Attorney Profiles
If you think you need a lawyer, chances are you do.
Helwig, Henderson, Ryan & Spinola, LLP takes a multidisciplinary approach to cases involving complex litigation, insurance defense, divorce, family law, personal injury and many related matters. The firm's seasoned trial lawyers, experienced associate attorneys and a former judge, who is now the firm's mediator and arbitrator, combine their numerous litigation backgrounds and expertise to consistently provide clients with comprehensive legal counsel.
Partners
Associates
Bruce M. Helwig
Email | Phone: 516-747-9700
Bruce M. Helwig concentrates his practice in complex tort cases where, for more than 33 years, he has successfully defended clients in claims related to medical malpractice, products liability, automobile accidents and general liability. Mr. Helwig joined the firm after serving as a senior partner in a prominent Long Island defense firm for 23 years. He is admitted to practice law in New York and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York. He is a member of the New York State Bar Association, the Nassau and Suffolk Bar Associations and the Nassau-Suffolk Trial Lawyers Association. He has also conducted mock trials, taught continuing legal education seminars on behalf of the New York State Bar and spoken to an audience of medical professionals on insurance defense topics. Mr. Helwig obtained his Juris Doctorate from St. John’s University School of Law in 1975. Prior to that, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Fordham University.
Donald Henderson
Email | Phone: 516-747-9700
Donald W. Henderson specializes in the trial of complex tort and medical malpractice cases, as well as actions stemming from breach of contract. Familiar with the codes espoused by regulatory agencies, Mr. Henderson has represented physicians before the Office of Professional Medical Conduct. He is currently admitted to practice law in New York and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York. He is a member of the New York State Bar Association, where his work with the Insurance, Negligence and Compensation Law Committee includes conferring with the Committee of the Medical Society of the State of New York. He is also a member of the Nassau County Bar Association and Nassau-Suffolk Trial Lawyers Association. He has a Juris Doctorate from Hofstra University School of Law, where he served on the Law Review and a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hofstra University.
Robert L. Ryan, Jr.
Email | Phone: 516-747-9700
Robert L. Ryan, Jr. offers unique litigation insight into matrimonial and family law, as well as personal injury cases. He is also skilled with business formation and real estate law. For more than 25 years, he has been helping families through the divorce process and has gained knowledge about the latest advances in family law. He is particularly skilled at developing unique solutions to disputes about child custody, child support and dissolving marital relationships. Similarly, he advocates on behalf of clients through his personal injury practice. Familiar with the complex legal issues facing individual plaintiffs and corporate defendants, Mr. Ryan offers insight into tort cases involving auto accidents, wrongful death, construction accidents and slip-and-fall accidents. He is admitted to practice law in New York and U.S. District Court for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York. He is a member of the New York State and Nassau-Suffolk Trial Lawyers Associations as well as the New York State Bar Association and Nassau County Bar Association, where he is a member of the Family Law Committee. He received his Juris Doctorate from St. John's University in 1984 after attending the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1980 and a Master of Public Administration degree in 1981.
Joseph P. Spinola
Email | Phone: 516-747-9700
Judge Joseph P. Spinola has extensive experience litigating and presiding over a wide array of civil disputes, including personal injury, divorce, breach of contract, business law, employment law and professional malpractice. He is a former justice of the New York State Supreme Court, Nassau County, where he helped facilitate hundreds of settlements while on the bench, gaining a reputation for being rational and even-handed. As an attorney, he now helps clients resolve cases through litigation and pre-trial mediation or arbitration. Judge Spinola employs a unique combination of facilitative and evaluative skills to problem-solve, the result of his 25-plus years experience as a litigator and judge. He has the notable and valuable perspective of trying cases as a defense attorney, plaintiff's attorney and judge. He is a member of the American, New York State, New York County, Nassau County and Suffolk County Bar Associations as well as the New York State and Nassau-Suffolk Trial Lawyers Associations and the National Institute for Trial Advocacy. He has served as a director of the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers and the Nassau Lawyers Association and as a fellow for the New York Bar Foundation. Judge Spinola has also had the distinction as a mediator for the ADR program in Nassau County Supreme Court; has served as a guardian and court arbitrator Under Article XI of the Mental Hygiene Law; and holds a judicial fellowship with the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, where he is a member of the Comprehensive Civil Justice Program Implementation Committee. He holds a Juris Doctorate from Hofstra University School of Law.
Deborah A. Gray
Email | Phone: 516-747-9700
Deborah A. Gray is a partner in the firm, concentrating in the area of general tort and medical malpractice litigation. She is admitted to practice law in New York and Connecticut and is a member of the New York State and Nassau County Bar Associations. She obtained her Juris Doctorate from Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsburg Law Center in 1997, where she served as the President of the Women’s Bar Association and graduated Cum Laude and in the top 11 percent. She received a Bachelor degree from State University of New York Empire State College. She is the recipient of numerous public service awards, including the Suffolk County Women’s Bar Association President's Award. Prior to practicing law, Ms. Gray worked for nine years in the labor and delivery/maternal child units at North Shore University Hospital at Glen Cove.
