Attorneys

The Law Office of Ralph C. Lorigo Team in West Seneca, NY

Over the past 35 years, the Law Office of Ralph C. Lorigo has built a reputation for integrity, professionalism, and results. We have helped thousands of clients over the years with a vast array of legal matters. Whether you’re buying your first home, considering Medicaid/estate planning, involved in a civil dispute, going through a divorce, charged in a criminal matter, or the victim of a personal injury, we have the right attorney to meet your needs.

The Law Office of Ralph C. Lorigo wants to be your family’s law firm. We offer free consultations, as well as evening and weekend hours to meet your needs. Please call or email to set up an appointment. We look forward to working with you.

Ralph C. Lorigo

Ralph C. Lorigo

Fax: (716) 824-8728

Specialty:

Ralph Lorigo was born on Buffalo’s East Side and initially attended St. Lucy’s Grammar School. The family moved to West Seneca and Ralph attended junior high and high school in the Town of West Seneca, where he continues to reside to the present day.

After high school, Ralph attended the University of Buffalo and then the University at Buffalo Law School where he graduated with a Juris Doctorate degree in May of 1973. The law school honored Ralph with an award for the “Most Satisfactory Scholastic Progress in the field of Law” for is final year of law school.

Ralph took the New York State Bar exam in July of 1973 and was admitted to the New York State Bar in February of 1974. He has practiced law in the Town of West Seneca ever since.

In 1993, Ralph was selected to become a candiddate for the New York State Supreme Court. He has been a member of the New York State and Erie County Bar Associations throughout his career.

He has been active in his community on many levels. He has been a member of the West Seneca Lions Club for over 30 years; has been an instructor and advisor in the West Seneca and Cheektowaga Continuing Education Programs and has lectured on numerous occasions to such organizations as volunteer fire companies, New York State Retiring Teacher’s Association and numerous others.

Ralph also has a very strong interest in New York State and local politics. Since 1981, he has been involved in Conservative politics, first as West Seneca Town Conservative Chairman. Followed by that position, Ralph was appointed to the Erie County Executive Board in the 1980s. He then became Erie County Vice Chairman in 1991, followed by Erie County Conservative Chairman in 1995 – a position he still holds today. Recently, Ralph was honored by the New York State Conservative Party, appointing Ralph as a State Vice Chairman.

As the longest sitting County Chairman in Erie County, Ralph has formed many long-standing relationships with Town, County, and State governmental officials, as well as a strong involvement in judicial races throughout Erie County and the Eight Judicial District.

Ralph is married to the former Debbie Caruana for over 40 years and they have three children: Michael, Joseph, and Jaime. Michael received his undergraduate education degree at RIT and then received an MBA from Canisius College. Joseph graduated Summa Cum Laude from Canisius College and received joint degrees at the State University of New York at Buffalo from the UB School of Law and a master’s in business administration (MBA) from the School of Business. Jaime attended Erie Community College in early childhood development.

Ralph’s legal office has always been in the Town of West Seneca where it is easily accessible directly off the Thruway (Interstate 90) or Route 219 and he is available for evening or weekend appointments.

Ralph has also been an entrepreneur, having built and sold 72 townhouses in the Town of West Seneca from 1988 through 1991; a prior owner of the Fitness Factor Health Club located in Southgate Plaza; owning substantial real estate holdings, both in Erie County and Ocala, Florida and is a Ben and Jerry’s franchisee with a location in Las Vegas, Nevada.

He has specialized in all aspects of real estate law, including zoning and real estate litigation. He has represented such clients as Benderson Development, Kulback’s Construction Company, Mobil Oil, Keybank, Marrano/Marc Equity, McDonald’s, and others in numerous zoning matters throughout Erie County.

Throughout his extensive law practice, Ralph has handled all kinds of legal matters, including family law, real estate law, estates, Medicaid, criminal law, personal injury, corporate law, business associations, and other matters. Today, Ralph’s office consists of six additional attorneys: Robert Vario, Mary Beth Aquiline, Robert Battista, Frank Jacobson, his son, Joesph Lorigo, adn Jon F. Minear. These lawyers have now been with Ralph for up to 32 years. Together with the support staff (some of whom have been with Ralph over 30 years), their goal is to be your “family’s law firm.”

