Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP

Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP is a full-service law firm that has been part of the Western New York legal landscape since 1852. The firm traces its origins to two separate Rochester practices — those of William H. Bowman and Soloman Wile — whose successor firms merged in 1965 to form the organization that exists today. Headquartered in downtown Rochester, NY, at 1900 Bausch & Lomb Place (inside Legacy Tower), Woods Oviatt Gilman also maintains offices in Buffalo and Albany. The firm operates under the tagline "The art of representing people" and is a member of Meritas, a global alliance of independent law firms.

Woods Oviatt Gilman organizes its work across eight core practice groups:

• Business and Finance
• Creditor Rights and Financial Recovery
• Elder Law, Long-Term Health Care, and Medicaid Planning
• Employment Law
• Family Wealth and Estate Planning
• Intellectual Property
• Litigation
• Real Estate and Finance

The firm's client base spans publicly traded corporations, financial institutions, family-owned businesses, technology companies, real estate developers, educational institutions, charitable organizations, and private individuals. Cross-disciplinary teams are assembled across practice groups depending on the matter, allowing the firm to handle transactions and disputes that cut across multiple legal areas.

Woods Oviatt Gilman has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers as a "Best Law Firm." With more than 170 years of continuous operation in Rochester, the firm is one of the longer-running legal practices in the region. Its estate planning group produces a podcast series covering topics such as will contests, probate, digital legacy planning, and Medicaid applications — reflecting a particular depth in that practice area. The firm's membership in Meritas connects it to a network of independent firms across multiple countries, extending its reach beyond Upstate New York.

The Rochester headquarters occupies space in Legacy Tower at 1900 Bausch & Lomb Place, a 20-story post-modern skyscraper that stands as one of downtown Rochester's tallest buildings. The firm's reception is on the 19th floor. Legacy Tower sits in the center of Rochester's downtown business district, within walking distance of the Genesee River and the city's convention and performing arts corridor. Free client parking is available on Level A of the adjacent Midtown Garage. The 14604 ZIP code places the office squarely in the civic and commercial core of the city.