Feldman, Kramer & Monaco NY

Undergraduate degree from Michigan State University; JD from Fordham Law; admitted First Dept; drafted US Army; Vietnam veteran; awarded Army Commendation Medal and Expert Carbine Medal; Asst Vice President at Howard Stores Corp. 12 years handling their real estate operations and corporate activities; in private practice 14 years practice concentration on Family Law.

Alan Borack is a summa cum lauda graduate of Stony Brook University and obtained his law degree from Hofstra University in 1975. He was admitted to the NYS Bar Association in 1976. He has worked in the law profession for over 40 years, first as an Assistant Town Attorney for the Town of Brookhaven where he handled prosecution of local code violations and other municipal law issues. Ultimately, he went on to work in the private sector where he had his own law practice for over 25 years and handled various legal matters including, but not limited to real estate transactions, matrimonial and family law, bankruptcy, criminal and traffic, wills and estates, landlord tenant issues, and civil litigation. Mr. Borack has been employed at the law firm of Feldman, Kramer & Monaco for the past 12 years and continues to assist its clients in a variety of legal matters.

Deborah S. Gallin graduated from Queens College of the City of New York in 1974. She then received her Juris Doctorate from Hofstra University School of Law in 1977. She was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1977 and to practice before the New York Federal Courts in the Southern District in 1980. Ms. Gallin’s area of expertise include probate, will, trust, and estate law and has published articles on estate planning topics including the Role of an Executor, Gun Trusts and Revocable Trusts. She has written thousands of wills and advised thousands of clients regarding their estates.She is also an avid tennis player who was on a U.S.T.A. Eastern regional team that made it to the Nationals held in Tucson, Arizona in 2015. She has also served as a volunteer for the Ronald McDonald House located in Stony Brook, New York.

Glenn provides advice and counsel to LegalShield members.

David A. Pincus came to our firm at the end of 2011, after working for more than 15 years at the law firm of Schoenfeld, Schoenfeld & Pincus PC, where he and his firm focused almost exclusively on the practice of personal injury law. In 2014 he became the manager of our personal injury department. While managing the department, he continues to handle a full caseload that includes significant and complex cases. David has successfully litigated a number of high value cases including one recent case where he recovered 2.35 million dollars for an injured worker. David is a graduate of Brooklyn Law School (1982) and the State University of New York at Stony Brook (1979). In 1983, David was admitted to practice in the State of New York and in the United States District Courts for the Eastern and Southern districts of New York. He is a member of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association and the Suffolk County Bar Association. He has lectured on legal issues particularly those concerning the practice of personal injury law. David became a lawyer because of his intense drive to achieve justice for clients and to protect their legal rights. He believes that the practice of personal injury law gives him a unique opportunity to help regular people win litigating against powerful business adversaries. That experience combined with a love of the law and a keen talent for factual and legal analysis serves him well in achieving strong results for his clients. The desire to make this world a better place led David and his wife Ruthie to form a not for profit corporation called Stage the Change, Inc., which hosts an annual conference at the Tilles Center that brings together hundreds of students, teachers and theater professionals from all over Long Island and New York City to hear speakers and attend workshops on creating theater relevant to social and human rights issues. Recently, David was chosen to be part of a delegation organized through an organization called Witness for Peace that traveled to Oaxaca, Mexico to learn about roots of immigration to the United States. Outside of the law, David’s many interests include, sailing, tennis, the arts, skiing and hiking. He just celebrated his 30th wedding anniversary and has three adult children, Sadie who teaches music at an elementary school in Williamsburg, Brooklyn and twin boys Jacob and Simon who are pursuing theater careers in New York City.

She graduated from the State University of New York at Stony Brook Magna Cum Laude and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, the Nation's most prestigious academic honor society. Pamela Goshman has been working with FKM since 2003. Prior to that she represented indigent defendants in criminal matters under the 18B program in New York State. Her practice also consists of estate, real estate, family law and corporate matters.She graduated from the State University of New York at Stony Brook Magna Cum Laude and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa, the Nation's most prestigious academic honor society. She graduated from St. John's University School of Law in 1984. She was admitted to the New York State Bar in May of 1985 and to practice before the United States District Court and the Eastern District of New York.She is a member of the Suffolk County Criminal Bar Association and the New York State Public Defenders Association as well.

