Duane Schoonmaker is originally from Vestal, New York, but he’s lived in Buffalo for many years and now considers it to be his hometown. In 1982, he earned his undergraduate’s degree from SUNY Albany with a B.A. in Communications graduating cum laude. Duane went on to earn his Juris Doctor from University at Buffalo in 1985.
He has been practicing law since his admission in New York in 1986, and has been admitted to practice in New York in Federal Court in the Western and Northern Districts, and in the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. Throughout his years as an attorney fighting for his clients, he has lectured on many topics including Deposing Defendant’s Corporate Personnel and Experts; Receiving Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure; Slip and Fall Cases in New York; Facebook and Beyond: Social Media; and Trial of a Soft Tissue Automobile Accident. He is also the Chair of the Bar Association of Erie County’s Negligence Committee.
“I became a lawyer because I wanted a career in which I could help people solve their problems. I’m most passionate about effectively communicating with clients, judges, and jurors,” he says, reflecting on his career path that has led him to helping clients at William Mattar, PC.
In Duane’s spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family, working outdoors, and playing golf.
