Marc W. Brown

Marc W. Brown focuses his practice on business and commercial litigation. An experienced commercial litigator and one of the foremost real estate title litigation and coverage attorneys practicing in New York State, Marc’s practice also includes real property tax certiorari proceedings, contractual disputes, personal injury, and collection enforcement. In addition, he has experience in professional liability matters relating to commercial and residential real estate transactions. He has extensive appellate experience, having argued approximately 15 appeals across three of the four New York State Supreme Court Appellate Divisions, and is a former judicial clerk in the New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division, Fourth Department. Immediate-past chair of the American Bar Association (ABA) Title Insurance Litigation Committee, Marc is widely regarded as among the top title insurance litigators, with a reputation built on handling seven-, eight-, and nine-figure title disputes involving large commercial real estate projects in the nation’s hottest construction and development markets.

Highly regarded among his colleagues, Marc has received a peer-rating of AV Preeminent, the highest possible rating, from Martindale-Hubbell, as well as an AV Preeminent rating from the Martindale-Hubbell Judicial Edition, which reflects the opinions of members of the bar and judiciary. Consistently recognized for his commercial litigation experience by Best Lawyers in America and Super Lawyers (in both Upstate and Metro New York), in 2019 Marc received Business Journal’s Influencers: Law distinction, reserved for the top 100 most influential lawyers in the country.

Marc currently serves as president of the University at Buffalo Law School Alumni Association Board of Directors. He is also actively involved in a number of civic organizations, and is the current treasurer for the Va’ad HaKashrut of Buffalo as well as a committeeman for the Town of Amherst Republican Committee.

While pursuing his J.D. at the State University of New York at Buffalo Law School, Marc clerked at the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of New York, as well as with the Hon. William M. Skretny, U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York. He also interned for the school’s Institute for Local Governance and Regional Growth to develop the first progress report of its State of the Region Project.

Honors & Awards

The Best Lawyers in America, Litigation - Insurance, 2019-20

Top Rated Lawyer in Insurance Law, 2016-17, Construction, 2018, and Litigation, 2014, 2019-20, American Lawyer Media and Martindale-Hubbell

The Business Journals’ Influencers: Law, 2019

Upstate New York Super Lawyers, 2014-19, Rising Stars, 2013

New York Metro Super Lawyers, 2019

State University of New York at Buffalo Law School Alumni Association GOLD Group Honoree, 2017

Martindale-Hubbell Judicial and Peer Review Rating: AV Preeminent

Business First’s Legal Elite of Western New York (Commercial Litigation), 2014

40 Under Forty Award, Business First, 2012

Up & Coming Attorney, The Daily Record, 2007

New York State Bar Association Empire State Counsel, 2006

Community Involvement

•State University of New York at Buffalo Law School Alumni Association
•Dean’s Advisory Counsel, 2019-present
•President, 2018-19
•Executive Committee Member, 2014-15 and 2017-19
•President-Elect, 2017-18
•Treasurer, 2012-13 and 2015-16
•Vice President 2013-15
•Board of Directors Member, 2008-15
•Assistant Treasurer, 2011-12
•Assistant Secretary 2016-17
•Oral History Project Committee Co-Chairman, 2009-13
•Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD) Group President, 2006-07
•GOLD Group Board of Directors Member, 2001-08
•State University of New York at Binghamton, Harpur College
•National Law Advisory Council Steering Committee, 2002 to present
•Judaic Studies Advisory Council Steering Committee, 2011-13
•Adjunct Instructor, 2010, 2012-15
•Kadimah School of Buffalo: Board of Trustees Member, 2009-15; Co-President, 2012-15
•Committeeman, Town of Amherst Republican Committee, 2008 to present
•Treasurer, Va’ad HaKashrut of Buffalo, 2009 to present

