Robert W. Birch began practicing law in Cooperstown in 1986. Bob heads the firm's Real Estate and Bankruptcy practice. Bob graduated from Albany Law School of Union University in 1982. Prior to law school, Bob attended Cornell University's Industrial & Labor Relations School. Bob is admitted to practice in New York State, the Northern District of New York and Florida. He is a member of the New York State Bar Association and the Florida Bar Association; he is the chair of the Otsego County Bar Association and a member of its Real Property Committee. Bob is a former president and active member of the Cooperstown Rotary Club and a Scoutmaster with the Boy Scouts of America Cooperstown Troop 12 and Assistant Scoutmaster for Troop 1254. Bob is also a former Trustee of Friends of Bassett Healthcare. Bob is active in the Christ Church Episcopal Church of Cooperstown, formerly serving as Senior Warden, Vestryman, Chair of the Rector Search Committee, Stewardship Chair and teacher. Bob and his wife have also been Foster Parents for Otsego County and the host family for a number of Rotary exchange students.

Ben Bireley relishes taking on big opponents because he refuses to be outworked or out prepared. He isn’t afraid to put in the long hours if that’s what it takes to win. Less than two months after starting at Arnold & Itkin in 2016, Ben won a jury trial against an experienced insurance defense attorney in Harris County. The verdict—which nearly quadrupled the defendant’s pretrial offer—was featured in Verdict Search. Since then, Ben has played a key role in obtaining hard-fought eight-figure settlements for families who lost loved ones at sea and seven-figure settlements for clients severely injured at work or on the road. He has also successfully resolved numerous other cases for his clients in the high six figures. When everything is on the line, people want Ben fighting for them. He takes pride in working on cases where the defendant refuses to take any blame. In one case, Ben obtained a settlement for maximum compensation under policy limits less than a year after the defendant’s lawyer told him to dismiss the case. In another case, he recovered a seven-figure settlement for a client badly burned in a tank explosion after months spent listening to a defense attorney insist that Ben’s client—not his—was responsible for the explosion. Ben’s cases run the full gamut of personal injury law. He represents Jones Act seamen; workers hurt in plants, refineries, oil fields, and other industrial workplaces; the families of workers wrongfully killed on the job; and those hurt while just driving their cars on Texas and Louisiana highways. In addition, Ben is currently working on a docket of cases involving thousands of clients deformed by harmful drugs. From major disasters on the news to accidents no one hears about, Ben’s goal is simple: get the best result for his client. A married father of three, Ben appreciates the trust that individuals and families put in him. No matter the case, Ben takes his client’s losses personally. He’s driven to get the best results because he sees his clients like family, so he works hard to get their lives back on track despite their devastating injuries. He is licensed to practice in Texas, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, and Missouri. His results have earned him considerable recognition throughout the years. He's especially proud to have been recognized by the National Trial Lawyers as a Top 40 Lawyer Under 40, named to the Super Lawyers® Rising Stars? list, and named to the 10 Best Attorneys by the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys. Ben is a graduate of Boston College and the University of Texas School of Law. He graduated in the top 10% of his law school class and was the Chief Articles Editor of the Texas Law Review—a well-known, prestigious legal publication. For one year following law school, Ben clerked for the Honorable Lee Rosenthal in the Southern District of Texas. Before law school, he taught at Jesuit College Preparatory School in Dallas, receiving a Work of the Heart Award for his work in the classroom. Ben likes spending time with his wife, Lauren, and their three daughters when he's not working. The Bireleys are active members of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Houston and are always up for an adventure.

Mindy Bish is the founder of Bish & Cutting, a firm of Trial Lawyers whose focus is helping those who have been seriously injured through no fault of their own since 1999. Mindy has appeared in courts throughout the State of California and has aided attorneys appearing Pro Hac in Texas, Nevada, and Alabama. Mindy Bish has obtained numerous verdicts for her clients including numerous 7 figure verdicts. In addition to verdicts Mindy Bish along with her Partner have settled cases for 7 and 8 figures for seriously injured clients. In addition Mindy Bish has studies with the Keenan Trial College and is an Associate Dean teaching all courses and works with many lawyers working cases the Edge way. Mindy's always says either you are still learning and perfecting what you do or you are being left in the dust. Mindy is a mother of two and grandmother of 2 .

Sal Bivalacqua has been a partner at Griffin & Bivalacqua since 2005. There are many reasons why Sal wanted to be a lawyer, but his attraction to the legal profession stemmed mainly from his concern for other people. As a lawyer, he could use his skills to give these folks a chance at recovery and a better life.