One of the preeminent malpractice plaintiffs attorneys in the nation, James R. Duffy brings more than 35 years of experience representing plaintiffs in cases involving complex medical malpractice and negligence resulting in catastrophic injury. During his career, he has won more than 30 verdicts in excess of $1 million, and has negotiated more than 250 multi-million dollar settlements. He also holds the distinction of having obtained the largest medical malpractice award on Long Island ($80 million) on behalf of a brain-injured child. His verdicts and successes have frequently been reported in both consumer and professional media, including Newsday, the New York Daily News, the New York Law Journal and the New York Jury Verdict Reporter, and he is frequently sought after to lecture on the topic of cross-examination of expert witnesses.

Recognized by both The Best Lawyers in America and Who's Who in America, James Duffy serves on the executive committee and board of directors of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association and is a member of The American Trial Lawyers Association. He is extremelyactive in championing the rights of injured persons and advancing their cause, and is active in a number of local and national organizations including The American Trial Lawyers Association.

Trial Partner

Michael Duffy, managing partner of the firm, is a highly experienced civil litigator who has recovered millions of dollars on behalf of his clients. His verdicts and settlements have been widely publicized both locally and nationally.

Mr. Duffy is currently the Vice-President of the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers, a bar association dedicated to restoring the dignity and honor of the legal profession. He has previously served as the President of the Long Island Affiliate of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, as well as having served as a member of the Board of Directors of that organization. He is an active member of the American Association for Justice; the Long Island Trial Lawyers Association; the Nassau-Suffolk Trial Lawyers Association; the Suffolk Country Bar Association; and The American Trial Lawyers Association.

Trial Partner

William Burdo is a highly-experienced trial partner who has recovered millions of dollars on behalf of injured clients. Mr. Burdo concentrates in the areas of complex medical malpractice and catastrophic injury. In addition, he is a frequent lecturer on such topics as the trial of civil actions, the taking of depositions in New York State courts and issues affecting the civil justice system. His verdicts and settlements have been published in numerous media outlets.

James Wilkens, senior trial counsel to the firm, joined Duffy, Duffy & Burdo in 2003. Listed in "The Best lawyers in America" and "The Best Lawyers in New York", Mr. Wilkens obtained the highest medical malpractice verdict in the United States for the year 2002, a $94,800,000.00 verdict for a young Brooklyn boy stricken with cerebral palsy. Mr Wilkens has, at different times, secured the highest medical malpractice verdicts up to those times in Westchester and Nassau Counties. His $24,000,000 verdict for a young victim of sickle cell anemia was the largest reported verdict for a victim of that disease. He recently obtained a $109,000,000 verdict for a young man who was the victim of a delayed diagnosis of a brain abscess. Reports of Mr. Wilkens's verdicts have appeared in the New York Daily News, the New York Post, the New York Jury Verdict Reporter, the New York Law Journal and the National Law Journal.

A former member of the Board of Directors of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, Jim has served as chairman of its Lead Paint Litigation Committee and has been a frequent lecturer. He is a member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the New York Academy of Trial Lawyers and the New York State Bar Association. he has also served as a faculty member of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy, instructing other experienced attorneys in trial technique.

Mary Ellen Duffy serves as trial counsel on medical malpractice and personal injury cases. Prior to joining her brother and father at Duffy, Duffy & Burdo, she was employed at the law firm of Kramer, Dillof et. al., preparing medical malpractice cases for trial with one of the nation's top medical malpractice attorneys. In addition to her law school degree, Ms. Duffy is a graduate of the New York University Stern School of Business, with a degree in International Business and Management.

Ms. Duffy is a member of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, the New York State Bar, the Nassau County Bar Association, the Women in the Courts Committee of the Nassau County Bar Association, the Medical Malpractice Committee of the Nassau County Bar Association and the American Trial Lawyers Association.

James LiCalzi is a seasoned civil litigator with years of experience in the representation of catastrophically injured individuals in both complex medical malpractice and significant personal injury cases. Prior to joining Duffy, Duffy & Burdo soon after its inception, he was associated with one of the largest medical malpractice and personal injury defense firms on Long Island. At Duffy, Duffy & Burdo, he handles matters in both New York State and U.S. Federal Courts, and is also experienced in representing clients before appellate courts.

Trial Counsel

Michael Regan is a highly experienced trial counselor specializing in civil trial work including medical malpractice and complex litigation in state and federal court.

Michael was appointed to serve as District Court Arbitrator by the Administrative Judge for the County of Suffolk, since January 2007 and was appointed by the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania to serve as Special Counsel to the Trustee in the In re Eagle Enterprises, 1998. Michael received the American Jurisprudence Award for Legal Writing, 1993.

