Attorneys
Mike started his legal career as a litigator in the Miami office of Floyd Pearson. In 1990, Mike relocated to New York City and joined Herzfeld & Rubin, where he gained valuable trial experience in the fields of premises liability, product liability, Labor Law, trucking/auto and construction defect. In 1997, Mike was asked to join Lustig & Brown to manage their general liability practice group in New York City. In 2009, Mike moved his practice to Kenney Shelton Liptak Nowak where he opened and managed their New York City office. Throughout his career, Mike has focused on defending against personal injury and property damage claims.
Area of practice
- Negligence, Labor Law, excess monitoring
Education
- B.A., Economics, cum laude, Brandeis University
- J.D., cum laude, University of Florida Levin College of Law
Publications
- Author of the article, “Partial Contractual Indemnification Revisited: Brooks v. Judlau Contracting,” “New York Law Journal,” 2009
- Author of the articles, “Beyond North Star: Insuring the Risks,” 1994, and “Pre-Indemnification Revived,” 1996, for “The Journal of Defense Association of New York”
- “International Law Journal,” University of Florida Levin College of Law
Affiliations
- New York State Bar Association
- CLM
Admissions
- All Federal Courts in Florida, New Jersey and New York
- New York State Bar
- Florida State Bar
- New Jersey State Bar
States/Courts Admitted:
- NY, NJ, FL
Languages
- Conversational English
Personal items
- When not working, Mike enjoys golfing and traveling.
Kevin Hickman is the Managing Partner of the firm. He has been engaged in the practice of law in the New York metropolitan area since 2004. His areas of focus have included the defense of general contractors and subcontractors in construction accident cases under the New York Labor Law, as well as the defense of major commercial motor carriers, passenger transportation companies and private and commercial airlines in the State and Federal courts of New York and New Jersey. Kevin has also litigated insurance coverage and reinsurance disputes nationwide on behalf of domestic as well as British and German insurers. He has obtained numerous favorable reported decisions during the course of his practice.
Prior to joining the firm, Kevin spent several years as a claims manager in the liability department at a national commercial trucking and passenger transportation insurer. He managed litigation and claims on behalf of motor carriers of varying sizes, from large national accounts to single owner-operator outfits, assisted with risk management, and discussed resolution strategy with transportation companies in self-insured and group captive arrangements nationwide. He also spoke on trucking and transportation litigation topics including case evaluation, litigation management and negotiation strategy at motor carrier functions throughout the country.
Area of Practice
- New York Labor Law, Commercial Auto, Negligence, Excess Monitoring
Education
- Brooklyn Law School, 2004 (Carswell Scholar)
Publications
- Whether to Compensate Employees for Time Spent Changing Uniforms, New York Law Journal, July, 2010
- Lead Paint Litigation: An Overview, New York Law Journal Personal Injury Quarterly, February 2010
- Anatomy of a Wrongful Death Action in New York, New York Law Journal, November 2009
- In Pursuit of Partial Indemnification, DRI: The Critical Path, September 2008
- Sophisticated User Doctrine Under N.Y. State Law, New York Law Journal, June 2007
States/Courts Admitted:
- New York State, United States District Court, Southern and Eastern Districts of New York
Affiliations
- CLM
Personal items
- Kevin is an avid and locally competitive long distance runner for the Central Park Track Club. He has completed sixteen full marathons and numerous half marathons. He resides in Manhattan with his wife and triplet sons.
Sherri Pavloff has specialized in the representation of insurers facing insurance coverage disputes since 1991. She provides analysis and interpretation of a wide range of insurance coverage issues, including general liability, umbrella/excess, professional liability, directors & officers, and many first party coverages. Sherri also provides counsel in environmental, products liability, labor law and professional liability claims; mediates and litigates coverage and bad faith lawsuits through and including the appellate process; and provides risk management services. She has numerous reported appellate decisions and writes and speaks on topics of interest to her clients.
Area of Practice
- Insurance Coverage, Bad Faith
Education
- BA, Communications, SUNY Albany, Phi Beta Kappa, Magna Cum Laude
- Juris Doctorate, Albany Law School, Union University, Magna Cum Laude
Publications
- “A Round of Applause, Court of Appeals gives insurers a break when it comes to common additional insured issue”, NYIA NY Connection Magazine, Fall, 2017
- “Mighty Changes for Declaratory Judgment”, NYIA NY Connection Magazine, Third Quarter, 2020
Affiliations
- Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (FDCC)
- Defense Research Institute (DRI).
Admissions
- New York State Court
- United States District Courts for the Southern, Eastern, Northern and Western Districts
- United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
Languages
- English
Personal items
- In her free time, Sherri enjoys running, hiking, practicing yoga, reading spy novels and cooking.
Area of Practice
- Personal Injury
Past areas of law practiced
- States/Courts Admitted: New York, United States District Court for the Southern and Eastern District of New York
Education
- New England Law | Boston
Languages
- English, working knowledge of Hebrew
Personal items
- In my free time, I spend time exploring the world with my husband and son – If we can get there in a day of driving, we will go. I also enjoy going on walks around the neighborhood, hanging out with friends and trying new things.
