Brad Gerstman is a leading attorney, lobbyist, and government relations specialist with a diverse background in business, advocacy, tech, energy, education, and media. As both a personal donor and successful fundraiser, Brad has built a political career that spans all levels of government and encompasses pertinent figures from both sides of the political aisle.
With years of professional experience, Brad expertly steers clients through complex legislative, political, and bureaucratic processes. Utilizing individualized strategies, he taps into political trends and fashions them to the advantage of his clients. This has proven especially important for those introducing disruptive technologies or operating within heavily regulated markets.
Brad’s exceptional reputation for building both relationships and coalitions has earned him the respect and support of policy makers. As a result, he has helped to push forward essential legislation for New Yorkers as it pertains to business, advocacy, land use, municipal matters, and education. In addition to serving on several finance committees, he has also been personally selected by prominent members of government to provide campaign guidance and fundraising aid. Most recently, Brad has joined the political action committee Striving For A Better New York, which is supported by NYC Mayor Eric Adams, as an Advisory Board Member.
Recognized throughout New York, Brad has received several awards and accolades including being named to the “2022 Political PR Power 50” list by City and State. He was also a 2020 Honoree of “The Kings of New York Award,” as well as the winner of the “Leadership in Law award” by Long Island Business News in the partners category. His guest articles have been featured in publications including Crain’s New York Business, Long Island Business News, Newsday, and Venture Beat.
Previously, Brad was appointed by the Nassau County Legislature to act as a member of the Board of Directors for the Nassau Health Care Corporation. As Chairman of the Facility Committee, Brad spearheaded a 750-million-dollar makeover of the hospital, clinics, and senior living facility. He was also a member of other committees including Disciplinary Hearing, Governance, Legal & Audit, and Finance. In addition, he served on the Executive Committee for the hospital, and acted as Vice Chair and Board Member of the Long Island Medical Foundation. Finally, Brad was a Board Member of the Holocaust and Tolerance Center of Nassau County and the Adelphi President’s Council.
Throughout his career Brad has served the special needs community in a variety of roles including Long Island Advocacy Chair for Autism Speaks, one of the nation’s largest autism advocacy organizations, Executive Committee Member and Advocacy Chair on the 2007 Long Island Walk Now for Autism Planning Committee, Chair of the Nassau County Autism Coalition, Counsel for the Long Island Autism Coalition Board, and Member of the Nassau/Suffolk Autism Society of America. He was also appointed by Governor Paterson through the nomination of Senate majority leader Dean Skelos to the Governor’s Council on Interactive Media and Child Violence and named an honoree at the Child Abuse Prevention Services yearly gala for his work in protecting children. Brad currently acts as Co-founder and Board Member of the Lisa Beth Gerstman Foundation, a family organization that provides summer camp experiences to children with physical and developmental disabilities.
At his alma mater Hofstra University, Brad played 4 years of varsity football. In his spare time, Brad enjoys fashion, competitive boxing, and supporting all professional New York sports teams, except for the Jets.
Published articles:
- Crain’s New York Business
- “What Killed a Popular Construction Incentive? Old Fashioned Protectionism”
- “The Danger of Criminalizing Construction Accidents”
- Long Island Business News
- “More CNG Fueling Stations Needed”
- “School Choice: Let’s Start with Brentwood”
- “NY Legislatures Deserve a Pay Raise”
- “A United Voting Bloc”
- Newsday
- “Budget Cuts Will Harm Autistic Kids”
- Venture Beat
- “The Dangers of Being a Disrupter”
David Schwartz is an internationally recognized premiere AV Rated trial attorney and lobbyist. He received his Masters in Law from the Fordham University School of Law and his undergraduate degree from Tulane University. He has been named by judges and his peers as a member of the prestigious Super Lawyers list for the past 8 years and has received the highest rating as an attorney from Martindale-Hubbell. He has spent his entire career practicing law as a litigator and for the past decade as a lobbyist and advocate on behalf of businesses, trade associations, not-for-profits, foreign countries and individuals. He is admitted in all courts in the State of New York and Washington DC and has appeared pro hac vice in many other jurisdictions. Whether it is in the courtroom defending and advocating on behalf of litigants in high profile criminal and civil cases or in the halls of the Capital, the same philosophy and attitude exists, which is to advocate as aggressively and passionately for the client as possible. He is well known as an aggressive and powerful trial attorney. Mr. Schwartz has represented clients at all ends of the spectrum, including some of the largest companies in America to some of the least fortunate in our society on criminal matters. Every client gets the energy and attention needed to achieve positive results. It is this training as a trial attorney, trying dozens of jury trials and trying in total over 100 trials and handling thousands of cases, that makes him extremely effective in navigating the political process for his clients.
