“I want to convey to the clients that we’re going to do the best we can and that no matter how many questions you have, you’re always going to get that service. You’re going to get courteous people who care about you.” Richard After pioneering a string of personal injury cases on Long Island and in the New York City metropolitan area involving lead paint poisoning of infants, Richard’s reputation would be well known enough as a fierce trial attorney and litigator. But he didn’t stop there. In fact, Richard has managed to secure several multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements throughout his 30 years of experience, which has earned him membership in many prestigious circles, such as the nation’s Million Dollar Advocates Forum. When not in front of a jury, Richard, is a proud member of the Patriot Guard—an organization established in 2005, which primarily aims to support the families of fallen heroes by protecting them from disruptions during the services for their loved one. He also serves as a board member for The Center for Developmental Disabilities and actively supports the Babylon Breast Cancer Coalition. In the past, Rich has volunteered as a Critical Care Emergency Medical Technician (EMT-CC) and Firefighter on Long Island. When his children were younger, he often coached basketball and lacrosse on Long Island sports fields. Rich is smart, confident, entertaining, fully committed, energetic, and caring. Recently, Richard became a member of the Blue Knights LE MC Chapter in New York State. He is, perhaps, the world’s worst (but most enthusiastic) dancer and the start and finish of every family function. Richard was born and raised in New York, as were his parents and grandparents all who forged his incredibly strong work ethic and tenacity. To his credit, he paid for both college and Law school tuition by working during the hours he was not studying. As a graduate of Binghamton University with a degree in Romance Languages and Literature, Richard is fluent in Spanish and has a working knowledge of five other languages. His history of helping victims of discrimination and negligence dates back as far as 1988, giving the Hispanic community a voice working as a paralegal for a major personal injury law firm. Richard met his current law partner, Stephen Cohen, in 1993. Working as a Law clerk by day and completing Law School by night, Richard authored memoranda and appellate briefs on negligence and discrimination issues that continue to be cited by New York State’s highest courts to this day. Upon graduation from Law School, Richard became an associate attorney with Cohen’s Law Office, and began a trial the very first day he was admitted to practice. Richard hasn’t looked back since. He has obtained hundreds of verdicts and settlements for victims of accidents and discrimination throughout courts of Long Island and the New York City metropolitan area, many in excess of one million dollars. He and Stephen Cohen are now partners at Cohen & Jaffe. Nonetheless, Richard hasn’t forgotten his New York roots, nor his blue collar formative years. He is thankful for the opportunities and core values given to him by his family, which serve as the backbone of his fight for the rights of his clients against insurance giants like State Farm, Allstate and GEICO, to name a few. Call Richard. He will do the same for you. Whether your life is shattered by a car accident, a trip and fall, a construction accident, or discrimination at work, Richard knows it’s more than just a case for you – it’s about putting your life and the lives of your family back together.

Stephen Cohen grew up in working-class Queens, where he learned about the importance of hard work from his family and neighbors. He also learned that bad things can happen to good people – and that when they do, they oftentimes need a helping hand. “I had an understanding that everyday people had accidents through no fault of their own,” he recalls. “I think that’s what pushed me into becoming a lawyer.” He has carried that commitment to helping everyday working people throughout his legal career. After receiving his B.S. degree at Bradley University in 1971, he enrolled at St. John’s University School of Law and got his J.D. there in 1974. He joined a small law firm for a time before venturing out to create his own solo law practice, which was located in a third-floor walkup in the Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood of Brooklyn. Initially, Cohen handled a wide variety of cases. But early on, he realized that personal injury law was his passion and began to focus his practice in that area. In the ensuing years, that concentration has never wavered. For a time he moved his practice to lower Manhattan, but after he started a family and moved to Long Island he decided to set up shop closer to home. He opened an office in Great Neck and then moved to the firm’s current location in New Hyde Park. Over the years, his solo practice grew into a multi-lawyer firm that now has six attorneys and a support staff of more than 20. Cohen believes that the key to the firm’s success and growth has been its focus on providing the best possible service. “I take great pride that the firm is really people-related,” he says. “I want the firm to convey the idea that when they come in to see us, we’re no better than they are – that this is just what we do and that we respect what they do.” He has represented thousands of injured parties in automobile accidents, trip and fall cases, construction accidents, and the like. He divested the practice into No-Fault collection in both the arbitration and judicial forums, representing health care providers against insurance carriers for collection of bills relating to the treatment of individuals injured in automobile accidents.

Mr. Cooper is the founding partner of the firm. He graduated from Vermont Law School with a J.D. in 1995, where he was an Editor of the Vermont Law Review. During his career as a litigator for over twenty (20) years, he has handled thousands of cases from inception through disposition. He has practiced in New York State Supreme Court, the Appellate Divisions of the New York Supreme Court, and the Federal District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. He has also argued before the New York State’s highest court, the New York Court of Appeals. Mr. Cooper has lectured on the topic of wage theft in New York at LaGuardia Community College. Since he formed Cilenti & Cooper, PLLC in 2009, Mr. Cooper’s practice has been largely devoted to representing individuals who are unable to pay for the services of an attorney.

Arthur Schwartz is a Principal Attorney at Advocates for Justice Chartered Attorneys. Mr. Schwartz has been representing unions, workers, and Lower Manhattan community residents for over 32 years. He is widely recognized as one of New York City’s top labor and employment lawyers.