John DePaolo was recently elected to a three-year term as director of the Defense Trial Lawyers Association of Western New York. A senior associate at Bouvier Partnership LLP, DePaolo is admitted to practice law in New York and Massachusetts. He has been with the Bouvier Partnership since 2001 and resides in Amherst.

Rochester comp firm opens office

The law firm of Connors & Ferris LLP announced the opening of a Cheektowaga office at 2568 Walden Ave., Suite 101.

The firm focuses its practice on representing people in workers' compensation claims, Social Security disability claims and personal-injury claims.

Based in Rochester, the 8-year-old firm lists six total staff attorneys on its Web site.

Landlord cited for biased actions

Civil-rights organization Housing Opportunities Made Equal announced a recent $8,000 settlement in a housing-discrimination case.

HOME assisted an African-American college student who alleged being refused an apartment that was later offered to a white person posing as a prospective tenant.

A complaint was filed against landlord Gloria Mosovich. A state administrative law judge ordered Mosovich to pay $3,240 in compensatory damages to the woman and a $5,000 fine to the state.

O'Brien speaks at AAJ conference

Personal-injury lawyer Christopher O'Brien addressed a national forum of legal experts on the topic of preparing clients for depositions this weekend in New Orleans.

The O'Brien Boyd PC partner's talk was part of the American Association for Justice's Advanced Deposition College.

O'Brien also made a presentation at the New York State Trial Lawyers Association "Weekend with the Stars" event in New York City last month.

A graduate of the College of the Holy Cross and Washington & Lee School of Law, he has taught trial technique at the University at Buffalo Law School.

- Compiled by Matt Chandler