By JAMES FINK and ANNIE DECK-MILLER
Business First/Buffalo Law Journal

A longtime tenant of the Statler Towers is leaving the financially troubled Buffalo landmark to join an Amherst law firm.

The Lorenzo & Cohen law firm is leaving the Statler after nearly four decades and is merging with HoganWillig. The merger takes effect Aug. 1.

"As you can imagine, this has been a very stressful time for us," said Steven Cohen, Lorenzo & Cohen principal.

His law firm, which was formed in 1951, moved into the Statler from the Ellicott Square Building in 1970. The firm leases 2,000 square feet on the Statler's 14th floor.

Joining Cohen in the move to HoganWillig will be associate Steven Dietz, as well as a paralegal and a litigation resource specialist.

"Harry Lorenzo, whose proud and illustrious career has spanned almost six decades, has announced his retirement but is willing to stay on as of counsel during the transitionary period," Cohen said Friday of the firm's other name partner.

"I'm very excited to be going to Hogan Willig," he said. "They're an extraordinary firm and they're growing, and they have a great client base. Corey's going to be giving me greater resources than I've ever had before on complex litigation files," Cohen added, referring to HoganWillig principal Corey Hogan.

Two other Lorenzo & Cohen lawyers, Brian Swann and Raymond Kot II, will not be making the move to HoganWillig. Cohen reports that Swann is joining Steven J. Baum PC, and Kot is now working as a real estate broker.

Lorenzo & Cohen is the latest Statler tenant to leave the historic building, which overlooks Niagara Square. Others include Western New York Dental Group, the state Worker's Compensation Board and the King of Diamonds jewelry store.

The Statler is set to be auctioned off under order from the U.S. Bankruptcy Court on Aug. 12. HoganWillig is the region's 16th largest law firm, with 23 attorneys. The firm will move into a new building in Amherst later this summer.