Proving and Improving Wrongful Death Damages

The NYS Academy of Trial Lawyers is the largest statewide trial bar in the US with 5,700+ lawyer and judge members. We are committed to protecting, preserving and enhancing the civil justice system. Our highly acclaimed CLE programming features extraordinary presenters covering the most timely and important topics.

Christopher Holbrook is a partner at Schwartzapfel® Lawyers P.C. and his practice concentrates on trial work involving negligence cases with catastrophic injuries and wrongful death. Chris routinely returns multi-million dollar recoveries through jury verdict, arbitration, mediation, and settlement. Mr. Holbrook’s results include eight-figure and seven-figure verdicts and judgments. Recently, Chris represented 1 of 8 wrongful death victims in a multi-district federal court litigation involving the Amtrak Train Wreck in Philadelphia resulting in a historic $265,000,000 global recovery.

Joseph has been practicing law for over twenty years and is currently the managing partner of the firm. He is a lifelong resident of the Hudson Valley and relies on his connections to the community to best serve his clients. Joseph graduated from Brown University in 1993 and played both division one football and golf for the Brown Bears. He graduated from St. John’s University School of Law in 1997. Joseph dedicates a majority of his time to representing seriously and catastrophically injured individuals harmed by construction, motor vehicle, motorcycle, and bicycle accidents, as well as those harmed by defective products.

Christina Bruner Sonsire is a partner at the Ziff Law Firm in Elmira, New York, specializing in personal injury and medical malpractice litigation. A native of Elmira, she graduated from Notre Dame High School in 1994 and earned dual Bachelor of Arts degrees in Classics and International Relations from Georgetown University, where she was also a standout athlete on the women's soccer team. Christina made history in 2017 as the first female soccer player inducted into Georgetown's Sports Hall of Fame. She obtained her Juris Doctor from the University of Montana, gaining recognition as the Western Region’s Best Oralist in 2004. Since 2014, Christina has been consistently honored as a Super Lawyer in medical malpractice and is a member of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. She serves on the board of directors for the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers and has been appointed to the state judicial review panel responsible for interviewing nominees to New York's Court of Appeals. Beyond her legal practice, Christina is actively involved in her community, serving on various boards and coaching youth soccer. She is married to Damian Sonsire, an Assistant District Attorney in Chemung County, and they have two daughters.