Justia Legal Services & Lawyers Directory

My practice is concentrated in the areas of residential real estate, Medicaid planning, wills and trusts, estate planning, probate and estate administration.

Whether you are thinking of buying a new home, selling your existing home, planning for your future or dealing with the passing of a loved one, my 43+ years of experience in those matters will help you accomplish your goals as effectively and stress-free as possible.

I can guarantee that I will personally deal with your concerns and you won't be shuffled off to a paralegal or young associate. If it's important to you, it's important to me.

EXPERIENCE COUNTS!

Jennifer P Stergion, Esq. was the founding Chair of the Erie County Bar Association's Committee on Veterans and Servicemembers Legal Issues. She is the current Secretary of that Bar Association Committee and a member of the Bar's Family Law Practice and Procedure Committee. Jennifer has a Bacheolor's degree in Clinical Psychology, a Masters in Criminal Justice, and a J.D. with dual concentrations in International Law and Civil Litigation. She is admitted to the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, is a Department of Veterans Affairs accredited attorney, and admitted to the Appellate Division, 4th Department of the State of New York. The recipient of the 2008 Erie County Volunteer Lawyer's Project Attorney of the Morning Pro Bono Award and the 2009 New York State Bar Association President's Award for Young Lawyer Pro Bono Service, she has made a commitment to providing free legal services for the underrepresented, particularly in the areas of veterans and housing law. Jennifer is also a recipient of a 2007 New York State Bar Association Law School Ethics award. She has taught or moderated, pro bono, CLE courses in Veterans Benefits in Monroe and Erie Counties. A solo practitioner, is on the Board of Directors for Western New York Veterans Housing Coalition, a co-mentor for the University at Buffalo School of Law Armed Forces Student Organization and is active with her parish council. Jennifer resides in Buffalo, New York with her daughter, Valerie.

The Law Office of Douglas H. Zamelis is dedicated to assisting clients achieve their objectives by providiing accurate, responsive, thorough and sensitive legal services. Doug Zamelis has almost 20 years of experience counseling and representing corporate, governmental and individual clients in compliance and litigation matters involving our shared environment.

In addition to his Juris Doctor from the Syracuse University College of Law (1989), Doug holds a B.S from Cornell University (1986)and a M.S. from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (1989). Doug brings his extensive scientific knowledge and experience to bear on behalf of clients in federal matters involving the Clean Water Act, the Clean Air Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act, the Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know Act, the Toxic Substances Control Act, and the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and in New York matters involving the New York Environmental Conservation Law, Navigation Law, and Public Health Law. Doug represents clients before United States courts and agencies, including the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of the Interior, the United States Army Corps of Engineers, and the Occupational, Safety & Health Administration.

Doug also represents clients in environmental, land use, zoning, and municipal matters before New York state courts and agencies including the state Supreme Court, the Appellate Division, the Court of Appeals, the Office of the New York Attorney General, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, the New York State Department of Health, the New York State Department of Labor, the Empire State Development Corporation, and the Adirondack Park Agency.

Doug has succesfully litigated numerous Article 78 proceedings in New York courts, and has litigated with opponents including Pyramid Corproation, Wal-Mart, Iberdrola, and National Grid. His litigation experience also includes numerous cost recovery and defense actions in hazardous substance and oil spill matters.

Doug has extensive experience throughout New York state representing various applicants, reviewing agencies, and stakeholders in complex and controversial land use matters involving reviews pursuant to local zoning laws,the National Environmental Policy Act, and the State Environmental Quality Review Act. Representative projects include electrical generating and trasmission facilities, hazardous waste facilities, large scale retail, manufacturing, and conslidated and unconsolidated mining operations. Doug represented the petitioners in Matter of Brander et al. v. Town Board of the Town of Warren, l18 Misc. 3d 477, 847 N.Y.S.2d 450, 2007 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 8258, 2007 NY Slip Op 27498 (Sup. Ct. Onondaga Cty 2007) (uncorrected opinion) wherein the New York State Supreme Court anulled the approvals for an 80 turbine wind power generating facility in Southern Herkimer County based on the reviewing towns' failure to properly review the project pursuant to the State Environmental Quality Review Act. The court also granted the petitioners their attorneys' fees for succesfully prosecuting their claims that the reviewing towns violated the state Open Meetings Law. The decision was not appealed.

Doug represented COR Development in its litigation with Pyramid Corporation concerning COR Development's Towne Center at Watertown, and authored COR Development's succesful motion for leave to appeal to the New York Court of Appeals. Towne Center at Watertown is now a bustling and productive shopping destination.

Prior to entering the private practicce of law, Doug was employed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation in the Division of Water at the Region 7 Headquarters in Syracuse where he became familair with the inner workings of the agency and its various Bureaus and Divisions. Doug was later an associate attorney at Jacobowitz & Gubits, Walden, New York, and then an associate and partner at Hancock & Estabrook, LLP. Syracuse, New York. Doug then joined Green & Siefter, PLLC Syracuse, New York and taught law as a Visiting Assistant Professor at the Syracuse University College of Law before starting the Law Office of Douglas H. Zamelis in 2007.

