Corporate

Ben is an attorney who brings a social work background and legal expertise to Ritter & Randolph, where he practices in the areas of real estate, civil litigation, probate/estate/trust administration, and business and corporate law. He strives to make clients feel comfortable in the most difficult situations, leaning on his experience in mental health. He has a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Yeshiva University in New York City and a master’s degree in social work from The Ohio State University. As a Ritter & Randolph attorney, Ben focuses on effectively resolving clients’ legal issues, guiding them through the process while helping them make tough decisions. He graduated cum laude from Capital University Law School, where he served as an ad hoc member on the university’s board of trustees and Law Council of Capital University Law School. Off-hours, you’ll find Ben hiking nature trails in the Cincinnati area, rollerblading along the Ohio River or playing ice hockey on a rec team.

A dynamic entrepreneur and innovative thinker renowned for his extensive expertise in business management, financial services, regulatory compliance, and brokerage operations. Graduating with a degree in liberal studies and small business management from Stony Brook University in 1990, Mr. Gilbert accumulated over 25 years of diversified experience in the financial services industry. Holding senior executive positions at esteemed institutions such as Wachovia Securities Financial Network and TD Waterhouse, he transitioned to law, earning his Juris Doctor degree from Barry University School of Law in 2014. With a multifaceted background, Mr. Gilbert served as a COO for Gazelle.com in 2006, contributing to its evolution into the nation's leading consumer electronics trade-in site with over $125 million in annual revenue. Beyond his corporate roles, he worked as an independent business consultant, guiding the development and turnaround of small to mid-sized companies across various sectors, including brokerage, retail sales, and technology. In his most recent role as an Assistant Public Defender for the Eighteenth Judicial Circuit, Mr. Gilbert advocated for indigent persons facing legal challenges, showcasing his commitment to justice and community service. As a seasoned Wall Street veteran and reputable attorney, Mr. Gilbert is devoted to addressing diverse client needs, from estate planning and asset protection to business, commercial, and corporate law matters. Outside his professional endeavors, Mr. Gilbert finds joy in travel and quality time with his wife, Multida, and their two children, Jody (26) and Jordan (22).

Todd Cushner is the owner of Todd Cushner & Associates, P.C. which is located in White Plains, New York. Todd Cushner & Associates, P.C. is a multidisciplinary finance, business, and criminal law firm seeking to provide clients with the best representation available. Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Cushner was a managing partner of North Shore Advisory Inc., a financial services firm engaged in helping individuals resolve various credit and debt related issues. Mr. Cushner has also been directly involved in the Real Estate industry for over 25 years. His focus has been directed in the areas of cooperative conversions, new residential development in Queens and Brooklyn as well as numerous corporate commercial office re-locations on Long Island for large corporate entities such as the Diebold Corporation, Z&F Capital, and World Wide Express. Many of these projects required the ability to procure difficult sources of funding for which he was instrumental. Additionally, while engaged in the broadcast news industry Mr. Cushner was twice Emmy nominated and was the winner of the coveted Folio award. Mr. Cushner also received the New York State Broadcasters Association Recognition Award for best spot news journalism. Mr. Cushner is the author of The Credit Solutions Resource Kit, a self help guide for individuals and families in economic distress. He is a member of the New York State Bar Association, The Westchester County Bar Association as well as the American Bar Association, Business Law Division and Trust & Estates Division and is admitted in both New York and New Jersey. Mr. Cushner is a long term member of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys.

