extensive jury trial and administrative hearing experience in complex matters. Roberts is often consulted by healthcare professionals for his extensive insight concerning regulatory issues, practice structures, insurance audits, and compliance.

Roberts is frequently sought out by healthcare professionals to tackle complex litigation involving insurance fraud, RICO, False Claims Act, and disciplinary proceedings before state licensing boards. He is also called upon to represent hospital systems, surgical centers, medical practices, and a wide array of healthcare professionals in complex litigation matters.

Driven by results, Roberts is known for his commitment to excellence throughout the litigation process with demonstrated ability to extract clients from difficult situations. His track record is well recognized by his peers for successful outcomes at jury trials, administrative hearings, and arbitration proceedings.

Roberts is also widely known as an expert in No Fault Insurance, as well as reimbursement litigation, where he commonly represents medical providers against insurance carriers in coding and fraud disputes. He previously served as a member of the Technical Advisory Committee to the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance. He has also served as a member of the Forthright NJ Arbitration Advisory Council. He frequently lectures for the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education concerning healthcare and insurance-related matters.

Named to New Jersey Super Lawyers from 2017 through 2019, Roberts earned a J.D. from New York Law School and a B.A. from Manhattan College. He resides in Old Tappan, NJ.

About Rose Suriano

Suriano has over 29 years of trial and appellate court experience in both state and federal courts across the country. She handles complex contract and business matters, including claims between members of limited liability companies, partnership/shareholder disputes, theft and misappropriation of trade secrets and proprietary information, restrictive covenant litigation, domain name disputes, theft of computer data, and a wide variety of other contract and business disputes. She also handles construction litigation, including delay claims, non-payment claims, and performance claims for owners, general contractors, and subcontractors.

Suriano has built a reputation for taking the difficult cases others have feared or have been unable to manage and successfully turning them around in favor of the client. Many of her cases come from former adversaries who admire her tenacity and relentless desire to deliver a win to the client.

A true leader, Suriano is a member of several organizations and the recipient of many honors and awards. In 2019, she was named one of five “Women of Achievement” by the New Jersey chapter of Professional Women in Construction. In 2018, she was selected by the New Jersey Law Journal as one of 20 “Top Women in the Law.” She was also selected by her peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in 2019 and 2020.

Additionally, Suriano was named a “Top 25 Leading Woman Entrepreneur in NJ” in 2017, and was recognized by NJBIZ as a “Best 50 Woman in Business in NJ” in 2011. Suriano has also been named to the NJ Super Lawyers list from 2015-2019. She is rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell. In 2017, Rose was elected to serve as a director of the NJSBA Business Law Section for a three-year term. She has lectured on many business law topics and has served on panels for the Institute of Continuing Legal Education.

She earned a J.D from Seton Hall University School of law and a B.A. from Seton Hall University. She resides in Readington Township, NJ.

About Brach Eichler LLC

Brach Eichler LLC, is a full-service law firm based in Roseland, NJ. With over 80 attorneys, the firm is focused in the following practice areas: Healthcare Law; Real Estate; Litigation; Trusts and Estates; Business Transactions and Financial Services; Personal Injury; Criminal Defense and Government Investigations; Labor and Employment; Environmental & Land Use; Family Law; Patent, Intellectual Property & Information Technology; Real Estate Tax Appeals; Tax; and Cannabis Law. Brach Eichler attorneys have been recognized by clients and peers alike in The Best Lawyers in America©, Chambers USA, and New Jersey Super Lawyers. For more information, visit http://www.bracheichler.com.

Farrin Attorney Hoyt Tessener Appointed to Governor’s Crime Commission by NC Speaker of the House


News Image

“I think it’s important in today’s sort of divisive world that all of these people from different walks of life and experiences are willing to give their time to try and get things right,” Attorney Hoyt Tessener said about the GCC.

