Meet Team Russo

Vincent J. Russo, J.D., LL.M., CELA*

VINCENT J. RUSSO, Managing Shareholder of Vincent J. Russo & Associates, P.C., Long Island’s Signature Elder Law, Special Needs and Estate Planning Law Firm with offices in Westbury, Islandia, Lido Beach, and Woodbury, New York has championed the rights of seniors and people with special needs since 1985.  His professional achievements include an invitation to join the WHITE HOUSE 2005 Conference on Aging as an at-large delegate. This invitation followed two other major events in Washington, D.C. as a representative of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA):(1) Testimony before the UNITED STATES SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGING on the proposed, detrimental changes in the Medicaid Program and (2) Featured Speaker at the Policy Forum of the CATO INSTITUTE on the subject of "Medicaid and the Long Term Care Crisis."

E-mail: vincent@vjrussolaw.com

Marie Elena R. Puma, J.D.

Marie Elena R. Puma is a Partner of the law firm of Vincent J. Russo & Associates, P.C. of Westbury, Islandia, Lido Beach and Woodbury, New York. She joined the firm in 1991 and her areas of practice include: Trust and Estate Administration, Elder Law, Special Needs and Estate Planning, Guardianships and Real Estate. She earned her law degree at St. John’s University School of Law and is admitted to the New York State Bar.

E-mail: mepuma@vjrussolaw.com

Marvin Rachlin, LL.B.
Marvin Rachlin is Of Counsel to the law firm since 1990. He received his LL.B. from the Brooklyn Law School, and was CHIEF COUNSEL to the Nassau County Department of Social Services for over 20 years. Mr. Rachlin has lectured before the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), the Nassau County Academy of Law, the Nassau County Bar Association and numerous community and professional organizations, both locally and nationally. The emphasis of his lectures is on educating the elderly and protecting their rights. He is a respected and recognized authority on Elder Law, and Co-Author of NEW YORK ELDER LAW PRACTICE published by WESTLAW West Publications.

E-mail: vjrusso@vjrussolaw.com

Ronald A. Spirn, J.D., CELA*

Ronald A. Spirn is a Partner with the law firm of Vincent J. Russo & Associates, P.C. with offices in Westbury, Islandia, Lido Beach, and Woodbury, New York. Mr. Spirn is a Certified Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation (2001).  He earned his law degree at The Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law where he participated in the Bet Tzedek Legal Services Clinic for elderly and disabled clients.  He is a member of the New York State and Nassau County Bar Associations Elder Law Committees. Ronald served on the Board of Editors of the New York State Bar Association Elder Law Attorney.  Ronald is a frequent speaker at professional and consumer forums.  He is admitted to the New York State Bar (1993).

E-mail: rspirn@vjrussolaw.com

Frank L. Buquicchio, J.D.
Frank L. Buquicchio is a Partner with the law firm of Vincent J. Russo & Associates, P.C. of Westbury, Islandia, Lido Beach and Woodbury, New York. He earned his law degree at Hofstra University School of Law and was admitted to practice in 1994. Frank is a member of the New York State and Suffolk County Bar Associations. Frank is also a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys (NAELA), a member of the New York State and Suffolk County Bar Associations’ Elder Law Committees and the Suffolk County Bar Association Surrogate’s Court Committee. Frank is the current Co-Chair of the Elder Law Committee of the Suffolk County Bar Association. He is admitted to the New York State and New Jersey State Bars.

E-mail: frank@vjrussolaw.com

Charles Bryan Baron, LL.B., LL.M
Charles Bryan Baron is an Associate with the law firm of Vincent J. Russo & Associates, P.C., of Westbury, Islandia, Lido Beach and Woodbury, New York. He earned his law degree at The Bar-Ilan Law School in Ramat Gan, Israel and a Masters of Law at The Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center of Touro College.  Mr. Baron is the author of "Self-Dealing Trustees and The Exoneration Clause: Can Trustees Ever Profit From Transactions Involving Trust Property?" published in the St. John’s Law Review. This article has resulted in Mr. Baron’s qualification as an expert witness in the law of New York private trusts in New York State Supreme Court and in The United States Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Florida.

