Tully Rinckey PLLC

Attorney Mathew B. Tully

Mathew B. Tully is one of Tully Rinckey PLLC’s two founding partners. In 2004, Mat worked with his friend from college, Greg T. Rinckey to establish the foundation of what is today Tully Rinckey PLLC. Mat is one of a small number of lawyers licensed to practice law in three different countries. He is an Attorney and Counselor at Law in New York State and is on the rolls of Solicitors in England and Wales as well as being on the rolls of Solicitors in the Republic of Ireland.

As a practicing Attorney, Mat is one of a small number of Attorneys alive today who has litigated and won before the highest Court in New York State (the New York State Court of Appeals) as well as had a Writ of Certiorari granted and a remand ordered by the Supreme Court of the United States amongst many other appellate victories in various Appellate Courts.  While best known as an employment law Attorney, his current focus is helping mid-sized multinational businesses with complex legal issues.

Before launching his legal career in 2003, Mat served for three years in the U.S. Army as a field artillery officer. After suffering from military discrimination at the hands of his civilian employer, Mat went to law school and received his Juris Doctorate from Brooklyn Law School in 2002. While attending law school part time at night he worked in the Legal Department of Morgan Stanley as a paralegal, his office was on the 65th floor of 2 World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.  In 2012, Mat received the Purple Heart for injuries he sustained during a suicide bombing while serving in Afghanistan. His service there also afforded him the Bronze Star Medal and Combat Action Badge. His deployment to Afghanistan marked the third time since founding the firm that Mat left his business to selflessly serve the nation.

After two decades of military service, Mat retired from the military at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in May 2014.  Mat is also a retired Supervisory Federal Law Enforcement Officer, was the Chief of a County wide Law Enforcement Agency in New York State, is currently certified as a Police General Topics Instructor, Police Aerosol Subject Restraint Instructor, and a Police Firearms Instructor by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services and has been a certified/sworn/armed New York State Peace Officer for nearly 30 years.

Attorney Greg T. Rinckey

Greg T. Rinckey is one of Tully Rinckey PLLC’s two founding partners. He worked with Founding Partner and fellow Hofstra University alum Mathew B. Tully in 2004 to build the firm from the ground up into the coast-to-coast, full service powerhouse that it is today. As Founding Partner, Greg collaborates with Mat in all areas of strategic planning and law practice management to develop and deploy innovative business solutions that continue to grow the firm.

As a practicing attorney, Greg focuses on military law; federal employment, EEO and discrimination litigation; and national security clearance representation. His representation in national security and security clearance cases range from high level military officers to covert operation officers of the CIA, NRO, FBI, DIA and various other intelligence agencies. Greg was commissioned as a Military Intelligence Officer in the U.S. Army prior to transferring to the Army Judge Advocate General’s ( JAG) Corps. During his previous tenure as an attorney with the U.S. Army JAG Corps, Greg prosecuted and defended military personnel in over 100 felony cases, with charges ranging from drug possession to murder. He has represented federal and private sector employees in investigations and cases in front of the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of Special Counsel (OSC).

Greg has become a recognized leader in the military, federal employment law and security clearance representation sectors. Greg is frequently asked by local and national media outlets to offer his legal commentary on military and employment discrimination matters. Additionally, Greg co-authored the book “Strategies for Military Criminal Defense: Leading Lawyers on Understanding the Military Justice System, Constructing Effective Defense Strategies, and Navigating Complex Cases.” He is also author of the chapter Guidelines and Strategies for Obtaining and Protecting your Security Clearance within the book “Protecting the Homeland, Balancing National Security and Individual Privacy Interests,” published in 2016.

Greg is admitted to practice in New York, New Jersey and the District of Columbia. He is also admitted as a Solicitor in England and Wales.

Greg is a member of the New York State Bar Association Committee on Veterans. He also served two five-year terms on the Committee on Character and Fitness for the State of New York Appellate Division’s Third Judicial District. In this capacity, he personally interviewed prospective attorneys before they were allowed admission to the New York State Bar.

In addition to serving as an attorney in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG), Greg was selected to serve as an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. In that capacity, he prosecuted hundreds of felony and misdemeanor cases arising on federal property in the Hampton Roads, Va. area.

Greg’s last military active duty assignment was at the Defense Appellate Division in Washington, D.C., where he wrote criminal appellate briefs and argued appeal cases. Greg was honorably discharged from the Army JAG Corps in April 2004.

In addition to his work in military law, federal employment law and security clearance representation, Greg is an experienced business law attorney. He advises businesses in a wide array of matters including formations, mergers and acquisitions, contract negotiations and human resources best practices. He also litigates commercial disputes, and he represents employers in employment law matters.

Attorney Michael W. Macomber

In addition to being Partner and CEO at Tully Rinckey PLLC, Michael is the Section Chair of the firm’s New York State Employment Group. He focuses his practice on federal and private sector employment law claims, including claims involving the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), National Labor Relations Act (NLRA), New York Labor Law, New York Executive Law and Qui Tam claims.

In his federal employment practice, Michael has represented employees before the following:

•     United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
•     Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB)
•     Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
•     National Labor Relations Board (NLRB)
•     Office of Special Counsel (OSC)
•     Various Offices of the Inspector General (OIG)

In his New York State employment practice, Michael represents employees and employers in both federal and state court, including claims before the following:

•     New York State Division of Human Rights
•     EEOC
•     Department of Labor (DOL)
•     Unemployment Insurance Board (UIB)
•     Workers’ Compensation Board (WCB)

Michael also handles disciplinary hearings in the union, municipality, school district and civil service areas, as well as contract negotiations, severance negotiations, and advising employees and employers regarding disciplinary investigations.

In addition to his practice in New York State and federal employment, Michael focuses his practice on all aspects of civil litigation. Whether handling contract disputes, business agreements, corporate formation, employment agreements, small claims, collections, landlord tenant disputes or criminal law, Michael is always the strongest advocate for his client’s best interests.

Michael earned his bachelor’s degree from Union College, with a concentration in English literature and a minor in German. He has studied and lived abroad, learning German and architecture in Vienna, Austria and growing up in Switzerland as a child. After receiving his baccalaureate from Union, Michael went on to earn a graduate certificate in Foundations in Business from the University of Massachusetts. Michael earned his juris doctorate from Albany Law School, graduating cum laude.

Michael gets frequent requests from local and regional media outlets to respond to relevant legal issues. He has written on emerging legal issues, including an article on USERRA reported on the Reserve Officers Association’s Web site. Michael was featured in the Times Union “My Other Life” column, focusing on the volunteer work he and his wife, Deanndra, do at a local rescue agency.

Attorney Anthony J. Kuhn

As Managing Partner at Tully Rinckey PLLC, Anthony relies heavily on his vast leadership experience in overseeing the daily operations of the Buffalo office and its staff. As the Chair of Tully Rinckey PLLC’s nationwide Military and National Security practice groups, Anthony supervises the training, performance, and daily operations of attorneys in both practice areas across the United States. As a military leader and trainer, having served more than 24 years in the U.S. Army and Army Reserve, Anthony brings decades of leadership, training and experience to the Buffalo office. Anthony has previously served in a brigade-level staff sergeant major position as a master sergeant.  Anthony has also served as a first sergeant and acting commander of a combat engineer drill sergeant company, a senior drill sergeant, a combat intelligence advisor to the New Iraqi Army and a battalion-level master combatives instructor. Anthony is currently serving as the Operations Section NCIOC for a Battalion Headquarters. Anthony has spent more than two decades training and supervising thousands of soldiers and officers across two different countries’ armed forces. He has maintained an active security clearance for nearly that entire period.

As an attorney, Anthony focuses much of his time on the representation of military personnel, federal agents and employees, as well as private employers and non-profit corporations. Anthony’s practice areas include corporate, labor and employment, military law, national security representation, and veterans’ benefits. Anthony is the co-founder and co-director of the University at Buffalo School of Law Veterans Law practicum and is the adjunct professor for the law school’s first-of-its-kind asynchronistic nationwide Veterans Law course.

Anthony is currently admitted to practice law in New York State. He is admitted to practice before the United States Court of Federal Claims, the United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, the United States Army Court of Criminal Appeals, the United States Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals and the United States Air Force Court of Criminal Appeals. Anthony is accredited through the Department of Veterans Affairs and is also admitted to practice before the Federal Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims in Washington, DC. Anthony is an experienced DOHA litigator, with notable victories published involving alleged violations of the Alcohol Consumption and Criminal Conduct guidelines and foreign preference and foreign influence guidelines.  Anthony has participated in ROTC Disenrollment Boards across the country, stretching from Boston, MA to Flagstaff, AZ and has successfully litigated PEB cases across the country, including the Navy Yard in Washington, DC, Ft. Sam Houston, TX and remotely for cases in Puerto Rico involving members of the USPHS and the Commissioned Corp. He has extensive experience assisting clients in navigating matters involving security clearance suspensions and revocations, appeals to the Discharge Review Boards and Boards for Correction of Military Records, UCMJ violations and non-judicial punishment, appeals for service-connection before the Department of Veterans Affairs, rebuttals to GOMORs and QMP selection notifications and requests for Special Selection Boards. Anthony has also negotiated the surrender of multiple deserters and has assisted with debt remission and waiver requests.

Attorney Dan Meyer

Dan Meyer, Managing Partner of Tully Rinckey PLLC’s Washington, D.C. office, has dedicated more than 25 years of service to the field of Federal Employment and National Security law as both a practicing attorney and federal investigator and senior executive. He is a lead in advocating for service members, Federal civilian employees, and contractors as they fight to retain their credentialing, suitability and security clearances.

