O'CONNELL & RILEY - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Managing Member of Donohue
Job Titles:
- Member and past President of the Rockland County Bar Association
Job Titles:
- Member of the Orange County Bar Association
For over 33 years Attorney Bruce L. Dorner provided legal services including estate planning, family law, mediation, real estate transactions and business law. Bruce was also known as an experienced consultant and educator assisting solo attorneys and small firms enhance service to their clients through the use of technology and improved management.
Over the years, Attorney Dorner came to think of himself like the family doctor. He enjoyed serving families and small business owners to identify, diagnose and treat most of your common legal injuries and illnesses and fixing those aches and pains.
Attorney Dorner's service as a mediator was recognized by a special award from the President of the New Hampshire Bar Association. In the latter part of his career, Attorney Dorner served as an Adjunct Professor at the University of New Hampshire School of Law, enjoying the opportunity to help future colleagues make the transition from the classroom to the law office setting.
Education:
New England School of Law - Juris Doctor
Northeastern University - BS in Criminal Justice
In 2001, Attorney Joseph M. Donohue began his legal career, working in the New York and Paris offices of Leboeuf, Lamb, Greene and MacRae, LLP. Driven by his entrepreneurial spirit, Joe founded his own practice in Warwick, New York, in 2007.
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate / Member of the New York Bar Association
- Senior Associate, Orange County Office, Warwick, New York
Attorney Douglas R. Stage brings over 40 years of experience on a wide range of legal matters as the owner of Stage Law Firm LLP, which combined with Donohue, O'Connell & Riley PLLC in September 2022. He understands that facing a legal challenge can be difficult on many levels and is committed to providing a high level of service and resolution, regardless of how complex it may be.
Admitted to the New York State Bar in 1981, Attorney Stage has been an active member of the Orange County Bar Association and engaged leader in the Warwick community. He has been involved with local organizations including Warwick Lions, Warwick Rotary, Warwick Historical Society, BonSecours Foundation Board and Warwick Cemetery Association.
Job Titles:
- Associate Attorney / Member of the New Hampshire, Massachusetts and California Bar Associations
- Associate Attorney, Seacoast Office, Exeter, New Hampshire
Eliana Vivier has a passion for the human element of the practice of law and implements a client-centric approach to all matters. With an extensive background in real estate, Eliana is able to see the "big picture" while understanding and addressing client needs and nuances.
As real estate makes up a significant portion of most clients' estates, her expertise is likely to be of benefit to clients with properties in multiple jurisdictions or with rental property portfolios.
Eliana looks forward to working with individuals and families to provide knowledge and peace of mind with respect to their futures and legacies.
Prior to joining Donohue, O'Connell & Riley, Eliana practiced transactional commercial real estate law at international and regionally recognized law firms.
Attorney Charde was Of Counsel to Donohue & Associates, PC from 2010-2013, after retiring from his solo practice of 35 years. Mr. Charde served as Orange County Court Judge in 1985-1986. He has also served as a Judicial Hearing Officer in New York State's Ninth Judicial District including the counties of Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Rockland and Westchester.
Mr. Charde is a graduate of Georgetown University with a Bachelor's degree in History and Classical Studies. In 1974, he graduated from Fordham Law School where he served as president of the Student Council and editor of the Urban Law Journal.
Education:
Fordham University Law School - Juris Doctor
Georgetown University - BA in History and Classical Studies
Job Titles:
- of Counsel / Member of the New York and Connecticut Bar Associations
- of Counsel, Westport Office, Connecticut
Irina handles a wide range of international planning and immigration matters.
She represents employers, professionals, managers, executives, international entrepreneurs, artists, athletes, investors and traders on permanent residence applications and non-immigrant visa matters. Irina also represents clients in family-based petitions, including consular processing and waivers, obtaining legal permanent residency through marriage to United States citizens, and fiancée/fiancé (K-1) applications.
Over the course of her practice, Irina has represented clients from nearly every U.S. State, as well as clients from 87 countries across 5 continents.
Irina provides face-to-face consultations to potential clients in her two offices in New York (Manhattan and Brooklyn) and Fairfield County, Connecticut. She is also available for videoconsultations.
In 2002 Irina obtained an undergraduate degree in business economics from SUNY Oneonta and graduated with honors. In 2007, she earned her Juris Doctor degree at the New York Law School. Irina is currently admitted to practice in New York and Connecticut, the United States District Courts for the Southern & Eastern Districts of New York, Connecticut District Court, and the United States Supreme Court. Irina can practice immigration law in any state of the U.S.
