Miller, Gordon K.

Ms. Messina graduated from the University of Buffalo Law School in 1993, where she received the Steven Connelly Award for Trial Techniques. Before that, she graduated from Cornell University in 1989 with a degree in Economics and Communication Arts.

Ms. Messina spent a substantial portion of her career with the Rochester City Corporation Counsel's office, where she represented the City in a variety of personal injury, civil rights and commercial litigation matters. Ms. Messina has also worked with the defense firm of Osborne, Reed and The Somerset Firm, defending medical malpractice lawsuits and other personal injury matters. Ms. Messina is admitted to practice law in all New York State courts, as well as various Federal Courts throughout New York state.

She is a member of the New York State Bar Association, the Monroe County Bar Association, the American Association for Justice (AAJ/ATLA), the New York State Trial Lawyers Association (NYSTLA), the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers, and the Genesee Valley Trial Lawyers Association (GVTLA). She has served on the Board of Trustees, the Executive Committee, and various other standing and ad hoc committees of the Monroe County Bar Association.

A Message from Ms. Messina

As the youngest of 12 children, my father encouraged me to become a lawyer. He told me that I'd be good at it-that I had the right personality for it. I wasn't sure if he meant I argued well (or a lot), or simply that I'd be good at helping people with their problems.

Since then, I've realized that he might have meant both. I enjoy helping clients work through their legal troubles. At the same time, I've also learned that I enjoy working through really complicated legal issues.

The law is about people. Helping clients work through their problems in a realistic fashion. Dealing with lawyers and adjusters on the other side to make them part of the solution, rather than just fighting with them for the sake of fighting (as lawyers often do). Trying to convince judges and juries to set aside their biases and do the right thing. I know I have to treat people right to be a successful lawyer.

To get there, I enjoy figuring out the best way to prove our case, catching defendants in a big lie during depositions, boxing a defendant into admitting that he should have known about a problem that caused our client to get injured, or simply bringing the truth to light.

Before joining Brad's firm, I spent 10 years defending personal injury lawsuits. Knowing where the other side is coming from and how they think has proven invaluable to me.

My life outside of The Kammholz Law Firm centers around my husband, Mike, and our 5 kids. Twins seem to run in the Kammholz Law Firm family. When Brad's wife was pregnant with twins while she and I were still working for the City Law Department, I teased her about what was to come (I had 3 kids and she had none). Then, the tables turned. After she delivered, I found out I was pregnant with twins!