After fighting to protect people for decades, Hoyt Tessener, an attorney-shareholder at Law Offices of James Scott Farrin, was recently appointed by North Carolina Speaker of the House, Tim Moore, to serve on the Governor’s Crime Commission (GCC) — an honor entrusted only to a select handful of individuals. His term began August 2019 and will end on February 28, 2021.

Governor Roy Cooper said, “New members will make a real difference by directing resources in ways to help victims, but also by bringing the best ideas that can really get results.”

The goal of the GCC is to help improve law enforcement strategies, find ways to reduce crime rates, and improve criminal laws in the state. The GCC also gives federal block grants each year to different agencies in order for them to start new and innovative programs to further the GCC’s mission, and to continue efforts to reduce crime rates in North Carolina.

Tessener believes he brings a unique perspective to the table because he is not a prosecution or defense attorney, like many other attorneys on the committee – although he does have experience working on both sides of the aisle, and he has tried a capital murder case, which very few lawyers have defended. A well-known litigator in North Carolina, he has tried over 100 cases across the state during the past 30 years, and is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court.

“I think it’s important in today’s sort of divisive world that all of these people from different walks of life and experiences are willing to give their time to try and get things right,” Tessener said about the GCC.

One goal of Tessener’s during his appointment on the GCC is to explore other solutions besides just incarceration. Tessener has seen various studies proving that mediation between the victim and criminal can help the criminal get started on the right path. He stressed that this would not be a possibility in every case, but only the ones where the accused is very remorseful and the victim is amenable to an alternative solution. He believes it would be interesting and worthwhile to explore other alternative options to incarceration, which can be not only a drain to the American taxpayer, but also an ineffective solution to recidivism.

Tessener noted that the values of the GCC, his personal values, and the values of his firm, the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin, are all aligned. Tessener’s entire career has been based on getting justice for victims, in both civil and criminal court. The goal he has set for himself is to make sure that the victims are heard and those responsible are properly charged, prosecuted, and sentenced.

About the Law Offices of James Scott Farrin

The Law Offices of James Scott Farrin is headquartered in the American Tobacco Historic District, adjacent to the Durham Bulls Athletic Park, in Durham, with 14 additional offices statewide: Asheville, Charlotte, Fayetteville, Greensboro, Greenville, Goldsboro, Henderson, New Bern, Raleigh, Roanoke Rapids, Rocky Mount, Sanford, Wilson, and Winton-Salem. Their nearly 50 attorneys focus on Personal Injury, Workers’ Compensation, Social Security Disability, Eminent Domain, Whistleblower, Civil Rights, Mass Torts, and Products Liability. Nine attorneys are North Carolina Board Certified Specialists in Workers’ Compensation Law and one is a North Carolina Board Certified Specialist in Social Security Disability Law. The firm is involved in the community, including sponsorship of philanthropic organizations.

Contact Information:

David Chamberlin

280 S. Magnum Street, Suite 400

Durham, NC 27701

866-900-7078

http://www.farrin.com

Share article on social media or email:

Greenberg Traurig’s White Collar Practice Attracts Former Federal Prosecutor David I. Miller


Photo of David Miller, GT attorney.

David I. Miller, an experienced trial lawyer and former federal prosecutor, has joined the New York office of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP as a shareholder in its Litigation Practice.

“David joins us at a perfect time given his unusual breadth of experience in these areas and we look forward to working with him as we provide our clients with the most sophisticated advice in these quickly changing areas,” said Richard A. Edlin, vice chair of Greenberg Traurig.

David I. Miller, an experienced trial lawyer and former federal prosecutor, has joined the New York office of global law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP as a shareholder in its Litigation Practice. He joins from Morgan Lewis.

“Greenberg Traurig has a highly regarded, award-winning team in areas critical to my clients. The firm’s Global White Collar Defense & Special Investigations and Trial practices are ahead of the curve,” Miller said. “Attorneys here are proactive with the type of collaboration clients demand in response to emerging areas of law enforcement fueled by technology, globalization, and ever-shifting political and financial scenarios that add new layers to investigations.”