Henry Pon received his A.B. and M.P.H. degrees from Columbia University. He graduated in the top ten percent of his class at Fordham University School of Law and received the American Jurisprudence Award in Domestic Relations. While in law school, he was a member of the Fordham International Law Journal. Henry joined Feldman, Kramer & Monaco in 1999. He previously served as law clerk to the Honorable Burrell Ives Humphreys and worked as an attorney with Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. He is a member of the New York State Bar, and has experience in litigation, domestic relations/family law, ERISA, insurance, insurance coverage, contract, tort, real estate, environmental and products liability issues. Henry has done pro bono work with Sanctuary for Families. In addition, he has done extensive volunteer work with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Nassau County and Long Island Jewish-Hillside Medical Center.

Steve is admitted to the New York and the Federal courts. He has been a LegalShield attorney since 2001 and is member of the New York firm's business team.

Anita graduated from Montclair State University with a BA in Spanish Language and Literature, Italian Language and Literature and Education. She then attended St. John’s University School of Law. After graduation in 1987 she became a staff attorney at Legal Aid as well.Anita also worked as a volunteer for Catholic Charities helping the Latino community with Immigration matters.In 1990 Anita returned to Montclair State University as a full time professor of Legal Studies.Anita left that position to go into her own private law practice. She represented many clients in their criminal defense matters and real estate issues.She represented Nassau County as a Small Claims Assessment Hearing Officer. She also represented Columbia Federal Savings Bank as their loan closer.In 2000 Anita joined Feldman Kramer and Monaco. In 2002 she became the Supervising Attorney. She has frequently spoken before large groups of legal plan members.Anita is the Emergency Access attorney for the firm. She has received many awards for her service from LegalShield in that area. She has also received the Leadership Award for her service as a Supervising Attorney.Anita is currently an Adjunct Professor in the Political Science Department at Stony Brook University. She teaches Business Law as well as Administrative Law for Policy Analysts.

Robert D. Schlesinger received his B.A in Political Science and History from Adelphi University in Garden City, NY, and completed his graduate studies in Political Science at Long Island University in Brooklyn, NY. Additionally, Mr. Schlesinger studied Piano and Composition at the Juilliard School of Music. He further went on to receive his Juris Doctorate from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, MI. He was admitted to the New York and New Jersey State Bars in 1988 and is a member of the New York State Bar Association. Mr. Schlesinger’s areas of concentration include landlord/tenant, personal injury, workers compensation, and entertainment law.

Allan E. Fogel received his Bachelor of Arts from the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 1985.He went on to receive his Juris Doctorate from Hofstra University in 1989 and was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1990. Prior to joining Feldman Kramer and Monaco in 1995, Mr. Fogel was an Associate with Jerry Winter P.C. in Garden City, New York. Mr. Fogel has over twenty five years of experience handling all phases of matrimonial and family law including trial and appellate practice. He has also authored numerous articles on topics including: Pre-Nuptial Agreements; Same Sex Marriage; Child Support and Maintenance; the tax ramifications of divorce. Mr. Fogel has served on the Board of Directors at Sinai Reform Temple in Bay Shore New York and he is a member of the New York State Bar Association. Mr. Fogel is active in community affairs in his home town of West Islip New York and has coached his children’s soccer teams. He is a member of the Appalachian Mountain Club and regularly participates in club events on Long Island and in the Hudson Valley.

