The Annual Meeting of the New York State Bar Association kicked off on Tuesday, January 13, 2026 in Mid-Town Manhattan.  The Annual Meeting enabled lawyers from all over the state to meet with fellow practitioners, to network and to attend panels led by experts in their respective fields on topics that will impact their practice areas.  Two Sahn Ward Partners took leading roles at the Annual Meeting, serving as program chairs and sitting as panelists.

Firm Partner John Parker, Esq., who heads the Environmental, Energy and Resources Practice Group, serves as the Secretary of the Environmental and Energy Law Section, and also serves as a member of its Executive Committee and is Chair of the Legislation Committee.  In addition to his other leadership roles, John was also selected to serve as Program Chair for the Environmental and Energy Law Section at the Annual Meeting, which means that John was responsible for the content and professionals chosen to be panelists.  In his role as Program Chair, John was able to bring together a diverse schedule of experts and governmental regulators to discuss new and emerging legal issues that practitioners in Environmental and Energy Law will face in the coming years, particularly with the recent move away from supporting infrastructure for such things as wind farms, solar and battery-operated vehicles.

The panels that John organized will discuss the 50th Anniversary of Environmental Review Law (SEQRA), the changing role and responsibilities of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (“USEPA”), the role of nuclear power to meet future energy needs, the increased energy demand in general and as a result of the increase in the use of Artificial Intelligence (“AI”) in business, and the ethical issues and impacts with the use of AI in the environmental and energy regulatory context.  In addition to putting together this great program, John also moderated an important panel discussion with the federal USEPA.

Firm Partner Danielé (“Danny”) De Voe, Esq., who heads the Labor and Employment Law Practice Group, served as Panel Leader for a Labor and Employment Law Committee Panel at the Annual Meeting.

Danny’s panel discussed the current legal issues arising from the rise in multijurisdictional employment caused by the increase in remote work after the COVID-19 Pandemic. Danny and her co-panelist discussed the various tests utilized by the courts when determining which law(s) apply, everyday issues faced by employees and employers when applying benefits required by states (such as New York paid sick leave, paid prenatal leave, and Paid Family Leave), and the ethical considerations that lawyers face when advising clients in the current multijurisdictional work environment.

John and Danny taking on leadership roles and being asked to serve as panelists at the Annual Meeting this week due to their respective expertise are just two examples of the many ways that Sahn Ward’s attorneys have become thought leaders in their fields.

For more information, visit www.sahnward.com.

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Sahn Ward Braff Coschignano, PLLC is excited and pleased to announce the promotion of Christopher R. DeNicola to Partner.

Mr. DeNicola concentrates his practice in New York City zoning and land use planning. In this role, he represents the Firm’s clients, including real estate owners, developers, lenders and not-for-profit institutions in a wide range of matters including development rights transactions, zoning reviews and analyses, discretionary approvals from City agencies, easement transactions and construction license and access agreements.

Firm Member Daniel Braff leads the New York City Zoning and Land Use practice. Mr. DeNicola’s promotion will strengthen our abilities to serve our New York City clients.

Mr. DeNicola was selected by Super Lawyers to the Metro New York Rising Star List in 2025 in recognition of his talents and accomplishments.

Mr. DeNicola is a member of the New York City Bar Association, the Nassau County Bar Association and has contributed articles to several publications such as the Nassau Lawyer.

“We are extremely proud to promote Chris to Partner of the Firm,” said Michael Sahn, the Firm’s Co-Managing Member. “Chris is an exceptionally accomplished, knowledgeable and dedicated lawyer. He is vital part of our practice, and he has earned the respect and confidence of our clients and his colleagues at the Firm. Chris is a role model for all of us in his engagement and dedication to our clients.”

“I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues and serving the Firm’s clients in this new capacity,” Mr. DeNicola said. “I cannot thank the Firm’s members, and the rest of the SWBC team, enough for this incredible opportunity.”

For more information, visit www.sahnward.com.

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Sahn Ward Braff Coschignano, PLLC is excited and pleased to announce the promotion of Samuel L. Bifulco to Partner.

Mr. Bifulco concentrates his practice in zoning and land use planning, real estate law and transactions, municipal law and legislative practice, corporate law, and estate planning. He represents clients throughout Long Island, with a primary focus on municipalities in Suffolk County.

Based in our Hauppauge office, Mr. Bifulco represents private and public clients, as well as not-for-profit institutions, in a broad range of matters. He recently guided several significant commercial and residential developments through the entitlement and approval process. Mr. Bifulco also counsels small businesses, construction groups, and real estate operating companies on day-to-day business operations and real estate development strategies.

In recognition of his professional achievements, Mr. Bifulco was selected to the 2025 Super Lawyers Metro New York Rising Stars list, the Herald Community Newspapers Top Lawyers of Long Island Rising Stars list, and was named a recipient of the Long Island Business News 40 under 40 Award.

Outside of his legal practice, Mr. Bifulco has founded and led numerous philanthropic organizations over the years. He currently serves as President of the St. Joseph’s University Alumni Association where he represents over 42,000 alumni and serves as Chair of the Long Island Alumni Association Endowed Scholarship Committee. Mr. Bifulco sits on the Executive Board of the Centereach Civic Association, which focuses on community outreach and public improvement in the Centereach and greater Brookhaven Town communities. He is also a member of the Middle Country Chamber of Commerce, the American Bar Association, the New York State Bar Association, and the Suffolk County Bar Association.

“We are extremely proud to promote Sam to Partner of the Firm,” said Michael Sahn, the Firm’s Co-Managing Member. “Sam is an exceptionally accomplished and dedicated lawyer. He is a vital part of our practice, and he has earned the respect and confidence of our clients and his colleagues at the Firm. We greatly respect Sam’s commitment to community service and pro-bono work. Sam is a role model for all of us in his engagement with our clients and his community.”

“I welcome the opportunity to collaborate with my colleagues and serve the Firm’s clients in this new capacity,” Mr. Bifulco said. “I am grateful to the Firm’s members for the trust they have placed in me for this incredible opportunity and am thankful for the entire SWBC team for their collaboration and support. I look forward to continuing to help grow the Firm’s profile, while providing the highest quality of legal representation, as we collectively pursue our meaningful mission to shape our region through smart development for all those who live, work, and enjoy all that Long Island has to offer.”

Prior to joining the Firm, Mr. Bifulco spent nearly a decade working at the Town of Brookhaven in various capacities. Mr. Bifulco served as the Executive Assistant in the Brookhaven Town Law Department where he managed the Town’s unsafe structure program, prosecuted Town code violations in the Sixth District Court, and helped oversee and conference case files. His work under prominent elected officials, including County Executive Edward P. Romaine and Town Supervisor Daniel J. Panico, provided him with the experience necessary to navigate complex land use, zoning, and planning processes across Long Island.

Mr. Bifulco is admitted to practice law in the State of New York. He earned his Juris Doctor from the Touro University Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center in Central Islip, graduating summa cum laude. Before law school, Mr. Bifulco graduated with distinction from Stony Brook University, where he earned a Master of Arts in Public Policy and from St. Joseph’s University with a Bachelor of Arts degree majoring in Political Science, Criminal Justice, and Human Relations.

For more information, visit www.sahnward.com.

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