Dan’s publicly-available victories include successful security adjudications of tax payment failures, alcohol consumption, prior drug use and criminal conduct. Wins also include initial security reviews on recent university graduates resolving changes in lifestyle as they enter the national security and defense communities. Mr. Meyer also has strong gains for clients employed by, or contracting for, intelligence community agencies still remaining unidentified, as well as those, such as NRO, which openly adjudicate. Before the Merit Systems Protection Board, he has successfully represented special agents and law enforcement personnel.

Throughout three Presidential administrations, Dan promoted the federal whistleblowing mission and its related policies and statutes, including personnel security. His first major case was before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit protecting Rhode Island State employees suspended and terminated in an act of retaliation. Later, as the Intelligence Community’s (IC) foremost whistleblowing subject-matter expert from 2013 to 2017, he served as the Executive Director for Intelligence Community Whistleblowing & Source Protection and was instrumental in establishing the IC’s first program of its kind. He worked with IC employees disclosing allegations ranging from the compromise of intelligence operations, to intelligence analysis failures, to reprisal against Congressional and inspector general witnesses.

In addition to his primary role, Dan served as the Executive Director for the Inspector General of the Intelligence Community External Review Panel established by Presidential Policy Directive 19: Protecting Whistleblowers With Access to Classified Information, and Intelligence Community Directive 120: Intelligence Community Whistleblower Protection. In this capacity, he advised on and oversaw the processing of appeals of local inspectors general findings regarding whistleblower reprisal.

From 2004 to 2013, Dan served the U.S. Department of Defense Inspector General first as Director of Civilian Reprisal Investigations and then as Director of Whistleblowing and Transparency. In these positions, he investigated or provided oversight to numerous high-profile cases, among them disclosures involving the 9/11 attacks, the abuse of polygraph procedures in counterintelligence cases, the use of the security-clearance decision-making process to reprise and discriminate, and the treatment of soldiers and their remains after injury or death.

Prior to 2004, Dan was General Counsel for Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility where he appeared before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit as well as the Merit Systems Protection Board’s regional offices. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1987 to 1991. He is a survivor of the 1989 explosion onboard the battleship IOWA (BB- 61), which took the lives of 47 of his shipmates. Then a Lieutenant, Dan also conned the Flagship of the Middle East Force in 1991 when it repelled pirates off the coast of Iran. He and his IOWA gunners still hold the world’s record for naval offshore gunnery, breaking the previous record in 1989.

Attorney Peter J. Pullano

Peter is the Managing Partner at Tully Rinckey PLLC’s Rochester Office, where he practices criminal defense.

With over 30 years of criminal defense experience, Peter has handled thousands of criminal cases, including violations, misdemeanors, felonies and appeals. He has primarily represented defendants in felony cases in both state and federal courts. Peter is certified as “learned counsel” in federal court capital cases. Prior to New York State’s abolishment of capital punishment, he was likewise certified to handle death penalty cases in state courts.

On multiple occasions, Peter has won acquittals or verdicts to lesser charges for clients charged with murder. Additionally, he has represented criminal defendants at the appellate level, including the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals and the third and fourth departments of the Supreme Court of New York, Appellate Division. His devotion to criminal defense and helping people in need has been recognized numerous times in the legal community.

Peter was honored with the Criminal Justice Alliance (CJA) Award by the United States District Court, Western District of New York in 2016, and he was recognized as “Lawyer of the Year” by the NY Daily Record in 2015. He has received the Super Lawyer distinction in 2014, 2015 and 2016. Peter has also received the Monroe County Bar Association’s Charles Crime Award and the St. Nicholas Society’s “Man of the Year” Award. Additionally, Peter was the recipient of the Rochester Business Journal’s “40 Under 40” Award.

Peter received his juris doctorate from Albany Law School of Union University and his bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York College at Buffalo. Peter served on the Board of Directors of the Foundation of the Monroe County Bar from 2009 to 2017. He has also previously served on the board of directors of AIDS Rochester, Inc., President of the Saint Nicholas Society (Italian-American Welfare Society in East Rochester) and the Saint Mary’s Church Parish Council.

Attorney Allen A. Shoikhetbrod

Allen A. Shoikhetbrod is the Managing Partner of Tully Rinckey PLLC’s Albany office, where he assists in the day-to-day operations of the firm, as well as provides input on the firm’s long-term strategic vision.  Allen is also the Practice Chair of the New York State Labor and Employment Practice, as well as a Team Leader for the Federal Employment Practice.

Allen has extensive experience in federal, state and private employment law matters, including claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, qui tam and whistleblower actions, and disciplinary matters. He represents clients before federal and state courts, as well as before administrative tribunals and agencies to include the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL), Department of Veterans Affairs Disciplinary Appeals Board (DAB), New York State Department of Human Rights (DHR), New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL), New York City Commission on Human Rights (NYCCHR), the Foreign Service Grievance Board (FSGB), and matters before the U.S. Office of Special Counsel (OSC). Allen also has comprehensive experience in civil litigation before state and federal courts, including Section 1983 actions consisting of constitutional deprivations, and actions involving landlord-tenant disputes, breach of contract and medical malpractice. He regularly appears before New York State Appellate Courts and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second and Federal Circuits. Allen also has assisted in drafting and filing briefs before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Prior to joining Tully Rinckey PLLC, Allen served as a Special Assistant Corporation Counsel for the New York City Law Department’s Appeals Division. There, he handled cases involving discrimination, retaliation, employment termination, personal injury, juvenile delinquency and wrongful death. He submitted briefs and argued several appeals before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Divisions, First and Second Judicial Departments.

While attending CUNY School of Law, Allen served as a legal intern in the New York State Office of the Attorney General’s Litigation Bureau where he focused on professional discipline of medical providers. He also served as a judicial intern in the New York State Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department, where he drafted a judicial opinion under the supervision of the Court that, on two occasions, received front-page coverage in the New York Law Journal. Allen was recognized as one of Super Lawyers ‘Rising Stars’ from 2016 to 2021.

Attorney Sean C. Timmons

Sean’s years of experience as an active-duty US Army Captain in the selective and prestigious US Army Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps are a valuable asset to Tully Rinckey PLLC’s military law practice group. Having served his country honorably at the largest military installation in the world in Fort Hood, Texas as a Judge Advocate from 2009 until 2013, Sean is an aggressive and tenacious advocate for all service members facing legal issues. He is able to pull from his significant and diverse experience as an active-duty attorney in the Army JAG Corps, and as a civilian military law attorney, he forcefully and efficiently represents service members in both administrative and criminal proceedings. Sean originally joined Tully Rinckey’s Albany, N.Y., office as a Senior Associate, where he was first promoted to Partner and eventually Managing Partner of the firm’s first footprint in the state of Texas.

As Managing Partner of Tully Rinckey PLLC’s Houston office, Sean oversees all of the office’s operations while concentrating his practice on military law; routinely handling cases involving Article 15s, letters of reprimand, courts-martial and officer/enlisted separation proceedings. Sean also handles federal labor and employment law cases and security clearance representation.

Sean also is a member of the Houston office’s Insurance Law Practice, where he assists clients with bad-faith litigation cases, first- and third-party coverage disputes involving CGL, business auto, commercial and residential property, and ERISA policies.

Sean is an experienced insurance coverage litigator. He has handled numerous lawsuits involving property damage claims under residential and commercial policies. He has appeared in numerous federal and state courts throughout Texas. Mr. Timmons is well-versed in coverage litigation including discovery and its limits, taking and defending depositions, motion practice, evidentiary hearings, alternative dispute resolution, and pre-trial and trial of coverage disputes.

Additionally, Sean is passionate about International Law and frequently travels the globe for the firm on behalf of his clients in each branch of service with the United States Armed Forces.

Attorney Donna Williams Rucker

With more than two decades of experience litigating a vast range of high stakes federal employment law matters, Donna is a vital component of Tully Rinckey PLLC’s nationally recognized federal labor and employment law practice group. Prior to joining the firm, Donna was Principal of her own labor and employment firm in Washington, D.C., and has held top positions at a number of prestigious firms throughout her extensive career. As past President and executive board member of the Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association (MWELA), Donna has routinely interfaced with dynamic issues and information pertaining to employment law and enjoys the respect of the top federal labor and employment attorneys in the country.

As a Partner at Tully Rinckey PLLC, Donna represents federal employees who require assistance with discrimination, harassment, disability retirement, retaliation, disciplinary and adverse action matters, among a range of others. She also represents state and private sector employees regarding an array of similar issues. Donna continues to grow Tully Rinckey PLLC’s extensive litigation and trial practice before the federal courts, District of Columbia Court, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) and the Office of Human Rights in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia. She also has significant appellant court litigation experience.

Donna takes a focused and custom approach to her work with the firm’s employment law clients. She is highly cognizant of the fact that no two employment law cases are the same, and therefore no two client case strategies should be the same. She dedicates the time necessary to develop the legal pathway most likely to lead to a client’s desired outcome given the circumstances at play. She invests personally in each client’s legal matter, is highly passionate about securing legal victory for those discriminated, harassed, or otherwise wronged by their employer, and is a tenacious litigator – she will not yield an inch to opposing counsel. She stands ready to fight for you.

In addition to her passion and commitment to employment discrimination and civil rights litigation, Donna has represented debtors and creditors in Chapters 7, 11 and 13 bankruptcy proceedings, firefighters, police officers in adverse action hearings, and she has served as corporate counsel and successfully litigated personal injury and medical malpractice cases. Prior to joining Tully Rinckey PLLC, Donna was principal of Rucker & Associates, P.C.; a boutique law firm in the heart of Washington, D.C. Before starting her own firm in 2012, she spent 21 years progressing in senior attorney and partner positions at several employment and multi-practice area law firms in the Maryland region. She also has experience as a magistrate judge for the 17th Judicial Circuit.

