Legal Alerts

Hurwitz Fine Trusts & Estates attorneys Melissa A. Pezzino and Lauren Meksraitis-Elliott recently presented a webinar examining estate planning strategies for transferring real property, with a particular focus on New York and Florida. The program explored the differences between Life Estate deeds, Transfer on Death deeds, and trusts, as well as important considerations involving Medicaid eligibility, probate avoidance, and property ownership across multiple states.

Hurwitz Fine Insurance Coverage Co-Chair Steven E. Peiper recently presented a webinar as part of the firm's Coverage Pointers University series, examining the complexities of construction defect claims under commercial general liability (CGL) policies. The program explored the scope of coverage, the distinction between defective workmanship and consequential property damage, and the important differences among common work product exclusions.

This fall, team members from Hurwitz Fine’s Buffalo office partnered with Habitat for Humanity for a day of community service in Lackawanna, NY. 

Hurwitz Fine Insurance Coverage Chair Dan D. Kohane has joined NAM (National Arbitration and Mediation) as a Hearing Officer. In this new role, Dan will serve as an arbitrator and mediator for matters throughout New York State, drawing on his decades of experience in complex insurance coverage and litigation matters.

Hurwitz Fine Buffalo and Long Island Litigation Attorneys Michael Williams and Patrice Melville recently presented a webinar exploring the opportunities—and risks—of using artificial intelligence in the legal profession. 

Hurwitz Fine P.C. is proud to announce that 27 of our attorneys have been named to the 2026 Upstate New York Super Lawyers and Rising Stars lists, a recognition reserved for outstanding lawyers who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.

Estate planning in New York is entering a new era. Beginning December 12, 2027, New York will recognize properly executed electronic wills, giving clients and families a modern option for documenting their wishes while preserving important safeguards against fraud, mistake, and uncertainty.

Hurwitz Fine attorney Gabrielle Markle was featured in Buffalo Business First on August 5, 2026, following her installation as President of the Women's Bar Association of Western New York.

Hurwitz Fine Long Island attorneys Ashley Cuneo, Patrice Melville, and Rachel Epstein recently presented a webinar examining the growing prevalence of fraudulent slip-and-fall claims in New York and the practical strategies defense counsel and claims professionals can use to identify, investigate, and defend these cases.

The New York State Legislature and Governor Kathy Hochul have enacted tort reform legislation affecting motor vehicle claims and lawsuits commenced on or after April 26, 2026. The new law changes comparative negligence rules, alters the definition of “serious injury” for No-Fault purposes, imposes a damages cap for those convicted of certain unlawful conduct, and modifies the sequence for determining serious injury and fault.

Hurwitz Fine Attorneys V. Christopher Potenza, Elizabeth Midgley, and Stephen Sorrels recently presented a timely webinar examining the forces driving nuclear verdicts and practical strategies for defending high-exposure cases.

The AVOID Act significantly alters third-party practice under CPLR § 1007, When Third-Party Practice Allowed. Commonly referred to as the AVOID Act (Avoiding Vexatious Overuse of Impleading to Delay), Senate Bill 8071-A was signed on December 19, 2025, and became effective on April 18, 2026. While these changes are of special concern in cases involving construction accidents, where multiple contractors, subcontractors, and insurers are often implicated, its impact will be felt across the litigation spectrum.