Biography
Steve was born in New York City on May 10, 1961. After completing his undergraduate education at the State University of New York at Albany in 1983, Steve went on to Syracuse University. In 1986, he earned a law degree and a masters degree in public administration.
From 1986-88, Steve worked as a Judicial Law Clerk with the New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division, Fourth Department. Thereafter, Steve worked as an attorney for the United States Federal Trade Commission in Washington, DC.
Since 1990, Steve has been in private practice. He concentrates his practice in labor and employment, disability benefit, work place accident, personal injury and workers' compensation matters. He also serves as a mediator in employment disputes.
Steve has represented clients in state and federal court proceedings (trial and appeal), labor arbitration hearings and in proceedings before governmental agencies, including the Social Security Administration, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the National Labor Relations Board, the New York State Division of Human Rights, the New York State Retirement System and the New York Public Employment Relations Board.
Steve and his wife, Lorrie Walsh Modica, reside in Spencerport with their daughter Anne.
Other Professional Responsibilities
Adjunct Professor
Cornell University, School of Industrial & Labor Relations
Mediator
Contract with United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission & Private Mediation Practice
Special Master
Federal Court Wage and Hour Class Action Lawsuits Appointed by United States District Judge Telesca (2006-2009)
Hearing Officer
NY Civil Service Law section 75 hearings
Bar Admissions
New York (1987)
District of Columbia (1998)
United States District Court, Western District of New York (1987)
United States District Court, Northern District of New York (1990)
United States Court of Appeals, Second Circuit (1992)
Education
Syracuse University,
Juris Doctor, cum laude and Master of Public Administration, 1986
Managing Editor, Syracuse Law Review
State University of New York at Albany,
Bachelor of Arts, summa cum laude, 1983
Community Activities and Professional Affiliations
National Employment Lawyers Association
New York State Trial Lawyers Association
National Organization of Social Security Claimant Representatives
New York State and Monroe County Bar Association
Chair, Board of Directors, Nat'l MS Society (Upstate NY Chapter)
Advisory Comm., Fibromyalgia Assn of Roch. & Finger Lakes
Future Care Planning Services Community Advisory Committee
Selected Reported Cases
DiMarco v. Rome Hospital, 952. F.2d 661 (2d Cir. 1992)
Fowler v. NYS Law Examiners, 4 AD Cases 254 (WDNY 1994)
Foster v. The New England, 97-9100 (2d Cir. 1998) (Summary Order)
Cayuga-On. BOCES, 32 PERB 4592 (1999), rev'd, 32 PERB 3079 (1999), aff'd, 284 A.D.2d 633 (3d Dept. 2001).
Representative Presentations
American Bar Association
Interplay between the ADA and FMLA
Annual Meeting, New Orleans, Louisiana
American Society of Safety Engineers
Genesee Valley Chapter
How Safety Managers Can Stay out of Legal Trouble
Cornell University, Buffalo, Rochester, Ithaca and Syracuse, NY
ADA & Collective Bargaining
Human Resources & the Law
Legal Issues for Supervisors
ADA, FMLA and Return to Work Issues
Council on Education in Management
ADA Enforcement Update
Workers Compensation Update
Eastern College, St. Davids, PA
Faculty Training, Accommodating Students with Disabilities
Executive MBA Seminar, ADA & the Work Place
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Annual Employer Conference
Presentation on Retaliation Cases
Monroe County Bar Association
Drug Testing
Developments in Employment Discrimination Law
Annual Equal Employment Opportunity Law seminar
ADA: The First Year
Public Employees with Disabilities
The Basics of Handling a Social Security Disability Case
Estimating Economic Loss in Wrongful Discharge/PI Cases
Lawyer as Employer
Lawyer Referral Service and Business Development
Serving Deaf & Hard of Hearing Clients
Employee v. Independent Contractor
ADA Amendments Act of 2008
National Employment Lawyers Association
Disability Benefits and Advanced ADA Issues
National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Upstate New York Chapter
Working but Worried (Seminars for Clients Throughout Upstate NY)
Staff Training Sessions about Legal Issues for People with MS
Life Planning for People with MS
New York State AFL-CIO
Workers Compensation Navigator Program
Union Leader Training on Disability Benefits
New York State Bar Association
Emerging Issues in Labor & Employment Law
Proving the ADA Plaintiff's Case
Statutory Framework of Employee Benefit Regulation
Titles I and III of the ADA
Employment Discrimination Update
New York State Department of Labor
ADA, The First Year
ADA & the Workplace
ADA Issues; Seminar on Critical Issues for Employers
Employee Appraisals, Dismissal & Record Keeping