Miller focuses his practice on white collar criminal defense, government and internal investigations, securities and commodities enforcement, related complex civil litigation, cryptocurrency, and national security matters.

Previously, he served for five years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of New York (S.D.N.Y.), over half that time as a member of the Securities and Commodities Fraud Task Force. He also served as a terrorism prosecutor with the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia, and as an Assistant General Counsel for the Central Intelligence Agency. Before joining government service in 2005, Miller spent more than six years as a securities, complex commercial, and bet-the-company litigator with two large law firms in New York.

“We are very excited to have David join us. Traditional white collar practice increasingly intersects with issues involving financial fraud, national security, and a globalized economy. As such, financial institutions now have a pronounced focus on addressing multi-jurisdictional inquiries from various governmental agencies. David joins us at a perfect time given his unusual breadth of experience in these areas and we look forward to working with him as we provide our clients with the most sophisticated advice in these quickly changing areas,” said Richard A. Edlin, vice chair of Greenberg Traurig, who heads the New York Litigation Practice and the firm’s Business & Regulatory Financial Services Litigation Group.

“David is a welcomed and strategic addition to our cutting-edge team. There is a very strong demand for our services from our existing and new clients. Consistent with this strong demand, we are looking to hire the best possible people as we fulfill our goal to be the number one white collar practice on a global scale. David certainly meets that criteria and moves us into new areas,” said Washington, D.C. Shareholder Nathan J. Muyskens, who is co-chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Global White Collar Criminal Defense Practice along with Shareholder Barry Vitou in the firm’s London office.

“We are very proud of our Trial Practice Group in that we offer clients a unique and highly skilled trial group within the confines of a larger litigation practice bringing forth the best of both worlds. Having a highly regarded and experienced first-chair trial attorney like David Miller join further amplifies the strength of the existing group. We look forward to working with David extensively,” said Lori G. Cohen, co-chair of Greenberg Traurig’s Litigation Practice and chair of its Trial Practice Group, which she created at the firm.

Earlier in 2019, Lex Machina recognized Greenberg Traurig as the number one U.S. law firm in commercial litigation by cases filed since 2009. The team has been involved in more than 1,200 litigations in federal and state courts in 39 jurisdictions throughout the United States, including every federal appeals court and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Miller received his J.D. from New York University School of Law, where he was Senior Staff Editor of the Environmental Law Journal, and his B.A., magna cum laude, from Georgetown University. He is admitted in New York and New Jersey, and in several federal and state courts.

For more information about Miller’s experience, cases, and credentials, please click here.

About Greenberg Traurig’s White Collar Defense & Special Investigations Practice: Greenberg Traurig’s White Collar Defense & Special Investigations Practice protects companies and individuals under government scrutiny. GT’s creative defense lawyers in the U.S., Europe, Latin America, and Asia Pacific are at the forefront of white collar defense, with wide-ranging experience in structuring internal investigations, developing guidelines, implementing compliance programs, and addressing issues of voluntary disclosure. Their representations involve alleged securities and commodities fraud, Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) violations, health care/pharmaceutical fraud, environmental crimes, money laundering, financial services fraud, public corruption/campaign finance, tax corruption, defense contracting, and bankruptcy fraud. In addition, the majority of GT’s litigation shareholders and counsel have first-chair trial experience.

About Greenberg Traurig, LLP: Greenberg Traurig, LLP (GT) has approximately 2100 attorneys in 41 locations in the United States, Latin America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. GT has been recognized for its philanthropic giving, diversity, and innovation, and is consistently among the largest firms in the U.S. on the Law360 400 and among the Top 20 on the Am Law Global 100. Web: http://www.gtlaw.com, Twitter: @GT_Law.

