East Meadow, NY

Richard A. Jacoby

Partner of seven attorney firm that concentrates in the practice of bankruptcy, personal injury and real estate.

Melvyn L. Jacoby

Founding and managing member of 7 attorney firm that concentrates in the practice of bankruptcy, personal injury, matrimonial and criminal law.

Andrew Finkelstein

Mr. Finkelstein’s career reflects a rare blend of legal excellence, educational leadership, and unwavering dedication to justice and public safety. Andrew Finkelstein is the Managing Partner of Finkelstein & Partners, LLP, where he has built a distinguished career advocating for injured individuals and holding corporate wrongdoers accountable. A nationally recognized consumer advocate and accomplished trial attorney, Mr. Finkelstein has successfully litigated numerous wrongful death and catastrophic injury cases, securing multiple multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements. Notably, he achieved a record $50 million confidential settlement for a single injury claim, $31 million jury verdict in Ulster County, NY, and a $13.5 million settlement in a motor vehicle accident case, as well as dozens of other multi-million dollar results. Mr. Finkelstein’s leadership extends beyond the courtroom. He currently serves as the 58th President of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association (NYSTLA) and is a dedicated faculty member and Executive Chairman at Trial School, a nationwide nonprofit organization committed to training trial lawyers. He is an accomplished author whose book, I Hope We Never Meet, reached #1 on New York Times best seller list. He has also taught at Keenan Trial Institute, Trial Lawyers University, and lectured at prestigious institutions including Harvard Law School and Brooklyn Law School. His continuing legal education (CLE) presentations span multiple state trial lawyer associations, including Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Ohio, and Maryland, as well as national conferences such as Mass Torts Made Perfect, and National Trial Lawyer Academy. A passionate educator, Mr. Finkelstein frequently lectures at the Finkelstein & Partners Center for Continuing Legal Education. His topics include: Building the Case Using Experts and Lay Witnesses, Science in the Courtroom, Technology in the Courtroom, Prosecution of a Pharmaceutical Case, The Ethics of Online Advertising, Structured Settlements and Personal Injury Settlements. Mr. Finkelstein is also deeply committed to community service. He led the firm’s pro bono efforts as Captain of the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund through “Trial Lawyers Care,” securing over $10 million for victims while waiving all legal fees. His leadership in this initiative earned him recognition from the Association of Trial Lawyers of America. In the realm of pharmaceutical litigation, Mr. Finkelstein has played a pivotal role in national cases involving dangerous drugs. He chairs the Plaintiff Personal Injury Steering Committee for the Neurontin Multi-District Litigation (MDL) in Boston and has worked closely with the FDA, filing a Citizen Petition to enhance suicide risk warnings. He also serves on the Executive Steering Committee for the Hormone Replacement Therapy MDL and is a key member of the Plaintiff Steering Committees for the Ortho Evra Birth Control Patch and Viagra MDLs. For 11 consecutive years (2014-2025) Mr. Finkelstein has been voted one of the nation’s top 50 most influential civil plaintiff’s trial lawyers by National Trial Lawyers, as published by The Trial Lawyer Magazine.

Stephanie G. Ovadia

Stephanie G. Ovadia is a licensed New York State attorney with over 30 years of legal experience, specializing in personal injury law. She founded the Law Office of Stephanie G. Ovadia in 1993 and has represented thousands of clients in various personal injury matters. She is also a radio personality and legal commentator.

Peter S. Samaan

Peter has over 30 years of experience representing clients in construction and surety law, general and professional liability, and insurance defense as well as general litigation matters. Peter is also well versed in the coverage issues that arise in his practice areas and has litigated those coverage issues throughout his career. While Peter’s current practice largely relates to construction and related litigation, Peter continues to litigate all types of legal issues including those arising in commercial matters. Peter has extensive trial experience, including trying a large, multi-party construction defect matter to verdict on behalf of a plumbing company in New York County in which his client obtained a directed verdict at the close of the evidence. The jury returned a verdict in excess of $40 million against the remaining defendants. Peter also tried a commercial matter in a bench trial before a federal magistrate in Manhattan on behalf of his corporate client. The plaintiff alleged he was owed millions of shares of stock and the company disagreed. In a bench decision, the court found for our corporate client completely, avoiding a potential enterprise-threatening situation had plaintiff been victorious. Peter has also tried numerous labor law cases to verdict, including in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan and Nassau, and has also been victorious on numerous summary judgment motions on cases ranging from labor law claims to commercial disputes to construction disputes. In addition, Peter successfully mediates cases where circumstances dictate, including a construction defect claim in New Jersey on behalf of a general contractor in which the financing bank claimed over $100 million in damages. The case was settled for less than $3 million with the majority coming from other parties. Peter graduated from St. John’s University School of Law in 1990 and was admitted to practice in New York in 1991. He is also admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York. Peter began his practice with a large firm in New York City, primarily on general liability and medical malpractice litigation as well as errors and omissions (E & O) and directors and officers (D & O) defense work. After leaving that firm, Peter accepted an in-house counsel position with an insurance company in its attorney malpractice area. In addition, while at that insurer, Peter was involved with accountant claims as well as E & O and D & O work, primarily with the failed savings and loan dispute in the early 1990s. Peter left the insurer to resume private practice with another large firm in Manhattan where he was involved in general liability, environmental, asbestos, health hazard and toxic tort litigation. During this period, Peter participated in multiple trials and ADR proceedings, including coverage issues relating to the general liability, environmental, asbestos, health hazard and toxic tort litigations. Peter is also a certified arbitrator for the New York State Court System.

