Frederick M. Molod
Frederick Molod is the founding member of the firm. Fifty years after earning his law degrees, he is still active in the law and in MSD business — whether he is providing direction, reviewing cases or consulting on strategy. At the invitation of the U.S. Federal Court, Southern District of New York, Fred is a specially trained, certified mediator in its compulsory mediation program.
Fred has helped educate MSD's insurance carrier clients by speaking at meetings for claims representatives. He has demonstrated his commitment to educating law students and young lawyers by participating in mock trials at law schools, as well as by lecturing at legal educational seminars.
Fred has earned an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell - the highest peer review rating, based on legal ability and ethical standards. He was born in Brooklyn, New York.
Admissions
U.S. Supreme Court - 1998
U.S. Court of Military Justice and Immigration Court - circa 1953
U.S. District Court, Eastern and Southern Districts of New York - 1952
New York State Bar - 1951
Education
LL.M., Brooklyn Law School - 1952
LL.B., Brooklyn Law School - 1951
College, Long Island University
Memberships
American Board of Trial Advocates
Association of Trial Lawyers of the City of New York
Bar Association of the City of New York
Bronx County Bar Association
Defense Research Institute and Trial Lawyers Association
Federation of Insurance and Corporate Counsel
Jewish Lawyers Guild (former President and Chairman of the Board of Governors)
New York County Lawyers Association
New York State Trial Lawyers Association
New York State Bar Association
Alice Spitz
Alice Spitz is a member of the firm. Her areas of concentration are premises liability and environmental litigation. Alice leverages her extensive experience conducting trials as a frequent lecturer, teacher and author. She provides insight into dozens of areas — from admissible expert testimony to cross-examination techniques — for the benefit of law students, insurance professionals and women lawyers at venues including Mealey's National Lead Litigation Conferences.
At the invitation of her peers, Alice has been elected to membership into the American Board of Trial Advocates. To qualify, a lawyer must first have tried 20 civil jury trials to verdict, and evidence high personal character, honorable reputation and proficiency as a trial lawyer. Alice also has earned an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell — the highest peer review rating, based on legal ability and ethical standards. She was born in Brooklyn, New York.
As the firm's liaison attorney of the Harmonie Group, and formerly served as the Group's Treasurer for two consecutive terms. Alice is now The Harmonie Group's President through 2011.
Admissions
U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York - 1985
U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York - 1983
New York State Bar - 1983
Education
J.D., Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law - 1981
B.A., with honors, University of Maryland - 1978
Memberships
American Bar Association (Law Practice Management section, Women Rainmakers section)
American Board of Trial Advocates
Defense Research Institute and Trial Lawyers Association
International Association of Defense Counsel
National Association of Insurance Women
National Association of Women Lawyers
New York State Bar Association
New York State Trial Lawyers Association
Salvatore J. DeSantis
Salvatore DeSantis is a member of the firm. His areas of concentration are construction litigation, premises liability and insurance coverage. Sal has vast trial experience. He is known in the courts and among clients for his no-nonsense approach to negotiating cases. Sal shares his knowledge as a lecturer on subjects including the defendant's perspective in personal injury cases, and as an author on such topics as defense ethics and professionalism.
Sal has earned an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell — the highest peer review rating, based on legal ability and ethical standards. He counts among his most significant work his pro bono activities as an advocate for families and small businesses impacted by the September 11 attack (see Our Commitment to Diversity). Sal was born in Bethpage, New York.
Admissions
U.S. States District Court, Eastern and Southern Districts of New York - 1986
New York State Bar - 1986
U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey - 1985
New Jersey State Bar - 1985
Education
J.D., St. John's University - 1985
B.A., State University of New York at Binghamton - 1982
Memberships
Columbian Lawyers Association
Defense Research Institute and Trial Lawyers Association
Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel
New York State Bar Association
Christopher M. Coleman
Christopher Coleman is an associate of the firm. His civil litigation practice focuses on premises liability, product
liability and automobile negligence cases. He is an experienced litigator, having successfully handled numerous jury
and bench trials. Prior to joining the firm, Chris was in private practice where he specialized in insurance defense
litigation, including automobile negligence, professional malpractice and premises liability. He also has experience
in commercial litigation, including contract disputes, and landlord/tenant issues. Prior to his law firm experience,
Chris served as the law clerk for the Chief Judge of the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. Chris has represented
major national insurance companies as well as hospitals, health care providers, accountants, real estate professionals,
businesses, churches, synagogues and non-profit organizations. He was born in Washington, D.C.
Admissions
Education
J.D., New England School of Law - 1998
B.A., University of Maryland - 1994
Lawrence Getzler
Lawrence Getzler is a senior associate with the firm, and has more than 20 years of experience trying cases
to verdict. His areas of concentration include construction litigation, premises liability and automobile
negligence cases. Prior to joining the firm, Larry was a senior trial attorney with a major national property
and casualty insurance company, where he specialized in insurance defense litigation including premises
liability, automobile negligence, construction accident and declaratory judgment actions. Prior to his insurance
defense experience, Larry was the insurance administrator for a major metropolitan hospital where he was in charge
of the medical malpractice and general liability insurance programs. Larry was born in New York, New York.