Share article on social media or email:

Florida’s Response to Annual Sugar Cane Burning Fails to Protect Affected Residents; Fails to Address the True Problem


Russell Berman of The Berman Law Group, which has filed a class action lawsuit against sugar growers in federal court on behalf of western Palm Beach County residents, releases this statement after Commissioner of Agriculture Nikki Fried announced changes to pre-harvest sugar field burning protocols:

“For six months out of every year, sugar growers burn tens of thousands of acres of sugar cane fields in western Palm Beach County and adjoining areas, releasing vast quantities of pollutants and harmful compounds into the air for days at a time. Nearby residents even have a name for the toxic ash: “black snow.” Black snow carries for miles, blanketing homes in communities such as Belle Glade and South Bay, diminishing property values and raising the risks of long-term health effects for residents.

The Commissioner’s announcement to require “an 80-acre buffer between a burn and wild lands on dry, windy days” does not address two fundamental issues: First, pre-harvest burning is an archaic method that can and should be banned all together; and second, a buffer between burns and wild lands still does not address the toxic ash still being dumped on affected residential areas.

Alternative clean, non-burning “green” sugar cane harvesting methods have existed for decades, but sugar producers have failed or refused to embrace them. Other sugar producing countries, such as Brazil, have banned pre-harvest burns, and studies have shown that green methods actually increase harvest yields after a short adjustment period.

The big sugar companies, despite their huge profits, simply do not want to spend the money to convert to green methods, which comes at a high property value and human cost to affected residents in communities that lack the economic and political clout to fight back.

The Commissioner’s other promise, that the state will consider the air quality index before authorizing a burn, also ignores the bigger picture here: The toxic micro-sized particulate matter given off by the burns is in itself harmful to residents in the miles-long and wide path of the black snow, becoming embedded deep in the lungs, regardless of the air quality index.

The Berman Law Group fully supports the efforts of the Sierra Club’s Stop Pre-harvest Sugar Field Burning Campaign, and the efforts of the Everglades Foundation to bring attention to this unjust situation. The wealthier sections of eastern Palm Beach County have been able to enforce wind restrictions during burn season that prevent the toxic ash from falling on their communities. But those restrictions mean that the poorer communities to the west — Belle Glade, South Bay, Pahokee, Indiantown, Clewiston and Ortona — bear the brunt of the “black snow” phenomenon.

The Berman Law Group looks forward to fighting for the rights of these poorer and underserved communities as it pursues the big sugar growers in federal court in an effort to stop the archaic and unnecessary pre-harvest burns once and for all.

The case, currently pending in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida before Judge Rodney Smith, is titled: Clover Coffie, et al. v. U.S. Sugar Company, et al., Case No. 9:19-cv-80730.

Share article on social media or email:

The Dominguez Firm is Pleased to Announce Two Additional Academic Scholarships for 2019


The Dominguez Firm, LLP

The Dominguez Firm, LLP

The Dominguez Firm, a California based personal injury firm continues its commitment to education by offering two additional scholarships for deserving students in 2019. The firm had previously recognized two outstanding students with scholarships earlier in the year. Undergraduate and law school students who demonstrate excellence both in the classroom and their communities are encouraged to apply for the firm’s Collegiate Scholarship and Legal Scholarship Awards.

Juan Dominguez, founder of The Dominguez Firm established the Collegiate and Legal Scholarship Awards to help worthy students achieve their dreams. Seeing education as a right, not a privilege, Mr. Dominguez has always held the belief that finances should never get in the way of a hard-working student interested in pursuing a college education or becoming a lawyer.

Details of the two scholarships being offered:

The Dominguez Firm Collegiate Scholarship Award – is for recent high school graduates or first year undergraduate students who are or will be enrolled in an accredited university. This award will be presented to an undergraduate student who consistently displays academic excellence while looking to effect positive change in their community. The recipient will be awarded a $5,000 scholarship towards their college tuition.

