One of the most familiar names in personal injury law may be heading for a breakup.
Numerous Buffalo media outlets are reporting that Attorney Ross Cellino is suing his longtime business partner Stephen Barnes, seeking to dissolve the Cellino and Barnes Corporation. Civil court documents were filed yesterday in State Supreme Court. The notice was e-filed and can be seen online. The supporting claim was not, and a judge has ordered those documents sealed until a May 19th hearing. Barnes is to appear in court and argue at that hearing why the firm should not be dissolved.
Because the notice of claim and other documents are sealed, we don’t know why Cellino wants to dissolve the firm. Neither his lawyer nor Barnes’ lawyer has commented.
Cellino and Barnes is one of Western New York’s biggest personal injury firms, known for their frequent radio and TV ads and their 888-8888 phone number. They’ve been practicing together for more than 30 years and have offices in New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco as well as Buffalo and Rochester.