Profiles
Robert L. Brenna, Jr.
Robert L. Brenna, Jr. is a founding partner of Brenna, Brenna & Boyce. He has practiced since 1979 when he joined his Father, who began the firm in 1953.
Mr. Brenna has been honored with the distinction of being invited into membership of the National Academy of Trial Advocacy. He is Past President of the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers and has served on its Board of Directors since it was founded. He previously served on NYSTLA’s Board for 16 years. He served as president of the GVTLA for two terms in the early 90’s and served on its board of directors from 1988-1999. Mr. Brenna has been named by Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, and has achieved a Preeminent AV Rating and 5.0/5.0 in Martindale Hubbell, and was recently named as one of the top 100 trial lawyers (New York) by the American Trial Lawyers Association, now known as the National Trial Lawyers Association. He also has been rated "Superb" and received a 10.0/10.0 by AVVO.com. Comments by his clients and peers can be viewed at such websites.
In addition to being a columnist for The Daily Record, Mr. Brenna celebrated his 15th Anniversary in July of 2011 as host of the Brenna, Brenna & Boyce Law Forum, a weekly call-in radio show heard on 1180 WHAM (a 50,000 watt Clear Channel station), nationwide on www.wham1180.com, and on iHeart Radio. He has been a legal analyst and been interviewed for numerous television and radio shows.
Early in his career, Mr. Brenna won against the State of New York for a wrongful death case from the Attica prison uprising. In the Court of Claims he obtained the first verdict against the State of New York based upon a deprivation of constitutional rights, after the Court of Appeals bestowed Jurisdiction on the Court of Claims. He has represented a myriad of clients including injured construction workers for claims arising out of labor Law section 240 (also known as the "scaffolding law") and victims of defective products, including a product liability case he successfully prosecuted against a multi-national pharmaceutical company, which was featured on the front page of the New York Times. His recent win in New York State’s highest Court, The Court of Appeals, was covered by the Associated Press, Wall Street Journal, Democrat & Chronicle and other publications throughout the country.
His litigation career includes successfully representing victims catastrophically injured from automobile crashes, pharmacy prescription errors, construction worksite, auto-manufacturing defects, negligent trucking corporations, as well as representing people whose lives have been destroyed by drunk drivers.
Most of his trial cases are in the Supreme Court and his appellate practice has included a multitude of appeals in the Appellate Division, The Court of Appeals, and The Second Circuit Court of Appeals (Federal). Mr. Brenna has practiced extensively in the areas of Estate Probate, Administration of Estates, Trust & Estate Planning, Medicaid Planning, and End of Life Care Planning. He is also actively involved in the firm’s Estate Litigation practice. Upon invitation, he has lectured for a plethora of engagements including The New York State Bar Association, The New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers, the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, and The Monroe County Bar Association and he has served annually as chair for many of these programs. He has lectured in topics such as trial practice, estate practice and also has lectured specifically on the interplay of Surrogates and Supreme Courts as it applies to wrongful death, injured infants, disabled plaintiffs, estate and litigation matters. Mr. Brenna has litigated cases against entities of all sizes and permutations, multinational corporations, municipalities, New York State, and The Federal Government.
Mr. Brenna's practice has included extensive appellate work, stemming from his love for appeals, which he learned of early on in Law School. He has written and argued appeals in both the State and Federal Appellate System and has litigated in State and Federal Courts. Mr. Brenna has devoted his practice to the concept that no Goliath should remain unchallenged or unchecked, and that every David deserves competent representation.
Sheldon W. Boyce, Jr.
Mr. Boyce joined the firm in 2007. He graduated with honors from Albany Law School where he was a member of the Law Review and the Justinian Honor Society. After law school, Mr. Boyce was a Confidential Law Assistant to the Justices of the Supreme Court, Appellate Division in Albany. He was then appointed an Assistant District Attorney for Monroe County where he was assigned to the Special Investigations Bureau. Mr. Boyce entered private practice with the Chamberlain D’Amanda firm in Rochester where he chaired the Personal Injury Practice Group. He has lectured other lawyers frequently on trial practice at bar association seminars. Mr. Boyce lives with his family in Mendon where he serves as Town Attorney.
Among his honors are:
Listed in Best Lawyers in America
AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell, (highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards)
Highest possible rating, AVVO.com
Member (invitation only), American Board of Trial Advocates
Diplomate in Civil Trial Advocacy, National Board of Trial Advocacy
He has previously served as:
Director of the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers
Officer of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association
Dean of the New York State Trial Lawyers Institute
President of the Genesee Valley Trial Lawyers Association
William J. Brongo
William J. Brongo was former Chief Clerk of the Monroe County Surrogate's Court. He concentrates in estate litigation, probate and estate planning and administration and serves as counsel to the profession as well. He served as Principal Confidential Law Clerk to the Honorable Edmund A. Calvaruso, Surrogate, Matrimonial Referee, Principal Confidential Law Clerk to the Hon. Charles J. Siragusa, JSC; Chief, Special Investigations Bureau, Monroe County District Attorney's Office.
Donald G. Rehkopf, Jr.
Mr. Rehkopf attended Capital University Law School, where he received his Juris Doctorate in January 1975. While in law school, Mr. Rehkopf was the Associate Editor for Research for the Law Review, won the 6th Circuit Moot Court competition and was a member of the National Moot Court team. Upon graduation, he was selected for the Judge Advocate Generals Department and served on active duty with the Air Force from 1976 to 1981. He retired from the JAG Corps Reserve as a Lieutenant Colonel.
From 1981-85, Mr. Rehkopf was in private practice in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, where his practice was limited to defending U.S. military personnel before courts-martial and administrative proceedings. From 1985-96, he was a staff attorney in the Violent Felony Offender section of the Monroe County Public Defenders Office in Rochester, New York, an office of over 50 attorneys. His practice concentrated in the areas of complex forensic science and medical issues affecting those accused of serious crimes. He presently concentrates on criminal defense and military law issues. Mr. Rehkopf is a frequent national lecturer on the subjects of military justice, criminal law, criminal trial techniques, and professional ethics. He is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States; the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces; and in the State of New York. He has tried over 225 cases to a verdict and argued countless appeals.
Mr. Rehkopf is the Co-Chair of the Military Law Committee of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers [NACDL]; a former Vice-President of the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers [NYSACDL] and is currently a Director. He was an amicus curiae party as one of the “Experts of the Law of War” at the Supreme Court in Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, 124 S.Ct. 2633 (2004), while simultaneously representing another amicus curiae, People to Enforce the Geneva Conventions.
AWARDS and RECOGNITIONS
Recipient, 2003, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Presidential Commendation.
Recipient, 2003, New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Special Presidential Commendation for Padilla v. Rumsfeld.
Recipient, 2004, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Presidential Commendation.
Recipient, 2004, New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Hon. Thurgood Marshall, Outstanding Practitioner of the Year, Award.
Recipient, 2005, New York State Assembly, Certificate of Recognition for Outstanding Legal Practitioner and Support of Constitutional Rights for All.
Recipient, 2006, New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Presidential Commendation.
Recipient, 2007, New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Association, Presidential Commendation.
Recipient, 2009, The Daily Record, Leaders in Law Award.
