Family Law

• Divorce
  If you need a lawyer in Plattsburgh, NY, you can trust O’Connell & Aronowitz. Our law firm helps individuals and businesses with legal issues in several broad practice areas including Personal Injury, Divorce and Family Law, Student Defense, Business Law and Health Law.
• Child Support
• Child Custody and Visitation
• Adoption
• Paternity
• Premarital Agreement
• Guardianship
• Spousal Support

Criminal Law

• Criminal Defense
  Criminal matters require immediate action. Our Criminal Defense team is well known throughout New York State for aggressively protecting the rights and reputations of our clients. Details ›
• DUI/DWI
  Thousands of people have been killed by distracted drivers; hundreds of thousands more injured. Research shows that talking on a cell phone quadruples your risk of an accident (about the same as drunk driving). That risk doubles again, if you are texting.
• Wrongful Death
• Sex Crimes
• Fraud
• White Collar Crimes
• Misdemeanors
• Drug Crimes
• Assault

Business and Corporate Law

• Business Formation
  The Business Law practice at O’Connell and Aronowitz is extensive and comprehensive, counseling clients in all areas of their business affairs and handling significant commercial real estate transactions.  Our services encompass strategies and planning, transactions and dispute resolution. We help clients avoid problems, counsel them on solving those that arise and resolve disputes if necessary.  We provide these services with one unifying theme: to help our clients meet their business goals.  We apply our significant experience toward that end. We represent closely-held and family run businesses, start-up ventures, middle market companies and major enterprises. We advise clients regarding business formation strategies, negotiating transactions, arranging financing, and resolving business disputes.
• Business Disputes
  Our Business Law practice is extensive, providing services that encompass all areas of business, from strategies and planning to transactions and dispute resolution. Details ›
• Intellectual Property

Employment Law

• Wrongful Termination
  We represent clients in a wide range of employment matters including breach of employment contracts, wrongful discharge, and discriminatory employment practices. Details ›
• Employment Discrimination
  Our attorneys have won notable verdicts including a $15.4 million jury verdict for an individual plaintiff in a sexual harassment trial. At the time, this was probably the largest verdict in the country for an individual employment discrimination claim. We also negotiated a $1.8 million settlement for 17 professors wrongfully fired from Bennington College.
• Employment Contract
  The Employment Law practice of O’Connell and Aronowitz involves the representation of clients in a full range of employment issues, including litigation over breach of employment contracts, wrongful discharge, enforcement of restrictive covenants and discriminatory employment practices such as sexual harassment, gender, racial, and religious discrimination matters.
• Employment Litigation
  We advise employers on compliance issues under various labor and employment laws, and counsel clients on how to develop workplace practices consistent with current law and with an eye toward avoiding future difficulties. Our attorneys provide assistance with employment issues that arise in connection with our firm’s general corporate representation. Our attorneys also conduct seminars on employment-related issues for businesses and labor unions.
• Sexual Harassment
  Our Personal Injury Litigation team won a $15.4 million jury verdict in Federal Court for the plaintiff in a sexual harassment trial.

Property Law

• Real Estate Litigation
  The Commercial Litigation attorneys at O’Connell and Aronowitz are well versed in all aspects of dispute resolution, including litigation, arbitration and mediation. We represent business and commercial real estate clients in Federal and State courts, arbitration and mediation.  We pursue legal actions against private parties and challenge federal, state and local governmental determinations in administrative proceedings and in court.  Our litigators are experienced at the trial and appellate level, in both Federal and State courts and have also represented clients in administrative, arbitration and mediation proceedings. In the business domain, we routinely handle disputes concerning entity formation and dissolution, breach of contract, enforceability of partnership, shareholder and employment agreements – including restrictive covenants, tax issues, financial transactions, federal and state taxation, intellectual property, and labor and other regulatory issues. Our experience in commercial real estate disputes is equally broad, encompassing purchase and sale transactions, lending transactions – mortgage foreclosures, secured transactions and guarantees, breach of real estate contracts and leases, enforcement of restrictive covenants, construction issues, brokerage disputes, title issues, as well as bringing and defending real property tax challenges.
• Premises Liability
• Construction Litigation
• Real Estate Transactions
  Whether you are working on a new business start up in Albany, NY, need help with a commercial real estate transaction in New York City or require legal assistance with a business dispute in Buffalo, NY, our lawyers will help you achieve your business goals.

Health Law

• Personal Injury
  Injured in an accident? Our Personal Injury Litigation Team is here for you every step of the way to pursue the maximum compensation you deserve. Details ›
• Medical Malpractice
  Our Personal Injury Litigation Group was named to the first ever Medical Malpractice Verdict Hall of Fame awarded by New York Law Journal, for a $43.5 Million verdict for injuries sustained at childbirth.
• Auto Accidents
• Medicaid Planning
• Dog Bites

Trusts and Estates

• Estate Planning
  For many, thinking about the future means planning a career, perhaps starting a family and enjoying life while not taking the time to consider what will happen if you become ill or disabled, or if you were to suddenly pass away. At O’Connell and Aronowitz, we provide individuals in Albany, Saratoga Springs and across upstate New York with sophisticated estate planning, including the preparation of wills, trusts, and other essential services.
• Wills
  At O’Connell & Aronowitz, we are also aware that laws and Supreme Court decisions can potentially change, so we encourage our LGBTQ clients to be particularly careful to have us construct living wills and living trusts so that you or your partner or spouse maintain control over one another’s assets when the other dies.
• Trusts
  O’Connell & Aronowitz has deep roots in Saratoga Springs, where we have been helping individuals and businesses with legal issues in nine main practice areas: Personal Injury, Bankruptcy, Business Law, Criminal Defense, Divorce and Family Law, Health Law, Labor and Employment, Student Defense, and Trusts and Estates Law. Our team is honored to be recognized by leading institutions in our field, including making the “2020 Top Law Firms” list by Best Lawyers and US News Media Group, which we earned due to our unwavering commitment to providing our clients with top-quality legal services.
• Power of Attorney
• Probate

Finance Law

• Bankruptcy
  The unfortunate truth is that many individuals and businesses face tough financial circumstances that leave them unable to manage their debts. At O’Connell and Aronowitz, we help our clients in Albany, NY eliminate these burdens, obtain a fresh start and build a more secure financial future. Our firm handles all aspects of bankruptcy law, including debtor filings under Chapters 7, 11, 12, and 13 of the Bankruptcy Code. Learn more about O’Connell and Aronowitz bankruptcy practice and offerings here.
• Foreclosure
  A Chapter 7 bankruptcy can eliminate most individual or business unsecured debt. Often referred to as a “liquidation bankruptcy,” this process involves selling the property and assets of a debtor and then paying off as much debt as possible. The remaining debt is then eliminated or discharged. Certain property, however, such as residential real estate, automobiles and personal property like furniture and clothing is protected, or exempt, from being sold. To qualify for this form of bankruptcy protection, your income must be lower than the median income in New York. Those who earn more than this amount must pass what is known as a “means test” to show that there is not enough disposable income to pay the debts. In addition, prior to filing, it is necessary to attend credit counseling with an agency that is approved by the trustee. Once the petition is filed, the court issues an automatic stay that immediately stops collection activities by creditors. This order also prohibits creditors from proceeding with repossessions, foreclosures, garnishments and lawsuits without the permission of the bankruptcy court. The stay is effective until the bankruptcy is discharged.
• Tax Law