By Tony Farina
When writing a story, not a news story when events help to set up the lead, the challenge is to find the right way to begin the story, and I’ve written a few of both. In the subject I’m writing about today, a well-known figure in the community and beyond, I’ve decided to just begin by describing Ross Cellino in everyday terms. Or in other words just let the lead open the door to an amazing and successful personal injury lawyer whose advertising jingle and outstanding courtroom work have made him famous in his own right.
Ross Cellino, now 68 but still working pretty much every day with four of his children working for him along with 27 other lawyers, is an affable and personable man who has made his gifted courtroom talent almost legendary. And he wears the success very well with pride and dignity. As he described himself when buying the Knox Mansion a few years ago, he is a “Buffalo guy,” and bought and restored the mansion to preserve it for the community. And as he has with most things he’s taken on, he did it well.
Ross Cellino is upbeat and still going strong 30 years after he and his late former partner Steve Barnes launched their marketing jingle campaign that began a trend-setting personal injury law business that Ross has now set up as Cellino Law, headquartered at 800 Delaware Ave. in the historic Knox Mansion, now over 100 years old and looking just fantastic and fitting for a business that continues to win an enormous number of personal injury cases every year.
Consider for measure that Ross Cellino and his team have recovered over $2 billion dollars for clients and rather than slowing down, Cellino Law is expanding now in three states (New Jersey the latest) and Ross says, modestly, “that the future looks bright.” Given the firm’s track record and with a slightly modified jingle coming soon, the high hopes are justified. This firm has a remarkable success record because it takes care of its clients in a big way. Their comments are there for all to see on the Cellino website.
All it takes for people who need a personal injury lawyer from this incredibly successful firm is to call Cellino Law at 888-888-8888 for a free case evaluation and potentially speak directly to Ross or one of his experienced lawyers in the firm. Ross also occasionally takes calls in the middle of the night, just like doctors who deliver babies who receive calls at all hours of the day and night.
Ross is transitioning ever so slightly, slowing down to four days a week, but he’s still overseeing a firm that now has 31 lawyers on board in three states (New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut). He says the three new lawyers added to the firm are Maria Pavlatos in Manhattan, David Cannone in the New Jersey office, and Niko Ames in Connecticut. Ross has three of his daughters, Jeanna , Annmarie, and Brigitte and son Timothy, working as lawyers with Cellino Law and contributing to the firm’s success in Buffalo and across New York and beyond. Of course there have been departures, and Ross mentioned office administrator Maureen Napoli who recently retired after 30 years.
“Greg Pajak is the managing attorney for all my offices, and he is certainly one of the best in the business,” says Ross who praises his entire staff totaling close to 100 who work very hard to keep up with the constant flow of new clients. Cellino says shortly there will be a slightly modified new jingle to attract business and the promotional part of the marketing strategy that Ross borrowed from a New Orleans attorney that he used to listen to on the radio, has been a big part
from the beginning and laid the groundwork for the firm’s success.
As I mentioned, Cellino Law is now headquartered in the historic Knox Mansion at 800 Delaware Ave., in Buffalo, which Ross purchased in 2020 from CTG (formerly Computer Task Group), for $2.5 million and invested another $2-plus million to fully restore the French Renaissance Mansion and the results are there for all to see. A fitting space for a firm that wears success well and tours are conducted by Ross’ brother, retired family physician Michael Cellino, on weekends.
Contact KnoxMansiontours.com to arrange a visit and it is a terrific trip with Mike as affable and engaging as his lawyer brother, making the tour a very interesting and knowledgeable journey into history of one of Buffalo’s architectural treasures.
So that’s a thumbnail visit to Cellino Law and the head man, Ross Cellino, who still works four days a week, is still very much engaged in overseeing his expanding law firm, and focused on delivering for the many clients who go to the firm in time of need, with many walking away much better off.
Cellino Law, a personal injury law firm that has delivered the goods and continues to do so.