The Dominguez Firm Legal Scholarship Award – was established for students who are or will be enrolled in an accredited law school. The award will go to a worthy student who has been accepted into or is currently enrolled in law school. Recognizing the substantial effort involved in studying law, students who find the time to help others in spite of their schedules should be recognized and applauded. The firm will award the winner a scholarship for $2,500.

The deadline to apply is December 31, 2019. Winners will be announced in early 2020.

Official rules and guidelines can be found at: https://dominguezfirm.com/scholarships/.

We wish everyone the best of luck!

The Dominguez Firm is a nationally recognized personal injury, workers’ compensation and employment law firm that has been successfully meeting the needs of our clients for over 30 years. For a free and confidential case consultation, please call us at 1-800-818-1818.

Share article on social media or email:

Atlantic Reproductive Medicine Specialists Receives Accreditation From College Of American Pathologists


The Atlantic Reproductive Lab Team and Medical Directors

The Atlantic Reproductive Lab Team and Medical Directors

The CAP Accreditation process is designed to ensure the highest standard of care for all laboratory patients. We completed our inspection in July 2019 and the inspectors had glowing comments about the preparedness of our lab for the inspection and the entire lab staff. — David Wininger, Ph.D., HCLD

The Accreditation Committee of the College of American Pathologists (CAP) has awarded accreditation to Atlantic Reproductive Medicine Specialists, Raleigh, NC based on the results of a recent on-site inspection as part of the CAP’s Accreditation Programs.

The facility’s director, David Wininger, Ph.D., HCLD, was advised of this national recognition and congratulated for the excellence of the services being provided. Atlantic Reproductive Medicine Specialists is one of more than 8,000 CAP-accredited facilities worldwide.

Wininger says, “The CAP Accreditation process is designed to ensure the highest standard of care for all laboratory patients. We completed our inspection in July 2019 and the inspectors had glowing comments about the preparedness of our lab for the inspection and the entire lab staff.”

Upon learning of the laboratory’s accreditation, Dr. David Walmer, co-founder of Atlantic, said: “At Atlantic Reproductive, we are committed to providing the highest standard of care and we believe that participating in the CAP Accreditation process gives our patients assurance that we are delivering on that promise.”

The U.S. federal government recognizes the CAP Laboratory Accreditation Program, begun in the early 1960s, as being equal-to or more-stringent-than the government’s own inspection program.

During the CAP accreditation process, designed to ensure the highest standard of care for all laboratory patients, inspectors examine the laboratory’s records and quality control of procedures for the preceding two years. CAP inspectors also examine laboratory staff qualifications, equipment, facilities, safety program and record, and overall management.

About the College of American Pathologists

As the world’s largest organization of board-certified pathologists and leading provider of laboratory accreditation and proficiency testing programs, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) serves patients, pathologists, and the public by fostering and advocating excellence in the practice of pathology and laboratory medicine worldwide. For more information, visit http://www.cap.org.

Share article on social media or email:

Public Supports Antonio Brown Suspension, but Not as a Standard Procedure for NFL


News Image

“Having the flexibility to go case-by-case does provide for a more complete review before taking the bold step of suspending an unconvicted player.”

By more than a 2-1 margin, the American public believes suspension of players being investigated for sexual misconduct by the NFL should be conducted on a case-by-case basis, without making the suspension standard procedure.

But the case of Antonio Brown, who was signed and then released after one game by the New England Patriots, appears to be one of the “case-by-case” cases in which the public supported his suspension during the investigation.

These were the findings of a Seton Hall Sports Poll conducted last week among 714 adult Americans across the country, either on landline or cellphone. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 3.8 percent.

Fifty-one percent of the public believed Brown should have been suspended during the investigation with only 32 percent saying he should have been allowed to play. Seventeen percent did not know or had no opinion.

But as a general procedure, only 30 percent of the public felt it should be standard procedure to suspend, with 64 percent saying it should be a case-by-case matter. Six percent did not know or had no opinion.

