COLUCCI & GALLAHER, P.C. - Key Persons
Tony Colucci divides his professional time between counseling businesses and litigating matters on behalf of firm clients. Over more than two decades in private practice, He has successfully defended privately held and publicly traded firms as well as governmental entities in a variety of legal matters. In December 2003, he successfully defended a firm client (no liability jury verdict) in what became the largest personal injury award in upstate New York. Tony serves as national counsel to the world's largest aerial work platform manufacturer and regularly appears in courtrooms across the United States.
In addition to handling litigated matters, Tony spends considerable time counseling businesses. He serves as outside general counsel for Western New York's major public health system and largest hospital. In that role, he recently negotiated a $98 million settlement of litigation concerning the public funding of this public benefit corporation.
In 2008, Tony Colucci was among 148 attorneys nationwide who were recognized for providing superior client service.
Claudia Rafi is an associate attorney at Colucci & Gallaher. Claudia concentrates her practice on civil litigation with a focus on products liability.
Claudia graduated Cum Laude from the University of South Carolina School of Law. At USC, Claudia was awarded the Student Bar Associations Committed Student Award for her commitment to both her studies and student affairs. Additionally, Claudia volunteered for the Pro Bono Department and tutored the first-year law students' Property class. Prior to law school, she attended Denison University in Granville, Ohio where she was a four-year starter on the Women's Lacrosse team.
Claudia is admitted to practice in the state of Maryland and is a member of the Maryland Bar Association.
Graduating from Duke University in 1975 with an A.B. in political science, Mr. Gallaher was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps. After leading platoons and commanding a rifle company he was selected for the Funded Legal Education Program. In 1983 he received a J.D. from the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America, where he was an associate editor of The Catholic University of America Law Review. Mr. Gallaher earned a Master of Laws in military law from the Army's Judge Advocate General's School in 1987. As a certified naval judge advocate, he served variously as prosecutor, defense attorney, attorney supervisor, legal advisor to general officers, and civil litigation attorney defending the Department of the Navy in federal district and appellate courts, before retiring as a lieutenant colonel. In addition to the bars of New York and the District of Columbia, Mr. Gallaher is admitted to practice before the U.S. Court of Federal Claims, the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Second and Fourth Circuits, and the U.S. Supreme Court. Mr. Gallaher concentrates his practice in the areas of municipal liability, premises liability, the defense of other personal injury litigation, and military law.
Ethan S. Notarius is an associate attorney at Colucci & Gallaher. Ethan concentrates on litigation matters and primarily focuses on the defense of products liability actions. He also advises clients on matters involving healthcare law, employment law, and business disputes.
Ethan received his law degree from SUNY Buffalo Law School in 2015. While in law school, Ethan held a legal research and writing fellowship and served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Buffalo Environmental Law Journal. Ethan graduated magna cum laude from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Studies.
Ethan is admitted to practice in New York State, and he is a member of the Bar Association of Erie County and the New York State Bar Association. He maintains a professional proficiency in Spanish and presently serves on the board of directors for the Lupus Alliance of Upstate New York.
Mr. Marchese devotes most of his practice to litigating municipal liability, sports and entertainment, and complex construction and environmental matters including cases arising under CERCLA, the New York State Navigation Law, the Clean Water Act and cases involving common law toxic torts. He has litigated civil rights and constitutional tort claims, business and commercial disputes, and construction accident and product liability claims. Additionally, Mr. Marchese counsels several municipal clients, governmental entities, and health care providers regarding risk management, legislative and administrative issues, and regulatory matters. He also regularly represents municipal housing authorities throughout New York State, the Buffalo Zoo, and the Western Regional Off-Track Betting Corporation. He has argued in federal, state, and administrative trial courts and before appellate courts throughout New York State and Pennsylvania and still maintains an active practice in Pennsylvania. At Colucci & Gallaher, he has served as the firm's legal recruiting coordinator for more than 10 years.
Marc Smith is an associate attorney at Colucci & Gallaher. Marc concentrates his practice on litigation matters, including the defense of medical malpractice and municipal liability actions. He also advises clients on real estate and estate planning matters.
Marc graduated from the University at Buffalo Law School in 2016. During law school, he served on the Buffalo Law Review and as the Editor-in-Chief of the Buffalo Human Rights Law Review from 2015-2016. Prior to law school, Marc served in the United States Air Force and graduated from the University at Buffalo with a degree in political science.
Marc is admitted to practice in New York State and is a member of the New York State Bar Association.
Patrick Kelly brings over 30 years of experience in real estate transactions. In addition to representing purchasers and sellers in residential transactions, he represents builders, developers and investors in a wide variety of commercial transactions. He acts as examining counsel for a major title insurance company, as well as closing counsel to residential and commercial lending institutions.
Paul Joyce focuses his practice on business litigation and counseling both large and small companies. Since returning to Western New York in 2001, Paul's practice has included real property litigation, construction litigation, products liability, civil rights, insurance defense, and defense of municipal entities. He has successfully litigated matters in both state and federal trial-level courts, as well as state and federal appellate courts. In addition to litigation matters, Paul counsels individuals and businesses in contract negotiations and employment matters.
Paul currently serves on the board of directors of the Buffalo United Charter School and the West Side Rowing Club. In addition to the State of New York, Paul is admitted to practice in the state and federal courts of Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC.
Paul resides in Buffalo with his wife and three children.
Ryan Gellman has been practicing with Colucci & Gallaher, P.C. since 1995, concentrating primarily on litigated matters. He represents both plaintiffs and defendants at trials, arbitrations, mediations and appeals. Areas of practice include personal injury, commercial litigation, and toxic torts including asbestos and securities disputes. Mr. Gellman practices in state and federal courts, as well as in bankruptcy court and various other administrative courts. Mr. Gellman graduated in 1989 from The Wharton School of Business at the University of Pennsylvania with a B.S. in economics and a concentration on finance. In 1993 he graduated from the SUNY at Buffalo Law School and he graduated from the SUNY at Buffalo School of Management in 1994 with an M.B.A. He has been selected as Super Lawyer and as a 2013 Legal Elite of Western New York. He is licensed to practice law in both New York and Florida.
Torrey Grenda focuses a majority of her practice on defending clients in products liability matters nationwide. Specifically, she represents manufacturers, designers, distributors and sellers of products in both state and federal courts across the country. In addition to products liability matters, Torrey also defends property owners and management companies in personal injury and premises liability actions. In 2019, Torrey was part of a team that obtained a defense verdict on behalf of a property owner in the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Kings County. Torrey also represents businesses and individual clients in contract and other commercial disputes.Torrey is admitted to practice in the State of New York, as well as federal courts in New York and Illinois. In 2021, Torrey was named as a Rising Star by the New York Metro SuperLawyers.
Torrey was born and raised in Buffalo, and currently resides in Manhattan.