Attorneys Chip Comstock, John K. Murphy, Brad Pinsky, and Curt Varone discuss the recent reversal in the Black Sunday trial, in which a judge threw out criminal convictions against the owner and former owner of a NYC apartment building in which six FDNY firefighters were forced to jump to escape during an incident. Our panel examines the issue of tenant and landlord liability in regard to known structural hazards and illegal renovations.
DAVID “CHIP” COMSTOCK JR., JD, is a partner in the law firm of Comstock, Springer, and Wilson Co., LPA in Youngstown, OH. He is a 25-year veteran of the fire service and chief of the Western Reserve Joint Fire District in Poland, OH. He lectures extensively on fire service topics related to company officer operations, liability, and personnel issues. His articles have appeared in many fire service magazines, including Fire Engineering. He is president of the National Association of Fire and Emergency Service Attorneys.
JOHN K. MURPHY, JD, has been a career member of the fire service for 32 years, retiring as a deputy fire chief with Eastside (WA) Fire & Rescue in Issaquah, Washington, and fire chief of the City of Sammamish (WA). He is an attorney whose focus is on employment practices liability, policy, internal investigations, and firefighter health and safety. He is an expert witness and consultant on risk management for private and public entities. He lectures and writes on fire service topics related to company officer operations, organizational liability, and personnel issues.
BRADLEY M. PINSKY is an attorney in Syracuse, New York, and a captain and municipal training officer in the Manlius (NY) Fire Department. He represents approximately 300 fire departments in New York.
CURT VARONE has more than 37 years of experience in the fire service, including 29 years as a career firefighter with the Providence (RI) Fire Department, where he retired in 2008 as a Deputy Assistant Chief. In addition, he has been a practicing attorney since 1985 and is a faculty member in Providence College’s Fire Science program. Curt served as Division Manager of the Public Fire Protection Division at the National Fire Protection Association. He has authored two books, Legal Considerations for Fire and Emergency Services and Fire Officer’s Legal Handbook. He is currently the Director of the Fire Service Division of the Legal & Liability Risk Management Institute providing litigation support to firefighters and fire departments.
