Michael A. Ponterio is a founding partner of Lipsitz, Ponterio & Comerford, LLC. Since 1985, Mr. Ponterio has represented families who have suffered injuries as a result of exposure to asbestos. He also practices in the areas of catastrophic personal injury, medical malpractice, defective products and motor vehicle accidents. Mr. Ponterio has dedicated his practice to securing justice for clients who have suffered catastrophic and life-changing injuries.

Since 1985, Lipsitz, Ponterio & Comerford has obtained over one billion in settlements or verdicts on behalf of the firm’s clients.

Mr. Ponterio has been representing people suffering from mesothelioma caused by asbestos for over 35 years. He obtained the first personal injury jury verdict in the State of New York for an asbestos victim as well as the first punitive damage award for an asbestos worker in the State of New York (Racich v. Celotex Corp.)

In September 2011, Mr. Ponterio obtained the first jury verdict in Western New York on behalf of a lead-poisoned child.

Some of the highlights of the honors Mr. Ponterio has received as a result of his representation of injured workers reflects the following:

• Top-10 Asbestos/Mesothelioma NYS Attorney recognized by National Trial Lawyers Association;
• 2019 – National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Attorneys;
Super Lawyer by Thompson Reuters from 2011 to 2020 recognizing Mr. Ponterio’s excellence in the practice of law. Only 5% of the attorneys in Upstate New York are named Super Lawyers.

In July 2020, Mr. Ponterio was elected to be a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation; an honorary society of lawyers, judges, law faculty and legal scholars who have demonstrated outstanding achievement and exemplary character in their legal careers.