E-mail: cbaron@vjrussolaw.com

Shirley M. Diefenbach, J.D.
Shirley M. Diefenbach is an Associate with the firm of Vincent J. Russo & Associates, P.C., of Westbury, Islandia, Lido Beach and Woodbury, New York. She earned her law degree at Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law and was a member of their Tax Clinic. In that capacity, she represented low-income taxpayers in audits, administrative appeals, offers in compromise and other tax collection matters. Shirley was also the Internet Editor of the Benjamin N. Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal.

E-mail: sdiefenbach@vjrussolaw.com

Harold E. Gerry, Jr., J.D.
Harold E. Gerry, Jr. is a Partner with the law firm of Vincent J. Russo & Associates, P.C. of Westbury, Islandia, Lido Beach and Woodbury, New York. He earned his law degree at Quinnipiac College School of Law in 1995. He was admitted to the Bar in the States of New York (1996), New Jersey (1996) and Connecticut (1995).

E-mail: hgerry@vjrussolaw.com

Brenda M. Lynch, J.D.

Brenda M. Lynch is a Partner with the firm of Vincent J. Russo & Associates, P.C., with offices in Westbury, Islandia, Lido Beach, and Woodbury, New York. She earned her law degree at Brooklyn Law School in 1997. While there, she interned for the Brooklyn Legal Services, Department of the Aging and Brooklyn Law School’s Elder Law Clinic. She was also the recipient of an Everett Fellowship, which allowed her to work with the Samuel Sadin Institute on Law of the Brookdale Center on Aging at Hunter College.

E-mail: bmlynch@vjrussolaw.com

Kim N. Christian, J.D.

Kim N. Christian is an Associate with the law firm of Vincent J. Russo & Associates, P.C. of Westbury, Islandia, Lido Beach and Woodbury, New York. She earned her law degree at St. John’s University School of Law and served as Research Editor of the New York Litigator. She is a member of the New York State Bar Association and she is admitted to the New York and the New Jersey Bars.

E-mail: kchristian@vjrussolaw.com

Christopher M. Petillo, J.D., CPA

Christopher M. Petillo, C.P.A., J.D. is a Partner with the law firm of Vincent J. Russo & Associates, P.C. of Westbury, Islandia, Lido Beach and Woodbury, New York.  He is admitted to the New York State Bar and is a Certified Public Accountant in New York State.  He is a member of the New York State Bar Association (Elder Law Section) and the Nassau County Bar Association.  Christopher is admitted to the New York State Bar and is admitted to practice before the United States Tax Court.  He earned his law degree at St. John’s University School of Law in Jamaica, New York.  Christopher completed his undergraduate studies at Adelphi University in Garden City, New York.  As the recipient of a Presidential Scholarship, Christopher earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, graduating with honors.  An alumnus of Price Waterhouse LLP (now known as PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP), Christopher’s areas of practice include Elder Law, Estate Planning, Personal Income Taxation, Gift Taxation and Fiduciary income Taxation.  Christopher is a frequent lecturer at consumer seminars on numerous Elder Law topics. 

E-mail: cpetillo@vjrussolaw.com

Lara J. Schneider-Bomzer, J.D.

Lara J. Schneider-Bomzer is an Associate with the law firm of Vincent J. Russo & Associates, P.C. of Westbury, Islandia, Lido Beach and Woodbury, New York. She earned her law degree at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 2000 after receiving her Masters in Public Administration from Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. Most recently, she worked with Legal Services for the Elderly in Queens as a staff attorney advocating on behalf of seniors with housing and public benefits issues.

E-mail: lbomzer@vjrussolaw.com

Rebecca R. Davis, J.D.
Rebecca R. Davis is an associate with the law firm of Vincent J. Russo & Associates, P.C. of Westbury, Islandia, Lido Beach and Woodbury, New York.  She earned her law degree at Touro Law Center in 2006.

E-mail: rdavis@vjrussolaw.com