“Brown did not exactly arrive with a clean slate when the Patriots signed him,” noted Rick Gentile, director of the Seton Hall Sports Poll, which is sponsored by the Sharkey Institute within the Stillman School of Business at Seton Hall. “Having the flexibility to go case-by-case does provide for a more complete review before taking the bold step of suspending an unconvicted player.”

(Questions and results below; an online version of this release may be found at http://blogs.shu.edu/sportspoll/2019/10/08/public-supports-antonio-brown-suspension-but-not-as-a-standard-procedure-for-nfl/

About the poll:

This poll was conducted by telephone September 30 – October 2, 2019 among adults in the United States. The Seton Hall Sports Poll is conducted by the Sharkey Institute within the Stillman School of Business. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard landline and cell phones. The error for subgroups may be higher. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls. The Seton Hall Sports Poll has been conducted regularly since 2006.Recently chosen for inclusion in iPoll by Cornell’s Roper Center for Public Opinion Research, its findings have been published everywhere from USA Today, ESPN, The New York Times, Washington Post, AP, and Reuters to Fox News and most points in between.

Media: Media: Marty Appel, AppelPR@gmail.com;

Michael Ricciardelli, Associate Director of Media Relations, Seton Hall

michael.ricciardelli@shu.edu, 908-447-3034

The results:

The New England Patriots signed and played wide receiver Antonio Brown while he was under investigation by the NFL for accusations of sexual assault. He was subsequently released when more accusations of sexual misconduct surfaced. Do you think Brown should have been allowed to play while being investigated or should the Patriots and the NFL have suspended him from playing while the investigation was ongoing?

1 – Allowed to play                                                 32%

2 – Suspended during investigation                        51

3 – Don’t know/No opinion                                     17

Do you think it should be standard procedure in professional sports for players to be suspended from playing during investigation of sexual misconduct or should these situations be looked at on a case-by-case basis?

1 – Standard procedure to suspend                         30

2 – Case-by-case basis                                            64

3 – Don’t know/No opinion                                         6

ABOUT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

One of the country’s leading Catholic universities, Seton Hall has been showing the world what great minds can do since 1856. Home to nearly 10,000 undergraduate and graduate students and offering more than 90 rigorous academic programs, Seton Hall’s academic excellence has been singled out for distinction by The Princeton Review, U.S. News & World Report and Bloomberg Businessweek.

Seton Hall embraces students of all religions and prepares them to be exemplary servant leaders and global citizens. In recent years, the University has achieved extraordinary success. Since 2009, it has seen record-breaking undergraduate enrollment growth and an impressive 110-point increase in the average SAT scores of incoming freshmen. In the past decade, Seton Hall students and alumni have received more than 30 Fulbright Scholarships as well as other prestigious academic honors, including Boren Awards, Pickering Fellowships, Udall Scholarships and a Rhodes Scholarship. The University is also proud to be the third most diverse national Catholic university in the nation.

During the past five years, the University has invested more than $165 million in new campus buildings and renovations. And in 2015, Seton Hall launched a School of Medicine as well as a College of Communication and the Arts. The University’s beautiful main campus in suburban South Orange, N.J. is only 14 miles from New York City — offering students a wealth of employment, internship, cultural and entertainment opportunities. Seton Hall’s nationally recognized School of Law is located prominently in downtown Newark. The University’s Interprofessional Health Sciences (IHS) campus in Clifton and Nutley, N.J. opened in the summer of 2018. The IHS campus houses the University’s College of Nursing, School of Health and Medical Sciences and the Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University.

For more information, visit http://www.shu.edu.

Share article on social media or email:

Legal Netlink Alliance to Hold U.S. Fall Meeting in Atlanta


legal netlink alliance

LNA meetings always provide a great opportunity to share best practices with lawyers who practice across the globe as well as the business leaders who support them

Legal Netlink Alliance (LNA), a leading international association of independent law firms, will hold its U.S. Fall Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia on October 23-26. The event is being hosted by the law firm of Schulten Ward Turner & Weiss, LLP, and is expected to draw attendees from throughout the United States. Portugal, Germany, Belgium, and Japan will also have delegates in attendance.

