Class Notes

Name: Michael Sciotti

Class Year(s): 1988

Note: Michael J. Sciotti ’88 (COLA) is among 38 attorneys from Barclay Damon selected to the 2021 Upstate New York Super Lawyers list. Each year, no more than 5 percent of lawyers in New York are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive the designation. Based in the firm’s Syracuse office, Michael is a trusted advisor, trainer, and litigator to hundreds of employers on labor and employment matters. His practice includes defending employers, owners, and members of management in all types of discrimination, harassment, whistleblower, and retaliation claims brought under Title VII, ADEA, ADA, FMLA, GINA, NYS Human Rights Law, and Labor Law. Michael also defends wage-and-hour actions and claims, including class-action lawsuits, brought under federal and state law. He has tried nearly two dozen cases to verdict in federal and state court and before the NYS Division of Human Rights. Michael also provides day-to-day counseling for employers on all aspects of labor and employment law and conducts internal investigations; audits; and supervisory and employee training , including sexual harassment-prevention training, on a regular basis. He has given over 700 labor and employment presentations to organizations that include the Society for Human Resource Management, the American Payroll Association, the American Corporate Counsel Association, the New York State Society of Certified Public Accountants, the Northern District of New York Federal Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, and Lorman Education Services.

Submitted on: August 25, 2021

Name: Matthew Larkin

Class Year(s): 1993

Note: Matthew J. Larkin ’93 (COLA) is among 38 attorneys from Barclay Damon selected to the 2021 Upstate New York Super Lawyers list. Each year, no more than 5 percent of lawyers in New York are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive the designation. Based in the firm’s Syracuse office, Matthew is Barclay Damon’s Torts & Products Liability Defense Practice Area chair. An experienced trial lawyer and former prosecutor in Long Island, he focuses his practice on the defense of complex tort, products liability, and professional-malpractice litigation as well as commercial lawsuits. Matthew is retained to defend various high-value litigation matters. His clients include utilities, educational institutions, product manufacturers and sellers, property owners and contractors, attorneys, engineers, and health care providers. His experience includes trucking and transportation cases, catastrophic personal-injury litigation, professional-malpractice suits, construction-defect claims, and toxic torts. In commercial cases, Matthew represents private companies, municipalities, and charitable and religious organizations in business and contract disputes ranging from unfair competition to real estate transactions. Matthew has tried numerous cases to verdict in state and federal courts, briefed and argued scores of appeals, and has appeared on behalf of licensed professionals before administrative and professional disciplinary bodies. He is committed to providing his clients with exceptional legal service while being mindful of the costs and impacts of litigation. Matthew is experienced in all forms of alternative dispute resolution and regularly counsels his clients in settlement negotiations and early resolutions.

Submitted on: August 25, 2021

Name: Danielle Cardamone

Class Year(s): 1996

Note: Danielle M. Cardamone ’96 (COS) is among 38 attorneys from Barclay Damon selected to the 2021 Upstate New York Super Lawyers list. Each year, no more than 5 percent of lawyers in New York are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive the designation. With over 15 years of legal experience and based in the firm’s Buffalo, N.Y. practice, Danielle primarily concentrates her practice on matters involving asbestos exposure, products liability, and personal injury. As a litigation attorney, Danielle represents clients in all New York State courts, including successfully defending clients before the Appellate Division, Fourth Department. Danielle has extensive experience in asbestos-exposure defense and maintains an active lead role in asbestos litigation, routinely serving as defense-liaison counsel. She additionally represents individuals and companies in personal-injury matters involving motor-vehicle accidents, sports and recreational accidents, and premises liability, among others. A former diagnostic medical sonographer, Danielle applies her in-depth medical knowledge to personal injury-matters when conducting injury assessment. Danielle also has significant experience handling environmental-coverage disputes and workers’-compensation matters.

Submitted on: August 25, 2021

Name: Paul Tracy

Class Year(s): 1989, 2000

Note: Paul Tracy ’89 (GAP) started his video production business while in college, over 25 years ago. He’s taken his RIT education to a level of successful business ownership and contributed back to his community. His company launched their new website this year at www.enprod.com

Submitted on: August 18, 2021

Name: Harvey Brandt

Class Year(s): 1977

Note: Harvey Brandt ’77 (GAP) retired after over 30 years as a teacher, working with students with visual impairments in travel skills (Orientation and Mobility Instructor). He retired from the Phoenix Union High School District in Arizona.

Submitted on: August 18, 2021

Name: William Seiler

Class Year(s): 1973

Note: W. Martin Seiler ’73 (GAP) has retired after 35 years of practicing law in Memphis, T.N. The emphasis of his practice was tax and labor law. He was active an an instructor of continuing education for tax attorneys and tax CPAs. He also was a frequent lecturer to these groups. In retirement, he plans to write on political, tax, and financial matters, as well as spend time on his hobbies which include photography.

Submitted on: August 16, 2021

Name: Christopher Tarantino

Class Year(s): 2013

Note: Christopher Tarantino ’13 (SCB) founded Epicenter Innovation, which has made the Inc 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in the United States for the first time. Epicenter Innovation ranked #762 on the prestigious list.

Submitted on: August 15, 2021

Name: John Surgent

Class Year(s): 1963

Note: John Surgent ’63 (KGCOE) retired from IBM in 1992 after 33 years working in many field as a Senior Advisory Electrical Engineer. He spends part of the year in Florida where he takes wildlife and travel photography, and recently some astro photography. He has been married to his wife, Jeannine, for 55 years and they enjoy travelling. They have two children who reside in the Boston area.

Submitted on: August 11, 2021

Name: Rosemarie Eskes

Class Year(s): 1986

Note: Rosemarie Eskes MS ’86 (SCB) retired from the University of Rochester’s International Student Office in 2020 where she was helping International students with their taxes. She still sees private tax clients at home and specializes in aliens! You did read that right: an alien of course, is someone who is not a citizen. She is the only Alien Tax Consultant in the Rochester area.

Submitted on: August 7, 2021

Name: Joanna Kha

Class Year(s): 2006

Note: Joanna Kha ’06 (SCB) and Alex Van welcomed their first child, Jonathan Van, in December 2020. They live in Orlando, F.L.

Submitted on: August 3, 2021