Attorneys

Photo of Robert W. Godwin

Robert W. Godwin


Mr. Godwin received his undergraduate degree at the State University of New York College at Fredonia in 1993. He attended law school at the State University of New York at Buffalo and received his law degree in 1998. He is admitted to practice law in the State of New York and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Mr. Godwin is also admitted to practice law in a number of federal courts including, the Western District of New York, the Northern District of New York, the Eastern District of New York, the Southern District of New York, the Eastern District of Michigan, the Western District of Michigan, and the District of Connecticut.

Mr. Godwin has focused on personal injury litigation since 1998. He has handled numerous cases within that field including: auto accidents, motorcycle accidents, construction accidents, product liability cases, and premises liability cases. Mr. Godwin has obtained numerous successful settlements and verdicts within these areas of practice.

A large portion of Mr. Godwin’s practice also includes the representation of injured railroad workers and their families under the Federal Employers’ Liability Act. He has successfully litigated cases for injured railroad workers throughout the northeast and the midwest. Mr. Godwin has also developed a number of relationships within various unions in the rail industry and is a strong advocate for rail labor. He also has current family ties within the rail industry. Mr. Godwin’s father, Robert W. Godwin, Sr., hired on the Erie Lackawanna Railroad in 1958. He also began his career as a union representative in 1960 and served as the General Chairman of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers for a number of committees from 1982 until his retirement in 2000.

Photo of Thomas P. Hurley

Thomas P. Hurley


Mr. Hurley received his undergraduate degree from the State University of New York College at Fredonia in 1998. He attended law school at the State University of New York at Buffalo and received his law degree in 2001. He is admitted to practice law in the State of New York in all Federal Courts in New York. Additionally, he is admitted to practice law in Federal Courts in the Eastern and Western Districts of Michigan.

After graduating law school Mr. Hurley began his legal career at the Erie County District Attorney’s office where he handled all areas of cases from violations through homicides. In 2006 Mr. Hurley left the Erie County District Attorney’s Office, where he was a member of the Felony Trial Bureau, and began focusing his practice in personal injury and criminal defense. He has handled numerous cases including automobile accidents, motorcycle accidents, construction accidents, and premise liability cases in furtherance of his personal injury litigation. Additionally Mr. Hurley has continued his practice in the criminal law arena handling all felonies, misdemeanors, violations, vehicle and traffic and DWI defense.

In addition to the aforementioned practices, Mr. Hurley’s practice also includes representation of injured railroad workers and their families under the Federal Employers’ Liability Act. He has successfully litigated cases for injured railroad workers throughout the Northeast and has developed a number of relationships within various unions in the rail industry. He also has current family ties within the rail industry that have not only held union positions that helped further the rights of railroad workers, but have been injured on the job. By working closely with his clients, Mr. Hurley has been provided with the detailed insight of the needs of injured railroad workers and their families throughout the course of litigation and after.

Photo of Patrick J. Donoghue

Patrick J. Donoghue


Patrick J. Donoghue, Esq. started his legal career in 1998 after graduating from the George Washington University Law School. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Donoghue graduated with honors from SUNY Buffalo with a B.A. in Political Science. In between college and law school, Mr. Donoghue interned in the office of U.S. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan. During his career, Mr. Donoghue has solely represented injured people resulting from the negligence of others. Throughout his career, he has focused on representing injured railroad workers in cases brought pursuant to the Federal Employers’ Liability Act. This has been especially gratifying to Mr. Donoghue because five generations of his family have worked on the railroad. His uncle, Robert Donoghue, was a highly respected Local Chairman for Division 421 in Buffalo, New York. In fact, after his death, the Local was named in his honor.

Mr. Donoghue also specializes in representing injured construction workers under New York’s “scaffold law”, and he has handled numerous auto cases, trucking cases and premise liability cases. Mr. Donoghue has successfully tried cases to verdict in New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Massachusetts. He also has settled cases with successful outcomes in Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee. He has obtained numerous verdicts and settlements in excess of one million dollars. His goal in every case is not only to maximize his client’s recovery but also to make sure all of his client’s needs are met both during and after the case. Mr. Donoghue considers it an honor to represent injury victims and to help them through what is often one of the most difficult times in their lives. When not practicing law, he enjoys spending time with his wife and three kids, as well as playing the occasional round of golf.

Expertise | Best Criminal Defense Lawyers in Buffalo | 2020