Admissions
New York State Bar - 1985
U.S. District Court, Eastern and Southern Districts of New York - 1988
Education
J.D., Fordham Law School- 1984
B.S., Cornell University - 1980
Mark Grodberg
Mark Grodberg is an associate with the firm. He has been practicing civil, commercial and bankruptcy litigation in the State and Federal courts of New York since graduating from law school in 1999. Mark has practiced in every facet of litigation from the initiation of lawsuits through the verdict of trials. He has represented insurance companies as defendants, as well as individuals as plaintiffs in civil and commercial litigation. Additionally, he has represented corporate creditors and corporate and individual debtors in Chapter 7 and 11 bankruptcy filings. He worked for several medium to large firms before coming to MSD, and was born in Massachusetts.
Admissions
New York State Bar - 2000
U.S. District Court, Eastern & Southern Districts of New York - 2001
Education
Brooklyn Law School, J.D. - 1999
Boston University, B.A. - 1987
Geoffrey McDonald
Geoffrey McDonald is an associate of the firm. His practice focuses on civil litigation, with a concentration in complex commercial matters. He also practices in the areas of construction litigation, premises liability, and automobile negligence cases. Immediately prior to joining the firm, Geoffrey was heading up the litigation department at a small real estate and commercial law firm where he concentrated on commercial litigation, real estate workouts, and foreclosure defense. Upon graduation from Emory University School of Law, Geoffrey was honored with the
appointment Lecturer in Law to teach Jurisprudence. He also holds a Ph.D. in Religion from Emory where he served as a Teaching Assistant to Archbishop Desmond Tutu. Geoffrey is currently completing an LL.M. in Bankruptcy at St. John's University School of Law. He was born in Glen Cove, New York.
Admissions
New York State Bar - 2003
U.S. District Court, Eastern & Southern Districts of New York - 2009
Education
Julie E. Molod
Julie Molod is a member of the firm. She is heavily involved in automobile litigation, especially matters related to no-fault threshold. In addition, she frequently conducts depositions in all types of negligence cases. In addition to her law degree, Julie holds a degree in psychology. Outside the office, she is active in the United Jewish Appeal Federation and participates in fundraising activities. Julie was born in Brooklyn, New York.
Admissions
Education
J.D. Brooklyn Law School - 1994
B.A., State University of New York at Binghamton - 1991
Memberships
American Bar Association (Tort and Insurance Law Section)
New York State Bar Association
Nirav Shah
Nirav Shah is an associate of the firm. He has experience representing carriers as well as home and business
owners in property damage claims. He has also represented clients in general practice areas such as personal
injury, commercial/residential real estate transactions, and landlord/tenant disputes. Prior to joining
MSD, Nirav interned in the U.S. Eastern District Court, the New York State Criminal Supreme Court, and the
New York Attorney General’s Consumer Fraud and Protection Bureau. Nirav was born in London, England.
Admissions
Education
J.D. Hofstra Law School - 2000
B.A. State University of New York at Binghamton - 1996
Ayesha Syed
Ayesha Syed is an associate with the firm. Her areas of concentration include insurance coverage analysis, construction litigation, and premises liability. Prior to joining the firm, she clerked in the Nassau County Commercial Division and updated the Bench Book for Trial Judges. She settled eviction disputes on behalf of indigent clients of Nassau/Suffolk Law Services. Ayesha was awarded the Columbia University Silver Crown Award for community leadership as president of the Muslim Student Association in 2001, and engaged in televised dialogues with Dan Rather and Mayor Giuliani among others. She has written for the Harmonie Group’s Transportation Industry seminar on automobile accident reconstruction and is currently writing a collection of short stories. In addition to English, Ayesha speaks Spanish, Hindi, and Urdu.
Admissions
New York State Bar - 2009
Education
J.D., Touro College Law Center - 2008
B.A., Barnard College of Columbia University - 2003
Memberships
New York County Lawyers Association – Insurance Law and
Construction Law Committees
Muslim Bar Association of New York
Suffolk County Bar Association
Ross G. Weaver
Ross Weaver is a senior associate with the firm. His areas of concentration are personal injury and property damage. Ross has extensive experience trying cases to verdict. His legal knowledge encompasses practice areas from general negligence and labor law to product liability and construction accident cases. Prior to joining MSD in 2004, Ross held positions that included staff counsel to a casualty insurance company; private practice attorney in the areas of personal injury, property damage and insurance; assistant district attorney for Bronx County; and arbitrator and mediator. He also has significant appellate experience. Ross was born in Buffalo, New York.
Admissions
U.S. District Court, Eastern and Southern Districts of New York - 1976
Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit - 1984
New York State Bar - 1974
Education
J.D., St. John's University School of Law - 1973 (received American Jurisprudence Award for criminal law)
B.A., Alfred University - 1970
Marcy Sonneborn
Marcy Sonneborn is Of Counsel
to the firm. Her area of concentration is appellate practice. Marcy began
doing appellate work for the firm in 1986. Since then, she has achieved a
strong record of dismissals and reversals in the 1st and 2nd Departments of
New York State's Appellate Division. Her wins are often cited in other cases
and in treatises; for instance, a lead paint case Marcy won on appeal on behalf
of MSD's client was cited in support of five similar cases won by defendants
the following year, and a landmark premises security case Marcy won involving
an attack in a restaurant's bathroom is cited in treatises for the proposition
that altercations between patrons are not situations that are to be anticipated
or prevented even when a similar incident occurred previously. Marcy also
works with MSD's attorneys when they serve as trial counsel. Before working
with MSD, Marcy served as Assistant Corporation Counsel for the City of New
York, doing commercial litigation. She was born in New York, New York.
Admissions
New York State Bar - 1979
Education
J.D., Cum Laude, New York Law School - 1978
B.S., Cornell University - 1973
Memberships
New York State Bar Association