Jah Nuru began her legal practice representing predominantly Spanish-speaking residents in New York Housing Court for non-payment and holdover matters. She has previous law firm experience in Construction Litigation and worked as Contracts Manager for several large bridge and rail projects in San Francisco, CA and Tarrytown, NY. She is a former Law Clerk for the Office of the Alameda Public Defender.
Education
- Suffolk University Law School, JD 2015
- American University, MS 2010
- American University, BA 2002
Languages
- English
- Spanish
Carmen Borbon graduated from St. John’s University School of Law in 2015. She was admitted to practice law in NY in 2016. Prior to joining Stonberg Moran, Carmen worked at another insurance defense firm where she defended personal injury claims, with an emphasis on premises liability (slip/trip & falls) and Labor Law claims. Carmen also has prior experience on the plaintiff’s side of personal injury claims, which gives her a well-rounded perspective.
Education
- J.D., St. John’s University School of Law
- B.S., Political Science, John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Affiliations
- New York State Bar Association
Admission
- New York State
Area of practice
Worked for over three years as Staff Counsel for an insurance company defending insured clients in car accident cases. My practice was about 80% personal injury and 20% property damage cases.
Past areas of law practiced
Criminal prosecutor for over 20 years, having worked in Federal, state, and local prosecuting offices. My primary focus was white collar fraud cases, with an emphasis on investigating and prosecuting fraud against government programs (e.g., public assistance, Medicaid, Social Security, etc.).
Education
- Albany Law School, 1993
Affiliations
- I am a member of my Village’s Ethics Committee and represent my community on two committees dealing with aircraft noise and safety issues from JFK
States/Courts Admitted
- NY (admitted in the Third Department) and in Federal Court, Northern District NY
Languages
- English
Personal items
- Enjoy running, cycling, skiing, and kayaking
Area of practice
Has worked in the insurance defense industry for 30 years defending premises cases,
construction litigation, medical malpractice, legal malpractice, automobile accident and
commercial paper litigation.
Past areas of law practiced
Private legal practice for over 16 years, having worked on Federal, state, and municipal
litigation cases. Primary focus was personal injury, including medical malpractice and
premises liability cases, along with commercial litigation. My private practice was 50%
personal injury, 30% property damage and 20% commercial litigation cases.
Education
- Brooklyn Law School, 1992
- Boston College, 1989
States/Courts Admitted
- New York (admitted in the Second Department) and in Federal Court, Eastern
District NY
Languages
- English
- Croatian
Personal items
- Enjoys sports, cooking, and listening to music.
Area of practice
Bruce W. McCoy, Jr. is a senior associate with over twenty years of civil litigation, appellate and trial experience defending individuals and businesses throughout New York and New Jersey in matters involving automotive collisions, premises liability, New York Labor Law, professional liability, toxic torts and product liability. Most recently his practice has focused on defending owners, general contractors and subcontractors in personal injury matters typically involve issues of New York Labor Law, contract indemnification and premises liability throughout the five boroughs of New York City. In addition, Bruce McCoy’s insurance defense practice has also included the defense of high net-worth artists and entertainers in personal liability actions venued throughout New York.
Notable past trial experience includes the successful defense of a security company in a traumatic brain injury case; the defense of an insured motorist in a left-turn case involving issues of admissibility of photogrammetry for the calculation a vehicle’s speed; and the defense of a motorist in a seven-car collision involving two plaintiffs and two separate sets of chain-reaction collisions. His appellate experience has included the successful defense of summary judgment obtained in matters involving premises liability, professional liability and employment.
Personal items
- In his free time, he enjoys volleyball, tennis, hiking, mud-runs and watching anime with his kids.
Area of practice
Allen is an aggressive litigator with the ability to accurately assess liability and damages very early in litigation. Allen brings years of experience representing insureds and self-insureds in premises liability, labor law, MVA, property damage and a wide variety of claims. Several of Allen’s cases have been published by the NY Law Journal and are widely cited.
Education
- Fordham University School of Law
Admission
- New York
- New Jeresey
- SDNY
- EDNY
- 2nd Circuit
Personal items
- When not in court, Allen enjoys bike riding and snorkeling.
Area of practice
Elizabeth has been practicing law since her admission to the New York State Bar in 2003. She began her career in insurance defense litigation representing clients in matters involving intentional torts, premises liability, products liability as well as medical malpractice defense. She has experience with every phase of litigation including conducting statutory hearings, motion practice, depositions, trial preparation and appeals. She is also well experienced in the area of real estate transactions, representing purchasers, sellers and lenders.
Education
- SUNY Binghamton
- Hofstra University School of Law
Admission
NYS, Second Department
Personal items
Enjoys fitness, yoga, traveling and spending time with family and friends.
