Carl B. Kustell - Attorney, Principal in the firm of Ellis & Kustell
Carl B. Kustell is a very experienced trial attorney in all areas of civil litigation, but primarily practices matrimonial law and personal injury law. He has successfully litigated cases involving motor vehicle accidents, defective products, medical malpractice, construction accidents, premises liability, copyright infringement, unfair competition, breach of contract, divorce, child custody, and many other civil matters.
Mr. Kustell has also won many personal injury, matrimonial, and business law rulings at the appellate level. Some of these have created new law.
Mr. Kustell was certified in 1983 by the Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, after meeting the Academy's standards for experience, passing a rigorous examination, and receiving the recommendation of Academy members. He has served as a speaker at legal seminars sponsored by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, the New York State Bar Association, and the Erie County Bar Association. He received both his undergraduate degree and his law degree from the State University of New York at Buffalo where he wrote for the UB Law Review. He received both undergraduate and law school academic honors.
Carl B. Kustell is a member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, the Trial Lawyers Association of Erie County, the New York State Bar Association, the Erie County Bar Association, and a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. He is admitted to practice in New York State and Federal Courts, and the Supreme Court of the United States of America.
Joan Warren - Attorney
Joan Warren has been in private practice for over twenty years. Previously a litigator in civil practice, she now limits her practice to Matrimonial and Family Law. Prior to the practice of law, Ms. Warren did child abuse investigations for Erie County, and was a counselor for troubled teenagers as well as a counselor for persons with drug and alcohol addictions. She brings this experience to the practice of Family Law.
Ms. Warren is past Secretary to the Erie County Family Law Committee. She has lectured for the Erie County Bar Association and the New York State Bar Association on Family Law. She is a member of the New York State Bar Association (Family Law Section), Erie County Bar Association (Matrimonial and Family Law Committee), Western New York Matrimonial Trial Lawyers Association, Women's Bar Association and Women's Lawyer Association. Ms. Warren is admitted to practice in New York State, Federal Court and Bankruptcy Court.
Bruce R. Schmidt - Attorney
Bruce R. Schmidt has had an extensive career in public service. He is formerly the head of the Consumer Frauds Department of the New York State Attorney General's Office in Buffalo, and thereafter served as a trial attorney representing the State of New York in the Court of Claims, as well as other courts.
He is a former Town Attorney, First Assistant County Attorney, Niagara County Sewer Attorney, former Executive Director of the Love Canal Revitalization Agency and Counsel to the Agency.
A former police officer and Assistant District Attorney, Mr. Schmidt has been and is a member of various Bar Associations and served as a Director of the Erie County Bar Association. A recipient of many honors, he has been named Citizen of the Year by the Buffalo News and recently awarded an honor by the Orleans County Domestic Violence Task Force.
Mr. Schmidt concentrates his work in the fields of general law and civil litigation. He holds a Juris Doctor degree awarded by the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1968, and a Bachelors of Arts degree from Colgate.
Carl P. Kustell - Attorney
Carl P. Kustell has concentrated his practice in civil litigation since 1997 and has argued at both the trial and appellate level. He is a former legislative aide in the U.S. House of Representatives where he handled judiciary, defense, environmental, interior, energy, and agriculture issues. He is a former U.S. Supreme Court intern and currently serves on the board of directors of "ACT! on Violence Prevention", a nonprofit community organization.
Mr. Kustell received his law degree with a concentration in public law from Cornell Law School. He served on teams representing Cornell Law School in both international law and constitutional law moot court competitions. He was awarded his undergraduate degree with honors, summa cum laude, in political science from the state University of New York at Buffalo. He was selected as a member to four academic honor societies, including Phi Beta Kappa. Upon graduating from law school, he also coached the Clarence High School Mock Trial Team to consecutive Erie County Championship Finals and a 19 - 4 record.
Carl P. Kustell is a member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, the New York State Bar Association, and the Erie County Bar Association.