Doug is the former Chair of the Environmental Law Section of the Onondaga County Bar Association and currently serves as Co-Chair of the Petroleum Spills Committee of the Environmental Law Section of the New York State Bar Association.

An avid outdoorsman, cyclist, downhill ski racer, boater and amateur endurance athlete, Doug enjoys life in Central New York with his wife Cheryl, daughter Ariadne, and son Nicholas.

Doug can be contacted at (315) 682-0724 and at dzamelis@windstream.net

My Law Firm Partner and I have been working with Buffalo and WNY residents for almost three decades. So we're not surprised when clients tell us that we've helped a member of their family or neighbor in the past.

In more recent years, we've opened additional law offices to serve the areas residents.

We have offices in:

Buffalo NY
Rochester NY
Akron NY
Williamsville NY
Batavia NY
West Seneca NY
Niagara Falls NY

And our expertise is wide - just take a look at our practice areas and how we can help you.

BUFFALO AREA PERSONAL INJURY & ACCIDENTS

* Highway Accident:
* Industrial Accident:
* Jet Ski Accident:
* Lasik Eye Surgery Injury:
* Lead Paint Exposure:
* Medical Malpractice Accident:
* Medical Negligence:
* Motor Vehicle Defects:
* Motorcycle Accident:
* Nursing Home Abuse:
* Nursing Home Negligence:
* Pedestrian Accident:
* Products Liability:
* Rail Road Injury Accident:
* Railroad Accident:
* Semi Truck Accident Injuries:
* Slip and Fall:
* Spinal Cord Injury:
* Swimming Accidents and Injuries:
* Tobacco Use:
* Toxic Mold Exposure:
* Train Accident:
* Truck Accident:
* Vioxx:
* Wrongful Death:
* Asbestos Exposure Injury
* Auto Accident and Injuries
* Automobile Accident
* Bicycle - Bike Accident
* Birth Injury
* Boat Accident
* Brain Injury
* Burn Injury
* Car Accident
* Construction Accidents
* Dangerous Drugs - Drug Recall
* Defective Products
* Dog Bite injury
* Drunk Driving Accidents
* Farming Accident

BUFFALO AREA CORPORATE & BUSINESS MATTERS

* 144 Opinion Letters
* Acquisitions
* Americans with Disabilities Act
* Anti-Trust
* Asset Protection
* Business Financing
* Business Operations
* Business Regulations
* Buy/Sell Agreements
* Bylaws
* Closing a Business
* Confidentiality Agreements
* Contracts
* Copyright
* Corporations
* Deferred Compensation Plans
* Employment Agreements
* Estate Planning
* Family Partnersips
* Forms & Contracts
* Franchises
* Incorporation & Legal Structures
* Independent Contractor Agreements
* Intellectual Property
* Koint Ventures
* Labor and Employment Law
* Licensing Agreements
* Limited Liability Companies
* Limited Liability Partnerships
* Litigation
* Mergers
* Non-Profit Corporations
* Noncompete Agreements
* OSHA
* Patents
* SEC Filings
* Securities
* Severance Agreements
* Shareholder Agreeements
* Sole Proprietorships
* Starting a Business
* Stock Option Plans
* Succession Planning
* Trademarks
* Trusts
* Wage & Hour Laws

Buffalo New York Business and Corporate Real Estate Matters

* Adverse Possession
* Architect Agreements
* Assessments
* Construction Contracts
* Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CCR's)
* Easements
* Environmental Compliance
* Foreign Nationals with US Real Estate Holdings
* Leases
* Ownership Considerations
* Taxes
* Zoning

Buffalo New York Business and Corporate Tax Matters

* Appeals
* Business Audit
* Business Entity Planning
* Business Succession Planning
* Business Tax Planning
* Employment Tax
* Failure to Withhold Employment Tax
* Individual Tax Planning
* Property Tax
* Sales Tax
* Tax Audits
* Tax Collection Counseling
* Tax-Deferred Exchanges
* Tax Issues Related to Business Formation
* Tax Levies
* Tax liens

BUFFALO AREA DWI AND CRIMINAL DEFENSE

* Boating Under the Influence (BUI)
* Boating While Intoxicated (DWI)
* Driving Under The Influence (DUI)
* Driving While Intoxicated (DWI)
* Driving with a Suspended License (DWLS)
* Fleeing and Eluding
* Reckless Driving
* Juvenile/Minor Charges and Arrests - Please call due to the sensitive nature of this matter.
* Assault and Battery
* Criminal Mischief
* Disorderly Conduct
* Disorderly Intoxication
* Domestic Violence
* False Report of a Crime
* Indecent Exposure
* Loitering and Prowling
* Obstructing Justice
* Petty Theft
* Prostitution Offenses - Soliciting
* Resisting Without Violence
* Shoplifting
* Stalking
* Trespass
* Buffalo Area Felony Crimes
* Buffalo Area Federal Crimes
* White Collar Crimes - Please call due to the sensitive nature of this matter.
* Erasing Criminal History
* Expunging Your Record