Donna received her juris doctor from Georgetown University Law Center. She received her bachelor’s degree from City College of New York (CCNY) where she double-majored in pre-law and public speaking and debate.

In addition to being past President and an executive board member of the Metropolitan Washington Employment Lawyers Association, Donna is also a member of the National Association of Women’s Judges, the National Employment Lawyers Association, the American Bar Association, the National Bar Association, and she serves on the Board of several non-profit organizations.

Attorney Michael J. Belsky

For years, Michael has been relentlessly fighting for the rights of Capital Region spouses, parents and grandparents in virtually every aspect of family and matrimonial law. As a Partner at Tully Rinckey PLLC, Michael provides representation in matters relating to divorce, parental alienation, separation agreements, annulments, child custody, child support, modifications to child support and child custody, enforcement of divorce decrees, spousal maintenance, pre- and post-nuptial agreements, orders of protection and family offenses.

Michael came to Tully Rinckey PLLC after operating a successful solo law practice in Clifton Park for nearly two decades. There, he primarily practiced family and matrimonial law and criminal defense. He has extensive experience serving as an Attorney for the Child for Saratoga County Family and Supreme courts as well as serving as assigned counsel for the Saratoga County Public Defender’s Office in the same courts. He also has experience practicing criminal law at many different courts.

Along with criminal law, Michael has experience with civil litigation, handling matters relating to contract disputes, education cases, and property damages, among others. Michael has handled both criminal and civil litigation cases at both his private practice and at Tully Rinckey. He has presented and settled a large range of cases in front of Judges for trials at many different courts. While many of his civil litigation cases did not involve an actual crime, his experience in that practice helped, as many times damages were awarded because of a criminal act.

Michael is a Troy native who has spent his entire legal career practicing in the Capital Region. He is a member of the Saratoga County Bar and works monthly at the legal clinic in Ballston Spa, New York.

Attorney Donald O. Chesworth

Donald O. Chesworth, a Partner in the Rochester office of Tully Rinckey PLLC, focuses his practice on governmental compliance, business law, municipal liability, commercial law, employment law and management issues.

Donald was admitted to the bar in Connecticut in 1966 and in New York in 1972. He is no longer active in the Connecticut bar. He is admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Donald graduated from Graceland College, magnum cum laude in 1963 and from Yale Law School with a Juris Doctor’s degree in 1966. He is a member of the Monroe County Bar Association and the New York State Bar Association.

Donald served in the FBI after graduation from law school in 1966 and began his private practice with the law firm of Goldstein, Goldman, Kessler and Underberg, now known as Underberg & Kessler in 1972. In 1976, Donald became the Second Assistant District Attorney of Monroe County. In 1977 he was promoted to First Assistant District Attorney and was appointed District Attorney in 1981 by Governor Hugh Carey. He ran for office as District Attorney in 1981 and was elected to a full term. In 1983 Governor Mario Cuomo appointed Donald Superintendent of the New York State Police.

In January of 1987, Donald returned to private practice and became the Managing Partner of Goldstein, Goldman, Kessler & Underberg. In 1990 Donald joined the law firm of Harris, Evans, Fox & Chesworth. That same year he was appointed Chairman of the Temporary State Commission of Investigation (State Crime Commission) which he chaired until 1996. In 1993 he founded the firm of Harris & Chesworth with Wayne Harris, which was the predecessor firm to Harris, Chesworth, Johnstone & Welch, LLP.

While actively involved in law practice, Donald has been involved in many charitable civic organizations including the local Chambers of Commerce, The Rochester Humane Society, Rochester Area Crime Stoppers, The New York State Troopers Foundation and Lifespan. Donald serves on the Board of Directors of an upstate area National Bank and has done so since 1996. He is also a member of the Monroe County Civil Service Commission where he has served since 2011.

Donald has maintained his relationships with Law Enforcement and is counsel to the Monroe County Chiefs of Police and is the legal advisor to the State & Provincial Division of the International Association of Chiefs of Police.

Attorney Carol A. Crossett

Carol A. Crossett, Esq. is a Partner in the New York City office of Tully Rinckey PLLC. Carol heads the Commercial Law Group. Carol concentrates her practice on corporate and commercial litigation and transactions. Carol also possesses extensive experience handling business succession planning and trusts and estates matters.

Carol brings to Tully Rinckey, a diverse background forged over many years representing individuals and companies in commercial, corporate and civil litigation matters in both state and federal courts in New York where she is admitted, and also, by pro hac vice admission, in several courts outside New York. Her practice serves clients covering a wide range of industries including:

•     Recreational Marine
•     Domestic and International Retailers
•     Franchises
•     Nuclear/Energy
•     Manufacturers
•     Marketing
•     Automotive Dealers

Carol’s marine industry practice includes the representation of manufacturers and retailers, with particular emphasis on dealer/customer disputes, breach of sales and marketing contracts, and warranty disputes. She has represented automobile dealers in the past pertaining to franchise, breach of contract, and employment disputes.

Carol handles corporate transactional matters including those related to succession planning for a wide spectrum of businesses, involving preparation of all types of contractual agreements, independent contractor and employment agreements, as well as shareholder, stock redemption, stock pledge, cross purchase agreements, and all manner of other instruments related to stock and/or asset transfers.

Carol’s practice also includes preparation and filing of documentation related to the formation of various types of business entities, and clients in need of following corporate formalities and requiring assistance and guidance to effectively navigate the immigration and non-immigration Visa process.

As mentioned above, Carol also represents clients involving trusts and estates matters. This area of practice involves estate planning and preparation of wills, trusts, and other ancillary instruments. She also handles contested and uncontested probate and administration, administrative accountings, will construction, turnover proceedings, removal of trustees and executors, and other disputes involving trustees, executors and beneficiaries.

Carol received her Juris Doctorate from Northeastern University School of Law and an LL.M (Master of Law) in corporate taxation from New York University School of Law.
She is admitted to practice in New York, with pro hac vice admissions currently in Connecticut and Florida, and she has also been admitted pro hac vice as counsel in the States of New Hampshire, New Jersey, Illinois and California.

She is also admitted to practice before the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, U.S. Tax Court, and the U.S. Court of Federal Claims.

Attorney Michael C. Fallings

As a Partner working in Tully Rinckey PLLC’s Austin office, Mike focuses his practice on federal sector labor and employment law. Mike has extensive experience litigating cases on behalf of employees at the U.S. Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and in both state and federal courts. He also has experience negotiating settlement agreements on behalf of federal employees. Throughout his legal career, Mike has defended and taken numerous depositions of both parties and witnesses and prepared successful oppositions to summary judgment motions.

Prior to joining Tully Rinckey PLLC, Mike practiced as an associate attorney with a labor and employment law firm in Maryland. In this position, he helped manage over eighty case files and was involved throughout all aspects of litigation. Before that, Mike worked as both a law clerk and as a volunteer attorney for the Labor Division for the City of Chicago. In this role, Mike appeared in arbitrations and administrative hearings and advised Chicago agencies on matters relating to disciplining employees.

Originally from Centerville, Ohio, Mike is a graduate of Miami University, where he obtained his bachelor’s degree in finance. As an undergraduate, Michael was inducted as a member of the Alpha Kappa Psi Business Fraternity. Michael received his juris doctor from American University Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C., where he was a staff member at the Journal of Gender, Social Policy & the Law and the Labor & Employment Law Forum. During law school, Michael worked at the United States Department of Justice and served as a judicial intern for the Maryland Court of Appeals.

Attorney Ryan C. Green

Ryan represents employees on a range of employment and labor issues, including discrimination, retaliation, harassment, equal pay and adverse action claims. In addition to representing federal employees before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), Ryan often represents employees before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia and State administrative bodies. Ryan has developed an appellate practice; often appearing before the EEOC’s Office of Federal Operations and full MSPB Board. He has settled a number of high-profile cases that resulted in favorable awards for his clients.

Prior to joining Tully Rinckey PLLC, Ryan represented a federal agency regarding employment disputes before the EEOC and the MSPB. As an agency representative, Ryan litigated matters concerning disparate, discriminatory treatment. He also advised senior agency management on performance and conduct-based actions, retirement benefit coverage and leave issues under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA).

Ryan obtained his juris doctorate at the George Washington University Law School in Washington, D.C. and is licensed to practice in the Commonwealth of Virginia. While pursuing his law degree, he was offered membership on George Washington’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Board and participated in negotiation, mediation and arbitration competitions. Ryan also served as a judicial intern at the D.C. Superior Court, where he researched and drafted bench memoranda on civil motions related to employment disputes.

As an undergraduate, Ryan earned dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in political science and economics.

Attorney Derrick Hogan

As a Partner at Tully Rinckey PLLC, Derrick Hogan, Esq. primarily focuses his practice on criminal defense and heads the Firm’s Criminal Practice in its Albany Office.  With more than 10 years of experience in the area of Criminal Defense, Derrick has represented clients facing all types of criminal charges, at both the State and Federal level, ranging from simple traffic infractions to complex murder cases.  Derrick provides a wealth of trial experience, including, but not limited to, cases involving high-level charges such as robbery, burglary and various sex offenses.  Derrick’s practice also extends to defending criminal charges in Federal Court, most notably, a case involving espionage that garnered widespread national media attention and became a hot topic of discussion during the 2016 Presidential Election.