Christopher M. Petillo, C.P.A., J.D., CELA, is associated with the law firm of Feldman, Kramer & Monaco, P.C., based in Hauppauge, New York. Christopher was voted one of New York’s “Super Lawyers” in the New York Metro Super Lawyers Magazine and The New York Times newspaper supplement (Metro Fall Edition (every year since 2012). Christopher is Certified as an Elder Law Attorney (\"CELA\") by the National Elder Law Foundation as accredited by the American Bar Association. The National Elder Law Foundation is not affiliated with any governmental authority. Certification is not a requirement for the practice of law in the State of New York and does not necessarily indicate greater competence than other attorneys experienced in this field of law.He is admitted to the New York State Bar and is a Certified Public Accountant in New York State. He is a member of the New York State Bar Association (Elder Law Section) and the Nassau County Bar Association. Christopher is admitted to practice before the United States Tax Court. He earned his law degree at St. John’s University School of Law in Jamaica, New York.Christopher completed his undergraduate studies at Adelphi University in Garden City, New York. As the recipient of a Presidential Scholarship, Christopher earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting, graduating with honors.An alumnus of Price Waterhouse LLP (now known as PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLP), Christopher’s areas of practice include Elder Law, Estate Planning, Planning for a Beneficiary with Special Needs, Personal Income Taxation, Estate and Gift Taxation, and Fiduciary Income Taxation. Christopher is a frequent lecturer at consumer seminars on numerous Elder Law topics.He was a speaker at the NYS Bar Association Elder Law Section Fall Meeting in October 2009 on the topic \"Strategic Planning for Securing Medicaid Eligibility.\"He has authored many published articles including:• Probate Traps for the Unwary• Changes in Medicaid Laws Affecting Life Estates and Trusts• Federal Estate and Gift Tax Laws – More Misunderstood Than Charlie Brown’s Teacher• IRA Loophole for Charitable Gifts Now Permanent• Same-Sex Married Couples May Now Use “Married Filing Jointly” as Filing Status on Federal Income Tax Returns• Thinking of Hiring an “Off-the Books” Caregiver? Think Again• Postcards from the Fiscal Cliff• I’m Retired, But My Mortgage Isn’t…• The Family Vacation Home and the Summer Winds of Change• Unequal Provisions in the Estate Plan – “Mom Always Liked You Best”• When You Don’t Pay Your Taxes• Why We Need a Durable Power of Attorney

In 1998 Ken received an Award of Excellence from Volunteer Lawyers of the Artists representing pro bono low-income artists in trademark, copyright & entertainment matters. Kenneth Spole received from CCNY his B.M.E in electrical and mechanical engineering in 1953. In 1956 he earned a graduate training degree from Allis-Chalmers Mfg. Co. in electrical equipment product development. After leaving Allis-Chalmers in 1962 he formed an engineering corporation specializing in electrical power equipment sales. In 1993 he sold the business and went on to CUNY Law School earning his JD in 1996. In 1997 he passed the NY, NJ & US patent bar becoming a licensed patent attorney. In 1998 Ken received an Award of Excellence from Volunteer Lawyers of the Artists representing pro bono low-income artists in trademark, copyright & entertainment matters. In 1999 Ken joined the family of attorneys at Feldman, Kramer & Monaco, PC. He specializes in trademark, copyrights, patents, entertainment law, business corporate law, contracts and related legal matters.

James E. Orlando is a senior associate with the firm and has been practicing law for over twenty years. Mr. Orlando has been with the firm since 1996. Mr. Orlando received his Juris Doctorate from Touro College, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center in 1995 and was admitted to the New York State Bar and New York Federal Courts, Eastern District in 1996. Mr. Orlando is a member of the Suffolk County Bar Association, the Suffolk County Matrimonial Bar Association, and the New York State Bar Association. He has published several articles in “Preventive Law Guide” pertaining to criminal and matrimonial law, has been a guest speaker at National Legal Service Attorney Conferences, and has received several awards in recognition for outstanding legal services, including but not limited to multiple “Legal Shield” awards for providing outstanding 24 hour emergency hotline assistance to clients, multiple legal plan “client service” awards for exceptional legal services, the “Shield of Service” award for exceptional representation of clients, and legal plan “member’s choice” award. Mr. Orlando is the department head for the firm’s matrimonial and criminal law departments.Mr. Orlando’s areas of concentration include matrimonial, family and criminal law. As a trial litigator, Mr. Orlando handles cases from inception through trial. Additionally, Mr. Orlando is responsible for Feldman, Kramer & Monaco’s 24 hour legal emergency hotline. Mr. Orlando has four children. His wife, Dara, is a retired Assistant District Attorney for the County of Suffolk, and is currently in private practice. Mr. Orlando enjoys volunteer coaching for his children’s baseball and softball teams, and is an avid backpacker/mountaineer.

