Michael Anthony Ponterio

Michael A. Ponterio is a founding partner of Lipsitz & Ponterio, LLC. Mr. Ponterio represents families in Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, and across New York State who have suffered injuries as a result of exposure to asbestos, childhood lead poisoning, automobile accidents, medical malpractice, and families suffering injuries as a result of defective products.

Mr. Ponterio has been representing people suffering from mesothelioma caused by asbestos for 26 years. He obtained the first personal injury jury verdict in the State of New York for an asbestos victim (Racich v. Celotex Corporation). Mr. Ponterio also obtained the first punitive damage award for an asbestos worker in the State of New York (Racich v. Celotex Corporation). Mr. Ponterio and his partner, John Ned Lipsitz, also received the first personal injury jury verdict in Buffalo, New York, on behalf of an asbestos victim (Wolf v. Celotex Corporation).

In July 2017, Mr. Ponterio together with Lipsitz & Ponterio attorney John Richmond obtained a $1.2 million dollar jury verdict in a medical malpractice lawsuit against two doctors at the University of Rochester Medical Center for failing to timely diagnose a female client's bowel perforation.

In September 2011, Mr. Ponterio, together with Neil McKinnon obtained the first jury verdict in Western New York on behalf of a lead poisoned child.  In November 2013, Mr. Ponterio, together with Lipsitz & Ponterio attorney Zachary J. Woods, obtained a verdict on behalf of a Rochester, New York, child for injuries resulting from exposure to lead based paint.

Since 1988, Mr. Ponterio has obtained over $250 million in settlements on behalf of the firm’s mesothelioma clients.  

Mr. Ponterio has served as trial counsel in asbestos cases involving plaintiffs’ jury verdicts in excess of $25 million:

• October 2015 - Mr. Ponterio obtained a bench trial decision awarding $5.6 million dollars to a 58 year old engineer who worked two summers as a college student at Durez Plastics in North Tonawanda.
• August 2014 - Mr. Ponterio, together with Lipsitz & Ponterio attorney Mathew Morton, obtained a Bench Trial Decision awarding $3 million dollars to a former Durez worker.
• April 2014 - Mr. Ponterio obtained a Bench Trial Decision in Buffalo awarding $3 million dollars to a former Durez worker  with mesothelioma and his spouse for her loss of services and companionship as a result of his terminal cancer.
• August 2013 - Mr. Ponterio, together with Lipsitz & Ponterio partner John Comerford, obtained a jury verdict in the amount of $3 million dollars on behalf of a former Ashland Oil employee.
• October 2012 - Mr. Ponterio, together with Lipsitz & Ponterio attorney Joseph Kremer, obtained a jury verdict in the amount of $3 million dollars on behalf of a former GM worker.
• March 2012 – Mr. Ponterio together with Lipsitz & Ponterio attorney Mathew Morton, obtained a jury verdict in the amount of $325,000 on behalf of a Former Durez Plant Worker in Lung Cancer Case.
• December 2011 - Mr. Ponterio obtained a jury verdict in the amount of $2 million dollars on behalf of a former Durez factory worker. The jury in this case assigned 100% of the responsibility for damages to defendant Hedman, and the jury also found that Hedman’s actions were taken with reckless disregard for the safety of others.
• July 2011 - Mr. Ponterio obtained a jury verdict in the sum of $2.5 million dollars against Ford Motor Company on behalf of a former chemist.
• November 2009 - Mr. Ponterio served as counsel for a trial in Buffalo, New York, and obtained a $3 million dollar settlement award on behalf of our client, a local union boilermaker for injuries resulting from exposure to asbestos on the job.

Mr. Ponterio was selected as a Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters from 2011 to 2019, recognizing his excellence in the practice of law. Only 5% of the attorneys in Upstate New York are named Super Lawyers.