Business Organization

Katz Law Firm’s founder and managing partner, Adam Katz, is admitted to practice law in New York Supreme Court, Southern District, Eastern District and U.S. Tax Court. He is an active member of the ABA– American Bar Association, NYSBA – New York State Bar Association (and is also a member on the Trusts and Estates Law Committee), NAELA (National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys), NAEPC (National Association of Estate Planners and Councils) and EPCNC (Estate Planning Council of Nassau County). Adam received a plaque from Martindale-Hubble in 2017 for practicing law. He is recognized and listed for estate planning and probate services on Nolo.com and Avvo.com, where he voluntarily answers questions regarding various aspects within the practice of law. Adam has also been nominated to be a rising star SuperLawyer by Thomson Reuters since 2015. In addition, he has been selected to serve as Co-Counsel for other law firms and attorneys. Adam was invited and has accepted the position to become a State Practice Advisor for Interactive Legal, which is among the nation’s elite leading Trusts, Estates and Elder Law legal resource and knowledge base. Adam’s unique academic background enabled him to gain exposure and valuable work experience across a wide variety of financial and legal positions. He has worked in the financial sector at Merill Lynch, practiced corporate litigation at Proskauer Rose LLP, intellectual property at Pennie & Edmonds, corporate transactional law at Jones Day and trusts and estates law at a number of firms. Adam has published articles on accounting and tax in BNA and decanting irrevocable trusts in the Nassau Lawyer. In addition, Adam has substituted as a law professor at Hofstra University’s School of Law and St. Johns Law School on trusts and estates drafting and tax law, lectured and participated in panels at Cardozo Law School and has given classes and presentations in various forums. Adam earned his Juris Doctor at Fordham University School of Law, where he was Notes and Articles Editor for the Fordham Journal of Corporate and Financial Law. Additionally, Adam was selected as teacher’s assistant and student coordinator of a research team to publish a treatise on International Law. After law school, he received his Master of Laws in Taxation, with a focus on Trusts and Estates, from New York University School of Law in 2008, where he was elected to be Director of the NYU Law & Business Association and volunteered as a mediator in the NYU Mediation Clinic. Katz Law Firm’s founder and managing partner, Adam Katz, is a cum laude graduate of Hofstra University where he graduated with two degrees and was given the Presidential Academic Fitness Award. Adam received his Bachelor of Science in Mathematics with honors and was Vice President of Kappa Mu Epsilon National Mathematics Honor Society. Adam also received a Bachelor of Arts with a triple-minor in Philosophy, Economics and Asian Studies. He was also elected to be Senator of Hofstra’s Student Government Association and was chosen to be a teacher’s assistant of Finite Calculus with Business Applications. If you need to find a lawyer who you can trust in the Cedarhurst area, Katz Law Firm is ready to use our expertise to serve you—contact us today!

