Michael J. Lombardo
Partner
"My mission is to use information, business background, knowledge of the law and foresight to assist in the development of long term solutions to the personal and business issues affecting my clients and to work closely with my clients to assist in the creation and implementation of a strategy to help them attain the goals established as part of the issue resolution process."
Michael joined Duke Holzman in 1983, and he has been a partner since 1985. With over 40 years of experience practicing law and a strong background in business, including a B.S. in Business Administration and an M.B.A., Michael provides valuable experience in developing solutions to problems by analyzing, applying, and integrating different aspects of the law for clients in various situations.
Michael focuses his practice on general business matters, real estate, estate planning and administration, and creditors’ rights. He has counseled businesses, from local start-ups to multi-national corporations, on a variety of matters including business formation, financing, stock and asset based acquisitions and sales, reorganizations, contracts and governmental compliance issues.
Michael has represented and counseled parties in all aspects of real property matters and has represented creditors and others in proceedings commenced in bankruptcy court. He is experienced in all aspects of estate and trust administration, as well as the preparation of estate plans, trusts and wills.
His experience further includes:
- Structured, negotiated, administered and closed a contract for the purchase of commercial property on behalf of a tenant-purchaser from a Chapter 11 Debtor in Possession landlord-seller involving the exercise of a right of first refusal and option contained in a Lease, including successfully repelling a challenge by the Debtor to the rights under the Lease through threats of rejection of the Lease and threats to conduct a Bankruptcy auction of the property, and assisting the Debtor with the preparation of substantial portions of the application to the Bankruptcy Court that resulted in approval of the application for the structured transaction
- Successfully closed transactions involving the Erie County Industrial Development Agency, County of Monroe Industrial Development Agency and several local Industrial Development Agencies, including new projects, additions and renovations to existing buildings within a project
- Coordinated a purchaser’s acquisition of properties in several states from a large national waste disposal company.
- Represented a major local bank in connection with a complex restructure of a transaction to overcome a construction error that would have resulted in a loss of collateral
- Successfully completed foreclosures of both residential and commercial real estate
Michael has been selected to the 2018, 2022 and 2023 Upstate New York Super Lawyers list.
For over 40 years, Michael has been responsible for developing, teaching and grading undergraduate business students in Legal Environment and Business Law courses at the University at Buffalo and more recently Fredonia University. Michael is also on the Advisory Panel for Paralegal Studies at Daemen College. Additionally, he is a former chair of the Real Property Law Committee of the Bar Association of Erie County (NY) and member of the Real Estate Contract Revision Committee of the Bar Association of Erie County (NY).
Practice Areas:
Hospitality; Manufacturing (Metal Processing and Distribution); Printing; Professional Services; Real Estate and Environmental;
Bar Association of Erie County; New York State Bar Association; American Bar Association
New York; Pennsylvania; United States District Court for the Western District of New York; United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of New York
SUNY Buffalo Law School, J.D., M.B.A., B.A. (Political Science), B.S. (Business Administration)