Andrew M. Debbins

Biography

Andrew earned his J.D. from New York University School of Law, where he graduated magna cum laude. He now focuses his practice on commercial litigation, federal court practice, class actions, torts and personal injury both at trial and the appellate level. Andy was the second chair attorney on the trial team that achieved one of the top fifty bench awards in the nation in 2020.

While in law school, Andy served as a competitor and coach for NYU’s Moot Court Board and as a research and teaching assistant in criminal and administrative law. He also competed in NYU’s Marden Oral Advocacy Competition and participated in its Environmental Law Clinic, where he assisted the Natural Resources Defense Council in environmental impact litigation. Before finishing his third year of law school, Andy joined The Order of the Coif and was designated a Florence Allen Scholar. Before attending law school, Andy worked at several mobile advertising technology startups in New York City.

After graduation, Andy served a one-year term as a confidential law clerk to the Honorable Lawrence J. Vilardo of the United States District Court for the Western District of New York. He now serves as a member of the Local Rules Committee for the United States District Court for the Western District of New York and the New York State Bar Association Committee on Courts of Appellate Jurisdiction.

Education

• New York University School of Law, New York, New York

Honors: magna cum laude, Order of the Coif, Vanderbilt Scholar, Florence Allen Scholar

• University of Rochester

Honors: summa cum laude

Fraternities or Sororities

• Sigma Phi Epsilon

Bar Admission

• New York
• United States District Court for the Western District of New York
• United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
• United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

Honors

• Eagle Scout
• Nationwide Top 50 Bench Awards of 2020
• Super Lawyers 2023–25 Upstate New York Rising Star, Business Litigation

Professional Associations

• Erie County Bar Association
• Erie County Bar Association, Appellate Practice Committee
• Erie County Bar Association, Negligence Committee
• New York State Bar Association
• New York State Bar Association Young Lawyers Section
• New York State Bar Association Commercial and Federal Litigation Section
• New York State Bar Association Committee on Courts of Appellate Jurisdiction

Representative Cases

• • Obtained a top-50 highest bench award in 2020 on behalf of injured veteran. See Culhane v. United States, No. 17-CV-005, 2020 WL 7692766 (W.D.N.Y. 2020).

• • Represent the victims of the May 14, 2022 racist mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, against the firearm industry and social media companies. See, e.g., Salter v. Meta Platforms, Inc., 240 A.D.3d 1378, 2025 WL 2092187, 2025 N.Y. Slip Op. 04384 (July 25, 2025).

• • Obtained pre-trial settlements at or near $1 million dollar limits of insurance coverage in multiple personal injury actions, including for out-of-state wrongful death involving commercial trucking company, for Supplemental Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist coverage, and for ride-share insurer’s breach of the duty of good faith and fair dealing. See, e.g., Jonathan B. Wile v. James River Insurance Company, No. 17-CV-01275, 2022 WL 309953 (W.D.N.Y. Feb. 2, 2022).

• • Municipal law experience litigating both on behalf of or against governments, including obtaining Article 78 judgment in municipal budget dispute, see Hon. Christoper P. Scanlon et al. v. Barbara Miller-Williams, Erie County Index No. 815301/2025, as well as land use disputes and personal injury claims arising from negligence in traffic design or maintenance.

• • Represent individuals and closely-held companies in commercial disputes, including disputes concerning control of private companies or for breach of oral partnership agreements. See Joseph Anderson et al. v. Ryan Rich, et al., Erie County Index No. 816561/2023; Kavanaugh v. Consumers Beverages, Inc., et al., Erie Country Index No. 806587/2022; Agricultural Development Services LLC v. Ryan P. Rich, et al., Monroe County Index No. E2019008635.

• • Represent individuals and closely-held companies in investigations by New York Attorney General and federal agencies as well as in ensuing litigation. See Bureau of Consumer Financial Protection v. JPL Recovery Solutions, LLC, et al., No. 20-CV-1217 (Western District of New York); Consumer Financial Protection Bureau v. Stratfs, LLC, No. 24-cv-00040 (Western District of New York).

• Class action experience representing putative and certified classes of plaintiffs as well as successfully defending putative class actions, including claims under the FDCPA and Sherman Antitrust Act.  See In re Fischer Price Rock ‘n Play Sleeper Litig., No. 19-md-02903 (Western District of New York); Bigelow v. Mattel, Inc., No. 24-cv-00992 (Western District of New York); Vaccaro v. Chiari & Ilecki, LLP, 470 F.Supp.3d 305 (W.D.N.Y. 2020); Miami Prods. & Chem. Co. v. Olin Corp., No. 19-CV-385, 2023 WL 8946114 (W.D.N.Y. 2023).

Pro-Bono Activities

• Western District of New York Local Rules Committee, March 2020 – Present

Current Employment Position

• Associate

Clerkships

• Honorable Lawrence J. Vilardo of the United States District Court for the Western District of New York, Confidential Law Clerk