The Lynn Law Difference
Our New York personal injury attorneys work as a team to stay focused on our clients.
At the Lynn Law Firm, our clients benefit from the perfect mix of professional expertise and personal attention. Our team is here to help our clients get the best possible settlement from their personal injury or wrongful death claim. And when we say “our team,” we mean it. Our firm puts all of our resources into our clients’ cases to ensure continuity in case development.
Our clients reap the benefit of multiple attorneys contributing to strategy, case evaluation, and decision-making. That benefit, of course, is the attention our clients need, and the results they deserve.
The Team
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Patricia Lynn-Ford
Patricia A. Lynn-Ford is a partner of the firm with over three decades of trial experience in courts across New York State. She has obtained significant recoveries for her clients, due to a well-developed litigation strategy, attention to detail, and thorough preparation.
Awards and Honors
- Martindale Hubbell® AV Preeminent Peer Review rated since 1998
- Fellow, American College of Trial Lawyers since 2003
- Super Lawyers since 2007
- Super Lawyers Top 25 Upstate Women Attorneys since 2007
Education
- John’s University School of Law J.D.
- College of the Holy Cross B.A. cum laude
Bar Admissions
- New York
- Supreme Court of the United States
- United States District Court, Northern District of New York
- United States District Court, Southern District of New York
- United States District Court, Eastern District of New York
- United States District Court, Western District of New York
Professional Associations
- Fellow, New York State Bar Foundation since 2016
- Trustee, American College of Trial Lawyers Foundation since 2021
- Member, New York-Upstate State Committee for American College of Trial Lawyers since 2015
- Member, Hiscock Legal Aid Society Board of Directors since 2017
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Thomas F. Shannon, Esq.
Thomas Shannon is known for his ability to connect with people and juries. He is an honest, effective communicator, negotiator, and trial lawyer. He has tried thousands of cases to verdict and obtained numerous million-dollar verdicts and settlements on behalf of his clients.
Awards and Honors
- Super Lawyer
- Fellow of American College of Trial Lawyers
Education
- Southwestern University School of Law, J.D.
- Syracuse University, M.B.A.
- Niagara University, B.A.
Bar Admissions
- New York State
- Florida (Inactive)
- Virginia (Inactive)
- United States District Court for the Northern District of New York
- United States District Court for the Western District of New York
Professional Associations
- Onondaga County Bar Association
- CNY Women’s Bar Association
- New York State Bar Association
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Walter F. Benson, Esq.
Walter Benson is a man of integrity and compassion. He is widely regarding as one of the best civil trial lawyers in New York State. He speaks to jurors’ minds and sense of justice, and they listen. His reputation and results are such that attorney and former client referrals account for the majority of his pending cases.
Awards and Honors
- Super Lawyer
Education
- John’s University of Law, J.D.
- Lemoyne College, B.A.
Bar Admissions
- New York State
- United States District Court for the Northern District of New York
Professional Associations
- Onondaga County Bar Association
- CNY Women’s Bar Association
- New York State Bar Association
- Former Chair of the Lemoyne College Board of Trustees
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Martin A. Lynn, Esq.
Marty Lynn is a partner and trial attorney with the Lynn Law Firm representing plaintiffs in personal injury actions and policyholders in insurance coverage litigation against insurance companies. He has extensive experience litigating insurance coverage, personal injury, commercial as well as other types of civil litigation.
Awards and Honors
- Sheldon Hurwitz Award for Excellence in Insurance Law (N.Y.S. Bar Ass’n)
- Recognized as “Super Lawyer”
- Recognized as “Best Lawyers in America”
- Distinguished Service Award (Skaneateles Fire Department)
- Distinguished Member (Skaneateles Fire Department)
Education
- John’s Law School J.D.
- College of the Holy Cross B.A.
Bar Admissions
- New York State
- United States District Court for the Northern District of New York
- United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- United States District Court for the Western District of New York
- United States Supreme Court
Professional Associations
- Onondaga Bar Association
- President Onondaga County Bar Association 2023-24
- Board Member
- CNY Women’s Bar Association
- Former Board Member
- New York State Bar Association
- Skaneateles Volunteer Fire Department
- Former President
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Kelsey W. Shannon, Esq.