Lauren Alfano
Email | Phone: 516-747-9700
Lauren Alfano concentrates her practice in the area of general tort and medical malpractice litigation. She is admitted to practice law in New York and New Jersey and is a member of the New York State and New Jersey Bar Associations. She obtained a Juris Doctorate from New York Law School in 2008, where she received a Dean's scholarship and Government Fellowship. Prior to that she received a Bachelor of Arts from State University of New York at Albany, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude.
Amy S. Barash
Email | Phone: 516-747-9700
Amy S. Barash concentrates her practice in medical malpractice litigation. Her professional experience includes negligence defense work as well as 10 years as a registered nurse in various areas of nursing. Mrs. Barash is admitted to practice law in New York and the U.S. Federal Court for the Eastern and Southern Districts. She is a member of the New York State and Nassau County Bar Associations and obtained her Juris Doctorate from Brooklyn Law School in 1983 and her Bachelor of Science from Hunter College, Bellevue School of Nursing.
Maureen P. Blazowski
Email | Phone: 516-747-9700
Maureen P. Blazowski concentrates her practice in the area of general tort and medical malpractice litigation. She is admitted to practice law in New York and the U.S. Federal Court for the Eastern and Southern Districts in New York. Ms. Blazowski is a member of the Health Law sections of American and New York State Bar Associations, where she also sits on the Special Committee on E-Health and Information Systems. She is also a member of the Nassau County Bar Association. Ms. Blazowski obtained her Juris Doctorate from the Hofstra University School of Law in 2006, where she received an award for Excellence in Appellate Advocacy. Prior to that, she received her Bachelor Degree in Health Administration and Management from St. Joseph’s College and was Assistant Director of the Radiology Department and Clinical Information Systems Administrator at Stony Brook University Medical Center for more than 20 years.
Jason A. Isaacson
Email | Phone: 516-747-9700
Jason A. Isaacson concentrates his practice in the areas of family law and matrimonial law, as well as in general tort litigation, with prior experience working for the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Nassau County, where he clerked for the Honorable Joseph P. Spinola. Mr. Isaacson is admitted to practice law in New York and Florida and is a member of the New York State and Florida Bar Associations. He obtained his Juris Doctorate from the University of Miami School of Law in 2008, where he graduated Cum Laude, and has completed training programs with the National Institute of Trial Advocacy. Mr. Isaacson also holds a Bachelor of Science in Applied Economics and Business Management from Cornell University.
Jeffrey A. Learn
Email | Phone: 516-747-9700
Jeffrey A. Learn concentrates in the area of general tort and medical malpractice litigation. Proficient in Appellate practice, he has significant experience representing clients in U.S. and state courts in a variety of actions, including mass torts, toxic torts, complex products liability, labor law, medical malpractice, premises security liability, general liability, intentional torts and personal injury. Mr. Learn is admitted to practice law in New York and U.S. Federal Court for the Eastern and Southern Districts and is a member of the Nassau County Bar Association. He obtained a Juris Doctorate from Hofstra University School of Law in 1999, where he was Research Editor of the Hofstra Labor and Employment Law Journal, and has a Bachelor of Arts from Thiel College, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude.
Lois A. Leonardis
Email | Phone: 516-747-9700
Lois A. Leonardis concentrates her practice in medical malpractice litigation. She has represented physicians before the Office of Professional Misconduct and has served as an Assistant Deputy County Attorney in the Nassau County Attorney’s Office Medical Malpractice Division, where she represented physicians, nurses, hospitals, nursing homes and their staff. She worked as a nurse for almost 20 years in medical and surgical critical care, cardiac care, electrophysiology and emergency care. Ms. Leonardis is admitted to practice law in New York and the U.S. Federal Court for the Eastern District in New York. She is a member of the Nassau and New York State Bar Associations, where she is a member of the Health Law section. She received her Juris Doctorate from St. John’s University School of Law in 1998 and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Adelphi University in 1978.
Scott L. McCann
Email | Phone: 516-747-9700
Scott L. McCann concentrates in the areas of general tort and medical malpractice litigation. He is admitted to practice in New York and is a member of the New York State and Nassau County Bar Associations. He obtained his Juris Doctorate from Hofstra University School of Law in 2008, where he completed training programs with the National Institute of Trial Advocacy. Mr. McCann also holds a Bachelor of Science in Finance from the Huntsville campus of the University of Alabama.
Joshua B. Hecht
Email | Phone: 516-747-9700
Joshua B. Hecht limits his practice exclusively to the area of matrimonial and family law.
Mr. Hecht has handled numerous contentious and complex matrimonial cases, involving the division of property, custody and visitation, child support, and spousal maintenance. He has successfully litigated cases in courts throughout the metropolitan area, and has successfully represented clients on appeal.
Mr. Hecht obtained a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a concentration in finance, from the State University of New York at Albany School of Business in 2000, and a law degree from St. John's University School of Law in 2006, clerking for the Honorable Joseph P. Spinola during his law school tenure.
With over a decade of financial and legal experience, Mr. Hecht utilizes his dual background to help client’s navigate through the financial complexities of the marital estate.
From offices in Carle Place, New York, we serve clients throughout Nassau, Suffolk, Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx and Manhattan.
