DRIVER - Key Persons
Attorney Adam Sampsell is from Spencerport, New York. He earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Nazareth College in Rochester, New York, and was a history major and pre-law minor, graduating in 2006. Adam attended Florida Coastal School of Law in Jacksonville, Florida, and earned his Juris Doctor (J.D.) in 2013. In 2016, he was admitted to practice law in New York.
Before joining William Mattar, he worked in the legal research field, focusing on insurance, banking, and securities regulations.
"I decided to become a lawyer because I wanted to use my knowledge of the law to help people in need. I am passionate about personal injury law and the rules of evidence, and I'm inspired by cases where hard work and diligence helped a client reach a just settlement. The most rewarding aspect of helping people for me is explaining the legal process with clients and letting them know that I am going to do as much as I can to help them with their case."
Adam is happy to be a part of the William Mattar team because he is impressed with the firm's commitment to both clients and the community. He says, "My values align with the firm's purpose because I strongly believe in putting in the time and hard work to help our client as much as possible. I am honored to work in an environment that shares my values."
The pursuit of leisure also finds him in a continual state of learning, as he enjoys reading and listening to lectures on history, mostly on the twentieth century and ancient civilizations.
Education
Nazareth College, Rochester, New York, History Major, Pre-Law Minor, B.A. 2006
Florida Coastal School of Law, Jacksonville, Florida, J.D. 2013
Attorney Annabelle Gao grew up in Ontario, Canada. She graduated from McMaster University with a bachelor's degree in political science and earned a Law Clerk diploma from Seneca College. She worked full-time at a divorce law firm in Toronto, and on some weekends, she worked as a Victim Services Crisis Counselor with the Toronto Police. Annabelle then earned her Juris Doctor from the University at Buffalo School of Law and was admitted to practice law in New York State.
Before joining William Mattar, P.C. Annabelle worked at civil litigation law firms, with practice areas in National Appellate Litigation & Consulting, Business & Commercial Litigation, New York Labor Law, Trucking & Transportation, and General Liability. Annabelle focused her practice on handling high-exposure, catastrophic property, and casualty matters by shaping strategies to identify and mitigate defendants' risk.
When we asked Annabelle why she wanted to be part of the William Mattar team, she answered, "I strive to be the person who walks in when everyone else walks out." She told us the firm's purpose aligns with her values as they believe in fighting for those some may ignore. Annabelle believes it is even more important to help someone when no one else will; a slim chance of succeeding is not a good reason to give up on someone. To her, fighting that uphill battle can be more rewarding, because that's what making a difference is all about.
Annabelle's values can be summed up by a quote written by Ralph Waldo Emerson: "To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded." Annabelle explained that life is short and is filled with both good and bad, but the bad doesn't have to be as bad. If you have the power to make someone's life just a little bit easier, then do it. Every action we take and every word we speak all lead to different results that will affect more than just one person. Annabelle knows that working hard to get the best results means not only making a difference in her client's lives but making a difference to the people around them.
When she is not championing her clients, Annabelle enjoys hiking, weight training, cooking, spending time with her dogs, and trying new restaurants. Her dream is to visit as many UNESCO World Heritage Sites as possible.
Education
University at Buffalo School of Law
Seneca College
McMaster University
Attorney Anthony Tantillo was born in Niagara Falls, New York. From a very young age, he knew he wanted to be a lawyer and help the people who needed it most. One of six children, he was the first in his family to earn a college degree. In his journey to become a lawyer, Anthony spent time delivering newspapers, washing dishes, laboring, framing houses, and delivering pizzas.
Anthony attended Louisiana State University and graduated from Buffalo State College in 1998. He received dual degrees in both business administration and finance. Anthony went on to earn his Juris Doctor from the University at Buffalo School of Law in 2002. That same year, he was admitted to practice law in New York and the United States District Court, Western District of New York. In 2006, he was admitted to the Supreme Court of the United States.
Anthony immediately began practicing law, taking over 50 verdicts within his first five years as a defense attorney. Anthony also spent several years in New York City assisting in the representation of the New York Port Authority. During that time he was co-counsel in several cases brought by individuals against the Port Authority when they were catastrophically injured during the 1993 World Trade Center bombings. After successfully defending the Port Authority in over half a dozen trials, he became inspired to represent individuals who had been seriously injured.
In order to pursue this desire, Anthony sought employment with William Mattar, P.C. as a litigation attorney, where he has continued to work to ensure that victims have a voice in the courtroom. Anthony continues to enjoy great success in the courtroom, advocating for clients who would otherwise not have a voice against the deep pockets of the insurance industry. He is also skilled in conducting arbitrations and mediations and handling appeals in both New York State and Federal Court. He has earned multiple million-dollar verdicts and settlements on behalf of his clients. These, along with other verdicts and settlements, have been recognized statewide. For his outstanding work, Anthony has been selected as a Super Lawyer since 2012.
Anthony currently handles all types of personal injury litigation, including car crash cases, slip and falls, trip and falls, dog bites, construction accidents, and all other types of personal injury.
When asked what he enjoys most about working at William Mattar, P.C., Anthony said, "I became a trial lawyer to help those that needed it most. It is rare for someone to develop a set of skills that can bring people closure so they can begin the next chapter of their lives. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing a former client who is now in a better place, knowing that you had some small part in that person's success."
Anthony still resides in Niagara Falls, NY with his wife and three daughters. He enjoys exercising, fly fishing, woodworking, reading, and poetry.
Attorney Arienne Irving was born and raised in Buffalo, New York. She attended college at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, NY where she graduated with her Bachelor of Arts degree in the year 2000. Arienne spent the summer following her graduation from college working as an intern at the United States Attorney's office for the Western District of New York. Following that summer, she entered law school at the University at Buffalo School of Law. During the summer between her first and second years of law school, Arienne again returned to the United States Attorney's office for the Western District of New York, but this time as a law clerk.
While a summer law clerk, she was able to appear and handle parts of cases in court with a student practice order, and helped the law clerks battle the lawyers in the annual softball game. Also while at the U.S. Attorney's office, she met a local attorney handling primarily federal criminal defense cases, and was offered a position as a law clerk at his firm following the completion of her clerkship. Arienne accepted the offer, and worked at that firm for the rest of her time in law school.
In 2003, Arienne graduated from the University at Buffalo School of Law with her juris doctorate and was admitted into the Order of Barristers. After taking the bar examination, Arienne became admitted to practice law in New York State in 2004. Following her graduation from law school and admission to the bar, Arienne moved to New York City to pursue her dreams. She began her career at a small firm with offices in the Empire State Building where she handled all types of criminal defense cases in state and federal court. During her time at that firm, she had the opportunity to study for and become admitted to the Federal Court of Puerto Rico. In addition, she became admitted to the Western District Court, Eastern District Court, and Southern District Courts of New York.
After a few years, Arienne then began working for another small criminal defense firm that was well known for having represented various celebrities, athletes, and gangsters. While at that office, Arienne handled all sorts of federal criminal cases in the Eastern and Southern District Courts and throughout the five boroughs of Manhattan. However, after 7 years in the "big city", Arienne returned to Buffalo, NY to continue her legal career.
Arienne began her employment at William Mattar, P.C. in February 2011. Arienne began in the pre-litigation department, where she remained for a few years until she moved into the litigation department. Once in the litigation department, Arienne began handling various trials and became one half of the "dream team." One of the great accomplishments of the "dream team," was that they were able to obtain a $1.2 million verdict for one of their clients, changing that client's life forever. This verdict lead her and fellow "dream team" member, Attorney Charles Cobb, to be awarded the opportunity to become the "best of the bar" and to be placed on the list of top 100 verdicts in New York State for 2018.
Today, Arienne continues to work hard for her clients, and is proud of all that she has been able to achieve on their behalf. Additionally, she has thrived within the law firm itself. She at one point was a mentor for fellow attorneys, which meant that she was someone that her colleagues could comfortably go to for questions and advice. She has also been a supervisor for several years to younger attorneys in the firm helping and guiding them through their work.