Derrick’s legal knowledge also extends to multiple practice areas throughout Tully Rinckey PLLC, due in part to his previous role as a Client Relations Attorney.  In this position, Derrick oversaw the operations of the Firm’s Client Relations Department and provided legal assistance to potential new clients.  Derrick assisted these potential new clients with preliminary legal inquiries while providing them with appropriate guidance.

In 2009, Derrick was featured as an “Up and Comer” by the Times Union.  He originally joined the Firm as a law clerk, and prior to joining Tully Rinckey PLLC, Derrick served as an intern for the Schenectady County Attorney’s Office, where his work focused on family court cases.  Derrick also was a legal aide in the Litigation Bureau of the New York State Attorney General’s Office, where he dealt with lawsuits filed against the State by prisoners.  He also handled cases concerning retaliation and discrimination in the workplace.

Derrick obtained his law degree from Albany Law School and a bachelor of arts degree from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Attorney Barbara J. King

For well over two decades, Barbara has been representing parents, spouses and other parties from Long Island to the Capital Region, as well as clients nationally and internationally, in a wide range of family and matrimonial matters. She is a partner at Tully Rinckey PLLC and heads one of the firm’s largest legal departments in Albany. She is experienced in representing New Yorkers in proceedings relating to divorce, separation, equitable distribution, annulment, child support, child custody, spousal maintenance and adoption.

After graduating Valedictorian of her class at John Jay University, Barbara earned her juris doctorate from the City University of New York at Queens College. She practiced on Long Island for several years before relocating to the Capital Region. Prior to joining Tully Rinckey PLLC, Barbara held a principal role at a longstanding Capital Region law firm, where she focused her practice on family and matrimonial law.

Barbara has a well-established connection and commitment to the Capital Region through various professional and not-for-profit organizations, as well as volunteer work. She is a member of the Capital District Women’s Bar Association, where she previously held the position of treasurer and was editor of its newsletter. Barbara is involved in various legal organizations, including The Legal Project and the Legal Aid Society for Northeastern New York, where she informs litigants of their rights in family court and offers pro-bono representation.

Barbara also works with domestic violence initiatives, assists Legal Project clinics and offers her services in pro se matrimonial clinics for indigent people all at no charge. She is a member of the New York State Bar Association and a past Board member of the Schenectady County Bar Association, of which she is the current Chair of the Pro Bono Committee. In this capacity, she instituted a Modest Means panel program that offers reduced legal fee services to low-income litigants with divorce and family law cases in Schenectady County. She is a past and current delegate to the New York State Bar Association.

For her commitment to the community, Barbara has received numerous awards, including the Suffolk County Pro Bono Award in 1994, the Capital District Women’s Bar Association Volunteer Attorney Award in 2001, the New York State Bar Association Pro Bono Award in 2004, the American Bar Association Difference Maker Award from the Solo/Small Practice Section in 2009, the Schenectady County Bar Association’s Lawyer of the Year award in 2010, the Schenectady County Human Rights Commission’s Justice Award in 2011 and was honored with the New York Law Journal Lawyers Who Lead by Example award in 2012, the 2014 Kimberly A. Troisi-Paton Leadership Award and, most recently, The Legal Project’s 2015 Stanley A. Rosen Award for Service to Victims of Domestic Violence.

Barbara is a former trustee of Davis College in Johnson City, N.Y.; a former board member of the City Mission of Schenectady; and the Alpha Pregnancy Center in Albany.

Barbara is also a past instructor of Paralegal Studies for both New York Institute of Technology and Bryant & Stratton. She has conducted continuing legal education seminars for Albany Law School, Schenectady County Bar Association, NBI and the Lorman Group. She has presented – and is a continuing presenter – for the New York State Bar Association and Third Department’s Law Guardian training programs.

Attorney Ryan C. Nerney

Ryan C. Nerney, Esq. is a partner in the San Diego office of Tully Rinckey PLLC, where he focuses his practice primarily on national security law, with experience in federal employment and military matters. Ryan represents clients who have security clearance issues against agencies such as CIA, NSA, DIA, DOD, NRO, and DOE. He has represented numerous clients in security clearance revocation proceedings and has a proven record of saving clients’ jobs, as well as anticipating and resolving potential future issues with their security clearances.

Prior to joining Tully Rinckey PLLC, Ryan spent more than five years representing clients in security clearance cases and Administrative Law hearings, appearing in more than 300 hearings and appeals with various agencies. Ryan also practiced federal employment law in a range of forums, including MSPB and EEOC. He has traveled all over the country assisting his clients with their security clearance and federal employment issues. He also spent time as a Volunteer Attorney with Legal Aid Society of Orange County, practicing Matrimonial law and Bankruptcy law. Ryan was published in that organization’s weekly newspaper on multiple occasions.

Ryan received his Juris Doctorate from Arizona Summit Law School and his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California at Irvine. While in law school, Ryan served as the Executive Board Secretary for the American Association for Justice.

Attorney Stephanie Rapp-Tully

Dedicated to fighting discrimination in the workplace, Stephanie has spent her entire career helping public and private sector employees overcome unlawful personnel actions based on factors such as their race, sex, national origin, disability, military service, and age. As a Partner at Tully Rinckey PLLC, she concentrates her practice on federal labor and employment law, routinely representing employees before United States District Courts, Appeals Courts, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), and Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB). She has extensive experience with cases involving violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Rehabilitation Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), and Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA). Stephanie was recognized by Lawyers of Distinction in 2018 for her excellence in civil litigation.

Prior to joining Tully Rinckey PLLC, Stephanie served as an associate for a Silver Springs, Maryland law firm, where she similarly represented Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) complainants alleging discrimination based on disability, failure to accommodate, national origin, religion, and ethnicity. She represented clients before the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. She began her career as a lawyer at another Silver Spring law firm, where she gained valuable experience handling cases involving ADEA, Title VII, USERRA, and state employment discrimination law. She represented clients before the EEOC, MSPB, and Maryland Commission on Civil Rights.

While attending law school at the Touro College Law Center, Stephanie interned with the Legal Aid Society of Nassau County in Hempstead, N.Y., the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York in Central Islip, N.Y., the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps in Vilseck, Germany, and the Federal Communications Commission in Washington, D.C. She also participated on the Moot Court Honors Board. At Touro, where she ranked in the top 16 percent of her class, Stephanie received the Exemplary Contribution to the Quality of Student Life Award and the Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction (CALI) Award for Best Oral Advocate.

Before pursuing a career in law, Stephanie worked in the entertainment industry, serving as a talent manager’s executive assistant in Beverly Hills and as a producer’s intern for “The West Wing” political drama television series.

Attorney Heather Tenney

Heather Tenney, Esq. is a Partner in Tully Rinckey PLLC’s military law practice group, where her experience as a litigation and advocacy attorney with the U.S. Army add to the number of qualified attorneys within the firm’s practice. Heather brought her skills as an advocate and negotiator to Tully Rinckey after honorably serving with the US Army’s JAG Corps, and the results speak for themselves. At the firm, she focuses on military law; federal employment, EEO and discrimination litigation; and national security clearance representation. Heather’s representation in national security and security clearance cases range from high-level military officers to covert operation officers of the CIA, NRO, FBI, DIA and a range of other intelligence agencies.

Heather possesses years of experience representing officers and enlisted service members in complex legal matters, including courts-martial, adverse command actions against troops such as administrative separations, Article 15 matters, and other forms of non-judicial punishments. Additionally, Heather protects service members from employment discrimination by asserting their rights under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act. As a Veteran, Heather is uniquely positioned to advise veterans in achieving optimal outcomes on claims and appeals for benefits that they have earned from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. She assists veterans in upgrading their discharges to honorable and helps ROTC cadets avoid losing their scholarships. Her knowledge of the federal government and the military allows her to also provide skilled representation in security clearance litigation, congressional investigations, whistleblower retaliation and federal employment matters. Heather represents federal and private sector employees in investigations and cases in front of the Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB), the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the Office of Special Counsel (OSC).

Prior to joining Tully Rinckey PLLC, Heather was an attorney and advisor with the U.S. Army Claims Service. There she supervised, investigated and determined the appropriate course of action for tort claims including medical malpractice, wrongful death, personal injury, and property damage alleged against the U.S. Army under to the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA), the Military Claims Act (MCA) and the Foreign Claims Act (FCA). Heather has insight that few attorneys possess regarding the way the military handles torts claims, which she uses to assist clients with their actions against the U.S. Government for damages. Additionally, a majority of Heather’s experience consists of military justice.

Heather served as both a senior and trial defense counsel with the U.S. Army Trial Defense Service in Korea and at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. While with Trial Defense Service, she provided criminal and administrative legal services to a community of over 50,000 service members. She represented and advised soldiers at all phases of trial and administrative hearings. Heather began her career as a prosecutor and legal aid attorney in the Office of the Staff Judge Advocate in Fort Benning, Georgia.

Heather obtained her juris doctorate from Albany Law School of Union University, where she graduated magna cum laude and was managing editor of the Albany Law Environmental Outlook Journal. She went on to receive her master of laws degree from Temple University’s Beasley School of Law in Trial Advocacy, where she graduated with honors. Heather also attended the University of Virginia, where she earned her bachelor’s degree with distinction.

Attorney Eugene Welch

Eugene Welch is a Partner in Tully Rinckey PLLC’s Rochester office, where his practice encompasses federal and state litigation and governmental issues. After being specially invited to do so by all of the Federal Judges in the Western District of New York, Gene is a Certified Federal Court Mediator available to mediate your litigation. Gene’s experience as a Federal Prosecutor, trial instructor for Justice Department attorneys and his experience in the New York State Attorney General’s Office give him unique qualifications to assist clients to make sure they are in compliance with both New York State and Federal laws and regulations. His credentials have resulted in his being called upon to assist many clients respond to governmental subpoenas and investigations.