He lobbies for a wide variety of large corporations, not-for-profits, trade associations and individuals. He is also a prolific political fund raiser, having raised millions of dollars nationally for candidates at every end of the spectrum. Mr. Schwartz uses his trial skills in the halls of Albany as a fierce advocate for his clients. Mr. Schwartz has been a regular guest legal and political commentator for the Fox News Channel, NBC Today Show, MSNBC, Headline News, CNN, WABC News, WNBC News, WCBS News, Fox & Friends, WPIX, Court TV and for the ESPN morning show. Mr. Schwartz has been asked by these television networks to give legal and political analysis and his expert opinion on criminal cases, constitutional legal issues, political issues, civil cases, cases in front of the Supreme Court and local Political figures. He has also been quoted frequently on cases and political matters in the NY Post, NY Times, Daily News, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, NY Law Journal and hundreds of other periodicals nationally. Mr. Schwartz was appointed by the New York State Senate as a Commissioner on the Commission on Judicial Nomination which nominates Justices to the NYS Court of Appeals and also served as a Trustee of the Brooklyn Bar Association. Mr. Schwartz was also appointed by the Governor to serve on the Board of the NY Javits Convention Center. Mr. Schwartz is able to bring together for our clients, his vast experience in law, business, media and politics and uses every advocacy tool available in order to achieve results for our clients. When direct lobbying is not effective, you will see Mr. Schwartz using the media, grass roots campaigns, television and radio advocacy in order to get the point home and educate the public and government officials. Sometimes, when those tools do not do the job, he uses the court of law in order to undo political injustice.
David Schwartz served the People of the State of New York as an Assistant District Attorney in Kings County from 1993 through 1997. As an Assistant District Attorney, Mr. Schwartz handled thousands of criminal prosecutions. He successfully tried numerous felonies and misdemeanor cases which lead to the conviction and incarceration of many criminals. David Schwartz has been engaged in the private practice of law and government relations from 1997 to present. He has handled hundreds of criminal cases in private practice and has tried many of those cases. Mr. Schwartz presently concentrates his practice on lobbying and Government Relations. Mr. Schwartz also represents various businesses and counsels them on all legal issues and political issues. Mr. Schwartz is admitted and appears in the United States Supreme Court, United States District Court of New York, Eastern and Southern Districts, United States Tax Court, New York State Supreme Court, New York City Criminal and Civil Court, and Nassau County District Court.
Mr. Schwartz has argued appeals in the New York State Appellate Division, First and Second Departments and the United States Court of Appeals (2nd Department). Furthermore, he has appeared Pro hoc Vice in the United States District Court of New Jersey.
Mr. Schwartz has worked tirelessly in; keeping Walmart out of NYC; stopping No Fault Insurance fraud; stopping illegal cigarettes in entering the market place; fighting government agencies in stopping progress; vigorous representation of supermarkets; campaign to change the standard of care in the reprocessing of endoscopes; Hedge Funds, Insurance Companies, special needs schools, major research institutes, contractors, real estate developers; oil and gas companies, school districts, beer industry, numerous companies related to the pandemic, healthcare, foreign countries, towns and municipalities and many others.
Active in his profession and community, Mr. Schwartz has served as a board member of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Inspector General Management Advisory Board; a Board member of the New York Javits Center Convention Center Operating Corporation; Commissioner to the Commission on Judicial Nomination; The American Bar Association; Commissioner of the NYS Commission on Judicial Nomination; The New York State Bar Association, Board member of the Criminal Section representing the Second Judicial Department; Brooklyn Bar Association; Board Member and has served as Vice-Chairman to the Criminal Courts Committee and Criminal Justice Committee; Nassau County Bar Association; Respect for Law Alliance; District Attorney Alumni Association; Government Affairs Professionals; Temple Sinai, President; Sigma Alpha Mu Fraternity, Past Regional Governor; Seneca Club, Man of the Year; Southern Poverty Law Center; Israel/Kosovo Chamber of Commerce; Inn of Court/Nassau County and Mock Trial Coach of the Nassau County Champion Wheatley High School team. Furthermore, David Schwartz is a well-known passionate and dynamic speaker and he is a frequent lecturer at numerous venues on topics related to law and lobbying.
After graduating from Long Island University with a Bachelor of Science degree, Joseph Farber obtained his Juris Doctor from Brooklyn Law School in 1968. As one of the original founders of his previous firm, he has made important contributions to its banking practice, and has been an active force in many legal and civic organizations within the New York Community.
Mr. Farber has an extensive experience in general litigation, family and banking law. His time is devoted to real estate and commercial mortgage transactions for his clients. Mr. Farber enjoys a rating of AV Preeminent by Martindale Hubbell.
