Joe Morath was born and raised right here in Buffalo, establishing deep roots in the community from an early age. He stepped away from home to proudly serve in the United States Armed Forces, spending four years on active duty as an infantryman with the United States Marine Corps. Following his active-duty tour, Joe continued his military service for three years as a military police officer with the New York Army National Guard, including a one-year deployment to Bosnia-Herzegovina in support of Operation Joint Forge. Upon returning home to Western New York, Joe chose to remain local for his higher education, earning his Bachelor of Science, summa cum laude, from Buffalo State University in 2002 and his Juris Doctor from the University of Buffalo School of Law in 2006.
After law school, Joe dedicated more than twenty years to a top-rated and highly regarded litigation firm right here in Buffalo, where he spent fourteen of those years as a partner. Over more than two decades, his practice focused exclusively on personal injury litigation, protecting hundreds of local clients through dozens of trials, arbitrations, mediations, and countless settlements. Joe built an elite courtroom reputation by managing a wide array of challenging matters, including motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, wrongful death, products liability, and sensitive group-home and nursing-home abuse cases. His tireless work ethic resulted in multiple jury verdicts, including million-dollar and multi-million-dollar awards, earning him a reputation as one of the most aggressive and successful advocates in New York State.
Today, Joe has brought his incredible wealth of local experience to Morgan & Morgan, joining the firm as a partner in the New York and Buffalo offices. Based in the Buffalo office, he is proud to offer his hometown neighbors the hands-on accessibility of a truly local attorney, backed by the powerful resources of a national firm. Joe firmly believes that no two legal cases are exactly alike, and he prides himself on delivering highly individualized service while building deep personal relationships with the families he represents.
Joe has also contributed his leadership skills widely across the region, serving as a past member of the Board of Directors for Western New York Heroes Inc., a past member of the Board of Directors for the SUNY Buffalo Law Alumni Association, and the former chair of the Bar Association of Erie County Committee on Veterans and Service-Members Legal Issues.
Previous Verdicts
•November 2025 - Erie County: $900,000
•Home abuse case: $11,1000,000
•Premises liability case: $1,200,000
Previous Settlements:
•Labor law case: $2,300,000
•Police abuse wrongful death case: $3,000,000
•Wrongful death roadway design case: $3,250,000
•Wrongful death trucking case: $3,000,000
•Workplace accident: $3,500,000
Awards & Recognitions
•Best Lawyers, Personal Injury 2023-2026
•Super Lawyers, Personal Injury 2013-2026
•Top 50 New York Settlement 2024
•Top 100 New York Settlement 2024
•Top 100 Personal Injury Settlements in the United States 2020
•Top 10 New York Settlement 2020
•Top 30 New York Verdict 2012
•Top 100 New York Settlement 2018
•Top 100 New York Verdict 2017
•7 Figure Litigators
•8 Figure Litigators
•Buffalo Business First, 40 Under Forty (2014)
•National Trial Lawyers, Top 100 Civil Plaintiff Attorney (2017, 2022)
News & Insights
Morgan & Morgan Plants Roots in Downtown Buffalo
Recent Wins
Yurt, Hasan v. McEvilly, Jeremy $1,100,000 Car Accident 2026
