Esam Ahmad Elbadawi

Sam Elbadawi, a Partner since 2000, is a member of Sugarman Law Firm's management committee. He focuses on the representation of individuals, families, and estates in personal injury and wrongful death claims. He has successfully handled hundreds of personal injury claims arising from motor vehicle accidents, boating accidents, crane accidents, construction site accidents, dog bites, property defects, defective road design claims, slip-and-fall accidents arising from snow and ice, and accidents caused by defectively designed products. He has represented clients in personal injury claims against school districts, villages, towns, cities, counties, the State of New York, and the United States. He has also represented individuals in claims against insurance carriers for breach of contract, wrongful denial of disability insurance benefits, and ERISA matters. Due to the complex, time consuming, and costly nature of personal injury litigation, the majority of Mr. Elbadawi's cases are referred to him from other attorneys and law firms.

He is admitted to practice before all New York State courts, U.S. District Court for the Northern and Western Districts of New York, U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Supreme Court.

He is a member of the Onondaga County, St. Lawrence, New York State, and Central New York Women's bar associations. His other memberships include the New York State Bar Association’s Committee on Law Practice Management, the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, the New York State Trial Lawyers Institute, New York State Trial Lawyers Association, New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers, of which he is a charter member and a member of the board of directors.

A graduate of St. Lawrence University (B.A. Government and Economics) and Syracuse University College of Law, Mr. Elbadawi also studied international law at Georgetown University Law Center. While in law school he was Notes and Comments Editor of the Syracuse Law Review where he won the Distinguished Service Award. He was awarded the Robert M. Anderson Publication Award in recognition for excellence in writing and legal scholarship and is a Scribes Award nominee for best student-written article in a law review or journal. He was also an intern with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York.

In 2012, Mr. Elbadawi was selected as a Super Lawyer in the field of Plaintiff's Personal Injury by the magazine Super Lawyers, a distinction based on peer recognition and professional achievement. He also received the highest ranking, "AV Preeminent", from Martindale Hubbell directory's peer review ratings.  An "AV Preeminent" rating indicates that judges and other attorneys have rated Mr. Elbadawi as "very high" to "preeminent" in legal ability, expertise, experience, integrity, and professional excellence.

Mr. Elbadawi is a member of the board of directors of the Onondaga-Oswego Chapter of the American Red Cross and in April, 2010, he became President of the Labrador Mountain Ski Club. In November, 2010, Mr. Elbadawi joined the Board of Directors of the Hiscock Legal Aid Society, which provides legal assistance to individuals and families in need in Onondaga County and the surrounding region. He also volunteers for the Fayetteville Manlius Youth Soccer Program, the East Area YMCA, and Vera House.

Mr. Elbadawi was recently elected to the Board of Directors of the Fayetteville Manlius Youth Lacrosse Association. FMYLA is a non-profit organization that focuses on teaching boys and girls grades K through 8 the game of lacrosse. Mr. Elbadawi is also a frequent guest lecturer at Advanced Trial Practice classes at the Syracuse University College of Law. In the past, Mr. Elbadawi has evaluated and advised moot court teams at Syracuse University College of Law, where he is also a former member of the board of directors for the Law College Association. He has also served as treasurer, advisor, and fundraiser for multiple New York State Supreme Court candidates.