BUFFALO AREA DIVORCE & FAMILY LAW

* Alimony
* Annulments
* Child Abuse
* Child Custody
* Child Support
* Child Support Enforcement
* Dependency Proceedings
* Divorce
* Domestic Adoption
* Domestic Partnerships
* Domestic Violence Orders
* Family Court Proceedings
* Family Law
* Fertility and Surrogacy
* Foreign Adoption
* Foster Care
* Grandparent Custody & Visitation Rights
* Grandparent Rights
* Guardianship
* Name Change
* Parental Rights
* Paternity
* Postnuptial Agreements
* Prenuptial Agreements
* Relocation
* Restraining Orders
* Separation

BUFFALO AREA ESTATE PLANNING, TRUSTS, PROBATE & WILLS

* Administering estates and trusts
* Advanced Directives
* Annuities
* Article 81 Guardianships
* Assisted Living
* Contested Accountings
* Contesting a Will
* Court Representation for Executors, Trustees, Creditors or Beneficiaries
* Elder Abuse
* Estate & Trust accountings
* Estate Administration & Settlement
* Estate Litigation - Contested Estates & Trusts
* Estate Tax Issues
* Estate Sales of Real Estate
* Estate Tax Returns and Audits
* Family Partnerships, LLCs and Business Succession Planning
* Government Benefits
* Guardianships for Disabled Children
* Health Care Proxies
* Intestacy (dying without a will)
* Invalidating trusts
* Kinship proceedings (Establishing Heirs)
* Life Estates
* Life Insurance Trusts
* Living Trusts
* Living Wills
* Long Term Care Insurance
* Medicaid Planning
* Medicare
* Nursing Home Care
* Power of Attorney
* Probating wills - simple to complex
* Representation of executors & trustees
* Representation of Out-of-State Beneficiaries
* Retirement Planning
* Reverse Mortgages
* Revocable Living Trusts
* Social Security Disability
* Special Needs Trusts
* Supplemental Needs Trusts
* Spousal inheritance disputes
* SSI
* Surrogate's Court Litigation
* VA Aid and Attendance
* Wills
* Wrongful Death Proceedings
* Legal Guidance for Administrators
* Legal Guidance for Executors
* Legal Guidance for Guardians
* Legal Guidance for Trustees
* Serve as Executor for your Estate
* Serve as Trustee for your Estate

BUFFALO RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE MATTERS

* Adjustable Rate Mortgage Guidance
* Adverse Possession
* Appraisals and title insurance
* Architect Agreements
* Assessments
* Boundary disputes
* Breach of warranty under title insurance
* Brokerage commission disputes
* Buffalo & WNY Building inspections
* Closing Cost Advice
* Condemnation Help - has your property been condemned by Buffalo Area Authorities?
* Condominiums
* Construction Contracts
* Contract Reviews
* Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions (CCRs)
* Dual Agency Issues
* Easement Reviews in the Buffalo and WNY area
* Easements
* Eminent Domain in New York
* Fannie Mae Lending
* FHA Lending
* Forclosure Short Sales in New York
* Foreclosure Assistance for Buffalo and WNY residents
* Foreign Nationals with US Real Estate Holdings
* Home Inspection Problems
* Home Title Insurance Requirements
* Homeowner's Insurance Advice
* Homeowners Association Legal Issues
* Land developments and closings
* Land use planning and rezoning
* Lease - Option to Buy Advice
* Legal advice for Buffalo and Western New York residents that engage in flipping Real Estate
* Liens on your Home or Property
* Like Kind Exchange
* Life Estate Deed
* Mortgage Broker Assistance
* Mortgage Fraud
* Mortgage Law
* New York 1031 Exchange
* New York RELP's - Real Estate Limited Partnership
* New York Tax Lien Help
* Buffalo NY Real Estate Leases
* Buffalo NY Real Estate Litigation
* Buffalo NY Reverse Mortgage Advice
* Oil and Gas Leases>/li>
* Options to Purchase
* Ownership Considerations
* Predatory Lending
* Probate
* Promissory Notes
* Property Law
* Property Surveying
* Quiet title and real estate matters
* Quit Claim Deeds
* Buffalo Real Estate Agent Malpractice
* Buffalo & WNY Real Estate Developments
* Buffalo Real Estate Land Trust
* Buffalo & WNY Real Estate Syndication
* Buffalo Area Real Estate Transactions
* Buffalo & WNY Real Property Investments
* Refinancing Issues
* Residential and commercial closings
* RESPA Violations
* Review of Settlement Statements
* Right of First Refusal
* Rights of Way
* Stop Foreclosure
* Subdivisions
* Taxes
* Taxpayer Relief Act Guidance
* Violations of the Fair Housing Act
* Working with lenders to ensure the timeliness and quality of their obligations
* Working with mortgage broker to ensure the timeliness and quality of their obligations
* NY Zoning and Permits