Hon. John J. LaFalce

In May of 2007 HoganWillig was honored to welcome former Congressman John J. LaFalce as Special Counsel to the firm. Congressman LaFalce maintains an office at HoganWillig’s Amherst office where he provides counsel to the firms attorneys.

A respected figure in the local and national political landscape for over three decades (in fact, he was named one of the "smartest" Members of Congress, and in April 2010 was named one of Buffalo's leading celebrities), Buffalo native Congressman LaFalce graduated from Canisius High School (1957), Canisius College (1961) and Villanova University School of Law (1964). From 1965 to 1967 Congressman LaFalce served in the United States Army during the Vietnam era, leaving active duty with the rank of Captain. In 1970, he ran successfully for the New York State Senate, and in 1972 was elected to the New York State Assembly. Congressman LaFalce served Western New York in the U.S. Congress for 28 years, from 1975 through 2002. His congressional career spans six United States Presidents, from President Gerald Ford to President George W. Bush, and for many of those years Congressman LaFalce was Chairman of the House Small Business Committee, with jurisdiction over all Small Business laws, and Ranking Member of the House Financial Services Committee, with jurisdiction over all financial issues, including banks, housing and community development, international financial institutions such as The World Bank and The International Monetary Fund, etc.

Throughout his career, Congressman LaFalce has been a passionate consumer advocate, his efforts prescient in working to reform a troubled financial system and winning many legislative battles for workers, taxpayers, consumers and small business. Additionally, his efforts provided a legal framework for corporate reform and accountability, for the clean-up of abandoned toxic waste sites like Love Canal for expanded housing and community development opportunities, etc.

Congressman LaFalce has been awarded four prestigious Honorary Doctorate Degrees, and is the first non-alumnus to be given the distinguished alumnus award by the University of Buffalo School of Law. He also received the Liberty Bell Award from the Erie County Bar Association for his significant governmental contributions. From 2003-2006 Congressman LaFalce was The Peter Canisius Distinguished University Professor at Canisius College; from 2007-2009 he was the Vincentian Distinguished University Fellow at Niagara University.

Current Boards/Advisory Boards:

• The New York State Banking Board
• Individual Investor Advisory Board to the New York Stock Exchange
• Executive Committee of Citizens for Better Buffalo
• Senior Advisory Board to the Canadian American Business Council
• Honorary Chairman of the Canadian American Border Trade Alliance
• State Bankcorp Inc.
• State Bank of Long Island
• The National Association to End Homelessness
• Buffalo and Erie County Historical Society
• Bretton Woods Committee
• Commission to Celebrate the War of 1812
• Advisory Board to the Rochester Institute of Technology Center for Consumer Financial Services
• Honorary Director of the Genesee Orleans Ministry of Concern
• Honorary Director, WNY Legal Center
• Honorary Director of The North Tonawanda History Museum

Former Boards/Advisory Boards:

• Board of New Jobs for New York, a corporation created by Senator Hillary Clinton
• Canisius College
• Canisius High School
• National Italian American Foundation (Chair, Audit Committee)