Kelsey Shannon is a trial attorney with the Lynn Law Firm. Since joining the Lynn Law Firm, Kelsey has recovered tens of millions of dollars for policyholders in insurance disputes and injured plaintiffs through trials and settlements.
Awards and Honors
- John Marshall Award for Trial of Litigation (United States Dept. of Justice)
- Assistant Attorney General Award (United States Dept. of Justice)
- Sheldon Hurwitz Award for Excellence in Insurance Law (N.Y.S. Bar Ass’n)
Education
- Harvard Law School J.D. (cum laude)
- Georgetown University (cum laude)
Bar Admissions
- New York State
- District of Columbia
- United States District Court for the Northern District of New York
- United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
- United States District Court for the District of Columbia
Professional Associations
- Director, Onondaga County Bar Association
- Former Director, CNY Women’s Bar Association
- New York State Bar Association
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Kaitlyn M. Guptill
Kaitlyn has quickly amassed exceptional experience in plaintiff’s insurance coverage and personal injury litigation. Since joining the Lynn Law Firm she has leveraged her litigation experience at the trial and appellate levels to find practical and effective solutions for the firm’s clients.
Awards and Honors
- 2024 Central New York Women’s Bar Association Beacon Award
- 2023 Central New York Women’s Bar Association representative to the New York State Women’s Bar Association Judicial Screening of Court of Appeals Judges
- 2017 Capital District Trial Lawyers Association prize
- 2017 Order of the Barristers
Education
- Albany Law School (J.D.)
- State University of New York at Albany (B.A), Sociology & Criminal Justice, magna cum laude
Bar Admissions
- New York State
- United States District Court for the Northern District of New York
- United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
- United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- United States District Court for the Western District of New York
Professional Associations
- CNY Women’s Bar Association
- Onondaga County Bar Association
- New York State Bar Association
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Judge John V. Centra, Esq.
Hon. John V. Centra (Ret.) brings nearly 35 years of judicial experience, 16 years with the Appellate Division, Fourth Department, to the Lynn Law Firm and his burgeoning mediation and dispute resolution practice. He is highly esteemed in the legal community, with an impeccable reputation for resolving difficult litigation questions and driving reasonable compromises while maintaining collegiality.
Awards and Honors
- Ruger Award from the Onondaga County Bar Association, given to judicial officers who demonstrate singularly outstanding achievement in devotion to the principles of our system of justice. Since its 1975 inception, only 10 people have been honored with the Ruger Award, named after the first president of the Onondaga County Bar Association, William C. Ruger, who later became Chief Judge of the New York State Court of Appeals.
- Judge Centra was one of a handful of Appellate Division Justices asked by the Chief Judge of the Court of Appeals to sit on the highest Court in the State to hear a case, one of the highest honors an appellate justice can receive.
Education
- Ohio Northern Law School
- State University of New York at Buffalo
Bar Admissions
- New York State
Professional Associations
- Attorney Grievance Committee Chairperson – Fourth Department, Fifth Judicial District
- Onondaga County Board of Ethics Chairperson
- NYS Court of Appeals and All Appellate Division Seminar Faculty Member – June 2024
- NYS Supreme Court Association Seminar Panel Member – September 2023
- Onondaga County Bar Association, CNY Women’s Bar Association, New York State Bar Association
- Former president of the Onondaga County Magistrates Association
- National Business Institute – Lecturer
- Former Trustee – Syracuse Landmark Theater
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William F. Lynn, Esq.
1934-2020Since the beginning of his legal career in 1960, William F. Lynn has built a well-deserved reputation as one of the most respected trial attorneys in New York State.
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Paul R. Shanahan, Esq.
1907-1988Mr. Shanahan was considered the dean of Central New York trial lawyers. During his 60-year career he represented criminal defendants in many widely publicized trials. Mr. Shanahan began practicing his trade after his 1928 graduation from Syracuse University College of Law, and he never retired.
Accreditations