Attendees and their guests will enjoy a cocktail party on Wednesday evening at the Schulten Ward Turner & Weiss offices, followed by two days of presentations, panel discussions, and networking at the Capital City Club, one of the City of Atlanta’s great venues.

The theme of this year’s meeting is “Rebooting the Law Firm Business Model” and will include in depth coverage of cutting-edge topics impacting the legal industry. Speakers include Fred Esposito, an expert on Six Sigma and Lean process-management methodologies, and Morris Tabush, a specialist in law firm information technology. Also scheduled to appear are Sharon Abrahams, a leading expert on diversity and inclusion in the professional workplace, and United States Magistrate Judge Catherine M. Salinas, who will deliver the keynote address.

Attorney Scott Schulten, the founding member of host firm Schulten Ward Turner & Weiss, recently shared his excitement over the roster of talent that will come together in his home city. “LNA meetings always provide a great opportunity to share best practices with lawyers who practice across the globe as well as the business leaders who support them,” said Schulten. “This meeting is particularly important because it will cover not only how technology is changing our industry, but also the best ways to take advantage of today’s advances.”

Legal Netlink’s next major events are the Winter General Meeting in Tel Aviv, Israel in February of 2020 followed by the Summer General Meeting in Glasgow, Scotland in June of 2020.    

About Legal Netlink Alliance: For over 25 years, Legal Netlink Alliance has served the needs of lawyers and clients worldwide through a common commitment to professionalism, ethics, and the promotion of exemplary and value-driven service. The organization provides distinct advantages for both member firms and their clients, while enhancing the communities in which such firms are located.    

Share article on social media or email:

Attorney Heather Barbieri Recently Named an Elite Lawyer


Attorney Heather Barbieri, Plano, Texas

Attorney Heather Barbieri

“I am honored to be named an Elite Lawyer. It is truly a privilege to be recognized by my fellow peers in the legal community. Navigating the judicial system can be a complex process and our firm strives to protect our clients’ rights while securing successful outcomes,” Barbieri commented.



Elite Lawyer is a directory and rating service that awards and recognizes attorneys who have displayed a high level of competence in their practice and received an acknowledgment from their peers, community, bar, and committees.

Heather is a Board Certified Criminal Defense Specialist by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, a certification given to a small percentage of attorneys who have demonstrated substantial knowledge and competence in an area of law.

Named the 2015 Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Heather has earned numerous honors and awards, including a Rating of 10.0 Superb on Avvo.

Heather has practiced law since 1998 upon receiving her license from the State Bar of Texas. She is also certified to practice before the U.S. District Courts in the Northern and Eastern District of Texas. Heather is currently serving clients in the North Dallas metro region and Collin County, including Plano, Richardson, McKinney, and Frisco.

“I am honored to be named an Elite Lawyer. It is truly a privilege to be recognized by my fellow peers in the legal community. Navigating the judicial system can be a complex process and our firm strives to protect our clients’ rights while securing successful outcomes,” Barbieri commented.

In addition, Heather has contributed to the practice of law by sharing her knowledge and experience in various publications as well as hosting and lecturing on criminal law topics.

About Barbier Law Firm, P.C.

The Barbieri Law Firm, P.C. has more than 20 years of legal experience, including trial litigation. Their skilled criminal defense attorneys represent all of their clients with the hope and trust they need and deserve. Their goal is to secure positive case results on their clients’ behalf, possibly through reducing the charges or a dismissal.

To learn more about Barbieri Law Firm, P.C., visit https://www.barbierilawfirm.com/ or call 469-300-1522 for a free consultation.

To learn more about Elite Lawyer, visit https://www.elitelawyer.com/

Share article on social media or email: