Welcome to the website of Scicchitano & Pinsky, PLLC. Please browse our site to learn about the firm and the services we offer. We are the premier authority on fire protection and EMS law in New York State, as well as acclaimed attorneys in a wide variety of other practice areas such as municipal law, real estate, corporate law, health law, and actions involving the State Liquor Authority. What can we do for you?
A reputation for winning... - the Post Standard
About the Firm
At Scicchitano & Pinsky, our continuing commitment to client service is what ties us together.
We have entered an era in which preferred service is defined in terms that go beyond quality, efficiency, and price. Our clients are those individuals, businesses, municipalities and not for profit corporations that demand positive results delivered in an efficient manner.
We pride ourselves on our attention to detail and our creativity in solving our clients' issues.
Our firm prides itself on service and communication. Clients are provided with all of our cell phones in order to get in touch with us at any time of day and any day of the week. All of our staff has 24 hour access to emails. Our firm's policy is to return all phone calls the same day or early the next business day. We strive to provide our clients with the best attorney/client relationship possible.
Gregory A. Scicchitano
Mr. Scicchitano was admitted to practice before the New York State Bar in 1993 and is also admitted in the Northern Federal District Court of New York.
Mr. Scicchitano has served in numerous State and local government positions during his legal career. This experience has made him an expert in the State legislative process and continues to provide him with significant links to State and local levels of government.
Mr. Scicchitano presently serves as town attorney for the town of DeWitt. He has served as Chief Counsel to State Senator John A. DeFrancisco and assisted with the development of legislation that had positive local and statewide impact. Mr. Scicchitano currently serves as Prosecutor for the Town of DeWitt, Onondaga County.
Mr. Scicchitano continues to be involved in statewide and local politics. He also serves as Special Counsel to the Judicial Nominating Committee for the 5th District.
His practice areas include: municipal law, personal injury, general litigation, real property transfers (commercial and residential), and administrative law.
He is a lifelong resident of Central New York. Mr. Scicchitano has and continues to be involved in his community by coaching several youth sports teams.
In addition to practicing law, Mr. Scicchitano is a principal in the lobbying firm Excelsior Consultants, LLC.
Brad Pinsky
LEGAL PRACTICE:
The Post Standard reported that Brad Pinsky has a "Reputation For Winning" (2/21/2003) and winning is what clients have come to expect from him.
In the fire/EMS arena, Mr. Pinsky has extensive experience representing fire departments, fire districts, ambulance companies, emergency medical service providers, and individual emergency medical technicians and firefighters. He represents his clients in all aspects related to their business, including corporate, general litigation, administrative and government relation issues, and provides counsel in a variety of matters, including compliance with state and federal laws, drafting and revising corporate by-laws, protecting directors & officers from liability, and forming Fire Protection Districts, Fire Districts, Joint Fire Districts, and Ambulance Districts. He serves as legal counsel for the Central New York Region Emergency Medical Services Council, the Central New York EMS Program Agency, the Finger Lakes Region EMS Council and over 150 fire departments, fire districts and ambulance companies (combined) throughout New York State.
Mr. Pinsky is the author of the popular "Fire Department Law and Management Resource Manual", owned by hundreds of fire departments throughout New York State.
In the area of health services, Mr. Pinsky represents large and small group practices and individual physicians in a variety of complex health care transactions, including state and federal regulatory compliance, practice operations, contract preparation and negotiation, professional discipline proceedings, and general corporate and administrative matters.
Mr. Pinsky also represents establishments with liquor licenses before the New York State Liquor Authority and frequently defends these clients in front of state liquor authority hearing boards. He has successfully defended bars and restaurants in over 250 counts before the Authority.
Finally, Mr. Pinsky represents individuals in numerous general practice areas of the law.
PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES:
Mr. Pinsky is a certified emergency medical technician, a lientenant and a nationally certified firefighter with the Manlius Fire Department. He is an honorary member of the Baldwinsville Volunteer Fire Company and the Maine Emergency Squad and was the 2004 firefighter of the year for the Manlius Fire Department. Mr. Pinsky has served as an instructor for the Emergency Medical Services Management Program at LeMoyne College and frequently lectures to firefighters and emergency medical technicians at large and small conferences throughout the state. Beginning in 1993, he served as director of Tulane University's Emergency Medical Services.
Mr. Pinsky is a recipient of Central New York's 40 Under 40 Award for his success in business and community service and is a graduate of Leadership Greater Syracuse, Class of 1998. Mr. Pinsky was the recipient of the Unified Court System's Merit Performance Award for Community Service and Humanitarian Pursuits in June 1997. He received this award for his two years of voluntary service as the founder and coordinator of the Youth Court program in Broome County, New York. Mr. Pinsky was also awarded first place honors in the National Health Law Appellate Moot Court Competition in 1993, sponsored by the American College of Legal Medicine, and in 1994, was awarded Buick Motor Corporation's Volunteer Spirit Award.
Mr. Pinsky served as an adjunct professor at Cazenovia College, and as a director of several not-for-profit corporations including the Home Aides of Central New York, Eldercare Foundation and the Syracuse Community Health Center Foundation.
David Garwood
LEGAL PRACTICE:
Mr. Garwood began working with our firm in April 2007, after being in solo practice for almost 10 years. Since that time he has represented fire departments, fire companies, fire districts, ambulance companies, emergency medical services providers, and individual firefighters. His representation pertains to corporate affairs, general litigation, administrative and governmental relation issues, drafting and revising corporate by-laws, and protecting directors & officers from liability and defending them when necessary. He represents clients in litigation matters in both state courts in New York State and federal courts.
Mr. Garwood also represents individuals and corporations that own liquor licenses. He represents these clients before the New York State Liquor Authority and its hearing boards. He has also appeared before the Full Board of the Liquor Authority.
His legal experience before coming to this firm included representing both plaintiffs and defendants in litigation matters in New York State courts: ranging from slip and fall cases to labor law injury cases, and from basic contract disputes to a complex civil racketeering influenced corrupt organization cases.
PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES:
Mr. Garwood has been a volunteer firefighter for over 27 years, serving with the Manlius Fire Department: a busy combination department. He currently is one of the department’s principal volunteer truck operators. He also served as an ambulance driver for the Manlius Ambulance Corps and Manlius Fire Department for over 15 years. He has lectured to firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and fire commissioners at various conferences and meetings throughout New York State.
Mr. Garwood has over 30 years of experience with off-premises liquor and wine sales. He has been the principal shareholder of a corporation which holds an off-premises license since 1985.
Mr. Garwood was a member of the New York regional co-champion moot court trial team from Syracuse University College of Law during the 1995 National Trial Competition, hosted by the Texas Young Lawyers Association, one of the two premier annual moot court trial competitions in the country. He and his team competed in the Championship Rounds in Dallas, Texas.
For the past 11 years, he has been an assistant coach of various moot court trial teams sponsored by the Syracuse University College of Law. He also periodically serves as a guest lecturer at the College of Law.
Nicole Brown
Nicole Brown is a paralegal in the law firm. Nicole concentrates her practice on tax exempt matters, such as preparing tax returns and tax exempt applications for not for profit corporations. Nicole also maintains financial records for not for profit corporations, fire departments, ambulance services and fire districts. Nicole frequently attends training with the Internal Revenue Service on tax exempt issues.
Nicole is also the office manager and is in charge of the accounts payables and accounts receivable for the practice.
Wendy Van Der Water
Wendy Van Der Water works in the real estate division of the firm. Wendy has been a real estate paralegal for more than nine years. She received an Associate’s Degree from Canton Agriculture and Technical College in Canton, New York.
Wendy has experience with all aspects of residential real property transactions, including sale, purchases and bank representations. She has experience preparing closings for banks such as Countrywide Home Loans, GMAC Mortgage, LLC, Suntrust Mortgage, Anheuser-Busch Employee’s Federal Credit Union, Navy FCU, Bank of America and Home Funding Finders, Inc.
Wendy also has extensive experience with landlord-tenant issues. For over eight years, she handled eviction matters for a large, Connecticut-based Manufactured Home Community owner/landlord, which has seven local community parks.
Wendy is a lifelong resident of Baldwinsville and is married and has two children. She served a four-year term, which ended December 2007, on the Town of Van Buren Town Board, as Town Councilor. She now focuses her time with volunteering at her children’s school and the Baldwinsville Community and is currently involved with the Baldwinsville Volunteer Center.
EMS / Fire Law
Welcome to New York State's premier fire protection and EMS law practice!
Our firm offers a comprehensive array of services to address all of the needs of fire departments, fire districts, ambulance services and individual providers. We can handle all of your organization's corporate, contract, litigation, regulatory and government relation needs.
Our involvement in the fire and EMS service gives us an unparalleled ability to offer creative advice and solutions to address your issues.
When we say that we wrote the book on fire department law, we mean it. Brad Pinsky has authored the popular "Fire Department Law and Management Resource Manual" used by hundreds of fire departments throughout New York State.
Our experience saves you time and money. Much of our practice involves working with the laws and issues that regulate organizations like yours. We pride ourselves on our ability to quickly answer your questions and provide you with a finished work product without an extensive investment of our time or your money.
We invite you to learn about our practice and to explore how we can work with you to address your needs.
Bradley M. Pinsky is the head of the fire and EMS practice. Mr. Pinsky represents approximately 200 fire departments, fire districts, ambulance companies and emergency medical service providers across New York State. As an interior firefighter (Lieutenant) and EMT himself, he is familiar with the specific needs of his clients.
Introducing Fire District Commissioner Training Online
We are very excited to provide the fire & EMS communities with a series of narrated presentations. Each presentation is a slide show with an audio narration. You do need to have audio speakers to hear the presentation.
PLEASE NOTE: The only parts of the lecture addressing the fire district commissioner training are those noted as such. The other lectures posted are NOT related to fire district commissioner training.
Instructions for Fire District Commissioner Training
The training is absolutely free to view. However, any commissioner reviewing this program to obtain certification must submit an application for a certificate from Scicchitano & Pinsky. There is a fee of $100 to obtain this certification. Viewing the video without obtaining the certification will not fulfil your legal obligation.
Should anyone desire a bound, full color copy of the presentation, they may obtain a copy for the price of $15.00 (includes shipping).
Please follow these instructions:
1 - View the presentation. The presentation is divided into four (4) parts for ease of downloading. All four parts must be completed (which contains 6 modules total).
2 - There will be 2 codes given at various stages of the presentation. Write down those codes. These codes are required to prove completion of the seminar on line.
3- Write down any questions you want answered. Provide an email or mail address to which we can respond.
4- Sign a statement as follows: "I hereby affirm under oath that I have viewed the entire presentation as required."
5-Enclose the check for $100 per commissioner requiring a certificate. Add an additional $15 should you desire a color copy of the presentation.
6- Mail the codes, the fee, any questions and the affirmation to: Bradley Pinsky, 5789 Widewaters Parkway, Syracuse, NY 13214
TROUBLESHOOTING: On occasion, users experience the failure of the computer to advance at a certain slide. To fix this issue, delete the "cookies" under your internet browser and then restart the presentation. You should be able to restart the presentation from the point you left off.
Fire Department Law and Management Resource Manual
THE ONLY MANUAL WITH EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO MANAGE A FIRE DEPARTMENT.
Designed to assist fire departments and municipalities with:
drafting bylaws drafting policies complying with laws and regulations protecting officers and directors
LEGAL SERVICES:
Mr. Pinsky counsels providers in a variety of matters including:
* Complying with state and federal laws and regulations * Drafting and revising corporate by-laws * Protecting directors & officers from liability * Forming fire protection districts, fire districts and joint fire districts * Forming ambulance districts * Obtaining compensation for serious injuries to firemen and personnel * Defending lawsuits brought by the public * Drafting and reviewing policies * Developing length of service award plans * Defending EMTs before the New York State Department of Health * Obtaining exempt status from state sales tax and federal income tax * Implementing ambulance billing services * Drafting corporate compliance plans * Obtaining certificates of need * Contracting with municipalities * Purchasing equipment * Purchasing and improving real estate * Compliance with New York State Alcohol Beverage's Control Act * Resolving internal disputes * Billing matters, including Medicare compliance and anti-kickback laws * Complying with labor laws and drafting employee policies * Complying with HIPAA
EDUCATIONAL SERVICES:
The firm dedicates itself to educating the fire and EMS communities on those issues that impact our roles as leaders and providers. We frequently lecture to small and large groups and are always eager to participate in conferences.
Municipal
Whether dealing with new litigation, tax certiorari matters or zoning problems, our firm has the experience you need to handle the myriad of issues that can be encountered by a municipal corporation, whether it be a village, town, school or fire district, or planning board. We assist in labor negotiations, open meeting law issues, interpretations of the law, municipal financing, and planning and zoning issues. Members of our firm have served on zoning and planning boards, as town prosecutors, as counsel for a significant number of fire districts and in other capacities for local municipal governments.
Mr. Pinsky serves as attorney for numerous fire districts throughout the state. Mr. Scicchitano serves as town attorney for the town of DeWitt.
Real Property Law
Scicchitano & Pinsky has a top tier real estate practice with a diverse scope. We handle a wide range of sophisticated and simple matters including real estate finance, development, sales and acquisitions, land use and environmental, and leasing transactions. Our experienced attorneys also assist our clients with the legal aspects of financing, re-financing, and foreclosures. Our clients range from individuals to developers.
Each year, the firm represents hundreds of buyers and sellers of residential house closings as well as commercial property closings. We handle all facets of the closing from the negotiation and drafting of the purchase contract, ensuring good and marketable title, and closing the transaction.
We also represent property owners, developers and government entities in the interpretation, implementation and enforcement of land use regulations. This includes representation throughout the entire planning and zoning approval process.
The firm represents developers and builders of office and commercial property through the zoning and approval process as well as in the drafting and negotiation of all necessary documents and contracts.
State Liquor Authority
There may be very few attorneys in Upstate New York who have our level of experience with the State Liquor Authority. We represent bars, taverns and restaurants in all aspects of their businesses and have extensive experience defending our clients before the State Liquor Authority. Bradley Pinsky, the head of the practice area, has successfully defended over 250 counts imposed on licensed operators!
We frequently prepare applications for liquor and other alcohol licenses. We also perform evaluations of our clients' practices and advise them how to reduce risks and violations that can result in a loss of the alcohol license.
Personal Injury
The firm represents individuals and their families who have been injured or killed as a result of the negligent or wrongful conduct of others. We understand how insurance companies and lawyers on the other side think. Insurance companies are interested in minimizing their economic exposure when an injury or death has occurred and seek to limit the compensation of injured individuals. We take each case on as if it will proceed to trial and are always willing to take a case through a trial if that is what is necessary to produce the best possible result.
Vehicle Accidents
Vehicular accidents require the guidance of experienced attorneys. We have years of practice and an impressive track record representing individuals who have suffered injuries in motor vehicle accidents (commercial and personal). We conduct our own in depth investigation of the cause of the injury and work with experts to prove who was at fault. We work with experts to assess and review all the short and long-term medical aspects of your case. Our detailed understanding of New York's automobile, insurance and liability laws permits us to evaluate the different sources of recovery available to car accident victims and their families as well as the various theories of liability that enable those victims to collect from the parties who caused them harm.
Construction Injuries
Severe injuries to construction workers are devastating. Fortunately, New York law protects construction workers by granting them access to financial remedies. However, obtaining adequate compensation for injuries is not automatic and frequently requires litigation. Our firm will handle the case from start to finish, providing personal attention from start to finish. We want to assist the injured laborer in getting the compensation the law intended.
Products Liability
We have years of experience and an excellent track record of representing individuals who have been injured as a result of an unsafe product that was designed, manufactured, sold, and/or furnished by a person or company. We assist those injured individuals in bringing their claims and being fairly compensated for their injuries.
Products Injury Claims Against the State of New York
Those who have been injured by the negligence of an employee or agent of the State of New York may only sue the state in a specialized court. The Court of Claims handles all lawsuits against the state where persons seek monetary compensation. The court has its own set of complicated rules distinct from our state court system, the failure of which to comply with can result in the dismissal of the lawsuit. Bradley M. Pinsky served as a clerk to a judge in the New York State Court of Claims and can assist clients in all facets of litigation involving the state of New York.
Not-For-Profit Corporation Law
Scicchitano & Pinsky has an extremely active not for profit corporation practice, representing approximately 150 not for profit corporations throughout New York State. We handle all areas of these special corporations' business from formation of the corporation, to obtaining federal and state income and sales tax exemption, structuring bylaws, implementing policies to protect the corporate finances, implementing ethical codes, merging with other not for profit corporations, and occasionally dissolution. We often prepare federal tax returns (form 990) for these clients.
The firm also provides a six hour training course for directors of these corporations, including training of the secretary, treasurer, and president.
Tax-Exempt Organization Law / Tax Exempt Entity Services
Is your department incorporated? Is your corporation exempt from paying federal and state income tax? Is the corporation filing the required Form 990 (exempt organization federal return) each year? Fire Departments and Ambulance Services can check the following three sites to learn about their corporation. Check the Department of State website to determine if you are utilizing the correct corporate name or if the department/service is even incorporated. Check to IRS website and www.guidestar.org to determine if the corporation is exempt as a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(4) [note: only the guidestar website shows (c)(4)'s].
Not exempt or not incorporated? Let us help! We obtain tax exemption and file annual tax exempt returns (Form 990) for over 50 fire departments and ambulance services each year!
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