Harrison V. Williams, Jr.

Member

hwilliams@bhlawpllc.com

Direct Dial: 315.701.6440
Direct Fax: 315.423.2827
vCard: Add to Address Book

Practice

Harry is a member of the firm with 40 years of representing corporate, bank and individual clients. His practice concentrates primarily in the areas of litigation and estate planning and administration. Previous to joining Green & Seifter, he was the managing partner of a law firm specializing in litigation both for plaintiffs and defendants. Prior to that, he practiced law with a large Syracuse area law firm.
For many years, Harry represented Norstar Bank of Upstate New York in commercial and residential mortgages, commercial litigation and loan transactions. He was an attorney for over twenty years for one of the largest residential home builders in Central New York and was an attorney for Highland Green Ltd. in connection with a large condominium project built in the Radisson Planned Community. He was trial counsel to Aetna Life and Casualty Company from 1969 until 1990 and has represented several construction companies in claims, some of which went to trial. In 1999, he completed a personal injury product liability trial which resulted in a $2.2 million settlement. He was the trial and appellate counsel in one of the leading cases in New York State in which the New York Court of Appeals articulated the standards for spousal maintenance which later became incorporated into the Domestic Relations Law of the State of New York as statutory criteria (Neubauer v. Neubauer, 44 N.Y.2d 997).

Recent Experience

Represented a client in 2007 in an action against one of the nation’s largest mutual life insurance companies involving issues of policy coverage. The total settlement resulted in almost a quarter of a million dollars, of which a portion was paid as the result of a court decision and the balance by negotiation.
Retained by Aetna Life Insurance and Annuity Company in 2002 to represent its general manager in an action in the District Court of Boston, Massachusetts in a claim involving a universal life insurance policy. The action against Aetna and its manager was dismissed by the Court upon a motion for summary judgment.
Represented a plaintiff in a 2009 claim upon a life insurance policy at the Supreme Court level and in the Appellate Division, Fourth Department, and received a favorable decision from the Appellate Division upon the appeal. The case was settled favorably during trial.
In a wrongful death settlement of a half million dollars against the United States of America, a claim was made in the Surrogate Court proceeding by the State of New York for unpaid income taxes and by children of the decedent seeking the proceeds of the settlement as opposed to the widow's claim. The state income tax claim was withdrawn upon submitted proof and the claim of the children was settled for a nominal amount.
In a Surrogate's Court proceeding involving the distribution of the proceeds of almost a half million dollars wrongful death settlement. A claim was made by two women for a percentage of the settlement with each woman claiming to be the surviving spouse of the decedent. The case was settled for our clients who are children of the decedent, by one of the claimant spouses waiving her claim entirely and the second claimant spouse accepting a virtual pro-rata share of the settlement with children of the decedent.
In a 2010 action in New York Supreme Court, he defended the widow of an architect charged in a multi-million dollar personal injury action involving the design of a balcony railing at a local college. An action against an insurance carrier resulted in the defense and indemnification of the client and a payment to her of over $20,000.00 in legal fees.

Professional and Community Involvement

Martindale-Hubbell AV Rated
Super Lawyer, New York Upstate Edition, General Litigation, 2008, 2009 & 2010
Honoree for 50 Years of Service, Onondaga County Bar Foundation, 2009
New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers, Charter Member
New York State Bar Association
Onondaga County Bar Association
AARP Litigation Foundation
AARP Legal Services Network
The Newland Center for Adult Literacy, President and Board Member, Literacy Volunteer

Recent Publications and Presentations

September 2010
Further Amendments to New York Power of Attorney Law Effective September 12, 2010
September 2004
Amended Regulation 68 for No Fault Coverage Reduces Time Period for Claims