Publications & Events

Publications

•Featured in “Don’t Sweat It: Attorneys Make Wellness Part of their Busy Routines, ” Buffalo Business First/Buffalo Law Journal, January 4, 2020
•“Marc Brown Selected to National List of Influential Attorneys, ” Buffalo Business First, July 8, 2019
•Profiled in “ Finding His Niche: Goldberg Segalla’s Marc Brown Chairs American Bar Association Committee, ” Buffalo Business First, March 4, 2019
•“Better Be Safe Than Sorry in Purchasing an Owner’s Title Insurance Policy, ” ABA-TIPS Title Insurance Litigation Committee Newsletter, Fall 2017
•“Title Insurance - A Must-Buy in Real Estate Transactions, ” Buffalo Business First, November 15, 2017
•“Why a Plaintiff’s Bankruptcy History is Important ” (Co-Author), Law360, September 1, 2016
•Quoted in “ 5 Tips for Handling a Deposition, ” REALTOR Mag, July 2016
•“Conflicts in Title Insurance - What Is the Best Approach? ” American Bar Association Title Insurance Litigation Committee Newsletter, Spring 2015
•Featured in “ Water Authority Commish Fuzzy on Settlement, ” WGRZ-TV, March 12, 2015
•Quoted in “ Former Amherst Highway Chief Settles Sick Time and Vacation Pay Dispute With Town, ” Buffalo News, March 11, 2015
•Quoted in “Agreement Sought in Case of Unused Sick, Vacation Time,” Amherst Bee, December 10, 2014
•Featured in “ Realtor Representation, ” You and the Law, WBFO 88.7, September 5, 2014
•Quoted in “ Why Real-Estate Agents Should Consider Insurance, ” Wall Street Journal, September 4, 2014
•Guest on “ Property Paperwork, ” You and the Law, WBFO 88.7 FM, August 2, 2013
•Featured in “ Five Questions With Marc Brown, ” Buffalo Law Journal, May 28, 2013
•“Attorney Affirmation Opposing Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment in Action for Determination that Plaintiff is Lawful Owner of Real Property Based on Adverse Possession and Entitled to Remove Fence Erected by Defendant” (Contributing Author), Bender’s Forms for the Civil Practice, 2009
•“Client Affidavit Opposing Defendant’s Motion for Summary Judgment in Action for Determination that Plaintiff is Lawful Owner of Real Property Based on Adverse Possession and Entitled to Remove Fence Erected by Defendant” (Contributing Author), Bender’s Forms for the Civil Practice, 2009
•“Protecting Boards of Assessment Review When Dealing with Unresponsive Property Owners Who Challenge Their Assessments,” N.Y. Real Property Law Journal, Winter 2008
•“Tax Assessment Proceedings and the Role of the Board of Assessment Review,” NYSBA Journal, November 2007
•“Christmas Trees, Carols and Santa Claus: The Dichotomy of the First Amendment in the Public Schools and How the Implementation of a Religion Policy Affected a Community,” Journal of Law & Education, April 1999
•“The Effect of Free Trade, Privatization, and Democracy on the Human Rights Conditions of Minorities in Eastern Europe: A Case Study of the Gypsies in the Czech Republic and Hungary,” Buffalo Human Rights Law Review, 1998

Presentations

•“Liability for Property Inspectors and Agents/Brokers in Real Estate Transactions,” CE/CLE, Itasca, IL, April 10, 2019
•“A Proactive Approach to Avoiding Bad Faith Within the Title Insurance Arena” (Co-Presenter), American Bar Association Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section Annual Meeting, New York City, NY, August 11, 2017
•“Hard Money, Hard Claims - How Private Lending Complicates Professional Liability Claims,” E & O Insurance ExecuSummit, Uncasville, CT, June 20, 2017
•“Cool Connections, Hot Alumni,” Binghamton University, Binghamton, NY, March 7, 2016
•“Addressing Ethical and Conflict Situations in Title Insurance Litigation,” American Bar Association Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section Annual Meeting, Chicago, July 31, 2015
•“Title Law From Start to Finish,” National Business Institute, Buffalo, New York, March 5, 2015
•“Practice of Law, Civil Procedure, and Commercial Litigation,” Binghamton University Harpur Law Council, New York, NY, January 2015
•“The Importance of a Comprehensive Assessment Plan When Challenged by a Taxpayer’s CPLR Article 78 Proceeding,” Erie County Assessors’ Association Monthly Meeting, June 2014
•“A Primer for Litigating Cross-Border Insurance and Products Liability Disputes,” Toronto, Ontario, Canada, November 14, 2013
•“Mock Certiorari Trial,” New York State Assessors’ Association Annual Meeting, September 2011
•Thurgood Marshall Pre-Law Society and Phi Alpha Delta Pre-Law Fraternity Meeting, State University of New York at Binghamton, March 2011
•“Procedures Before the Boards of Assessment Review and Ultimate Dismissal of Complaints,” Erie County Assessors’ Association Monthly Meeting, March 2009
•“Soup to Nuts: From the Tax Assessment Complaint Submitted to the Board of Assessment Review to the Final Resolution of Tax Certiorari Proceedings,” New York State Assessors’ Association Annual Meeting, September 2007

Podcasts

•Contributor, “ Deed Forgery in Real Property Transactions, ” Timely Notice, December 3, 2019

Recent Insights

Court Rules for Mortgage Association in Property Dispute with Squatters

March 23, 2020

Marc W. Brown on How to Prioritize Fitness with a Busy Routine

January 10, 2020

Monroe County L.A. Fitness and Property Owner Win Real Estate Title Decision in New York State Supreme Court Appellate Division

November 12, 2019

36 Goldberg Segalla Attorneys Featured in 2019 New York Metro Super Lawyers

September 12, 2019

The Best Lawyers in America 2020 Names Thomas P. Bernier and Patrick B. Naylon Lawyers of the Year, Lists 37 Goldberg Segalla Attorneys Nationwide

August 15, 2019

Super Lawyers Honors Nearly Two-Thirds of Goldberg Segalla’s Upstate New York Attorneys

August 13, 2019