Michael J. Willett

Practice Area

Mr. Willett’s practice focuses on the handling of appeals and has handled more than 140 appeals in both the state and federal appellate courts.  Mr. Willett’s appeals practice has included such matters as legal, medical and other professional malpractice, toxic torts and other environmental issues, general negligence, product liability, estates matters, matrimonial matters, commercial matters, defamation, employment matters, including issues arising from a municipal wage freeze, insurance coverage questions, and construction disputes.

Mr. Willett also handles a wide variety of other litigation-related matters, including insurance coverage disputes, plaintiff’s personal injury litigation, an extensive defense litigation practice and litigation arising from the False Claims Act.

Education/Experience

Mr. Willett is a graduate of Trinity College and received his Juris Doctor from St. John’s Law School.

Mr. Willett is admitted to practice in the State of New York, the United States District Court for the Western and Northern Districts of New York, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.  

He is a member of the New York State Bar Association and the Bar Association of Erie County.

Mr. Willett is a Fellow of the Litigation Counsel of America, The Trial Lawyer Honorary Society, and a member of the Trial Law Institute and Diversity Law Institute. 

Prior to joining Gibson, McAskill & Crosby, Mr. Willett was a partner at the former Damon Morey law firm for more than twenty years.  

Previous to that, he was a confidential law assistant at the Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department.  His responsibilities included preparing legal memoranda regarding issues before the Court and drafting appellate court opinions.

Mr. Willett has been selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America, 2016, in the fields of Insurance Law and Product Liability Litigation – Defendants.

 Mr. Willett has consistently been recognized by New York SuperLawyers, Upstate New York edition since 2008, for his work in Appellate Practice.  

He has also been named by Business First of Buffalo “Legal Elite” list for 2015, 2016 and 2017 and the “Who’s Who in Law” List in 2007 and 2010.