In 2018 and 2019, Irina was selected as a Rising Star in Business Immigration by Reuters / Super Lawyers, and is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association.
Irina is a native Russian speaker and speaks fluent English. An immigrant herself, she is dedicated to her clients and passionate about her practice.
Job Titles:
- Adjunct Professor at Pace University
- of Counsel / Member of the New York & New Jersey Bar Associations
- Retired Counsel, Rockland County Office, Pearl River, New York
For over 40 years, Attorney James Riley has been serving clients in the Rockland County area with estate planning, elder law, and litigation needs. Over the years, his legal work has been based on a deep and sincere desire to help people and has developed a broad range of legal expertise including litigation, municipal and education law, small business planning and real estate.
In 2017, he seized the opportunity to continue his legacy, secure a bright future for his team of professionals and provide continuity for the relationships he nurtured over the years, by joining forces with Donohue & Associates to create the firm of Donohue, O'Connell & Riley PLLC. Mr. Riley has been recognized with distinction by Thomson Reuters for his legal ability and ethical standards, attaining top ratings and the coveted Super Lawyers status since 2010.
In addition to his legal practice, Mr. Riley is an adjunct professor at Pace University, Long Island University and, St. Thomas Aquinas College. Mr. Riley received his B.A. in History from Fordham University and then went on to earn his J.D. from Rutgers School of Law.
Education
Fordham University
Rutgers School of Law
Job Titles:
- Managing Member
- Managing Member / Member of the New York & New Hampshire Bar Associations
Attorney Joseph Donohue, Managing Member of Donohue, O'Connell & Riley PLLC, has expertly advised hundreds of clients on how to structure their personal affairs and businesses to minimize taxes, reduce their exposure to unforeseen liabilities and assure the smooth transition of assets between generations. Joe has a unique ability to efficiently process all the complexities of a situation, explain the best strategy in simple terms and craft a plan that protects families and preserves his clients' legacies. Affluent families and business owners trust Joe to maximize the tax efficiency of their real estate, investment and insurance assets and work with their team of trusted advisors to manage their plans.
Joe began his legal career working in the New York and Paris offices of Leboeuf, Lamb, Greene and MacRae, LLP which had over 20 offices around the world. Fluent in French and German, Joe was based in the New York and Paris offices and worked with clients such as Jazz at Lincoln Center, the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (which developed the 9/11 memorial site at the new World Trade Center), the Art Students League and the American Museum of Natural History, on matters ranging from real estate finance to charitable giving programs. Joe also has significant firsthand experience as a real estate investor in residential and commercial buildings, which he draws upon to advise clients.
Job Titles:
- Managing Member of Donohue
- Managing Member, Pearl River Office / Member of the New York & New Jersey Bar Associations
- Managing Member, Rockland County Office, Pearl River, New York
Kristin A. Canty is Managing Member of Donohue, O'Connell & Riley's Pearl River office. She appreciates that there are many variables to consider when planning for your future. She listens to clients' concerns in order to prepare an estate plan that specifically addresses the key issues and has helped hundreds of clients minimize estate taxes and smoothly transfer property to their loved ones without excessive court oversight. In addition, she helps clients preserve and protect property for loved ones who, for one reason or another, are not fully capable of managing money. Her clients feel prepared to contend with life's uncertainties knowing they have a comprehensive yet flexible plan in place for dealing with emergencies.
Kristin began her legal career as an intern for attorneys Thomas F. O'Connell and James K. Riley, partners of the former law firm O'Connell & Riley located in Pearl River, New York. At O'Connell & Riley she learned the fundamentals of estate planning and elder law. After a brief stint in the corporate world as in-house counsel for a private telecommunications company, Kristin returned to estate planning. She met attorney Joseph Donohue in 2015 and soon thereafter joined his law firm, Donohue & Associates P.C. She expanded her skills to include tax and succession planning for small businesses. When her former mentors decided to retire, she recognized the opportunity to take over the O'Connell & Riley practice. In 2017, the firms merged to create Donohue, O'Connell & Riley PLLC and Kristin became manager of the firm's Pearl River office.
Kristin graduated from the University of Richmond with a bachelor's degree in political science and communications. As an undergraduate she also studied abroad at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland. She pursued her law degree at Rutgers Law School - Newark where she served as an editor for the Rutgers Law Review. She is admitted to practice in New York and New Jersey.
Education
University of Richmond - BA in political science and communications
Rutgers School of Law - Juris Doctor
Job Titles:
- of Counsel / Member of the New York & New Jersey Bar Associations
- of Counsel, Orange County Office, Warwick, New York
Nicole Dinos Gerace is highly regarded as a Probate and Estate Litigation attorney and has extensive civil litigation experience at both the federal and state level. Known as a compassionate advocate, Nicole always goes the extra mile for clients.
