New York City and Long Island Legal News, Press, and Reported Cases

Lawyer News & Press

The following law articles are a selection from New York lawyer publications and newspapers in New York City as well as Long Island. A number of notable law article publishers include the New York Law Journal and Long Island Weekly which feature cases litigated by lawyer Ballato (close to New York City). The law office of Lawyer Ballato is located on Long Island, near New York City and offer civil litigation in all New York courts.

Long time Massapequa resident, Anthony T. Ballato, recently relocated his general practice, personal injury and litigation law firm from Manhasset to 5476 Merrick Road, Massapequa (tel. 516-541-9080).

Mr. Ballato is an advocate for the underdog and is not afraid of taking the difficult or unusual case. His career started in law school as a volunteer for Nassau-Suffolk Law Services and he continues to take cases from the Volunteer Lawyers Project. He also serves as an adjunct professor to New York Tech's paralegal program where he taught litigation courses.

Facts & Allegations: In October 2005, plaintiff Pamela Gill Heron entered into an agreement with Marine Sales Inc. and its owner, Frank Hunter, boat brokers, to have her 31-foot boat sold. Within a few weeks, the defendants sold the boat for $85,000. Heron claimed she was deliberately not informed of the sale. The boat's purchaser was issued a temporary registration by Hunter and Marine Sales, given that they could not procure Heron's signature on the title.

I have run three stories in Jukebox Collector Magazine about Anthony Ballato (the Jukebox Counsellor) and his jukebox collecting over the past 11 years, starting with our December 1997 issue.

Anthony's interest in jukeboxes started as the result of what he saw when he got his 1986 Sharper Image catalog. On the cover was an Antique Apparatus Gazelle (W950) jukebox with an airbrushed created image of Marilyn Monroe cozylng up to the jukebox.

ACT TWO with NEWSDAY builds on the newspaper's popular weekly section dedicated to the men and women who have begun the second act of their lives. Host Lyn May, Newsday correspondents and special guests explore financial planning, family management, wellness and other important issues for viewers over 50. 30 minutes.

Facts & Allegations: On Aug. 14, 2007, Island Animals Ltd. learned that a burglary had occurred at its Parrots of the World retail store in Rockville Centre. At that time, Island Animals had a contract with Marlarm Security Systems Inc. The alarm did not send out an alarm, and valuable parrots were stolen.

Island Animals sued Marlarm Security Systems, alleging the alarm system was not properly installed, that the improper installation constituted gross negligence, and that the system's failure constituted breach of contract and breach of warranty.

MINEOLA - Last week’s $2 million punitive damages award in Nassau County Supreme Court against a man accused of bilking more than 50 Long Islanders out of millions is just one part of an alleged nationwide scam involving attorneys and financial middlemen.

The award, granted by State Supreme Court Justice Edward W. McCarty III against defendant Michael C. Cammarota, stems from a civil action brought by attorney Anthony T. Ballato on behalf of his client, a 68-year-old Long Island man who lost more than $300,000 in an alleged financial planning scam.

The lawsuit is just one of many actions across the country alleging that certain companies have engaged in the unauthorized practice of law by snaring clients with advertisements for living trusts executed by attorneys who allegedly do little more than sign the documents.

A NASSAU County judge has awarded $2 million in punitive damages to a man who responded to an attorney's advertisement for a living trust and was bilked out of $2,000. State Supreme Court Justice Edward W. McCarty III granted the award, which totaled about $2.4 million. It stemmed from a case in which attorney Roger A. Giuliani allegedly sent a non-attorney to the home of Gerald Campbell to execute the living trust. Mr. Campbell's attorney, Anthony Ballato, in Massapequa, alleged that Mr. Giuliani and other defendants pocketed the money without providing the service. The amount awarded last week in Campbell v. Cammarota, 4636-03, was a result of the default of non-attorney, Michael C. Cammarota, who earlier pleaded guilty to grand larceny and a scheme to defraud five victims out of $1.8 million. He is expected to be sentenced in Suffolk County today. The civil action against the remaining defendants, including Mr. Giuliani, is pending. The law firm of Lazer, Aptheker, Rosella & Yedid, previously was granted a motion to withdraw as Mr. Cammarota's counsel for nonpayment.

The Massapequa Water District has retained Anthony T. Ballato as its newly appointed legal counsel. A resident of Massapequa for 30 years, Mr. Ballato succeeded attorney James Ripton upon his retirement last year.

Anthony Ballato graduated from Adelphi University In 1983 and continued his education at Touro Law School Fuchberg Law Center, completing his course of study In 1988.

MINEOLA - Though a Catholic priest, a retired New York City police detective and local attorney Anthony Ballato never received the $9,000 "Lost in Space" robots they ordered, the Massapequa lawyer has snagged a $70,000 judgment against the California merchandiser - at least on paper.

In a pro se action before Nassau County Supreme Court Justice Joseph DeMaro, Mr. Ballato won a judgment last week against Icons Authentic Replicas for breach of contract and fraud under Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code.

The Common Law "One Free Bite Rule" or vicious propensity of the pet (including inherently dangerous breed) and particular circumstances under local case law governs liability where animals cause injury.

Pet owners could also be held criminally liable for attacks under certain circumstances where the animal is deemed a "dangerous instrument". Conversely, any serious injuries, abandonment or neglect caused to animals can invoke civil and/or criminal liability of owners or others.

This article briefly describes one of our long-time subscribers, Anthony T. Ballato, Esq. from Long Island, New York, who loves to practice law and more so to find and play the "mighty Wurlitzers" and other musical/coin-op collectibles. Anthony has been collecting golden age jukeboxes, wind-up phonographs, antique radios, music boxes and related machines and goods for as long as his legal career, which now spans a decade.

Reported Cases

Defective Alarm System
Thursday, August 07, 2008

Conversion Fraud - Theft of Boat
Tuesday, May 20, 2008

Living Trust Fraud
Wednesday, February 04, 2004

Dog Bite
Friday, September 26, 2003

Internet Fraud
Monday, December 06, 1999

Permanent Facial Scarring
Friday, March 19, 1999

Dangerous Fireworks
Wednesday, December 09, 1998

Babysitting Liability
Thursday, September 11, 1997

Accounting Malpractice
Thursday, August 29, 1996

Attorney Ballato has successfully settled numerous other cases ranging from thousands to millions of dollars, however due to confidentiality clauses in those cases same can not be reported to the public.

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