Harold E. Gerry, Jr. is an associate with the law firm of Feldman, Kramer and Monaco, P. C. and is the Supervising Attorney for the Estates Department encompassing Estate Planning, Elder Law, Medicaid and Estate Administration. He earned his law degree at Quinnipiac College School of Law in 1995. During law school, Mr. Gerry was awarded the American Jurisprudence Award for receiving the highest grade in Administrative Law. He was also a member of the Probate Law Journal. He was admitted to the Bar in the States of New York (1996), New Jersey (1996) and Connecticut (1995). Mr. Gerry is a member of the New York State and Nassau County Bar Associations. He is also a member of the Elder Law and Special Needs Section of the New York State Bar Association.He has presented numerous consumer seminars on Elder Law and Estate Planning throughout Nassau and Suffolk Counties and New York City. He has also written many published articles including: Estate Tax Planning - Federal Changes Do Not Change State Estate Taxes; Medicaid and the use of Pooled Income Trusts; Coming Soon - Changes to Medicare Home Care Coverage; and Avoiding Probate – Sometimes Probate really is a Four Letter Word; Having The “Talk” With Your Kids…. No, Not That “Talk”, etc. Mr. Gerry joined the law firm in 2010 and was promoted to Supervising Attorney of the Estates Department in 2014. His areas of practice include: Elder Law, Special Needs, Estate Planning, Estate Administration, Guardianship and Medicaid.Mr. Gerry lives in southern Nassau County with his wife and son. He has volunteered to coach his son’s little league baseball team for the past three years.

Steven Kramer received his Juris Doctorate from St. John’s University School of Law in 1997. He was admitted to the New York State Bar in 1998 and to the New York Federal Courts, Southern and Eastern Districts in 2001. Mr. Kramer’s areas of concentration include Trust and Estates and Elder Law. Mr. Kramer has lectured to the New York State Bar Association, Practicing Law Institute, Accounts Resource Group, New York State United Teachers Union, United Federation of Teachers, Public Employees Federation, Nassau County Correction Officers Union, the Preferred Provider Group, Prepaid Legal and Legal Shield, Nassau Community College, Civil Service Employees Association, Long Island Family Caregiver Coalition and American Prepaid Legal Services Institute.Mr. Kramer is the founder of the Estate Wellness Forum and The Medicaid Coordinator RoundTable and sits on the board of directors of Long Island Family Caregiver Coalition.

John Calimano received his B.A. in Political Science and Philosophy from the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 1994 and went on to receive his Juris Doctorate from St. John’s University School of Law in 1999. In 2000, he was admitted to the New York State Bar, New York Federal Courts in the Southern and Eastern Districts, New Jersey State Bar, and Connecticut State Bar. Mr. Calimano is a member of the Suffolk County Bar Association. Mr. Calimano has lectured across New York on estate planning issues, estate tax issues and elder law issues. Mr. Calimano has presented workshops on the importance of Health Care Proxies, Living Wills and Power of Attorneys and how to properly prepare them. Mr. Calimano has also published articles in the Preventive Law Guide.

Brian M. Collins attended St. John’s University as an undergraduate, where he was a member of the football team, and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree (Magna Cum Laude) in 1996. In 1997 Brian joined the New York City Police Department and retired with the rank of Lieutenant. While in the Police Department, he attended St. John’s University School of Law where he graduated with a Juris Doctor in 2001, having made the Dean’s List in multiple semesters. Brian was an associate attorney in a small Nassau County law firm for several years, and later became a solo practitioner for more than a decade, specializing in matrimonial, family law and residential real estate. Brian also has experience representing clients in estate planning, probate / estate administration, bankruptcy and criminal matters. Brian joined Feldman, Kramer & Monaco as an Associate Attorney in 2023. Brian lives in Hauppauge with his wife and three sons, where he has volunteered his time as a youth sports coach for Hauppauge travel baseball, football and basketball teams for many years.

Trial Committee Chairperson, NYC DISTRICT COUNCIL OF CARPENTERS, New York, NY Jan. 2013-PresentDuties include presiding over internal union disciplinary trials, admission of evidence, jury instruction, timeliness and justification of charges, consulting with the U.S. Department of Justice Review Officer and Inspector General’s Office. Manager, STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF LABOR RELATIONS, Stony Brook, NY Jan. 2009 –May 2012Duties include investigations of misconduct; drafting of Notice of Discipline; negotiating penalties; serving as a hearing officer for designated Civil Service mandated hearings, including probationary reviews and Union grievances; research and interpretation of State/Union contract and work rules; mediation and conflict resolution between parties. Daily contact and interaction with senior management, union executives, medical center staff, and counsel’s office. Department Advocate’s Office – NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT June 1998 – September 2004Responsible for the drafting of charges, negotiation of penalty, and prosecution of members of NYPD accused of serious violations of Department regulations, including criminal matters; and consultation with the Mayor’s Commission to Combat Police Corruption. Extensive interaction with officials of numerous municipal unions.