Robert Vario - Lead Matrimonial / Family Law Attorney

Robert Vario - Lead Matrimonial / Family Law Attorney
Robert Vario
Fax: (716) 824-8728

Specialty:

Bob has been a West Seneca resident for many years and began his legal career after having graduated from Syracuse University Law School in 1982. He has practiced law in Western New York for over 26 years and has continued to be an active member in the community in which he resides.

His community involvement began at Queen of Heaven where he served on its Board of Directors, as well as being the Coach for the Queen of Heaven Girls Varsity Softball Team. Additionally, he coached the Mt. Mercy Academy Girls J.V. Softball Team, has been an assistant coach in the West Seneca Recreational League, coached the West Seneca Magic Girls Travel Softball Team for several years, and is currently as serving as assistant coach for the Sky Girls Travel Softball Team.

He is an avid golfer and is a former member of the Elma Meadows Golf Club, where he was a member of its Board of Directors. He and his family belong to St. Gabriel’s Parish and active in its most recent fundraiser for church renovations.

Bob and his family are also actively involved in fundraising efforts at St. Francis High School, St. Francis Cheerleaders and Mt. Mercy Academy, and the McCauley auction. His youngest daughter currently attends the State University of New York at Geneseo, and his oldest daughter graduated last year as valedictorian of her class.

On a professional level, Mr. Vario devotes his practice exclusively to the area of divorce and family law matters which also include child support, custody, and visitation issues.

He is a member of the Matrimonial and Family Law Committee, the Western New York Matrimonial Trial Lawyers Association, the Family Court Practice and Procedures Committee, and the Matrimonial Mediation Committee.

He also serves as a panel Law Guardian in Erie and Niagara County Family Courts where he represents the interests of children in custody and visitation disputes at substantially lowered legal rates.

He also teaches divorce and child support courses for the West Seneca Continuing Adult Education Program and volunteers his time to the annual State University of New York at Buffalo Mock Trial Program where he serves as a Judge and Evaluator.

BS, Providence College, 1975
Juris Doctor, Syracuse University, 1982
Voted “Top Matrimonial Lawyer” by several publications

Robert Battista- Real Estate Attorney

Robert Battista
Robert Battista
Fax: (716) 824-8728

Specialty:

Bob has been practicing law since 1985 and is a lead Real Estate attorney at the Law Office of Ralph C. Lorigo. He practices in all areas of Real Estate law, including Commercial and Residential purchases and sales, bank closings, title insurance, title examinations, and evictions. Bob is a member of the Real Estate Committee of the Bar Association of Erie County and a member of the New York State Land Title Association.

Bob was raised in South Buffalo, but has resided in the Town of West Seneca since 1976 where he and his wife, Cindy, are raising their three children. Bob’s daughter is in her first year at Emerson College in Boston. His oldest son is a junior at West Seneca West High School. His youngest son is in second grade at Potters Road Elementary School. Bob and his family are parishioners of Blessed John the XXIII Parish, a Roman Catholic Church in West Seneca.

If you have any questions regarding any aspect of Commercial or Residential Real Estate Law transactions, please contact Bob via email, or feel free to ask for him when you call our office.

Education:
Juris Doctor, State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law, 1983
Bachelor of the Arts, Cansius College, 1980

Mary Beth Aquiline

Mary Beth Aquiline
Mary Beth Aquiline
Fax: (716) 824-8728

Specialty:

Mary Beth Aquiline currently resides in the Town of Lancaster with her husband and two young sons. Previously, she resided in the Town of West Seneca for over thirty years.

Mary Beth has been practicing law for twenty-four years and has worked at the Law Office of Ralph C. Lorigo since 1990, starting as a law clerk while attending law school.

