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History

About The Firm

Founded in 1981

The original Firm of L'Abbate & Balkan was formed in October 1981 by Donald R. L'Abbate and Kenneth J. Balkan to provide high quality legal services to professionals both economically and efficiently.

Drawing on the extensive experience of its founders in insurance law and in the defense of professional liability claims, the Firm offered services to individual professionals and their insurers on a local and national basis.  The Firm's early clients quickly discovered that our attorneys were knowledgeable about the professions they were servicing and that they understood their clients' problems.

The Firm’s reputation as counsel to all professions became widely recognized by both practicing professionals and the insurance industry.

To meet the needs of its growing list of insurance company clients, the Firm established its Insurance Industry Practice Group.   Thereafter, the Products and Industrial Liability Practice Group was developed to help its clients deal with new and emerging legal challenges.

The Firm's early clients quickly discovered that our attorneys were knowledgeable about the professions they were servicing and that they understood clients' problems.

In 1990, L'Abbate & Balkan, by then a well-established leader in the legal community, undertook to diversify the practice through the addition of lawyers experienced in the business and real estate fields.  With the establishment of the Firm's Business Planning & Transactions and Real Estate Transactions Practice Groups, the Firm again expanded its capabilities to those current professional clients and to new clients who required planning and transactional services.

In 1995, the Firm name changed to L'Abbate, Balkan, Colavita & Contini, L.L.P. in recognition of the contributions of partners Anthony P. Colavita and Peter L. Contini, both of whom have been associated with the Firm since the early 1980's.

Expansion of Practice Areas

In 1997, recognizing that its clients were facing new legal challenges in the workplace, the Firm expanded its Labor and Employment Practice Group.  As with all of the Firm's Practice Groups, the Labor and Employment Practice Group not only provides complete litigation services to clients in labor and employment matters, but also offers services such as risk management counseling and training geared to avoiding litigation.

In 2003, the Firm expanded its services yet again by establishing a Trusts and Estates Practice Group to handle all types of estate planning and administration, elder law and guardianship matters.

Expansion of Our Offices

In 2006, L'Abbate, Balkan, Colavita & Contini, L.L.P. relocated to a 39,000 square foot office at the newly redesigned 1001 Franklin Avenue in Garden City, New York, Long Island's first "green," or environmentally engineered, commercial building.

In 2013, the Firm increased its capabilities in New Jersey with the expansion and relocation of its offices to East Hanover. The traditions of excellence and dedication to its clients that were already so well established in New York continue in New Jersey.

A Tradition of Hard Work, Dedication and Excellence

The growth and expansion of LBC&C over the past thirty seven years has been remarkable. The Firm has worked hard to meet the growing needs of our clients while always valuing the importance of providing a good workplace for our employees.   The Firm has excelled because we all share a commitment to teamwork, collegiality, and respect.

The Firm is proud to be rated an AV® Preeminent™ law firm by Martindale–Hubbell®, its highest rating for ethical standards and legal ability.