Efficient, informative and helpful. We've worked with team here for a few things. I like that they…read morespeak in terms i understand and help me understand options

From the owner: Our law firm proudly traces its lineage through its founding predecessors back to the 1890s, and in…read morethe nearly 120 years that have followed, we have become one of the most established firms in New York, its Southern Tier, and more recently, Northern Pennsylvania. We offer numerous highly experienced and skilled attorneys, diverse practice areas to meet your expected and unanticipated legal needs, and a core belief that everyone who seeks the services of a lawyer deserves to be treated as a priority, from the time they meet with us in an initial consultation to when their legal matter is resolved.

Deborah M. On…read morebehalf of my mom, my sisters and myself I would like to thank Jim Reed and his team for everything they have done obtaining a settlement for my mother, after her car accident in 2016. Jim and Karen came across from the start as a very caring and and competent team who truly wanted to help. Interactions with the firm throughout this ordeal were timely, considerate and reassuring. Dealing with insurance companies can be a long frustrating process but Mr. Reeds diligence prevailed. My mother was fairly compensated for her injuries. On behalf of the entire family we thank you and highly recommend Ziff Law.

I highly recommend Ziff Law Firm for your legal needs; especially from Jim Reed and Karen Wheadon…read more I have used their services twice, and truly appreciate the care they gave to assist me with all the medical expenses and issues. Jim and Karen were always attentive and compassionate towards my physical and emotional stress caused from car accident. The accident caused me to become disabled, and put me in a financial bind, going from over $23,000 a year to nothing. They helped and guided me to get disability. At completion of my case, I was rewarded the 2 1/2 years wages I lost and many more years to sustain me. Very caring professionals. S. Allen

Took care of issues I have been having with HR at my corporate, expedited response, very…read moreprofessional and will answer all your questions (and they'll give you honest answers). Everything resolved without much hassle. Highly recommend!

From the owner: Welch, Donlon & Czarples is your local firm for personal injury and insurance claim lawyers. Our…read moreattorneys are hardworking and experienced -- ready to go to bat for you on your car accident, construction injury, fall on property or other injury claim. Consultations are free.

Michael May has failed to get Trustee to release income and funds to beneficiaries after 9 years…read more Changing a deed takes over 8 years, and the income from Real estate is not given to beneficiaries without threat. Avoid! Maybe, May will do his job for the beneficiaries of the Trusts he represents in Ithaca NY!

I am dealing with a difficult and painful trusts and estate issue. I am Ukrainian-American: I can…read moresee from the listing of my childhood home that my late Ukrainian mom's antiques are being used for staging, and I'm afraid my Ukrainian family photos were thrown out. I had a very severe health issue that required invasive surgery. I was relegated to a hospital bed for many months. Meanwhile, I was never notified of my dad's passing or the status of his estate, despite being his only child. I called your office and gave an extremely brief explanation of my situation to Lindsey Johnson's assistant and she was extremely rude to me. She said she and/or her office can't help me, which is fine, but I complained to her about her rudeness and lack of empathy at which point she yelled and hung up. No one else I have spoken to in Ithaca has been anything but professional and offered sympathy for my loss. The thing is, I was a paralegal for the trusts and estate managing partner of a NYC Wall Street law firm and we would NEVER have spoken to or treated a potential client this way.

Our Family had a terrible experience with the Lama Law Firm. We hired them 2 1/2 years ago to help…read morewith setting up a Trust as well as a quit claim deed, which were suggested by them when we explained what we were looking to do. There were many casual conversations with Chiano and Nino regarding what our plans were with this property, which included the option of fixing up and selling or the possibility of building an in-law apartment on the property. He told us no problem, by doing what he suggested, we could either sell or be able to get a home equity line of credit against the property. We proceeded to do as they advised, as lawyer jargon is confusing to most non-lawyers. When all was complete, we went to the bank 6 months later to apply for a line of credit against the house. The bank informed us that there was no property listed in our names for this address. We then found out that Lama Law never submitted the paperwork to the city of Ithaca. We finally were able to get Lama to do this step, after much delay. So we then waited again for some time to pass for the paperwork to catch up. This time, we found out that the way they put this property into the trust, we had no ownership and that the trust owned the property. This topic was discussed over and over prior to our signing paperwork so there was no confusion what our plans were. We then reached out to Lama to fix this and/or modify the trust so the house was able to be either sold or have equity in it. They told us that there was absolutely no way out of this and was extremely short with us on a less that 8 minute zoom meeting. We were able to find a law firm in Syracuse that fixed all of this for us. It took spending over $3500 to do so.

From the owner: Experienced, Aggressive, Assertive and Knowledgeable…read more We are a family owned and operated firm that has been serving our clients in central NY through aggressive and experienced representation. Our philosophy is built upon protecting each one's rights with zealous and thorough legal representation.

I have used mr Pilato in the past for a legal matter. He's very intelligent polite and trustworthy .read more

Very smart and knowledgeable not only about the law but also about how the system works. Extremely…read morehardworking and reliable. He always responded quickly, spent the time to make sure I understand all of my options, and made smart, well-thought out recommendations. He gets my highest recommendation!

UPDATE -- August 2025; I've described the problems before…read more Now I'm posting the proof. * Leaked Emails: The screenshots attached show emails I sent directly to Attorney George Welch Sr. turning up in family text threads. These weren't filings -- they were private client emails. They ended up with the estate administrator, who then passed them to non-heirs. Names are redacted here for privacy, but the unredacted copies are preserved for the Bar and Surrogate's Court. Welch Firm still refuses to respond as to why they were shared * Paralegal Sharing Client Lists: George Welch directed paralegal Lisa Jones not to respond to me -- but she continued corresponding with heirs. One heir then emailed me mocking my concerns and bragging about Lisa's client connections, even listing specific names. This is not "small town overlap"; this is a breach of confidentiality that raises conflict of interest concerns. * Contradictory Communication: On July 2nd, Welch told me his paralegal would follow up the next week. On July 7th, his tune changed -- now I was told Lisa would not be responding at all, and any questions had to wait until the final accounting in October. In other words: delay, deny, and obstruct. * Break-in at my father's home: When I raised a concern about a possible trespass/break-in at my late father's property before the estate home was sold, the entirety of Welch's "professional response" was three words: "Don't have it." These aren't assumptions -- they are in writing. The attached screenshots show exactly what was said and shared. This is not just unprofessional -- it's obstructive, a breach of trust, and a clear disregard for client confidentiality. Total Nightmare

From the owner: Our attorneys at Welch Firm LLP have been serving the Corning and Bath area for over 80 years. We…read morespecialize in the following areas: personal injury, real estate law, estate planning, business law, and more. Contact us today for more information!

Down to earth guy, tells you like it is and tells you what is realistic and whats not. Would…read moredefinitely use again if needed.

I highly recommend Michael Laucello if you are looking for an exceptional lawyer in the Utica, NY…read morearea. Mike's experience and extensive knowledge of the law, combined with his determination to accomplish the best possible results for his clients make him one of the best lawyers in the area.

Hands down, Jeff Butcher is the best lawyer in Ithaca/Tompkins County. I interviewed him after…read morehearing very complimentary things about him from several different people. I had already met with a handful of local attorneys, none of whom I even considered retaining. After my first meeting with Jeff Butcher, I immediately retained him. He has helped me over the years with real estate, custody and a number of other issues. He is incredibly knowledgeable, experienced, very intelligent, and direct and open about whatever is going on. Most importantly, he is always scrupulously honest. I will use Mr. Butcher as my attorney forever.