Ms. Caitlin McNaughton is a tough litigator who chose a career as an attorney because she firmly believes in standing up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. She has always believed that while flawed, the American judicial system represents the best force for justice in the world. During law school, as a part of her LL.M. degree, Caitlin worked in Tanzania with the Tanzanian government and various non-government organizations on legislative reform to expand legal rights for Tanzanian women and children. Caitlin is licensed in three states as well as admitted to practice in both federal and Appellate courts; she takes pride in her work, zealously representing clients at all stages of litigation, arbitration, and in pre-litigation matters. Caitlin has achieved over $12 million in settlements and verdicts for her clients. In her spare time, Caitlin enjoys reading and political activism.

With a passion for helping accident victims and a commitment to maintaining close communication with her clients, Katherine Sawicki has been a dedicated personal injury attorney with the Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe since 2019. She graduated from St. John’s University in 2016 with a Bachelor’s Degree in History and a minor in Philosophy of Law, while also working as a paralegal at a personal injury firm. She continued working full-time as a paralegal and attending night classes at St. John’s University School of Law, earning her Juris Doctor degree in 2020. Katherine’s hard work ethic and commitment to her clients are evident in her practice. She takes pride in being readily available to communicate with and assist her clients in all aspects of their roads to recovery. Her exceptional skills and experience have been recognized through the Red Storm Scholars Scholarship she received while attending St. John’s University School of Law, as well as her participation in several mock trial competitions during her studies. Katherine also served as a legal intern under Justice Vito M. DeStefano at the Commercial Division of Nassau County Supreme Court during the summer of 2018, further enriching her legal expertise.

Hendrick Vandamme is a partner of the Firm. He was born in former Czechoslovakia and has the distinction of having participated in the demonstrations dubbed the Velvet Revolution which ended 40 years of Communist oppression and foresaw the normalization of relationships between East and West. After leaving Prague, he lived and worked in Germany, Belgium, and England. He is fluent in Czech, German, and French. Before forming Vandamme Law Firm, his work experience encompassed practice with a securities litigation boutique firm and with a major North American insurance company as the attorney of record and trial counsel. Hendrick successfully handled a number of jury trials and has conducted numerous mediations and arbitrations on behalf of his clients. He obtained his undergraduate degree from Essex University in England and his law degree from Fordham University Law School. On multiple occasions, Hendrick has served as a correspondent to Radio Journal in Prague where he uses his expertise to discuss American legal issues of international interest. Hendrick is also a board member of the Olga Forrai Foundation, which provides support for the training, education, and career development of opera singers and classical music conductors. He is admitted to practice in New York and in the US District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts.

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.

“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.

Kimberly’s practice focuses on complex litigation, white-collar criminal defense, government and internal investigations, and arbitration. Kimberly has experience representing individuals and companies in criminal and regulatory enforcement investigations, including on allegations of financial and securities fraud, anti-corruption violations (FCPA, FCA, AKS), sanctions violations, insurance fraud, healthcare fraud, and tax fraud. Kimberly has defended clients before federal and state prosecutors and regulators, including the SEC, DOJ, FINRA, state Attorney General and District Attorney offices. Kimberly has experience in both federal and state court proceedings at the trial and appellate levels. She has represented clients against claims of financial and securities fraud, trade secret misappropriation, global products liability, employment, and cooperation in SEC monitorship and receivership proceedings. Kimberly has also assisted clients with internal investigations, compliance and monitoring, oversight, and crisis management. Prior to joining Dynamis LLP, Kimberly was a white-collar criminal defense and government investigations associate at a mid-size law firm and a litigation associate at a prominent New York law firm. Kimberly received her J.D. from Fordham Law School, where she was the recipient of the Archibald R. Murray Public Service Award magna cum laude. While at Fordham, Kimberly served as a Notes and Articles Editor for the Intellectual Property, Media & Entertainment Law Journal; participated in the Securities Litigation and Arbitration Clinic; and was an LLM Legal Writing Teaching Assistant, for the Honorable Gerald Lebovits. Kimberly was also a Judicial Intern for the Honorable Keith E. Lynott in the Superior Court of New Jersey in Essex County. Kimberly is currently on the Associate Board of Urban Pathways, Inc. a non-profit organization in New York that specializes in assisting the homeless.

Shira Laskin, Esq. focuses her practice on family law. Her passion for justice drives her client-centered practice where she handles sophisticated matters with experience and confidence. Ms. Laskin has extensive experience in Divorce, Custody, Visitation, Domestic Violence, Pre and Post-Nuptial Agreements, Separation Agreements, Grandparent Rights, Same Sex Rights, Uncontested Divorces, Family Offenses and many other facets of family law. A graduate of New York University and New York Law School, Ms. Laskin is an accomplished writer with published work in print and featured in NYCLA's New York County Lawyer newspaper.

Having tried cases for insurance carriers, Garrett brings a strategic advantage to representing injured clients. His understanding of how insurance companies investigate, evaluate, and negotiate claims informs the way he handles plaintiff’s personal injury claims. Garrett uses his experience to advocate aggressively for injured individuals and their families. He places great emphasis on making sure that clients feel heard and that their questions are answered while navigating what can be some of life’s most challenging times. Since being admitted to practice in December 2014, Garrett Parnell has built a decade-long career focused exclusively on personal injury litigation. Before joining the plaintiff’s bar, Garrett spent years working for insurance carriers, defending personal injury claims, handling them from inception through trial.

Matthew T. Gammons is a partner at Rosenbaum & Rosenbaum, P.C., Matthew has experience representing injured New York City citizens in catastrophic injuries nursing abuse, motor vehicle accidents, and many other practice areas. If you or your family need legal help in NYC, contact our experienced injury attorney Matthew Gammons for a free consultation.

Attorney Levites is a practicing lawyer in the state of New York.