Welcome
Firm Profile
Located in Ithaca, New York, Schlather, Geldenhuys, Stumbar & Salk is a general practice law firm including seven attorneys and a professional support staff, serving clients throughout New York State with a primary emphasis on the Finger Lakes Region. (See individual attorneys’ profiles for jurisdictions in which they are licensed to practice.)
History
The firm was founded by Michael LoPinto in the late 1940’s. “Mike,” as everyone called him, earned a well-deserved reputation as a seasoned litigator who was always fair and reasonable, but equally unswerving in protecting his clients. Hard-nosed, insightful, and unstinting, Mike was soon recognized throughout the region, particularly for his work in criminal defense and matrimonial cases.
In 1976, Ray Schlather joined the firm directly out of law school, having clerked for Mr. LoPinto during Ray’s final two years at Cornell. Together, over the next decade, Mike and Ray expanded the firm’s reach and scope of practice to include an extensive civil trial practice with four attorneys.
Following Mike’s death in 1987, Ray was joined by Mark Solomon, and a year later by Jim Salk, with then-Assemblyman Marty Luster “of counsel.” For eighteen years, the firm was known as LoPinto, Schlather, Solomon & Salk. In 2006, Mariette Geldenhuys merged her law office with the firm, bringing with her an extensive and respected practice in collaborative family law and transactional law. At this time, the firm changed its name to LoPinto, Schlather, Geldenhuys & Salk.
In 2007, Rich Stumbar joined the firm, and the firm assumed its present profile.
Three Principal Goals
- The firm is dedicated to serving three principal goals:
-
- 1. Performance
- It is not enough to know how to do the job. We seek solutions and results for our clients that are nothing less than the best that is reasonably attainable.
- 2. Professionalism
- We recognize that practicing law is a great privilege. Accordingly, we readily embrace our obligations to clients in matters of performance, ethics and confidence, and we are steadfast in discharging our duties to the legal profession and to the law itself.
- 3. Values
- Second only to our loyalty to our clients, we hold dear the values of equality, justice, freedom and democracy incorporated in the fundamental laws of this State and nation. We are committed to the preservation of the freedoms described in the Bill of Rights. We serve our clients in the belief that to do so is to also serve those values which make possible a working legal system. To that end, we are committed to ensuring access to the courts for all people with meritorious claims, regardless of means.
Our Reputation
We know our clients rely on us. We are always cognizant that we are entrusted with tasks and information of the greatest significance to those we serve. In order to justify that trust, we recognize the importance of maintaining and building upon our reputation in the legal community and in the State as a law firm properly to be trusted. We do what we say we will do. We do not do what we say we will not do. We are what we say we are.
The attorneys and staff at Schlather, Geldenhuys, Stumbar & Salk take extra time and effort to better understand the needs of our clients. All communications are handled promptly, discreetly and with the high priority they deserve. Put simply, we hold ourselves to one standard: do the job in a timely manner, with compassion and good spirit, and do it well. By doing so, we are confident that we improve our communities and best serve the needs of our clients in matters and times that are often very difficult for them.