Prior to joining Tully Rinckey, Gene was a partner in the law firm of Harris, Chesworth, Johnstone & Welch, LLP, where he practiced in municipal liability defense, personal injury, civil rights litigation, commercial litigation, insurance defense work and government compliance work, assisting clients being audited or investigated by governmental agencies. He represented clients in both New York State Supreme Court and on appeal to the Appellate Division Fourth Department as well as in U.S. District Court in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse and Albany as well as on appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in Manhattan.

Gene was admitted to practice law in New York State in 1971, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York in 1971, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit in 1971, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York in 1975, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania in 2004 and the U.S. Supreme Court in 1993.

Gene is a native Rochesterian and a graduate of McQuaid Jesuit High School. Gene received his Bachelor’s degree in English from St. John Fisher College in Rochester, New York in 1967 and his Juris Doctor Law Degree from the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., in 1970. At the Catholic University Law School, Gene was the lead articles and book review editor of the Catholic University Law Review.

Gene began his legal career as a confidential law clerk to the Honorable Aubrey E. Robinson, Jr., U.S. District Court Judge for the District of Columbia from 1970 to 1971. Thereafter, Gene became an Assistant U.S. Attorney or Federal Prosecutor in the Northern District of New York at Syracuse from 1971-1975. In that capacity, Gene was the attorney in charge of organized crime prosecutions and Economic Stabilization Act matters. For his work in that office Gene received the Special Achievement Award from the U.S. Attorney General Edward H. Levi, in appreciation for and recognition of sustained superior performance of duty. In 1975 Gene moved to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Western District of New York in Rochester New York where he remained until 1979, doing both criminal investigations and prosecutions, trials and appeals and defending civil claims brought against the United States. For his work in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Gene received the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration’s highest honor, the Award of Honor in November 1977. In recognition of his trial skills, Gene was also designated a trial techniques instructor at the U.S. Attorney General’s Advocacy Institute, U.S. Department of Justice, Washington, D.C. where he trained new U.S. Attorneys on trial techniques.

In 1979 Gene was appointed Assistant Attorney General in charge of the New York State Attorney General’s Rochester Regional Office where he managed a staff of lawyers, investigators, paralegals, supervising, advising, setting policy of civil and criminal litigation on behalf of the State, its agencies and consumers. Once again, Gene was a Trial Advocacy instructor at the New York State Attorney General’s annual fall training seminars in Albany, New York. Gene remained in the New York State Attorney General’s Office until 1995 when he left to join the law firm of Harris Chesworth O’Brien.

Attorney David Bolgiano

David is committed to making sure your career in the military, law enforcement or the security industry does not become a casualty of an incident in which you had to discharge a firearm or use deadly force. He is a nationally renowned defender of service members, law enforcement officers and private sector security personnel whose use of deadly force “in the line of duty” shootings or military tactical shootings are being scrutinized to determine whether they comply with the rules of engagement and law. He has a long and distinguished career in the military, which includes receipt of the Bronze Star and a role in drafting the rules of engagement for Operation Noble Eagle in the wake of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. At Tully Rinckey PLLC, he is Of Counsel.

Prior to joining Tully Rinckey PLLC, David served as the chief counsel and senior partner at a Texas active-shooter prevention consulting firm, and before that he was a faculty member in the Department of National Security and Strategy at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Penn. Along with publishing Combat Self-Defense: Saving America’s Warriors from Risk-Averse Commanders and their Lawyers (Little White Wolf Books, 2012), he has taught threat recognition and response with small arms inventory to thousands of service members in the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force.

Following his work on the rules of engagement for Operation Noble Eagle, David served in Afghanistan, Qatar and Iraq as a command judge advocate for Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT) during Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. In the Air National Guard, he ascended to the rank of lieutenant colonel, and he most recently served as staff judge advocate at the Maryland Air National Guard’s headquarters. Earlier assignments included deputy staff judge advocate and staff judge advocate for the 175th Wing of the Maryland Air National Guard.

When not serving with the Air National Guard, David also worked in a civilian capacity as a senior attorney for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the deputy general counsel for the Department of Defense’s Joint IED Defeat Organization (JIEDDO). He also served for five years as a sworn law enforcement officer in Baltimore.

Prior to joining the Air National Guard, David served in the Army. He served as a trial counsel with the 82nd airborne Division at Fort Bragg and in Saudi Arabia and Iraq during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He also served as a defense attorney in Nurenberg, Germany, a senior trial counsel and chief of operational law with the 3rd Infantry Division and as an inter-service secretariat at the Center for Law and Military Operations in Charlottesville, Va.

Along with authoring Combat Self-Defense, David co-wrote Fighting Today’s Wars: How America’s Leaders Have Failed Our Warriors (Stackpole Books, 2012). Further, he has been published in many publications, including the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin, Infantry Magazine, University of Baltimore Law Review, Military Review, Naval Institute Proceedings, Washington Times and Baltimore Sun.

David’s bar admissions include Maryland and the District of Columbia. He received his juris doctorate from the University of Baltimore School of Law, his masters in space studies from the U.S. Army War College, and his bachelor’s degree from Loyola University.

Attorney Robert L. Estes

Judge Estes earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1968, and a Juris Doctor law degree from Albany Law School in 1971. He was admitted to practice law in the courts of New York State by the Appellate Division, Third Judicial Department, and in the Northern District of the United States District Court, early in 1972. He was admitted as an attorney and Counselor of the Supreme Court of the United States at Washington, D.C. in 1976. He enjoyed eleven (11) years of private law practice in Walton, N.Y., through 1982. After relocating his family to the County Seat of Delhi, New York, he was elected Judge of the County Court, Surrogate’s Court and Family Court of Delaware County New York in 1982.

Judge Estes continued his legal and judicial education by taking countless training courses in the fields of child abuse and maltreatment, domestic violence, juvenile delinquency, civil and criminal case management, and other vital areas of practical application every year since taking office.

Judge Estes was elected President of the Association of County Judges of the State of New York in 1993, after ten (10) years of service as delegate for the sixth judicial district. On April 30, 1993, a Special Services Award was presented to Judge Estes by the Delaware County Council on Alcoholism and Other Drug Addictions, Inc. “in recognition of (his) dedicated service, outstanding leadership and contributions in the field of Alcoholism and Addictions.”

On September 1, 1988, Judge Estes was appointed to a two-year term as Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Law Guardians for the Third Judicial Department by Hon. A. Franklin Mahoney, Presiding. He was subsequently appointed for two additional terms, serving a total of six years. The Advisory Committee is responsible for overseeing the operation of the Law Guardian Program in 28 counties of the state from the southern tier to the Canadian border. It recommends standards and procedures for improving the quality of representation by Law Guardians, attorneys appointed by the Family Courts to represent children in proceeding including juvenile delinquency, child abuse and neglect, and custody and visitation.

Judge Estes oversaw more than 30,000 cases, including numerous felony criminal trials, while serving as Judge. He used innovative measures to manage a family court caseload that nearly doubled during his tenure. He pioneered the use of mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution in Family Court, and he laid the groundwork to establish a drug court in the county.

In 2003, the Delaware County Bar Association conferred upon Judge Estes the Liberty Bell Award, in recognition of his years of outstanding service to the people of Delaware County. The Liberty Bell award is awarded only to those individuals who have promoted better understanding of the rule of law; encouraged a greater respect for law and the courts; stimulated a sense of civic responsibility; and contributed to good government in the community.

Attorney Pamela A. Fuller

Pamela A. Fuller is a corporate and international tax attorney, with over two decades of experience.  She advises a wide range of clients–including private and public companies, joint ventures, private equity and hedge funds, C-Suite executives, private U.S and foreign individual clients, and government entities–on transactional, investment, and supply-chain strategies to achieve optimal tax and business results.

Pamela provides sophisticated tax planning services across most industry sectors, including financial services, healthcare, pharmaceutical, construction & engineering, infrastructure, oil & energy, retail, and myriad software and emerging digital technologies and services, including those related to crypto currency, tokenization, innovative blockchain applications and solutions, and all aspects of U.S. and foreign tax planning for digitized transactions and assets.

Pamela is also a seasoned taxpayer advocate, with years of experience resolving complex U.S. federal, state, and foreign tax controversies.  She is skilled at defending taxpayers before the U.S. Internal Revenue Service at the exam, audit, and administrative appeals levels.  If going to court is advantageous, Pamela provides effective and skillful tax counsel.

Pamela is Chair of the American Bar Association (ABA) Tax Section’s Tax Policy Committee, and also Co-Chair of the  International Tax Committee of the ABA’s International Law Section, with global membership.  She  frequently speaks at law conferences, and publishes papers on international tax topics in peer-reviewed law journals.  She serves on several steering committees and boards, including Tax Law 360’s International Tax Advisory Board; the New York State Bar’s “Global Law Week”; and the International Fiscal Association’s prospective New York Congress.  Pamela is a founding member of the New York City Bar’s “Taskforce on the Independence of Lawyers and Judges” and a Fellow of both the American Bar Foundation and the American College of Tax Counsel.  In 2019, Pamela was recognized as one of 100 Influential Women in International Tax Law.

Pamela began her legal career at the U.S. Tax Court, serving three consecutive 2-year terms as an Attorney Advisor to the U.S. Tax Court’s Chief Judge, handling large “tax shelter” cases and transfer pricing disputes, amongst other issues.  Pamela holds an LL.M. in Tax Law from New York University School of Law, where she served as Graduate Editor of  NYU’s international law review, and completed post-LL.M. studies in international business and comparative securities law; a J.D. from Seattle University; and a B.A. from the University of Washington.  Pamela is admitted to practice law in several U.S. state jurisdictions and multiple federal courts, including the U.S. Tax Court.

