ATTORNEY PROFILES

GARY CERTAIN is a talented trial lawyer with over fifteen years of litigation experience. Mr. Certain earned his law degree from the Georgetown University Law Center in 1993 and a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in 1988 from Niagara University where he served as Student Government Association President and a lobbyist for the New York State Association of Private Colleges and Universities.

Gary Certain found his calling as a trial attorney while participating in Mock Trial Advocacy Competitions in High School and College. In law school, Mr. Certain further developed his advocacy skills by serving in a legal clinic program, representing indigent clients before the Superior Court of the District of Columbia.

At Georgetown University, Gary was honored to have been mentored by legendary Attorney Samuel Dash, Chief Counsel to the Senate Watergate Committee, legal scholar, author, and ethics expert. After law school, Mr. Certain served as a New York City Assistant District Attorney where he earned a reputation for aggressive advocacy, professionalism and integrity. Since entering private practice in 1996, Mr. Certain concentrated his practice in the areas of Products Liability, Personal Injury, Criminal Defense, Civil Rights and Police Misconduct.

Mr. Certain has extensive experience in adeptly handling high profile media sensitive cases. He has also privately, discreetly and successfully handled matters involving celebrity clients including prominent political, sports, television and modeling figures. Mr. Certain also served as an adviser and counsel to political candidates in congressional, gubernatorial and attorney general campaigns.

Mr. Certain is licensed to practice law before all Court of the State of New York as well as the Federal Districts Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of the New York. Gary Certain is a member of the New York State Bar Association, the New York State Trial Lawyers Association and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers.

Notable Reported Decisions:
Henry v. Rehab Plus, Inc., 404 F.Supp. 2d 435 (E.D.N.Y. 2005) A seminole decision establishing a cause of action in products liability for a product’s injurious creation of a false sense of security. It is also a principle case cited by Federal and State Courts, The New York Attorney General and Consumer Law publications for the proposition that omitted information may serve as a basis for a consumer product fraud claims.

Brown v. City of New York, 50 AD3d 937 (2nd Dep’t 2008) In sustaining a 1,150,000 dollar award obtained by Gary Certain and Michael Zilberg at trial, the Appellate Division held the award was not excessive for a spinal herniation with a medical recommendation for future surgery. The appeal resulted in the accumulation of more than $150,000 dollars in interest on the original award.

 
MICHAEL A. ZILBERG received his Juris Doctorate from the Hofstra University School of Law in 1997, where he became a member of the Labor Law Journal and a recipient of the Citation of Excellence in Clinical Law. Mr. Zilberg received his undergraduate Bachelor of Arts degree from the New York University Stern School of Business, majoring in Accounting and Finance, in 1994.

Since then, he practiced law at a number of law firms, including Congdon & Flaherty, one of the most respected defense firms in the metropolitan area. He also served as a senior executive at a multi-million dollar internet publishing and entertainment company. Mr. Zilberg is a general practitioner, highly experienced at Personal Injury, Commercial and Real Estate Litigation.

Mr. Zilberg  is one of the most knowledgeable and consulted attorneys in the area of New York State Automobile Law, helping to ensure that injured plaintiffs receive their day in court. Having previously worked for prominent defense firms, Mr. Zilberg brings significant experience and a unique perspective to the firm. His common sense approach and previous experience are invaluable for strategizing and planning successful plaintiff cases.

In the area of Automobile Accident caused spinal injuries, he has extensive experience both as a litigator and as a consultant to other New York firms. His defense firm history gives him valuable insight into the defense strategies of insurance company’s, giving him a significant advantage in understanding his opponent’s next move. Mr. Zilberg’s no-nonsense approach to Trial Advocacy and firm grasp of tramatic and orthopedic medicine has helped him to obtain numerous six and seven-figure verdicts.

He is fluent in Russian and is licensed to practice law within the State as well as the Southern and Eastern Federal Districts of the New York. Mr. Zilberg is also member of the City Bar Association and the New York State Trial Lawyers.