Jason D. Jones, Esq., our office’s founder, opened our office in 2018 after working for well over a decade in trusts & estates, estate administration, and taxation matters in both international and domestic estate planning areas. With B.A and M.A. degrees from Yale University and University of Chicago, Mr. Jones worked as a corporate paralegal at Morgan Lewis & Bockius LLP, specializing in airline lease transactions and other corporate matters. Mr. Jones also worked as the sole non-native Japanese paralegal at the former Komatsu Koma Nishikawa LLP, located in Tokyo, Japan, while on scholarship to complete work on his master's thesis. ​ Upon his return to the United States, Mr. Jones worked as a paralegal at Morrison Foerster LLP and at Loeb Block LLP, a boutique firm specializing in international trusts & estates matters for high net worth foreign individuals. While at Loeb Block LLP, Mr. Jones began his study at Fordham Law School and developed his interest in all trusts & estates related matters, including advanced work in estate taxation. During the summers as a law student, Mr. Jones interned at both the Queens County Surrogate’s Court, among other places, to augment his practical experience. After his admission to the New York Bar, Mr. Jones worked as an associate at Heidner Law Firm, where he worked on trusts & estates matters for high net worth individuals, primarily from Brazil but also from other Latin American countries. Selected matters included U.S. based real estate purchases for foreign clients, forming offshore entities in Bermuda, British Virgin Islands and the Cayman Islands. Mr. Jones next joined Eisenberg & Baum LLP as an associate in order to to serve more U.S. clients on a wider array of domestic estate planning and probate matters. At Eisenberg & Baum LLP, Mr. Jones worked in all Surrogate’s Courts city-wide, as well as in Westchester, Nassau and Suffolk counties. He soon realized that this work was most closely aligned with his mission: to assist all families and individuals with their domestic estate planning objectives while providing an empathetic ear towards the vital skills required of a trusts & estates practitioner towards his/her/their clients. To date, Mr. Jones has served as trustee on two different multimillion dollar trusts concerning notable figures and has prepared hundreds of Wills and revocable trusts. In addition, Mr. Jones has prepared family limited partnerships, irrevocable trusts, special needs trusts, and other sophisticated estate planning devices. Mr. Jones has completed many probate and administration proceedings, small estate (voluntary) administration proceedings, resolved inheritance disputes, and handled formation and dissolution matters of limited liability companies and corporations. As a value add-on to his primary practice, Mr. Jones assists his clients with residential real estate closings and deed transfers. Due to the strong connection between spousal rights and estate planning, Mr. Jones has been sought after by many couples to prepare prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. Mr. Jones is a native New Yorker, who was raised Queens, New York. He currently resides in New York City with his husband. When he is not furthering his clients’ interests, he enjoys playing tennis, reading contemporary fiction, listening to true crime podcasts, and traveling.

Jules Porter is an attorney, business law professor, legal analyst, artificial intelligence (AI) developer, and video game developer who enjoys simplifying complex legal issues to make the law more approachable for all. Jules is an Associate Attorney at Ed Shaw Law Firm where she practices business law, family law, criminal law, and intellectual property law. She is also a game director at Seraph 7 Studios, a console video game development company that provides work-study experience for local students. Jules is also an AI developer and trainer who works to improve the analytical capabilities of various large language and natural language models. Jules is a proud U.S. Marine Corps veteran who earned both her JD and MBA from the University of St. Thomas where she currently serves as an adjunct business law and intellectual property law professor. Jules also earned a B.S. in Aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and is a seminary theology degree holder. Jules frequently lectures at local, national, and international schools where she speaks to students about various legal, government, business, civil rights, and science and technology topics to include: augmented reality, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, blockchain technology, computer programming, game development engines, and design. Jules also serves on the University of St. Thomas School of Law Outreach and Connections Committee and recently held the positions of Treasurer and Secretary on the Board of the Minnesota Association of Black Lawyers. Most recently, Jules was named one of Minnesota’s Top 20 technopreneurs and was named a Twin Cities Global Corporate Citizen by the International Leadership Institute and Twin Cities Unsung Hero by Planting People Growing Justice. In her spare time, Jules cheers on the Minnesota Vikings, rocks out to the Pointer Sisters’ music, and enjoys thriller and sci-fi movies. ​

