Michael Schiavone

Michael Schiavone has provided legal guidance to businesses for 30 years. He concentrates his practice in the areas of business law, commercial real estate, and estate planning.

Mr. Schiavone is experienced in regularly counseling clients in a wide array of legal matters, including:

•Commercial lending and financial transactions
•Mergers and acquisitions
•Corporate, partnership, and limited liability matters
•Business formation
•Business succession planning
•Contract negotiation and dispute resolution
•Tax planning for businesses and their owners
•Commercial real estate financing and development
•Estate planning
•Sports law

Mr. Schiavone’s clients come from a wide range of industries, including banks and financial institutions, hotel and hospitality chains, franchises, health care, manufacturing and distribution companies, and professional sports teams.

Mr. Schiavone is chairman of the firm’s Business and Corporate Practice Area and a member of the firm’s Management Committee. He is fluent in Italian.

Awards and Recognitions

The Best Lawyers in America
Named to Best Lawyers in America from 2007 to 2026; recognized for Corporate Law, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships), Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Real Estate Law, and Tax Law

Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” 2020
Named Best Lawyers’ 2020 Buffalo “Lawyer of the Year” for Tax Law

Super Lawyers Cover Story
Featured as the subject of Upstate New York Super Lawyers 2013 annual magazine’s cover story.

Client Champion Award from Martindale-Hubbell
Recognizes attorneys who demonstrate a commitment to delivering excellent client service based on the quantity and quality of their client reviews on the Martindale-Hubbell website

Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” 2024
Named Best Lawyers’ 2024 Buffalo “Lawyer of the Year” for Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships)

Super Lawyers
Named to Upstate New York Super Lawyers for Business & Corporate and Sports Law from 2007 to 2025; no more than 5 percent of attorneys in any state are named to this publication

Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Peer Review Rating
The highest peer rating standard. This rating signifies that a large number of the lawyer’s peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional excellence for their legal knowledge, communication skills and ethical standards.

Who’s Who in Law
Named to the final 2012 issue of Business First/Buffalo Law Journal‘s “Who’s Who in Law” for Business & Corporate

Legal Elite of Western New York
Named to Business First/Buffalo Law Journal ‘s Legal Elite of Western New York

In the News

Fast-Food Franchise Owners May Sue Over Recommended Wage Hike, legal analysis for WGRZ

Mr. Schiavone co-authors article for Buffalo Law Journal on the new Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) governing commercial electronic messages

Super Lawyers Magazine featured Mr. Schiavone as their cover story, profiling his career and experience, in their 2013 New York, Upstate Edition

Mr. Schiavone Provides Legal Insight For The Buffalo Law Journal on General Mills Legal Terms Controversy

The Jamestown Post-Journal reports on Mr. Schiavone receiving the Fredonia College Foundation’s highest honor, the Distinguished Service Award

Business First features Mr. Schiavone in a profile detailing his leadership at Lipsitz Green Scime Cambria and his brother’s leadership at a local accounting firm

Business First reports on Nemo Development construction initiative, including comment from Mr. Schiavone

Representative Clients & Matters

•Counsel to Buffalo Bills in connection with game day stadium operations, lease negotiations, sponsorship matters, intellectual property issues and employment matters
•Represent clients in the hospitality industry in a multitude of legal matters including all aspects of construction and development, financing, franchise matters, purchases and sales
•Advise automobile dealers in franchise and financing matters, including purchases and sales of dealerships
•Counsel to several manufacturing and distribution companies; advising on matters including supply/distribution agreements, confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements
•Counsel to several closely held family businesses; advising on numerous matters including facilitation of business succession planning and intergenerational transfers
•Represent businesses in all facets of mergers and acquisitions
•Assist corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies in connection with the preparation of shareholder’s agreements, partnership agreements and operating agreements
•Advise clients in connection with all aspects of business formation, operations and disposition: including related tax matters
•Represent clients in connection with zoning and site plan approval as well as financing for construction projects, which include new home subdivision approval, office buildings, hotels, retail operations and medical facilities