Michael E. Appelbaum
Partner

Michael Appelbaum, a leader of the firm’s Retail and General Liability practices, is a seasoned litigator who tries cases in the state, federal, and appellate courts of New York involving personal injury, sexual torts/abuse, truck and motor vehicle accidents, and the sports and entertainment industry. He has extensive experience successfully defending contractors and owners in construction worksite injury claims invoking New York’s Labor Law. His diverse background also includes the representation of professionals practicing in the medical, mental health and fitness industries. Michael has obtained successful results for his clients at every level of court in New York State.
Michael maintains active memberships in the Bar Association of Erie County and the New York State Bar Association, and is a past director of the Western New York Trial Lawyers Association. He is annually included in Upstate New York Super Lawyers as well as among Western New York’s “Legal Elite,” an exclusive list of the area’s most respected attorneys produced by Buffalo Law Journal and Business First.
Michael is active in a number of charitable and youth sports associations and serves as an advisory member of the Sisters Hospital Foundation’s Board of Directors.
Related Areas
Honors & Awards
Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating: AV Preeminent
Business First‘s Legal Elite of Western New York, 2015–19
Upstate New York Super Lawyers, 2013–19
Admissions
- New York
- Connecticut, 1996
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York
Education
- Quinnipiac University School of Law, J.D., cum laude, 1997
- Hobart College, B.A., 1992
Professional Affiliations
- Bar Association of Erie County
- New York State Bar Association
- Western New York Trial Lawyers Association: Past Director
Community Involvement
- Board of Directors, Sisters Hospital Foundation
- 11 Day Power Play
Publications & Events
- Co-Author, “How Lawyers Can Help Clients Prevent Sexual Abuse and Handle Claims,” Buffalo Law Journal, February 20, 2018
- Co-Author, “For the Defense: A Case for OPWDD,” Buffalo Law Journal, September 12, 2015
- Contributor, “Social Media Due Diligence Before and During Trial,” Timely Notice, October 15, 2019
Recent Insights
September 23, 2019
September 10, 2019