Nicole has worked at several firms including Stern and Kilcullen and Maniatis & Dimopoulos, P.C. Her areas of concentration include probate, will contests, contested accountings, real estate and family law matters.
With an entrepreneurial spirit and a strong work ethic, she manages her own practice, while representing clients for Donohue, O'Connell & Riley in New York's Orange and Rockland Counties.
Education
Seton Hall University School of Law
Fordham University
Job Titles:
- Retired Counsel / Member of the New York Bar Association
- Retired Counsel, Rockland County Office, Pearl River, New York
For over 50 years, Attorney Orville H. Mann, Jr. has been providing legal services to clients in the Rockland County area, continuing the legacy of his father, Orville H. Mann, Sr., who originally established his firm in 1931. Over his distinguished career, Attorney Mann advised clients in the areas of Estate and Probate, Real Estate, Banking and Mortgages. His professional ability has been recognized with the highest level of distinction by Martindale-Hubbell.
In 2019, Attorney Mann decided to lighten his daily work load and by transferring his practice to Donohue, O'Connell & Riley. He is now enjoying the best of both worlds in semi-retirement: the opportunity to introduce his clients and colleagues to our firm.
Education
Princeton University, B.A., 1957
University of Virginia, LL.B., 1960
Job Titles:
- Retired Counsel / Member of the New Hampshire Bar Association
- Retired Counsel, Seacoast Office, Exeter, New Hampshire
Attorney Paul R. Pudloski has over 40 years' experience serving individuals, families and local businesses as a trusted legal counselor and advocate. His greatest strengths are clear communication skills, achieving practical solutions to complex legal issues, collaboration, and mentoring his clients.
Paul has assisted hundreds of clients with their estate planning needs, and offers advice for growing, aging, or blended families, as well as single individuals, widows, and widowers. Paul is highly respected for his ability to find practical solutions to complex problems, with an easy, down-to-earth style that clients appreciate.
Attorney Pudloski is the author of the NH Landlord Survival Kit, a comprehensive set of Legal Guides and customized Documents to enable landlords
to manage their residential rental properties in compliance with New Hampshire's strict laws. He was the Co-founder of the "Seacoast Collaborative
Job Titles:
- Leader
- Retired Counsel / Member of the New York Bar Association
- Retired Counsel, Rockland County Office, Pearl River, New York
Attorney Robert P. Lewis, Jr. has deep roots in the Nyack community, including over 50 years of legal and judicial experience. As a partner of Mann, Mann & Lewis, P.C. since 1969, a Village Attorney for the Village of Upper Nyack since 1977 and a Village Justice spanning several decades, he has had a distinguished career.
Attorney Lewis is a current member and past President of the Rockland County Bar Association, past president of the Rockland County Magistrates Association and past member of the New York State Bar Association House of Delegates. Currently, he also serves as legal counsel to the Rockland County Chiefs of Police Association.
Along with his career accomplishments, Bob has been an active member and leader for many local civic and faith-based organizations. Mr. Lewis has also served in the military as a First Lieutenant, and was awarded the Cross of Gallantry and two air medals for his combat tour of duty in Vietnam.
Attorney Lewis has moved to an of counsel role with Donohue, O'Connell & Riley. He enjoys continuing to serve as an advisor as he transitions his long-standing Rockland County relationships.
Education
Albany Law School, Juris Doctor
Syracuse University, B.S in Business Administration
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate, Rockland County Office, Pearl River, New York
Job Titles:
- Retired Counsel / Member of the New York & New Jersey Bar Associations
- Retired Counsel, Rockland County Office, Pearl River, New York
Thomas O'Connell has been advising clients on estate planning, elder law, probate needs for decades. As a highly regarded attorney in the Pearl River, New York area, Mr. O'Connell achieved the Thomson Reuters Super Lawyers rating in 2012 and has maintained that status over the years.
Mr. O'Connell is pleased to serve as a trusted advisor as the firm evolves and prospers.
Education
St. John's University School of Law
Job Titles:
- Senior Associate
- Senior Counsel / Member of the New York and Connecticut Bar Associations
- Senior Counsel, Rockland County Office, Pearl River, New York
Vincent Savino, Senior Associate Attorney with Donohue, O'Connell & Riley PLLC, advises clients in both the Pearl River and Warwick offices of the firm. Everyone who meets him appreciates his calm demeanor and depth of experience.