I began my practice over 11 years ago with the determination to make things better for my clients and my community. That continues to be the focus of my practice, and I look forward to many years of future service to my neighbors and friends. I grew up in Libertyville, graduating from Copeland Manor, Highland Jr. High, and eventually Libertyville High School in 1997. I attended college at Miami University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Business, Majoring in Marketing. During college, I was president and judicial board chairman of my college fraternity, and was involved with Associated Student Government, various volunteer, and civic groups, and volunteered as a tutor. I attended law school at the University of Cincinnati College of Law, where I was active in Student Court, Moot Court Honor Board, the Tenant Information Project, the Human Rights Quarterly, and was a member of the Dean’s list. During this time I also volunteered as a youth mentor for the Cincinnati Youth Collaborative, taught a High School class curriculum in civics called StreetLaw, and worked part-time for Kaplan tutoring and preparing students for the Law School Admissions Test. I continue to be actively involved in the community. Currently, I sit on the Board of Directors of the Affordable Housing Corporation of Lake County, a non-profit tasked with improving housing options throughout Lake County. I am also currently exploring the formation of a non-profit to rehabilitate abandoned, nuisance homes to stabilize housing values and rid neighborhoods of dangerous and often unsanitary hazards. I am regularly appointed by judges to serve as guardian ad litem in guardianship matters. I currently live in Mundelein with my wife, Dr. Amanda R. Johnston, DVM (veterinarian), our son Merritt, and our dog and cat. In my free time, I enjoy gardening, keeping aquariums, bicycling, hiking, canoeing, golf, coaching youth lacrosse, and rooting for the Chicago Cubs. Effective, knowledgeable, and ethical criminal defense. Call for a free consultation. Lawyer.com Member Questionnaire Please describe a case(s) in the last year or two where you made a big difference. A homeowners association recently tried to enforce long-dormant deed restrictions (ignored for 30 years against) my client, in a discriminatory manner. The association followed none of its own rules, and was ostensibly re-formed solely to discriminate against my client by forcing the costly removal of valuable improvements on his land. A neighbor filed suit, arguing the dormant deed restrictions against my client, who is a person of color and substantially younger than others in the neighborhood, while ignoring blatant violations on their own property and at nearly every other property in the neighborhood. At the close of discovery, we successfully moved the court for summary judgment on the grounds that there was no way the suing neighbor could possibly prevail. My client’s property rights were maintained and the discriminatory action was thwarted. How did you build a successful practice? Mutual respect. I am proud of the fact that my firm offers free initial case consultations. This stems from a recognition that, while my time is valuable, so it the time of my clients. I strongly believe that initial case consultations, even if valuable to clients, should be free, because I do not believe it is fair to charge for time spent evaluating whether my firm can help a certain client, and in developing the plan of action. Once we come up with a plan of action, we communicate that proposed scope of work to the client so they can accept or reject our proposal for representation. Only after a client has agreed to hire us, based on the agreed plan, are legal fees assessed. This approach, based on mutual respect, has been crucial to our firm’s success. What should clients look for in a lawyer? It’s a personal relationship as well as a professional one. Clients must be comfortable with their attorney on both these levels. Clients should be sure that they can communicate well with their attorney. A knowledgeable professional in any field should be able to explain even the most difficult contexts in terms a layperson can readily understand. If you cannot understand your attorney, its probably not a good fit. How important is local knowledge to the success of your cases? The saying goes “A good attorney knows the law, a great attorney knows the judge.” This is true because the practice of the law is not only theoretical, but also practical and pragmatic. An experienced local attorney will typically know the courts, judges, clerks and local procedures better than an attorney who does not practice in the county on a regular basis. Thus, clients represented by local attorneys will reap numerous advantages in the course of a case. What information can you provide in a free phone consultation? Typically, after learning enough about the case for a proper evaluation, I explain how the law works in the area, how I expect the law will be applied to their situation, and how my firm can potentially be of service to the person (and how we would charge for our services). Often, in order to properly conduct an initial consultation, I will need to review relevant paperwork, but with smart phones, scanners and teleconference software, it is increasingly easy to share documents electronically. What information do you need in a free phone consultation? Every case is different, but in general, I will need to know the parties involved in a case (so that I can make sure there is no conflict of interest), I will need to know the location of the case, and often it is very helpful to review relevant documents. Every case is different, and many of the documents I would need to review may be available online (like court records), so a potential client should not be dissuaded from calling to schedule a free consultation. If we need more information, we will let you know. What differentiates you from other lawyers in your community? I do my best to build a strong professional network both within and outside of the legal community. If a potential client comes to my firm and, for whatever reason(s), the case is not a good fit for my firm, we do our best to match the client with the right attorney. What is the most rewarding aspect of your job? Helping people. This is how attorneys help ensure equal justice under law. That’s why good attorneys enter the practice. What are your other interests in addition to law? My hobbies include: canoeing, hiking, bicycling, golf, fishing, disc golf, and keeping aquariums. Causes that I support include Affordable and Just Housing, Medical Research, and community efforts to foster local, small businesses. Are you involved in your community? Yes, I am active in my local and state bar associations, the GLMV, and business networking groups. I am regularly appointed by judges in Lake County to serve as a Guardian ad Litem. I serve on the Lake County Chamber of Commerce as a Board Member. Additionally, I serve as President of the Affordable Housing Corporation of Lake County (AHC), which works closely with Community Partners for Affordable Housing (CPAH) to serve the joint mission of fostering safe, affordable housing in our area.

Marc L. Shea graduated from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, in 1979. He was formerly associated with Law Offices of Lester G. Sachs, where he practiced general civil law, with an emphasis in mechanics lien law (1979-1982) and then as a partner with Popelka, Allard, McCowan & Jones (“PAMJ”) and Popelka, Allard, McCowan & Bondonno (“PAMB”) (1982 to 2006). Shea & McIntyre is the successor firm to PAMB.

Bob Casey is a practicing attorney in the state of Oregon. He graduated from Seattle University School of Law in 1991 with his J.D.