Prior to becoming an attorney, Pamela worked as a business news reporter and anchor for a highly regarded NBC News affiliate in Seattle, covering international and emerging tech businesses, and geo-political developments.  In this capacity, Pamela had the opportunity to conduct in-depth interviews with the founders and executives of some of the world’s most innovative and successful companies.

Attorney Jeffrey M. Johnstone

Jeffrey M. Johnstone, Of Counsel in Tully Rinckey PLLC’s Rochester office, where his practice is concentrated in estate planning, trusts, estate administration, corporations and business, not-for-profit entities, and federal and New York tax.

He is admitted to practice in New York and Florida, in addition to the U.S. Court for the Western District of New York, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and the U.S. Tax Court.

Prior to joining Tully Rinckey, Jeffrey was an equity Partner with Harris, Chesworth, O’Brien, Johnstone & Welch, LLP.

Upon graduating from law school, Jeffrey became associated with the Rochester, New York, firm of Nixon, Hargrave, Devans & Doyle (now the national law firm of Nixon Peabody LLP), where he received a solid grounding in commercial litigation, administrative law, labor law and tax law. He founded Jeffrey M. Johnstone, P.C. in 1981, concentrating in business law, tax law and estate planning. He remained in solo and small firm practice until joining Harris, Chesworth & O’Brien, the predecessor of Harris, Chesworth, O’Brien, Johnstone & Welch, LLP, in 1994.

Jeffrey is a member of the Monroe County Bar Association, where he has served as head of the Tax Section, and in which he is a member of the Trusts and Estates, Business Law and Tax Law sections. He also is a member of the New York State Bar Association and the Florida Bar Association.

Throughout his career, Jeffrey has been actively involved in community affairs, including the Board of Trustees of the Ontario County Museum and Historical Society, the Finger Lakes Museum, the Planning Board of the Town of Brighton, the Lewis Street Center, the Feadan Or Pipe Band, and The Cupola Restoration Project of Penn Yan, Inc.

Jeffrey has been AV rated, the highest possible peer rating, from Martindale Hubbell, for many years.

Jeffrey graduated from Colgate University, cum laude, with High Honors in his major, in 1967. While at Colgate he was also inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa Society.

While attending graduate school, Jeffrey joined the U.S. Navy and graduated from the U.S. Naval Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island. He was commissioned an Ensign and served on active duty with the Naval Security Group as a Russian interpreter, reaching the rank of Lieutenant (O-3). While serving in the Navy, Jeffrey received an M.A. in Russian Studies from Georgetown University. After the Navy, he entered Cornell Law School, where he was an editor of the Cornell Law Review, and from which he graduated in 1974.

Attorney Brigadier General (Ret.) Harris Jay Kline

General (Ret.) Kline served numerous tours throughout the world in support of the Air Force and was the first JAG Reservist to serve as Head of the Legal Office at both our embassy in Canberra, Australia and Payar Lebar AB, Singapore. While on active duty, Gen. Kline helped close Clark AB under pressure from a live volcano and personally practiced before Filipino judges, securing the release of 63 U.S. servicemen on international hold – for which he won the ABA’s Distinguished Service Award. He was also instrumental in planning the first International Latin American Conference in Panama, attended by dignitaries from over 15 nations.

Among his many accomplishments as a Reservist, Gen. Kline created, established and supervised the first program geared to support of families of deployed reservists; which was adopted by the Army and Navy as well. Called overseas to support Operation Joint Endeavor, he saved the U.S. government over $1 million by resolving a contract dispute with German hotels over the bed down of contingency forces and was a key in establishing humanitarian efforts for Bosnian children. Gen. Kline spearheaded the legal effort to repatriate 1,900 evacuees from Lebanon in the wake of hostilities and provided legal support to the massive tsunami relief efforts in Thailand. In Alaska, he flawlessly led the commander thru real world NORAD crisis response to Russian bombers in US airspace. In Turkey, he secured the release of an airman stubbornly held in Turkish prison – earning high praises from the Secretary of Defense. During his last two years in the Air Force, he was selected by the United Nations to lead a team into the Congo to teach the Rule of Law to their national armed forces and did so in their native French.

Gen. Kline also works as a translator for United Airlines and is based out of Newark Airport. He is married to the former Trudy Schonfeld, Head of Finance for a major Wall Street firm.

Attorney Steven J. Kramer

Steven J. Kramer is Of Counsel to Tully Rinckey PLLC.

Steven’s practice encompasses a number of areas of law including business law, general litigation, family and matrimonial law, music law, copyrights and trademarks. Steven is an active member of the legal community with more than 20 years of experience. He is admitted to practice in New York State, as well as the District of Columbia – working in both areas since 1985. In 1989, he was granted the ability to practice in the U.S. District Court of Maryland, and in 1996, he was admitted to practice throughout that state.

Prior to joining Tully Rinckey PLLC, Steven formed his own firm, which operates out of Washington, D.C. His firm provides legal services to clients such as AES Tutoring, Blue Gin, the National Puerto Rican Coalition and the World Bank Staff Association.

Steven earned his juris doctorate from the Washington College of Law of American University in 1985. This followed his graduation with high honors from the University at Binghamton in 1978. Steven is multilingual and able to work with clients that speak Spanish, Italian or through Sign Language. He holds a membership in the District of Columbia Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association and Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts.

Attorney Richard M. Liebman

Richard brings many years of experience to Tully Rinckey PLLC, thanks to his comprehensive knowledge. Richard also brings retail commercial lease negotiating experience, having represented two major retailers and one major mini-storage company through the negotiation of new store and warehouse locations.

Some of Richard’s past casework includes representing a major life insurance company with a $55 million mortgage loan secured by four buildings, the purchase and financing of retail drug stores in 12 different states for $61 million, and representing a seller in connection with the sale of a New York City office building for $80 million together with all development rights.

Richard earned his Juris Doctor from Brooklyn Law School. Prior to law school, Richard received his B.A. with high honors from University of Denver. He also holds a Masters of Business Administration in Finance and Marketing Management from Baruch College-City University of New York.

Richard is an active member of the American Bar Association and New York State Bar Association. He is also the mayor’s appointee as owner’s representative for the New York City Loft Board.

Attorney Karen R. Sanders

Karen R. Sanders, Senior Counsel in Tully Rinckey PLLC’s Rochester office, focuses her practice on Civil Litigation (Personal Injury, Civil Rights and Whistleblower Actions) and Employment Law.

Karen was admitted to the bar in New York State in 1994. She also is admitted in the U.S. District Court for the Western and Northern Districts of New York, the Bankruptcy Court in the Western District of New York, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Prior to joining Tully Rinckey PLLC, Karen practiced with the firm of Harris, Chesworth, Johnstone & Welch, LLP (2015-Present). She was previously associated with Harris, Chesworth, O’Brien, Johnstone & Welch, LLP (2011-2015); Alexander & Catalano, LLC. (2006-2008); Cegelski Legal Associates, PPLC (1996-2006); Dolin & Associates, P.C. (1995-1996); Marianetti & Kantor (1993-1995); and the Law Office of Emmelyn Logan-Baldwin, Esq., Law Clerk (1991-1993).

Karen graduated from Wellesley College and Buffalo Law School. She is a member of the Monroe County Bar Association and the New York State Bar Association. She is also involved in charitable organizations, including the Special Olympics.

Attorney Richard H. Sargent

Dick is a familiar face in local and state courts throughout the Syracuse area. With more than three decades of experience practicing law in Upstate New York, Dick has a long record of helping Central New Yorkers with a variety of legal issues. Dick is Of Counsel to the firm’s Syracuse office.

Dick joined Tully Rinckey PLLC after operating a successful law practice in Syracuse, where he handled everything from litigation to estate planning. He is also experienced in commercial and residential property transactions; representing litigants in such matters as title disputes, easements, zoning and environmental impact proceedings.

Dick received his bachelor’s degree from Hamilton College and his juris doctorate from Syracuse University College of Law. He is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, having served as both a JAG officer and military judge. He is a member of the Onondaga County Bar Association, New York Bar Association and American Bar Association. For many years, Dick has been a continuing legal education lecturer, covering such topics as easements and rights of way, adverse possession and road access law.

When not at work, Dick contributes his extra time to the not-for-profit corporation, Literacy CNY, which concentrates on teaching adults to read.

Attorney Thomas P. Setser

Thomas P. Setser, a Senior Associate in Tully Rinckey PLLC’s Rochester office, possesses extensive courtroom experience in all matters of litigation, having served the last 19 years as a military defense counsel, civilian counsel and Assistant District Attorney.

Prior to joining Tully Rinckey, Thomas began his legal career as U. S. Navy Judge Advocate, where he served on active duty as a military defense counsel, legal assistance attorney, discipline officer and brig officer.  Upon leaving active duty, he opened his own legal practice as a solo practitioner and continued his military service as a Navy Reservist.  After a one-year mobilization with the U. S. Navy to the middle East, Thomas served as an Assistant District Attorney for the Ninth Judicial Circuit of Mississippi until he was recalled to active duty where he served as the legal advisor to a two-star command.  Upon completion of his orders, Thomas served as the deputy Staff Judge Advocate and then selected to serve as the Staff Judge Advocate to a Joint Command tasked with managing the process for reviewing the status of the detainees held in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Thomas has served as military defense counsel representing Sailors and Marines at all stages of military justice from Article 15 review to General Courts-Martial representation.  He has represented service members at numerous administrative separation boards and has been appointed as an article 32 hearing officer.  Thomas has reviewed and provided advice on countless investigations for referral to Article 15 (Captain’s Mast or Office Hours), Courts-Martial and/or administrative separation.  He has trained officers to serve as Summary Courts-Martial officers and has represented Commands as the recorder (prosecutor) to administrative separation boards.  Thomas has advised multiple commands on military justice, Command investigations, ethics and contracts.  As a legal assistance attorney, both on active duty and in the reserves, he provided expert legal advice, to include preparing Wills and powers of attorney, to service members, retirees and their dependents on a multitude of civilian legal issues, including immigration.

