The Utica, New York law firm of Saunders Kahler, L.L.P. and its predecessor firms have been engaged in the general practice of law for over 100 years. Our clients include large and small businesses, municipalities, financial institutions, educational institutions or their foundations, school districts, not-for-profit corporations, including local development corporations, and individuals.  

We are a small firm which operates in a geographic area where the business and government leaders know one another and the community is close. We pride ourselves on the personal attention we give to client matters as well as our ability to deliver prompt, high quality legal services at a competitive cost. Generally, we do not “staff out” legal matters to paralegals or support personnel. Instead, the attorneys within our firm who have been assigned to handle a particular client matter do so personally. We feel that it is especially important to know our clients, understand their business needs and to always be readily accessible to them.

Saunders Kahler, L.L.P., has had a variety of names over the past several decades reflecting it’s prestigious partners, including: Abelove, Siegel & Abelove; Coupe, Siegel, Hester, Stephens & Kahler and the more recent Saunders, Kahler, Amoroso & Locke, L.L.P. J. Leo Coupe passed away in 1995. Former partner Norman I. Siegel was appointed as a Judge to the New York State Court of Claims in 2000. Former partner Samuel D. Hester was elected as a Justice to the New York State Supreme Court in 2002. James H. Gilroy, Jr., who was of counsel to the firm for over ten years, passed away in November 2008.

At present, our firm consists of five (5) actively practicing attorneys: Partners Joseph E. Saunders, Camille T. Kahler, Merritt S. Locke, Gregory J. Amoroso and James S. Rizzo.

Saunders Kahler’s services include business and corporate formation, municipal, educational and employment law issues, complex commercial transactions, title examination and real estate, contracts and wills and estate matters.  We also handle various administrative proceedings as well as state and federal court litigation.