Practice Areas:
Car Accidents
Attorney Ashley Mitchell grew up in East Amherst, New York. She received a bachelor's degree from New York University in 2011, where she was part of the figure skating team. She went on to earn her Juris Doctor from Brooklyn Law School in 2015.
When asked what she likes most about working at William Mattar, P.C., Ashley said, "As an attorney at William Mattar and a native Western New Yorker, it is my pleasure to serve my community by enforcing public safety laws and protecting the rights of those wrongfully injured. I proudly advocate for my clients ethically and aggressively. From the initial intake to the time when a case is resolved, I strive to compassionately provide my clients with professional legal advice. The insurance adjusters are not working for you. They are working for the insurance companies. As a personal injury attorney, my job is to ensure that the negligent drivers in my community are held accountable. The most rewarding part of my job is helping my clients become whole again. My focus is to do everything in my power to ensure that my clients receive the fullest compensation for their losses allowable under the law."
Ashley previously worked as a law clerk at the Law Firm of Allan L. Brenner., P.C. During her time there, she worked under a team of criminal defense attorneys in preparation for trial on a high-profile second degree murder case in New York County. Ashley's duties included legal research; drafting of subpoenas and document discovery requests; and organizing and reviewing a large body of medical material in a digestible format for the trial team in preparation for their direct examination of a medical expert. Also, she worked under a team of RICO specialists and civil litigators on various matters in federal court in New York, Delaware, and California. She conducted legal research and assisted in drafting motions.
Further, Ashley was a judicial intern for the Honorable Hope Schwartz Zimmerman in the Nassau County Supreme Court. During her time there, she drafted motions for pendent lite relief and a decision on subpoena duces tecum that were filed as court orders. Additionally, she researched legal issues, observed and assisted the Judge in courtroom proceedings and pretrial conferences, and edited and proofread decisions to be filed.
Since 2000, Ashley has been teaching figure skating to figure skaters and hockey players in a "Learn to State" program. She also yearly managed a competition featuring approximately 200 skaters and devised a social media strategy to obtain new clients through Facebook, Google and Twitter. Ashley is a national level figure skater in pairs.
Outside the office, Ashley enjoys reading, baking and traveling. Her favorite places to travel to are Hong Kong, Thailand, and Paris.
Practice Areas:
Buffalo Car Accidents
Attorney Brendan Denz's entire family was born and raised in the North Buffalo section of the City and he takes great pride in his community. After graduating from St. Joseph's Collegiate Institute, He attended St. Bonaventure University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in philosophy from St. Bonaventure University. During his time at St. Bonaventure Brendan played on the school's men's hockey team and always attended their Division 1 basketball games.
Following in his father's footsteps, Brendan wanted to pursue a career as an attorney and so he attended law school at the New England School of Law in Boston, MA and the University at Buffalo School of Law, where he earned his Juris Doctor in 2016. Since joining the firm in 2015 as a law clerk, and then in 2016 as an attorney, Brendan has handled hundreds of personal injury cases and is an expert at guiding his clients through the personal injury litigation process.
When asked what he likes most about his job, Brendan said "Being an accident attorney at William Mattar gives me the opportunity to directly help people in my community and beyond. Representing injured individuals and helping them get compensation for their pain and suffering has been the most rewarding experience of my life. Making sure our clients get the best possible result in the least amount of time is the ultimate goal here at William Mattar and our results show it. Most of our clients have not been in a motor vehicle accident before and are unaware of the legal challenges that lie ahead. The most rewarding part of my job is being able to shepherd clients through the entire legal process and provide them with zealous advocacy to get them the compensation they deserve."
Outside of the office, Brendan is involved with The Lawyers For The Arts benefit concert which raises thousands of dollars every year for inner city youth art and music programs. Brendan has been playing the guitar for over 12 years and also enjoys playing Golf, Hockey, and spending time with his wife.
