Thank you.

These is no extracting the benefits of physical fitness from the rigors of practicing law.  While some lawyers celebrate eating and drinking (no doubt virtuous in proper proportion) here at Sciarra & Catrambone, LLC we promote and encourage the physical well being of our lawyers.  Take Jeffrey Catrambone as an example.  A certified lifeguard, in the summer he regularly sea-kayaks in the Atlantic and recently signed up to bike 200 miles for charity this coming summer.  Matt Curran spends as much of his off hours as possible snow-boarding black diamonds.  Alan Serrins exercises religiously and Deb Edwards bike rides and has, probably, the healthiest eating habits of any lawyer in the state.  Of course, there is also Sciarra.  Admittedly, when looking at him “athletic” is not one of the first fifty things that come to mind.  However, a prior health scare behind him he now lifts weights and hits the treadmill regularly and, most recently, finished a five mile “turkey trot” in under an hour.  (ashenfelterclassic.com) Ok, so that’s not like the wind or anything spectacular, but for a guy who would get exhausted driving five miles, it’s pretty good.

So the next time you have an important legal battle on your hands ask yourself, is that lawyer in whom you are entrusting so much physically fit for duty as well as legally skilled?

Click here to read Herald News Article  (Note: Our office is now in Clifton.)

Now beware!!!

The Internet is an amazing tool with incredible potential. Where else can you get real time updates on what the stock market is doing, the score of the big game that is not on television, or the instantaneous posting of Springsteen’s set list from the European leg of his current tour? Above all else, the Internet has demonstrated its power in shrinking the world and making limitless access to information and communication a reality to anybody with a connection.

Google search result (click to enlarge)

However, in the words of Stan Lee “with great power comes great responsibility.” All too often the Internet insures zero accountability and responsibility. Like all tools, if used the wrong way, the Internet can become a weapon. At any given time up to eighty (80) percent of our cases involve the use of the Internet, instant messaging, e-mail, or some other communication mechanism that did not exist a mere ten or fifteen years ago. The result is our clients getting in trouble or otherwise trouble finding our clients. Children are engaging in social networking sites and their entries never go away. While the Internet offers so many positive applications it carries with it the inadvertent, as well as intended, potential to do damage. Case in point: this law firm. This firm handles a lot of high publicity matters, very often involving law enforcement officers or litigation with other public officials and public entities. We very often “google” ourselves, a new verb for the twenty-first century. In doing so about a year ago we noticed an entry in our google response indicating “complaints/incompetent lawyer” on something called “complaintsboard.com.”

Obviously I was very curious as to who I could have upset in such a way as to result in them taking the extra effort of posting us on the Internet and making a complaint about us being “incompetent.” I tracked my name and the names of my colleague and another few parties about whom this individual, anonymously, complained. Simply looking at the links and the general location of the complainer, we were able to find out who had the issue. In fact, the complaints were not made by a former client but by a former adversary who we litigated against and against whom we obtained a settlement on behalf of our client. We will provide specifics to those who ask.

However, the fact that she is able to maintain anonymously and from overseas an allegation of impropriety which appears on the first page of our google listing should give you pause. “News” and “information” on the internet is very often worthless or worse. Some guy sitting in his underwear in his basement can put something out on the Internet which may seem interesting or plausible but which is total nonsense. Further, unlike the New York Times or the Wall Street Journal who have reputations to protect, our friend in the basement in his underwear has no reason or rationale to be accurate.

Reputation Repair Letter

Reputation Defender Letter

Further, we have scanned the letter we just received from “Reputation Defender” who offers to protect us from this damaging information which is simply nonsense and lies. Alas, this is part of the joys and wonders of the internet. We decided not to complain to google or “complaints board” or “Reputation Defender”. Instead we leave it sitting there as a reminder. If someone happens upon that entry and determines not to use our services based on a phony internet complaint then this firm is probably not for them.

Thus, we launch our website with this blog recounting this matter and look forward to blogging in the future about other truthful and accurate issues, legal developments, and opinions. Further, every once and a while we will try to have some fun too.