Joanne Zalud-Crawford graduated from Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center- Touro College in May 2002. While attending Law School, Joanne interned at the Law School’s Civil Rights Litigation Clinic. Joanne conducted legal research and reviewed Court documents for mentally challenged plaintiffs institutionalized in violation of their civil rights. She also earned the Oral Advocate Award in 1999 and CALI- Excellence for the Future Award - Civil Rights Litigation Clinic in 2002. Joanne also interned at the Law School’s Social Justice Fellowship Program. Joanne conducted legal research and interviews of plaintiffs challenging New York Department of Social Services rulings allowing the State of New York to remove children from parental custody for alleged failure to comply with work training programs. Since 2006, Joanne has worked for Feldman, Kramer & Monaco, P.C. She focuses her practice on Real Estate Law, Landlord/Tenant Law, Family Law, Matrimonial Law, Debt Collection, Small Claims, Consumer Protection, Special Education Law and Worker’s Compensation Law. Joanne also reviews Real Estate Contracts and handles the closing of Real Estate matters for Feldman, Kramer, and Monaco. Joanne is a member of Suffolk County Community Emergency Response Team (CERT).CERT educates individuals about disaster preparedness for hazards that may impact their area and trains them in basic disaster response skills. Joanne is a past Chairperson of the Babylon Village Women’s Club Scholarship Committee. The Scholarship is for a female who is entering college not directly from high school. .

Irina A. Karlova received her Master’s Degree in Law from Kuban State University in Russia and began practicing law at age 20. While residing in Russia, Ms. Karlova worked for 5 years as an Assistant District Attorney for the regional District Attorney’s Office. After immigrating to the United States, Ms. Karlova graduated summa cum laude from Touro College, Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center in 2008, where she received her L.L.M., and was the recipient of the Outstanding Academic Achievement Award and several Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction awards (given to the highest scoring student in each law school class). Ms. Karlova was admitted to the New York State Bar in 2010. She is a member of the Trust and Estates and Elder Law sections of the New York State Bar Association. Her areas of concentration include Elder law, Medicaid planning, special needs planning, Estate planning and Estate administration. Ms. Karlova was named a Rising Star in the Metro Edition of New York Super Lawyers in 2014 and 2015.For the past three years Ms. Karlova served as a Vice President and is now the President of the Board of Directors of the SchoolNova, a not for profit organization located in Stony Brook, NY. SchoolNova was created to promote academic achievement through various enrichment programs in the areas of mathematics, science, languages and visual arts for motivated students ages 3-16.Ms. Karlova is fluent in Russian and an active member of the Russian speaking community.

Eric Sandman attended Stony Brook University from 2001 - 2005, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science. In the winter of 2004, he entered the Suffolk County Advanced Emergency Medical Technician program, where he received his New York State Advanced Emergency Medical Technician Critical Care certification. From 2001 - 2006, he continued to volunteer for the Mastic Ambulance company. Mr. Sandman worked as an emergency First Responder for multiple fire departments throughout Suffolk County from 2004 - 2010. He worked full time, as an emergency First Responder for the Wading River Fire Department 2005 - 2006. While attending Touro Law School as a full-time student, Mr. Sandman continued to work part-time as an emergency First Responder for East Quogue and Middle Island Fire Departments. During law school, Mr. Sandman received a CALI award for academic excellence in Civil Procedure II and participated in the Civil Practice and Judicial Externship programs. He interned at the law office of Todd J. Zimmer & Associates, a matrimonial law firm in Commack, New York as well as the Suffolk County District Attorney’s office. He also clerked for the Honorable Thomas F. Whelan in the New York Supreme Court from 2008 - 2009. After graduating from Touro Law, Eric was admitted to practice law in New York, January 2010 and began working for Sarisohn Law Partners in Commack, New York, where he focused on personal injury and accident claims. Mr. Sandman joined the Personal Injury Department at Feldman, Kramer & Monaco, P.C. in December 2015.