Prominent personal injury attorney Steve Barnes is dead, his longtime law partner at Cellino & Barnes confirmed Friday.
Barnes and his niece, Elizabeth Barnes, were killed in a small plane crash in Upstate New York, Ross Cellino Jr. said. Barnes, a registered pilot, was flying a single-engine Socata TBM 700 from Manchester, New Hampshire, to Buffalo when it crashed in the woods in Corfu, near Pembroke, N.Y., around 11:45 a.m. Friday.
Neighbors described the plane making a loud, whining noise, then dropping into a wooded area and exploding, according to Genesee County Sheriff William Sheron.
No other passengers were onboard the aircraft, owned by Barnes and registered with the FAA at an address that matches Cellino and Barnes‘ Western New York office.
Stephen Barnes and Ross Cellino Jr. operated a law firm for nearly three decades with offices in Buffalo, Rochester, New York City, Long Island, and California. Their catchy commercial jingle with the phone number 800-888-8888 (“Don’t Wait, Call 8”) was well known across New York state and inspired “Saturday Night Live” skits, other late-night TV jokes and an online “Cellino & Barnes Challenge.”
“His passing is a significant loss for the legal community,” Barnes’ law partner Ross Cellino said. “He was always a fearless advocate for his clients.”
“All of us at Cellino & Barnes are deeply saddened.”
Cellino and Barnes had battled in court in recent years, and officially split this summer to form two separate firms: Cellino Law and The Barnes Firm.
“It is with the heaviest of hearts that we acknowledge the loss of Steve Barnes and his niece Elizabeth Barnes following a tragic accident earlier today,” The Barnes Firm said in a statement. “Steve was a friend, colleague, partner, and mentor to so many people across our firm, in NewYork, California, and beyond. He was a legal industry giant, proud Marine, and loving father.
“Steve and Elizabeth will be sorely missed by many. Our utmost condolences go out to his family and closest loved ones during this very difficult and unfortunate time.”
Steve Barnes is survived by his longtime partner, fellow attorney Ellen Sturm, and three children, Josiah, Rachel, and Julia.
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating the cause of the crash. The Associated Press reports the NTSB is expected to release its initial report within seven to 10 days.
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