Executive Committee (Trial Lawyers)

Committee Members

Brett D. French, Chair

Counsel at the School Administrators Association of New York State
The French Firm, P.C., Albany, NY

Brett D. French, Esq., serves in both private and in-house capacities as an attorney and trial lawyer, licensed to practice in the State of New York, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the State of Florida.

In his private capacity, Brett is the founding attorney of The French Firm, P.C., a private law practice located in Colonie, New York, focused predominantly on civil and commercial litigation matters including construction litigation, personal injury litigation and corporate disputes.  Brett also represents companies and individuals with regard to regulatory and disciplinary investigations and hearings, such as professional licensing issues, as well as Title IX matters involving higher education institutions.  Brett litigates matters throughout New York, Massachusetts, and Florida, and also handles matter via pro hac vice status throughout the country.

In his in-house capacity, Brett serves as Counsel to the School Administrators Association of New York State, located in Albany, New York, where Brett provides legal advice to more than 20,000 public school administrators and officials throughout the State of New York, involving matters of New York Education Law, the Taylor Law, and various other employment/labor laws and polices.

Brett earned his Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Syracuse University College of Law, in Syracuse, New York and his Bachelor of Arts at Stonehill College, in Easton, Massachusetts.

Brett is a lifelong resident of the Capital District of Upstate, New York.

Seth M. Rosner, Esq., Vice-Chair

Seth M. Rosner, P.C, Garden City, New York

Seth M. Rosner, Esq. of Seth M. Rosner, P.C., located in Garden City, N.Y., is a trial attorney representing individuals, business owners, entrepreneurs, and professionals who find themselves involved in a lawsuit. A passionate and persistent litigator for over 25 years, Seth is no stranger to the courtroom, preparing every case as if it were going to trial, and working to ensure that his clients get the best possible resolution to their problems and are protected from harm. Using creative legal solutions tailored to the individual client and his or her situation, he is able to resolve many cases without the necessity for a trial, resulting in an early and favorable resolution. Seth takes pride in learning about his clients, their lives and their businesses, not only to better serve them in their legal concerns, but also so that he can help put them at ease and guide them through the difficult experience of litigation.

Seth received his J.D. in June 1996 from St. John’s Law School. He is a graduate of the State University of New York at Albany, where he received a B. A. in Criminal Justice in December 1992 and an M.A. in Criminal Justice in July 1993. Seth is active in the legal community; he is a member of the NYSBA Trial Lawyers’ Section Executive Committee and a member of the NYSBA Committee on Mass Disaster Response.

Outside the courtroom, Seth lectures as a guest speaker in order to educate individuals and help businesses avoid situations that may result in a lawsuit. Since Superstorm Sandy, Seth has volunteered for over nine years with the Nassau County Bar Association providing assistance to individuals regarding issues involving FEMA assistance, flood and homeowner’s insurance policies, NY Rising awards, and contractor fraud. For his efforts, Seth was named as the NCBA Pro Bono Attorney of the Month for June 2014.

Working as a trial attorney has allowed Seth to utilize his legal skills in order to pursue his passion for helping people who desperately need assistance, so that they can rebuild their lives and businesses after suffering through a major tragedy.

Tania M. Pagan, Esq., Secretary

MEDIATING DISPUTES, INC., New York, New York

Tania Pagan has over thirty years’ experience in her private practice at The Pagan Law Firm, P.C. where she litigates cases from inception through trial readiness and appeals in complex medical malpractice and personal injury cases. She is simultaneously a trusted mediator who is sought for her skill in guiding parties through conflict to reach settlements in high exposure and contested civil matters.

As a litigator, Tania Pagan is an advocate for seriously injured plaintiffs. She provides complex planning for totally disabled and mentally incapacitated plaintiffs, brain damaged at birth infants requiring life care needs and MIF enrollment, and decedents’ estate allocations and distributions in death actions. She negotiates lien resolutions, establishes structured settlements, trusts, and Medicare set asides, and obtains court approvals in guardianship, administration, and compromise proceedings.

Tania Pagan’s interpersonal and communication skills are the foundation for her success as an attorney and mediator. She is a perpetual student of law and is known for her breadth of knowledge and excellent preparation. Simultaneously, she is well regarded by colleagues and the courts for her congeniality, fairness, and integrity.

Tania Pagan is a privately retained mediator through her company, Mediating Disputes, Inc. She has trained in civil, commercial, and personal injury mediation through Part 146 advanced level, at Harvard Law School’s Executive Education Program on Negotiations: Mediating Disputes, NYSBA, and New York Law School. She is a Special Master mediator, sworn on behalf of the NYS Unified Court System, at a Supreme CourtCivil Term, and on assignment through city-wide ADR programs.

Tania Pagan received her J.D. from Syracuse University College of Law and joined the New York State Bar in 1990. She is admitted to the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of NY. She is an active member of multiple bar associations and currently serves as Treasurer of NYSBA’s Trial Lawyers Section and Chairs their Arbitration and ADR Committee, and serves as Co-Chair of the NYWBA’s ADRCommittee.

Brian C. Brown, Esq., Tresurer

Avanzino & Moreno, P.C., Attorneys at Law, Brooklyn, New York

Brian C. Brown became an attorney to make a difference and has successfully recovered millions for personal-injury victims and their families. He understands the complex challenges presented in the wake of a serious injury and is deeply committed to ensuring that his clients get the justice they deserve. With a track record of success at both trial and the negotiating table, Brian is a fighter who has consistently delivered exceptional results for his clients. Brian is a member of the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers, New York State Trial Lawyers Association, New York State Bar Association and Brooklyn Bar Association. Prior to joining the firm, Brian was an award-winning trial attorney for the New York City Law Department where he routinely handled high-stakes civil rights and catastrophic injury matters.