In addition to his military law expertise, Thomas’ civilian litigation experience is extensive.  As an Assistant District Attorney, he prosecuted several felony cases including armed robbery, aggravated assault and sexual assault of a minor.  He reviewed law enforcement investigations to present to a grand jury, represented the State at civil hearings for property seized during drug arrests, and represented the State against probation violators.  As a solo practitioner, he represented well over 100 criminal clients negotiating favorable guilty pleas, arguing motions affecting evidence at trials and bail or bond, and trying cases to verdict, both misdemeanor and felony cases.  He represented clients in divorce petitions, contempt hearings, in front of state licensing boards and civil actions, both at the State and Federal level.  Thomas successfully settled a Federal civil action for race discrimination and non-accommodation of a disabled person.  Further, he represented minors in juvenile justice hearings as well as acted as guardian ad litem for children in abuse or neglect situations.  Thomas has litigated several contract disputes including a successful appeal to the Mississippi Supreme Court and was appointed to file appellate briefs on behalf of criminal defendants who could not afford an attorney.

Attorney Amanda Smith

Amanda Smith, Esq. is a Senior Associate in Tully Rinckey PLLC’s Buffalo office, where she focuses her practice on Federal and State Employment and Labor Law.

Prior to joining Tully Rinckey, Amanda was a Student Workforce Trainee for the Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, in Washington, D.C. She also worked as a Research Assistant at the University at Buffalo Law School, where she provided legal academic research in international environmental principles as applied by the United States domestically and in foreign relations. Amanda also worked as a Student Legal Intern for the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement; was a Student Intern at the Department of Justice, U.S. Attorney’s Office in Buffalo; and was a Research and Teaching Assistant in the Niagara University Psychology Department, Niagara University, New York.

Amanda is admitted to practice law in New York State. She obtained her law degree from the University at Buffalo Law School, State University Of New York and her undergraduate degree in Psychology and Political Science, with a minor in International Studies, from Niagara University.

Attorney Allison R. Weber

As a Senior Associate at Tully Rinckey PLLC, Allison focuses her practice on all aspects of military and national security law. She represents clients at all levels of military criminal law from investigations to adverse actions and separation boards all the way to courts-martial and appeals to the service courts and the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces.  She also handles a variety of administrative actions such as discharge upgrades, corrections to military records, line of duty investigations, medical disability processing, ROTC disenrollment actions, obtaining/appealing VA benefits decisions, and contesting debt actions with DFAS.

Allison also provides security clearance representation on matters ranging from assisting clients in proactively disclosing information to avoid issues, completing applications, responding to Statements of Reason, and attending revocation hearings.  She has prevailed in a variety of cases, but she primarily works matters involving alleged violations of the Adjudicative Guidelines concerning personal conduct, drug involvement and substance misuse, handling protected information, and use of information technology.

Prior to joining Tully Rinckey PLLC, Weber spent seven years in the United States Army Judge Advocate General’s (JAG) Corps. Most recently, she was a military and civil law attorney-advisor for U.S. Army Europe. Weber advised senior ranking AR15-6 investigating officers, reviewed completed investigations, advised on inspector general investigations and reviewed financial liability for property loss investigations for legality and regulatory compliance. She also managed the Financial Disclosure Management system by advising and assisting personnel with ethical matters and ensuring appropriate disclosures were made in compliance with the program.

Additionally, Weber served as a trial defense counsel for the U.S. Army at Fort Bragg where she defended Service Members in both felony and misdemeanor cases as well as in non-judicial punishment actions and adverse personnel actions. Weber also served as a trial counsel for the Army in the Republic of Korea, where she prosecuted felony and misdemeanor charges and presided over officer and enlisted separation hearings.

Weber received her juris doctorate from Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law. She received a master’s degree in diplomacy from Norwich University.

Attorney Eric Duncan

Eric Duncan is an Associate in Tully Rinckey PLLC’s Buffalo office, where he focuses his practice around military law.

Before becoming an Associate, Eric worked as a law clerk, where he utilized his legal knowledge to assist firm attorneys with conducting legal research and analysis, preparing legal documents, compiling case materials, and writing reports and other memoranda.

Prior to joining Tully Rinckey, Eric conducted research into veterans groups and resources and facilitated the development of practicum for the Veterans Legal Practicum at the University at Buffalo School of Law. Eric previously served as an Infantry Squad Leader in the U.S. Marine Corps, where he commanded 12 to thirty-six personnel His other experience includes working as a Commercial Account Manager for Continental Transmission, where he oversaw commercial account estimates; advised clients of their options; and negotiated new contracts with current and potential clients. He also worked as a Project Supervisor, where he oversaw the planning and execution of an ongoing expansion of a multi-million dollar business.

Eric obtained his law degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo Law School, in Buffalo, NY, with a focus on intellectual property, and a Bachelor of Science degree in Legal Studies from the State University of New York at Buffalo.

Attorney Chad Lennon

Chad Lennon is an attorney in the Military Law section at Tully Rinckey, PLLC. In addition he is a Major in the Marine Corps reserves.

Prior to joining Tully Rinckey, PLLC, he was the Director of the Veterans and Servicemembers’ Rights’ Clinic at Touro Law Center. There he managed staff attorneys and interns working in a variety of legal topics. Cases included discharge upgrades, veterans law appeals, military law, landlord-tenant, estate planning, and criminal cases.  He was also a Prosecutor in Suffolk County District Court and East End courts. There he was the Prosecutor in Veterans Treatment Court while as working on misdemeanor and felony cases.  He has also worked as a Criminal Defense attorney in Maryland prior to working as a Prosecutor.

As a reservist in the Marine Corps, Chad has held a variety of billets. During his time in active duty he served as a Platoon Commander who was deployed to Afghanistan and led over 50 combat missions. Once he returned from deployment he served as the Battalion Assistant Operations Officer. His other billets include Production Officer, Detachment Commander, Company Executive, International Engagements Officer, Intelligence Officer, and Company Commander. Chad has also participated in a number of multi-national exercises including Bold Alligator and African Lion. He is a recipient of the Purple Heart Medal.

Chad is heavily involved in the community as he serves on the Board of Directors for the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award Foundation and Project 9 Line.  He is also the President of the Long Island Squad for the Semper Fi Fund.  Concurrently he is the Secretary for the New York State Bar Association Committee on Veterans, Co-Chair for the Suffolk County Bar Association Committee on Military and Veterans Affairs, and is an Officer for the Suffolk County Bar Association Academy of Law.

Attorney Matthew P. Ricci

Matthew P. Ricci joined Tully Rinckey PLLC in 2022 and focuses his practice in federal employment law out of the Albany office. In addition to federal employment law matters, Matthew has experience in litigating personal injury and medical malpractice claims. He has also represented clients for constitutional rights violations in federal court.

Prior to joining Tully Rinckey PLLC, Matthew practiced as an associate attorney with a personal injury and medical malpractice firm in Albany, New York. In this position, he helped seriously injured clients receive proper compensation for their injuries in both New York State Supreme and federal courts.

Matthew is currently admitted to practice law in New York State and admitted to the United States District Court Northern District of New York. He earned his bachelor’s degree from SUNY Oswego, with a concentration in political science and minors in criminal justice and communication/social interaction. Matthew received his juris doctor from Albany Law School where he also worked on the Albany Government Law Journal as a sub-editor.

Attorney Nora Ezzat Cozzillio

Nora Ezzat Cozzillio is an associate attorney at Tully Rinckey, PLLC and a DMV native. She is a first-generation Arab American and a graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park and The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law.

Nora has dedicated her legal career to assisting others who face threats to their livelihoods or careers as a result of severe civil rights violations on behalf of their employers, mentors, or supervisors. While that has been her primary practice field, Nora’s legal experience is quite expansive and includes practice in human and labor trafficking law, military justice, sexual assault, immigration, family, international business, privacy law, and labor and employment. Some of her previous positions include working for a pro bono legal clinic where she represented and advocated for low-income clients in immigration, domestic relations, and administrative proceedings. Nora also developed legal materials and literature to be used in presentations by international NGOs to immigrant communities, informing members of their rights when confronted by ICE and DHS challenges. Immediately following law school, Nora was an associate at a civilian military defense firm where she primarily conducted work on appellate cases predicated on sexual assault, one of which was heard before the Supreme Court. Nora also represented active duty, reserve, and retired service members who sought medical compensatory coverage and reimbursement from the military and Department of Veterans Affairs and was successful in approximately 95% of those cases.

Prior to joining Tully Rinckey, Nora worked as an associate at a DC-area plaintiff-side labor and employment firm, representing employees with claims of race discrimination, sexual harassment, and other civil rights violations before notable local, state, and federal tribunals. During her tenure, Nora often developed and utilized unique solutions for her clients’ disputes that helped avoid expensive and lengthy litigation yet achieved favorable results.