Mr. Farber has functioned as Managing Attorney for Queens Legal Services Corporation, and has been a Trustee of the United States Bankruptcy Court in the Eastern District of New York. In addition, Mr. Farber has served as:
- Former Member, Board of Trustees, Cross County Federal Savings Bank
- Member, Board of Directors, The Tiegerman School
- Past Chairman of the Board, Flushing, Willets Point, Corona, LDC
- Past President, Queens Chamber of Commerce
- Past District Governor, Lions Club International
- Former Member of the Board of Trustees Red Cross of Greater New York
- Past Chairman of the Board, Lions Eye Bank at North Shore University Hospital
While at his previous firm, Mr. Farber served as lead counsel for NYCB closing over one billion dollars in loans each year. In addition, Mr. Farber served as General Counsel to Cross County Bank until he aged off the Board as well as Tiegerman Schools located in Long Island and New York City.
Mr. Farber is admitted and appears in U.S. District Court, Southern and Eastern District of New York, U. S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, New York State Supreme Court, United States Supreme Court, and U.S. Tax Court.
Antonio C. Martinez II is a native New Yorker, and the son of immigrants from the Dominican Republic. He earned his Bachelor of Science Degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University and a Juris Doctorate Degree from Brooklyn Law School. He attended the United States Capitol Page School and is a graduate of New York Military Academy. His father, the late Antonio C. Martinez, Esq., was one of the first Dominican American members of the New York State Bar. The Martinez family has been providing legal services since 1956.
Mr. Martinez has significant business and legal experience in Latin America and the Caribbean, including Cuba, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico. He is recognized as one of the foremost legal authorities on U.S. Cuba relations in the Northeast being quoted in the New York Times, the Guardian, the Voice of America, the Huffington Post, the Tampa Tribune, and other media. He accurately forecast the reset of U.S. Cuba relations in December 2014 in a blog post he authored in May 2012 in USCubaPolitics.com. Mr. Martinez is a prolific public speaker and regularly appears in print and broadcast media.
He has successfully advised clients with Cuban Assets Control regulation and sanctions compliance as well as facilitate U.S. Treasury authorized sales transactions to Cuba.
He has obtained a superlative Cuba business consulting and travel experience including:
- More than thirty trips to Cuba since 1999
- Serving as a member of multiple U.S. Delegations to Alimport U.S. Cuba Agriculture Sales Negotiations
- Serving as a member of multiple U.S. Delegations to Havana International Trade Fairs
- Leading Agricultural trade missions for clients between 2002-2010
- Organized trade mission for Governor Bill Richardson (New Mexico)
- Organized trade mission for then Rep., now U.S. Senator Tom Udall (New Mexico)
- Organized trade mission for New Mexico Secretary of Agriculture Miley Gonzalez
Mr. Martinez extensive travel includes 45 of the 50 states and 26 foreign countries in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. He is a member of the State and Federal Bars of New Jersey, New York, and the District of Columbia. As an Attorney at Law, he maintains a Distinguished Level rating by Martindale Hubbell for more than fifteen years.
Through a diverse professional background and career with stints in government, the corporate world, the political, and public interest arenas, Mr. Martinez is able to bring a diverse set of skills to bear for his clients. He knows how to work with people and government. He helps them manage complex issues, seek conflict resolution, and settlement of disputes.
Mr. Martinez began working with the U.S. Congress at the age of 16 when he served as a Senate Page to the late U.S. Senator Jacob Javits (R-NY) in 1980 and for the U.S. Senate Majority Leadership in 1981. His past government experience includes positions with the U.S. Senate Library, the US Department of Justice, Civil Division, Admiralty and Environmental Law Section in New York City, the Legal Division of the New York City Council, and as a Mediator for the Community Dispute Resolution Center of Kings County, New York . His past corporate experience includes service as Vice President of Government Relations and Consumer Health at American Specialty Health Inc, San Diego, CA, and Vice President and General Counsel to Elant Inc, Goshen, NY. He also served as President and Executive Director of Somos el Futuro Inc. (www.somosnewyork.org) from 2010 to 2013, where he continues to serve the organization.
Senior Associate at Gerstman Schwartz LLP and Gotham Government Relations & Communications, is a passionate and zealous advocate for those she represents by utilizing the related worlds of law, government, business, media, and the wider community at large, to achieve unparalleled success for her clients.
Nicole specializes in land use, zoning, construction, department of building matters, education, transportation, health care and agency law. Nicole spearheads Gerstman Schwartz LLP and Gotham’s initiatives by persistently publicizing her clients’ issues in the news and holding government actors accountable for their actions.
Nicole graduated from Stony Brook University magna cum laude with a B.A. in Psychology and was inducted as a lifetime member to Psi Chi, the National Honor Society for Psychology. After graduating from Stony Brook, Nicole received her J.D. from the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University in 2015. During law school, Nicole worked for Luxottica Group’s IP department for two years, a multinational company, where she negotiated and drafted multi-million-dollar contracts for high-profile public figures. Additionally, Nicole has been named as one of the most powerful people in Public Relations in city&state’s Political PR Power list (2020) and recognized by the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University as an ‘Outstanding Woman in Law’ (2020).