Robert L. Garibaldi, Jr. earned his Juris Doctor degree from Pace University Law School after graduating with honors in accounting from Saint Peter’s University with a Bachelor of Science degree. With over 30 years of expertise, Mr. Garibaldi specializes in corporate and transactional law, civil litigation, municipal law, commercial and residential real estate, estate planning, probate, and banking law. For 25 years, he served as the attorney for the Borough of Glen Rock in Bergen County, managing all aspects of municipal law. His legal practice focuses on business and corporate law, municipal law, litigation, wills and estates, and real estate. Mr. Garibaldi’s accounting background has enabled him to assist clients in preparing for their futures through effective estate planning. He also brings extensive experience in banking law, having served as Chairman of the Board, acting President, and CEO of Hamilton Savings Bank. Mr. Garibaldi is a member of the New Jersey Bar Association, the American Bar Association, and the New Jersey Institute of Municipal Attorneys. In addition to his legal career, Mr. Garibaldi spent several years in public service. He was the Vice-Chairman of the Fee Arbitration Committee for Bergen County and served for eight years on the Kinnelon Board of Education. He is also a founding member of the Kinnelon Education Foundation.

MARK L. KALISH is a founding partner of Moss & Kalish, PLLC. Mark is a 1975 graduate of Brooklyn Law School with honors. Like Gary, Mark has broad experience in the field of general corporate, commercial, and real estate litigation. In this area, Mark has served as counsel in federal litigation to bond holders who suffered financial losses as a result of a massive sovereign default by the Republic of Argentina. Mark has also served as a legal advisor to a partnership involved in the development of a 1.5 billion dollar undersea fiber optic cable venture and counseled clients in corporate and real estate matters. Mark has had extensive involvement in various not-for-profit organizations, serving as President of the Brandeis School, a private day school located in Lawrence, New York, and President of Congregation Sons of Israel, located in Woodmere, New York.

For over 20 years, Bill has been engaged in the successful placement of partners, practice groups, in-house counsel and associates as well as consultation with respect to law firm mergers. Bill works with prominent international, regional and local law firms and corporations in the Midwest and nationwide. He has a particular emphasis in Chicago as well as New York, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, San Francisco and Dallas. Prior to founding Astor Professional Search, Bill had extensive legal and business development experience, including a business development executive role with Thompson Financial (now Thomson Reuters), working as corporate in-house counsel with Aon Corporation, and practicing law with a prominent national litigation boutique. Bill’s transactional, litigation and business development background, combined with his extensive attorney relationships and experience in a variety of professional environments, has given Astor distinct advantages in the legal recruiting marketplace nationwide. After spending nearly two years as a Principal with another legal search firm, Bill founded Astor Professional Search. Bill’s prime motivation for the genesis of Astor, and the cornerstone of its strategic philosophy, is one concept: The highest degree of personalized attention. While it may sound simple, this personalized approach, which inherently embraces a consultative, interactive and comprehensive strategy, has fueled a significantly higher level of consistently successful legal placements year after year. It also remains one of the key factors separating Astor from the vast majority of “numbers-focused” legal search firms in the marketplace. Bill lives in the northern suburbs of Chicago with his wife, Nicole, and their two children. In his spare time, Bill enjoys live music, tennis, international travel and Chicago’s world-class restaurants. Additionally, he spends considerable time at Wrigley Field as a life-long (and tortured) Cubs fan, with such suffering lifted in 2016, courtesy of a 1st World Series championship in 108 years.

Savannah, Georgia’s nationally acclaimed trial lawyer, Mark Tate, has over 21 years of experience in the field of civil litigation. Mark began his career in law as a corporate defense attorney, but his true passion quickly compelled him to represent individuals, instead of large organizations. Mark’s record of multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts won for his clients distinguishes him as a master trial attorney. In addition to owning his practice, he now serves as a legal consultant for LawNewz.com.

For the past 25 years, Joseph M. Lucas has been serving his clients that have suffered serious personal, financial, and legal problems. These matters have been in personal injury, business law, and real estate law, and much more. Joseph has dedicated his practice to ensuring that his clients can have a trusted legal resource to return to time and time again. Please call 847-381-8700 or contact us online.