She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, from the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1989. She attended the State University of New York at Buffalo Law School, where she obtained her Juris Doctor degree in 1992.

Mary Beth was admitted to practice in New York State in 1993 and is also admitted to practice in the United States District Court and United States Bankruptcy Court.

She has served as an instructor in the West Seneca Adult Continuing Education Program and is active in the community through her association with St. Gabriel’s Church in the Town of Elma.

Mary Beth concentrates her practice in the areas of probate and estate administration, estate and gift taxation, and real estate.

Frank Jacobson

Frank Jacobson
Frank Jacobson
Fax: (716) 824-8728

Specialty:

Frank Jacobson grew up in Ithaca, New York and graduated from Ithaca High School in 1989. That same year, Frank moved to the Buffalo area to attend the State University of New York at Buffalo. Frank graduated from SUNY-Buffalo in 1995 with dual undergraduate degrees in History and English.

Frank entered law school at the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law in 1995 and actively participated in law school government and other organizations. Among Frank’s activities in law school were active participation with the Christian Legal Society, the Prisoners Task Force, the Buffalo Criminal Law Center, and as an Editor of the Buffalo Criminal Law Review.

Frank graduated Magna Cum Laude from SUNY-Buffalo School of Law in 1998 and received special honors in the areas of Real Property Law and Criminal Law.

Frank is currently practicing in the areas of Civil/Commercial Litigation, Bankruptcy Law, and Zoning.

Frank currently practices in all New York courts and is also admitted to practice before the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, the United States District Court for the Western district of New York, and the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of New York.

Frank is a member of the American Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, and the Erie County Bar Association.

Frank currently resides in East Amherst with his wife, two sons, and daughter and is a member of Saint Mary’s Parish.

Juris Doctor, Magna Cum Laude, State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law, 1998

Jon F. Minear- Attorney

Jon F. Minear
Jon F. Minear
Fax: (716) 824-8728

Jon Minear devotes his practice to civil litigation. From small claims matters to complex commercial litigation, from commencement through appeal, Jon represents businesses and individuals in cases involving contractual disputes, including breach of contract claims, breach of warranty claims, negligence claims, and fraud claims. He prides himself on tackling his clients’ legal issues with efficiency and precision.

In 2016, Jon was appointed as Prosecutor in the Town of West Seneca. He was also appointed as the Americans with Disabilities Officer and the Harassment Compliance Officer.

Jon attended St. Thomas University School of Law in Miami, Florida, where he received his law degree, cum laude, and graduated in the top 10% of his class. While in law school, he was an Editor on the St. Thomas Intercultural Human Rights Law Review, and was Chair of the St. Thomas International Moot Court Team.

Prior to joining the firm, Jon was a law clerk for the United States Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of Florida where he worked in the economic crimes division. While there, Jon assisted the Medicare Fraud Unit, which was the first of its kind in the United States.

Jon is admitted to practice in New York, Florida, and the United States District Court and Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of New York. Jon was previously on the Board of Directors of Explore Buffalo, a not-for-profit corporation, which promotes Buffalo’s rich histroric architecture through guided tours. He was selected by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star for 2017.

Anually, Jon raises money for, and participates in, the Ride For Roswell. He is an avid fisherman, golfer, and runner. Jon resides in the Southtowns with his family.

Proven Record

  1. Successfully handled over 2,000 divorces throughout 36 year career.
  2. Obtained lifetime support for disabled wife.
  3. Won sole custody for dad, despite custodial evaluation advocating primary custody to mom.
  4. Negotiated favorable settlements involving complex business, dairy farms and many others.
  5. Served on special committee to recommend rule changes and procedural changes to Courts handling of Matrimonial cases.
  6. Lectured at seminars on various Matrimonial and Family Law topics.
  7. Obtained several support increases for struggling mothers.
  8. Successfully gained visitation rights for grandparents.
  9. Appointed by Judges to represent children in custody disputes.
  10. Prepared and filed numerous Qualified Domestic Relations Orders to secure divorced spouse’s pension and retirement benefits.
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