Brenna, Brenna and Boyce, PLCC We the People

Services

Brenna, Brenna & Boyce concentrates its practice in a few major areas of law.

Catastrophic Injury and Wrongful Death Litigation

Brenna, Brenna & Boyce proudly represents Plaintiffs in Litigation Matters, as it has for decades. Individuals who have been injured, or otherwise suffered harm, can rely on us to assist them in seeking justice, and retribution, for any wrong thrust upon them. Individual personal and property rights are of paramount importance in this country, and Brenna, Brenna & Boyce strives to assist its clients diligently, in its efforts to preserve and protect these rights.

Estate Planning

In its Estate Planning practice, Brenna, Brenna & Boyce works with clients in preparing Wills, Health Care Proxies, Living Wills, Powers of Attorney, and/or Living Trusts, in order to help clients better manage or dispose of their assets, both during their lifetimes and after. We take a holistic approach, considering not only their assets, but also the dynamics of the entire family involved, to ensure that the client’s interests and needs are met. Whether their concerns are about whom to leave certain assets, or to try to avoid or minimize Estate Taxes, or even in planning for the protection of assets in the event of a catastrophic illness, the firm endeavors to use its knowledge and compassion, to provide their clients with peace of mind that accompanies knowing that their Estate Planning needs have been met.

Military Law

Our Military Law practice handles cases worldwide in the areas of military courts-marital, appeals and post-conviction relief.  We also handle all administrative actions from Article 15's (Captain’s Mast), administrative separations (chapters), officer misconduct issues, security clearance cases, flying evaluation boards, Cadet / Midshipmen misconduct matters, discharge upgrades, Boards for Correction of Military Records, administrative investigations, claims, conscientious objector cases, re-enlistment issues, officer resignations, etc.

As a service to the Bar, we offer professional consultations, research assistance or “of counsel” services in numerous areas of military law relevant to civilian practice.  This includes such areas as obtaining and interpreting military records, service-of-process issues pertaining to members of the military and their families, State and federal sentencing issues pertaining to a client’s past military service, Federal Tort Claims Act and Military Claims Act issues involving active duty, Reserve and National Guard members, opinions and advice on the impact of civilian convictions on members of the military, Reservists and National Guard members, security clearance issues for civilian employers and employees, and issues under National Security Law pertaining to classification or declassification of government information.

 

News from Brenna, Brenna & Boyce, PLLC

Rochester attorney Donald G. Rehkopf, Jr. of the law firm of Brenna, Brenna & Boyce has been appointed as a member of the National Security committee of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. The appointment was announced by incoming president James Lavine at the organization's annual meeting held last week in Toronto, Canada.

 Mr. Rehkopf served in the Judge Advocate Generals Department and was on active duty with the Air Force from 1976 to 1981. He retired from the JAG Corps Reserve as a Lieutenant Colonel. Mr. Rehkopf is the Co-Chair of the Military Law Committee of the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers [NACDL]; a former Vice-President of the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers [NYSACDL] and is currently a Director.  He was an amicus curiae party as one of the “Experts of the Law of War” at the Supreme Court in Hamdi v. Rumsfeld, 124 S.Ct. 2633 (2004), while simultaneously representing another amicus curiae, People to Enforce the Geneva Conventions. In 2004 he was the recipient of the Hon. Thurgood Marshall Outstanding Practitioner of the Year award on behalf of the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. In 2009 he was named one of the Leaders in Law Award recipients sponsored by The Daily Record newspaper.  He received the NACDL’s Presidential Commendation award at its 2010 meeting in Toronto for his work on National Security and military law issues.

Mr. Rehkopf’s practice presently concentrates on criminal defense and military law issues. He is a frequent national lecturer on the subjects of military justice, criminal law, criminal trial techniques, and professional ethics.  He is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States; the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces; and in the State of New York.  He has tried over 225 cases to a verdict and argued countless appeals.

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Attorney Donald Rehkopf, Jr. wrote recently in the Daily Record about a convicted Rochester man released after DNA clears him of charges he had confessed to at the time.

May 25, 2010:

The recent exoneration of Frank Sterling by DNA evidence demonstrates two things: On one hand, the power of forensic science, and the abject failure of our criminal justice system in
dealing with police-induced confessions, on the other.


Sterling’s confession not only was demonstrably false —
proven so by DNA evidence — but also exhibited all of the classic
warning signs from the beginning that it, in fact, was false.
So, how and why did so many courts get it wrong for so many
years?


One must wonder in cases when there is no DNA evidence (the
vast majority) how many others have falsely confessed and were
wrongfully convicted. Social scientists have concluded that most
wrongful convictions, such as Sterling’s, are a result of incorrect
eyewitness identifications; shoddy, or fraudulent, forensic science; informant testimony or false confessions.


I don’t intend here to point my finger of blame in any particular direction regarding Sterling’s belated exoneration, but rather to re-examine how lawyers in the criminal justice system, prosecutors, defense counsel and judges, perceive and deal with police-induced confessions.

To read the entire article click here: "Cops, courts and (false) confessions"


Rochester, NY

Shelly Boyce

Sheldon W. Boyce, partner in the Rochester Law Firm of Brenna, Brenna & Boyce, has been honored by the New York State Bar Association.  Mr. Boyce is being recognized as an Empire State Counsel for this outstanding pro-bono service during the past year.  The honor is a highlight of the NYSBA’s Annual meeting being held in New York City January 25th through the 29th.  In acknowledging the award, Mr. Boyce stated, “that equal justice under the law means nothing without adequate representation.  The only way attorneys can completely fulfill their oath of office is to provide legal services to those who cannot afford them.” 

The Empire State Counsel program, which began in 2006 and was expanded in 2007, is sponsored statewide by the New York State Bar Association which itself was founded in 1876.  The association honors those lawyers who devoted at least 50 hours to helping the underserved communities the previous year.  Mr. Boyce’s selection was announced locally by Linda J. Kostin, Esq. who is the Pro Bono Coordinator for the Seventh Judicial District for the Volunteer Legal Services Project located in the Telesca Center for Justice, One West Main Street, in Rochester.

 

 

 

Listen to the Brenna and Brenna Law Forum, Sunday mornings at 8:00 on WHAM Radio and WHAM1180.com

 
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