He assisted in the creation of the Lead The Way Fund (LTW) and currently serves on its Board of Advisors as legal counsel. LTW is a 501(c)(3) corporation established to raise funds to support families of U.S. Army Rangers who have been killed, disabled or are serving in harms way around the world. LTW was formed in honor of Sgt. James J. Regan who was killed in Iraq while serving with Charlie Company, 3^rd Battalion, 75^th Ranger Regiment.

Michael was elected to serve as President of the Brehon Society of Suffolk County, 2007, and was Co-Founder of the Catholic Education Fund, Inc. a 501(c)(3) corporation established to raise funds to support Catholic education through scholarships and grants, 2004.

Michael served as Staff Counsel for the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland in the Human Rights Division of the International Labor Office, 1993. While serving in that capacity drafted portions of the North African Human Rights Charter.

He was Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Bishop Ryan

Guild, Inc., a 501(c)(3) corporation that provides residential and

counseling services to homeless children, 1988-1993.

He served as Field Agent for the National Labor Relations Board in

Philadelphia, PA conducting representation elections and

investigating unfair labor practice charges, 1988.

Michael was admitted to practice in New York in 1994. He is also

admitted to the United States District Court for the Eastern

District of New York.

Michael earned his Juris Doctorate degree in 1993 from Touro Law

School Huntington, NY. He was elected to serve two terms as

Vice President of the Student Bar Association, 1992-1993. Michael

studied international law at Moscow State University in Moscow,

Russia, 1993. He received a Master of Arts in 1988 from Indiana

University of Pennsylvania, Indiana, PA (Degree in Labor and

Industrial Relations). He received a Bachelor of Science in

1986 from the University of Scranton, Scranton, PA (Degree in

International Studies).

Graduating from SUNY Fredonia in 1982 with a B.A. in Sociology, Edward then attended St. Johns University School of Law receiving his J.D. in 1986. That same year he was admitted to practice law in New York and New Jersey.

Edward has practiced personal injury law concentrating in medical malpractice litigation for the past twenty years. A trial attorney who has successfully obtained millions of dollars on behalf of his clients, the awards he has generated have been reported in various publications and media outlets.

Professional memberships have included New York and New Jersey State Trials Lawyers Associations, New York Academy of Trial Lawyers, American Trial Lawyers Association, and the American Bar Association. Edward has also served on the Medical Malpractice Committee of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. He has sat as the attorney member for Medical Malpractice Panel hearings convened in the Supreme Courts of Nassau and Queens counties, and has judged moot court competitions at Hofstra University, School of Law.

Steven Sachs

 

Associate

 

Steven Sachs is an Associate at Duffy Duffy & Burdo, Esqs., specializing in medical malpractice litigation.  Steven graduated from Hofstra University School of Law, cum laude, and was the recipient of an advocacy award for his achievement in appellate advocacy competition  

 

   Steven is admitted to practice in the New York State and Federal courts and is a member of the New York Academy of Trial Lawyers, the Nassau County Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association and the American Bar Association.

 

 

Michael A. Santo

 

Associate

 

Michael A. Santo is a seasoned trial counsel who is admitted to practice in New York , New Jersey and Massachusetts .  Michael is also admitted to practice in the local Federal Courts.  He is a 1982 graduate of New England School of Law, Boston , Massachusetts , where he was the Managing Editor of his school's Journal.  He holds a Masters Degree in Criminal Justice and has served numerous legal internships at the state and federal level in both the civil and criminal fields.  Before arriving at Duffy, Duffy & Burdo, Michael was a long time senior trial counsel at another Nassau County firm concentrating in personal injury and medical malpractice claims.

 

He is General Counsel to the Executive Board of the Order Sons of Italy in New York as well as the Order's Foundation Corporation and its Commission for Social Justice, the anti-defamation arm of the Order. Michael serves as a Board Member of H.E.V.N., a local non-profit community-based organization helping to eradicate gang and youth violence, and a Board Member of the Institutional Review Board of the Nassau University Medical Center in East Meadow .

 Michael has been a long standing seasonal volunteer with Saint Mary's Hospital for Children, in Bayside Queens, and the Tabernacle of Joy Church, in Uniondale .

Mary is a highly experienced counselor representing plaintiffs in complex medical malpractice and hospital claims. With her nursing and medical malpractice defense background she is a valuable addition to our legal team.

Ms. Tierney is admitted to practice in New York State Courts and is also admitted to the United State District Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York. She is a member of the Suffolk County Bar association, the NYS Academy of Trial Lawyers and the Brehon Society

Early in her legal career, Ms. Tierney was associated with medical malpractice defense firms. Since 1990, she has concentrated on the representation of plaintiffs in complex medical and hospital malpractice actions and in the area of municipal law.

Mary received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from Cornell University and thereafter was employed as a Registered Nurse by the Visiting Nurse Service in New York as well as an ICU Nurse in large medical centers in both New York City and Ann Arbor, Michigan. She received her law degree from St. John’s University School of Law in 1982.