Christine M. Schibani

Christine M. Schibani Esq. has over 20 years of experience representing plaintiffs injured as a result of motor vehicle accidents, dog bites, school accidents, wrongful deaths, nursing home negligence and slip/trip and falls. Christine advocates for her clients from a place of empathy and compassion. Specializing in personal injury and negotiation solely has allowed Christine to continue to provide her client’s with the level of expertise needed to produce the best results possible. Christine prides herself in keeping the lines of communication open with her clients from the inception to resolution of the case. Since joining the firm of Jacoby & Jacoby in 2001, Christine has secured multiple six and seven figure settlements for her clients through mediations, arbitrations and direct settlement negotiations. Christine has a solid reputation and rapport with both her fellow attorneys and insurance representatives due to her straightforward, honest and respectful approach to settlement negotiations. Christine has had several notable settlements featured in the New York Jury Verdict Reporter, Top 50 Motor Vehicle Accident Settlements and New York Lawyer Top New York Verdicts report. Christine also has extensive knowledge and experience in the area of lien reductions and waivers, particularly in the area of Medicare. She is a member of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, Suffolk County Bar Association and the New York State Bar Association. Christine was admitted to practice law in the Second Department in 2001. Prior to her admission, she graduated Magnum Cum Laude from Rider University with Baccalaurete Honors, a Bachelor of Arts with Distinction in Political Science and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology in 1997. While at Rider Christine was named a Trustee Scholar and Clayton Family Endowed Scholar. She was also a member of the Honor Key, Omicron Delta Kappa, Psi Chi, Phi Sigma Alpha and Phi Sigma Tau Honor Societies. Her thesis on the psychology of juries was recognized by the faculty with distinguished excellence. As captain of her school’s Mock Trial team she helped bring her team to victory in the State finals. Also as a student member of the Pre-law Faculty committee she was an instrumental part in the development of the universities Trial Advocacy Course. In 2000 Christine graduated with a Juris Doctorate from Hofstra Law School. Since her admission she has spent most of her career representing clients as an associate of the firm Jacoby & Jacoby in their personal injury department. Christine continues to stay up to date on the ever changing case law in the area of personal injury. Christine encourages anyone injured in an accident to contact the Law Offices of Jacoby & Jacoby to schedule a free consultation so that they can be advised of their rights, responsibilities and New York State time limits going forward.

Howard S. Lipman

Throughout his legal career of more than 33 years, Mr. Lipman has worked to improve the lives of his clients. His practice is currently limited to representation of injured workers in Workers’ Compensation and Social Security Disability claims. Prior to joining Fine, Olin & Anderman, LLP he was engaged in a civil litigation practice, including Workers’ Compensation and SSD claims as well as personal injury, matrimonial and family law matters, and Estates and Trusts. Besides practicing before the Social Security Administration and Workers’ Compensation Board, he has appeared and tried cases before the New York State Court of Appeals, Appellate Division, Fourth Department of New York State Supreme Court, the NYS Supreme Court, Surrogate’s Court, and County and Town Courts throughout western New York. Mr. Lipman has lectured his colleagues in Continuing Legal Education seminars on the topics of Social Security, Workers’ Compensation and Americans With Disabilities Act. He regularly provides steward training and member education to several labor unions in Erie, Niagara, Orleans, Chautauqua and Cattaraugus counties. In his personal life, Mr. Lipman is active in his synagogue and Masonic Lodge and is a volunteer at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.