A 1980 Albany Law School graduate, he became a JAG paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division and has taught Constitutional Law at Canisius College. He is a member of the National College of DUI Defense and the International Association of Forensic Linguistics; AV-rated by the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory; listed in Who's Who in American Law, Who's Who of Emerging Leaders in America, and the Buffalo Law Journal/Business First Who's Who in the Law; the author of two books and numerous articles regarding criminal defense; and a teacher of lawyers and judges at seminars sponsored by the state and county bar associations and the NYS Office of Court Administration; and he serves on the Erie County Bar Association's Board of Directors.