Randy Williams serves as President and Managing Partner of Williams Law Group of Georgia. Attorney Williams is a highly skilled and passionate advocate when he is litigating on behalf of his diverse group of clients. He specializes in Real Estate Law, Criminal Defense, and Litigation. Randy brings business and executive ingenuity to the firm's leadership. He obtained his Doctor of Law from Emory University School of Law where he prosecuted misdemeanor and felony crimes under the Fulton County Solicitor General and Dekalb County District Attorney. Prior to practicing Randy served as an executive gaining extensive experience in various areas of business management. In his spare time, Randy enjoys playing tennis, mentoring, traveling, and spending time with family and friends.

Harry Steven Ellman was admitted to the State Bar of Michigan in 1971 and practices law in Oakland, Wayne and Macomb counties. From 1971 to 1987 he was actively engaged in the general practice of law with a strong emphasis on real estate, secured transactions and business matters. From 1987 until 2006 he owned and operated a title insurance agency, Fidelity Title Company, specializing in commercial transactions insuring over Five Billion Dollars in closings. Since 2006 he has resolved many legal matters without the need to litigate. Harry recently settled a $3 Million Dollar breach of contract matter within 5 months without filing a lawsuit. Located in Bingham Farms, Michigan, we work with clients in the Detroit Metro area, including Farmington Hills.

David Dunham is board certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has earned Martindale-Hubbell’s highest possible attorney rating of AV. Mr. Dunham has been recognized thirteen times as a Super Lawyer by Texas Monthly and American Law Media. He has also been featured in the annual editions of the Super Lawyers Business Edition and in ALM’s Texas’ Top-Rated Lawyers. Mr. Dunham’s work in the area of patent infringement litigation has landed him on ALM’s annual lists as a Top Rated Lawyer in IP Law. Mr. Dunham is an experienced trial lawyer whose work on behalf of clients at trial has been recognized by the American Lawyer, VerdictSearch.com and topverdict.com in their annual publications. Mr. Dunham has represented business and individuals in the following industries: semiconductor, automotive products, telecommunications, software, medical devices, wireless, real estate transactions, computer peripherals, recreational equipment, securities, gaming and more.

Maikel N. Eskander is the principal and owner of Capital Partners Law, a full-service business and real estate firm with offices in Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Boca Raton. The firm handles a wide variety of commercial, real estate, and business litigation matters, including representation of small and mid-sized businesses, investors, developers, and owners. As the firm’s founding member, Mr. Eskander was recently recognized as an AV Preeminent Rated business attorney by Martindale-Hubbell, as well as receiving the Elite Lawyer Award for Business Law, and being recognized by Best Lawyers in America: Ones to Watch for Commercial Litigation in 2021. He brings a wealth of knowledge & experience to the firm, including representation of numerous Fortune 500 companies and a track record of having never lost an appeal. Prior to opening Capital Law Partners, Mr. Eskander was a founding partner at Eskander Loshak LLP.

I have been practicing law for over 25 years, representing individuals and small business owners in New York City and Long Island, with the legal issues that arise in their everyday business or personal life. For business owners, I act as a general business advisor, help form new businesses, review and negotiate contracts, including operating agreements, vendor agreements, independent contractor agreements, and commercial leases. I also teach clients how to avoid disputes by showing them what to do to ensure that they get paid at the end of a deal, how to protect themselves against liability and how to operate their businesses efficiently. In the event a dispute does arise, I work with business partners to assist them in resolving disputes among themselves or with companies they do business with, including representing companies in litigation against customers for unpaid bills or breached agreements. In addition, I have experience with other types of litigation, including construction and real estate contract litigation. I started my firm, the Law Office of Michael A. Kofsky, PLLC, in November 2008, after having worked at law firms both large and small in New York City. At Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher, and Flom, LLP, I gained experience working with businesses, reviewing and analyzing business and real estate contracts and operating agreements to identify potential liabilities and compliance issues, and help manage risk. I also examined organizational structures and operating revenues and worked on joint ventures and other transactions. After leaving Skadden, I worked at several small boutique law firms at which I gained experience interacting with clients on a personal level in order to fully understand their needs and accomplish their goals. Thereafter, I took the best parts of my Manhattan experience and created my own firm to be closer to my family and to give back to the Long Island community. I am a lifelong New Yorker, born and raised in Manhattan and now living on Long Island. I graduated with honors from Brooklyn Law School and Boston University. I am an avid sports fan and am devoted to my family, including my two young daughters.