Practice Areas:
Buffalo Car Accident Lawyer
Attorney C. Daniel McGillicuddy was attracted to the law to help people in difficulties that are in need of a helping hand. At William Matter, P.C., Dan is able to realize this career ambition as all our clientele comes to us because they have been damaged due to the negligence of others and are in need or professional assistance.
He attended Canisius College and was involved in college activities as the News Editor for the campus newspaper and was the student representative to the College's Planning Board. He learned the value of hard work through his employment in a waterfront grain mill, the Peavey Company and the American Elevator, where he worked to put himself through college and part of law school. While working the waterfront, Dan was a union laborer, belonging to the American Federation of Grain Millers. He attended at the University of Dayton School of Law. While at law school, he had an internship with the Hon. John Koessler, Court of Common Pleas, Montgomery County.
Dan has been admitted to the New York State bar for over twenty years. He is admitted in the Federal District Court, Western District of New York, and has litigated several cases at the federal level. He is a member of the legal fraternity, Phi Alpha Delta Waite Chapter.
Attorney Danielle Bruno is originally from Grand Island, New York, and she graduated from Grand Island High School. In 2012, she earned a Bachelor's degree in Interdisciplinary Social Sciences from the University at Buffalo ("UB"). At UB, Danielle interned within the internal affairs and domestic violence units at the Niagara Falls Police Department. She also interned with the Erie County District Attorney's office during this time.
Danielle earned her Juris Doctor from Florida Coastal in Jacksonville, Florida, where she graduated with honors as a Dean's Scholar and Staff Editor of the Law Review. During law school, Danielle completed an internship with the Jacksonville Human Rights Commission where she evaluated and researched employment discrimination cases. She also interned for a Judge within the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida.
While living in Florida and attending law school, Danielle worked at the Dickens Law Firm, which focused on family law and divorce cases. Although she loved her time living in Florida, she decided to attend the University at Buffalo's Law School ("UB Law") during her third year of law school. She always knew that she wanted to come back to her hometown. While attending UB Law, Danielle interned at the Assigned Counsel Program of Buffalo and the Criminal Law Practicum. She focused on criminal law cases while learning New York law at UB.
After graduating from Law School and being admitted to practice law, Danielle began working as a Staff Attorney at Neighborhood Legal Services ("NLS"). At NLS, Danielle frequently appeared in Niagara County courts where she represented tenants facing eviction. A notable case of Danielle's created policy change for people that were unlawfully evicted. This helped improve the living conditions of tenants in the Niagara County community.
After her time at NLS, Danielle joined the William Mattar team. She states the following: "I chose to work as an attorney at William Mattar because I thoroughly enjoy helping those in need. Not only do I find enjoyment in getting clients compensated, but I also value my time in the office with remarkable staff members. I am happy to be a part of the William Mattar team, while together; we are getting the best results possible. Making sure that we hold those accountable for their negligent acts is very important to me. It is only right to compensate individuals who have been wrongfully injured. I could not imagine a career in any other area of the law or any other firm at that."
In May of 2021, Danielle was elected as a Trustee to serve on the Grand Island School District Board of Education. In addition to serving as a Trustee, Danielle volunteers at the high school as the attorney mock trial coach. She coaches the students in their preparation for local mock trial competitions. Danielle enjoys watching the students grow in their knowledge of the courts along with their aspirations of being future attorneys. Danielle is also a member of the WNY Trial Lawyers Association.
Danielle enjoys spending time on the water in the summer during her free time. Then in the winter, Danielle likes to snowboard and travel. As for future traveling desires, she wants to go to Greece in the near future because she loves Greek food.
Danielle has two dogs rescue dogs, Lily and Molly. Lily is a Yorkshire Terrier and Molly is a Jack Russell. She enjoys spending extra time with them. Danielle also appreciates spending time with her family, friends, and coworkers.
Practice Areas:
Car Accidents
Job Titles:
- Car Accident Attorney / Attorney Manager