Nora has worked in several different realms of the law, each one more diverse than the next. However, one aspect has always remained the same – her desire to help people. No matter the position or the type of practice, it is Nora’s compassion for assisting others that propels her and her successful record.

Attorney Robert L. Estes

Judge Estes earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in 1968, and a Juris Doctor law degree from Albany Law School in 1971. He was admitted to practice law in the courts of New York State by the Appellate Division, Third Judicial Department, and in the Northern District of the United States District Court, early in 1972. He was admitted as an attorney and Counselor of the Supreme Court of the United States at Washington, D.C. in 1976. He enjoyed eleven (11) years of private law practice in Walton, N.Y., through 1982. After relocating his family to the County Seat of Delhi, New York, he was elected Judge of the County Court, Surrogate’s Court and Family Court of Delaware County New York in 1982.

Judge Estes continued his legal and judicial education by taking countless training courses in the fields of child abuse and maltreatment, domestic violence, juvenile delinquency, civil and criminal case management, and other vital areas of practical application every year since taking office.

Judge Estes was elected President of the Association of County Judges of the State of New York in 1993, after ten (10) years of service as delegate for the sixth judicial district. On April 30, 1993, a Special Services Award was presented to Judge Estes by the Delaware County Council on Alcoholism and Other Drug Addictions, Inc. “in recognition of (his) dedicated service, outstanding leadership and contributions in the field of Alcoholism and Addictions.”

On September 1, 1988, Judge Estes was appointed to a two-year term as Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Law Guardians for the Third Judicial Department by Hon. A. Franklin Mahoney, Presiding. He was subsequently appointed for two additional terms, serving a total of six years. The Advisory Committee is responsible for overseeing the operation of the Law Guardian Program in 28 counties of the state from the southern tier to the Canadian border. It recommends standards and procedures for improving the quality of representation by Law Guardians, attorneys appointed by the Family Courts to represent children in proceeding including juvenile delinquency, child abuse and neglect, and custody and visitation.

Judge Estes oversaw more than 30,000 cases, including numerous felony criminal trials, while serving as Judge. He used innovative measures to manage a family court caseload that nearly doubled during his tenure. He pioneered the use of mediation and other forms of alternative dispute resolution in Family Court, and he laid the groundwork to establish a drug court in the county.

In 2003, the Delaware County Bar Association conferred upon Judge Estes the Liberty Bell Award, in recognition of his years of outstanding service to the people of Delaware County. The Liberty Bell award is awarded only to those individuals who have promoted better understanding of the rule of law; encouraged a greater respect for law and the courts; stimulated a sense of civic responsibility; and contributed to good government in the community.

Attorney Michael Goldstein

Michael Goldstein is an associate attorney in Tully Rinckey PLLC’s Washington, D.C., office, where he focuses his practice on federal employment law. Prior to joining the firm, Michael worked for two employment firms and a disability rights nonprofit. He also worked as a legal contractor within the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, Disability Rights Section. He has previous experience representing federal employees in Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) and Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) cases. He has also represented private-sector employees in D.C. Superior Court.

Michael earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Santa Cruz, in Santa Cruz, California, and his Juris Doctorate from Tulane University Law School in New Orleans, Louisiana. He is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and Virginia (inactive). Michael is a member of the Washington Council of Lawyers.

In his spare time, Michael enjoys playing softball with a recreational sports league on the National Mall, going to concerts, and hanging out with dogs.

Attorney Jonathan Gonzalez

Jonathan Gonzalez is an associate in Tully Rinckey’s Austin, TX, office, where he focuses on Veterans’ and Military law. Jonathan has successfully advocated on behalf of his clients before the Army and Navy’s Discharge Review Boards and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs at Touro University, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center’s Military and Service Members’ Clinic. Jonathan also served as a Sergeant in the United States Marine Corps including a combat deployment to Afghanistan and has experience with the rigors of transitioning from Military to civilian life.

Jonathan graduated from Touro University, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center, where he was the President of the Military and Veterans Law Society advocating for Veterans and service members, and is a member of the SALUTE Veterans National Honor’s Society.

Attorney William A. Hudson Jr.

William A. Hudson, Jr. is a partner in Tully Rinckey PLLC’s Washington, D.C., office where he focuses his practice on military, security clearance, and federal employment law.

Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Hudson was the president and CEO of Hudson Consulting, a firm focused on providing counsel to private industry in forming effective partnerships with governmental and non-governmental agencies and businesses and crafting innovative outreach strategies for the successful advancement of legislation and policy initiatives.

Mr. Hudson also served as the Acting General Counsel to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) from November 10, 2019, to January 20, 2021. As the Chief Legal Officer of the Department and Legal Advisor to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, he oversaw and coordinated the work of the Office of the General Counsel (OGC) Central Office Law Groups, OGC’s District Chief Counsel Offices, and OGC’s National Practice Groups, which provide legal services in areas encompassing all of VA’s Veterans’ programs, personnel, torts, and general law subject matters.

Prior to joining VA, Mr. Hudson served the Department of Defense (DoD) as Senior Counsel and Director, Congressional Investigations, Office of General Counsel. He previously served twice at DoD in the Office of General Counsel as Acting Deputy General Counsel (Legislation). Mr. Hudson is a recipient of the Department of Veterans Affairs Exceptional Service Award and a five-time recipient of the Secretary of Defense’s Award for Exceptional Civilian Service.

Mr. Hudson retired from the United States Army in 2010 as a Colonel with over 27 years of active service. His past assignments include serving as Special Assistant for Legal and International Security Affairs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Legislative Affairs. Previous assignments also include Staff Judge Advocate, 3rd Infantry Division and Fort Stewart, Georgia, where he deployed twice to Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom I and III; Chief Counsel, Investigations and Legislation for the Office of the Chief, U.S. Army Legislative Liaison; Staff Judge Advocate, U.S. Army Special Forces Command (Airborne) Fort Bragg, North Carolina; and Deputy Staff Judge Advocate, III Armored Corps and Fort Hood, Texas. Mr. Hudson’s military awards and decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit Medal, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, United Nations in Haiti Medal, Parachutist’s Badge, and Combat Action Badge.

Mr. Hudson has held a Top Secret Security Clearance, and his education includes a Master of Science in National Security Strategy from the National War College; a Master of Laws from the Judge Advocate General’s Legal Center and School; a Juris Doctor from the University of South Carolina School of Law; and a Bachelor of Arts from The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina. He is also a graduate from the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College. He is admitted to practice before the State of South Carolina, the United States Army Court of Criminal Appeals, the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, and the United States Supreme Court.

Attorney Ira K. Rushing

Ira has unique and diverse experience as a litigation attorney in large and mid-size law firms, as a solo practitioner, and as a military lawyer. Ira focuses much of his time on the representation of military personnel and federal agents and employees, as well as private employers and non-profit corporations. Ira’s practice areas include military law, national security representation, veterans’ benefits, and labor and employment. In addition to his legal experience, Ira is certified in process improvement methods and has extensive project management and leadership experience throughout over 17 years of service in both the US Marine Corps and Army National Guard.

Ira also currently serves as a judge advocate in the Mississippi National Guard. From brigade-level judge advocate in one of the largest units in the Army National Guard to international and operations law attorney in a small joint special operations task force, Ira has demonstrated the ability to analyze and understand complex military issues and provide informed legal advice. Having spent 11 years as an enlisted Marine and Soldier before receiving his commission, Ira understands the unique and nuanced experiences of servicemembers and their families and is dedicated to their success.

Prior to his legal practice, Ira served as a Legal Project Manager and Process Engineer at an AM Law 100 firm. In this role, Ira worked with legal teams and clients to promote efficient and effective legal representation within the scope of any project. Ira’s role in facilitating the use of award-winning LPM platforms provides the foundation for planning, budgeting, reporting, and management of any type of legal engagement to produce operational cost effectiveness and unique client and legal service delivery solutions.

Ira brings practical knowledge to client engagements, drawing upon many years of working with clients in manufacturing, production, and legal services. Ira plays a key role in ensuring that complex matters are clearly defined and scoped at the outset, assisting in the development of process controls, staffing, budgeting, and an agreed-upon schedule to meet the client’s operational and strategic goals.

Attorney Nathan Simmons

Nathan Simmons is an associate attorney at the office in Austin, TX. Born and raised in Dallas, Texas, Nathan has lived almost entirely in Texas, spending time over the past decade living in Austin and Houston. Nathan calls Texas his home, and it is for that reason that he has dedicated his career to fighting for the rights of Texas workers. He received his Bachelor of Arts in Plan II Honors and his Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin in 2015. After graduating, Nathan worked as an engineer-in-training for a year before deciding to pursue a career in law. Nathan then served as a community organizer in Austin and helped form a hiring hall union. Through the union, Nathan helped unionize political campaigns, served as a union steward, and represented workers in disputes with management.

He then received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Texas School of Law in 2021. During his time at Texas Law, Nathan served as a pro bono scholar for the Supported Decision-Making Agreement (SDMA) clinic, attended the 2019 Peggy Browning Fund Workers’ Rights Conference, and worked for multiple local organizations and law firms dealing with workers’ rights violations, immigration issues, impact litigation, accessibility needs, and family law. He also placed third nationally as part of the Texas Law team that competed in the 2021 Jeffrey Moorad Game Day Case Competition.

Nathan primarily handles plaintiff-side employment law litigation, focusing on Title VII (race, color, sex, national origin, religion, sexual orientation) discrimination, disability rights, age discrimination, wage issues, and other employment law issues. Additionally, he focuses on labor law and has dealt with the NLRB on behalf of workers. He is also conversational in Spanish. In his free time, he enjoys movies, trivia, creative writing, and spending time with friends and family.