Area of practice
Erica R. Lerner is an experienced civil litigator with a focus on tort litigation. With a career spanning over a decade, they began their legal journey in 2012 as a paralegal, accumulating valuable experience before attending law school. Erica has since established themselves as a skilled litigator in New York State with a focus on tort litigation. Erica handles a wide range of civil matters, including medical, dental and podiatric malpractice defense, automobile and premises liability defense, employment law, corporate litigation and commercial litigation. Erica also counsels healthcare providers on risk management strategy and has guided physicians through various disciplinary proceedings.
Throughout their career, Erica has achieved noteworthy accomplishments and experiences. While in law school, they served as a summer clerk for Hon. Lisa A. Sokoloff in the New York Supreme Court, gaining valuable insights into the workings of the court system. Erica also interned in the Appeals Division of the New York City Law Department, contributing to the drafting of a Supreme Court brief for a significant Second Amendment case. Additionally, Erica worked as a Student Assistant District Attorney at the New York County District Attorney’s Office, further honing skills in criminal law.
Erica Lerner is a seasoned civil litigator with a wealth of experience in New York State civil litigation. Their dedication to their clients, coupled with their comprehensive legal knowledge and diverse background, positions them as a trusted advocate.
Education
- Erica obtained their Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree from Benjamin N. Cardozo Law School in 2020, building upon their strong foundation in legal knowledge and skills. Prior to law school, Erica completed undergraduate studies at Sarah Lawrence College and the University of Oxford, Wadham College. Additionally, Erica is fluent in Spanish and is a published translator.
Personal items
Outside of the office, Erica is an avid martial arts practitioner, runner, long-distance hiker and dancer. They are also an accomplished non-fiction writer and visual artist.
Area of practice
Booth T. Prathipaty, Jr. is a civil litigator with experience in tort and commercial litigation. Prior to joining Stonberg Hickman & Pavloff, LLP, Booth handled a wide range of civil matters, inclusive of premises liability defense, professional and medical malpractice defense, automobile liability defense, real estate, and commercial litigation. While in law school, he interned with the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia in its Civil Litigation Department.
Education
- The George Washington University Law School, 2021
- Christ University, India, 2016
Admission
- New York
Affiliations
- New York State Bar Association
- New York City Bar Association
- American Bar Association
Personal items
- Outside of the office, Booth enjoys pickleball, soccer, reading, and traveling
Lois is an associate with the Firm. She is an aggressive litigator with the ability to accurately assess liability and damages early in the litigation process so as to afford timely settlement. Since admission to the bar, Lois has engaged in all aspects of tort /general negligence law; including, medical malpractice, long term health care, products liability, premises liability, toxic torts, construction law, automobile liability, labor law and general civil litigation.
Prior to admission to the New York bar, she practiced law for a short time in New Jersey in the areas cited above and gaining some experience in commercial law and some plaintiffs’ litigation but practicing primarily defense law.
Area of practice
Products liability, premises liability, construction law, toxic torts, medical malpractice healthcare law, labor law and automobile liability.
Education
- Whittier law School, California J.D.
- University of Pennsylvania cum laude, Philadelphia, PA. B.A. Liberal Arts concurrent with Graduate School
- Goddard College Graduate School, Plainfield, Vt. M.A.Psychology ( Neuropsychology and psychodiagnostic testing) with practicum /internship at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia ,PA.
Admission
New York State court, New Jersey State Court, US District Court of New Jersey, District of Columbia, Georgia State court.
Languages
English and some Spanish
Personal items
Lois is an avid runner. In her spare time, she also enjoys” hanging out” with her five nieces and nephews ages 1,3, 4, 6 and 8.
Area of practice
Deborah Williams brings over 8 years of litigation experience to Stonberg, Hickman & Pavloff LLP, including seven years with the Legal Aid Society, where she represented clients in numerous trials and handled a broad range of criminal cases from intake through appeal, achieving favorable outcomes. She successfully secured post-conviction DNA testing for her client in the Mississippi Supreme Court—a rare outcome in appellate litigation.
With a strong foundation in science and medicine, Deborah is particularly skilled in managing complex medico-legal issues. Known for her ability to break down intricate scientific and legal concepts into accessible terms, she has developed a niche in high-stakes, technically demanding litigation.
Before pursuing law, Deborah taught behavioral neuroscience, conducted medical research, and worked as an editor for cognitive neuroscience journals, bringing a unique depth of scientific insight to her legal practice.
Education
- J.D., Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, New York, NY
- Ph.D. Candidate, Behavioral and Cognitive Neuroscience, Wayne State University
- B.S., magna cum laude, Psychology, Eastern Michigan University
Admission
- New York State
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York (pending)
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (pending)
Affiliations
New York State Bar Association
Personal items
Outside of work, Deborah is passionate about trauma-informed advocacy and mentoring
others on preventing professional burnout. She balances her legal career with creative
pursuits in visual art and enjoys spending time with her family and her beloved Korean
Jindo.
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