
Aaron M. Saykin
Practices & Industries
Admissions
- New York
Education
University of Massachusetts Amherst, B.A., summa cum laude
University at Buffalo School of Law, J.D., magna cum laude
Aaron is the leader of the firm's Media & First Amendment Practice Area, helping clients navigate issues such defamation, licensing, press relations, and related issues including New York’s Open Meetings Law and Freedom of Information Law. He draws from a wealth of media experience, having spent 13 years as an investigative television reporter in Pittsburgh, Buffalo, and Wilmington, North Carolina, before becoming a lawyer.
As part of his growing media law practice, Aaron has helped numerous businesses and individual clients with reputational defense matters, including responding to false and defamatory comments in online interviews, posts and publications. He advises media clients with pre-publication reviews of articles and videos, and assists them in responding to subpoenas for their materials. Aaron also regularly helps clients respond to press inquiries, particularly for sensitive issues.
Aaron also has extensive experience assisting clients with complex commercial matters and disputes. He has represented private and public sector clients engaged in some of the region’s most significant construction disputes, state-permitted energy projects, and False Claims Act cases. He represents both developers and host communities as their trusted counsel.
In 2021, Aaron obtained a jury verdict in excess of $1 million for his client in a commercial dispute—even though his client was the defendant in that case. The jury rejected the plaintiff’s claims and instead found in favor of his client’s counterclaim.
Honors
- Listed, Best Lawyers in America (Commercial Litigation) 2023 - 2024
- Listed, Best Lawyers in America Ones to Watch (Commercial Litigation, Construction Law, Litigation - Construction, Litigation - Environmental) 2022
- Listed, Upstate New York Super Lawyers Rising Stars (Business Litigation) 2017 - 2023
- Listed, Buffalo Business First/Buffalo Law Journal's Legal Elite of Western New York, Rising Star, 2018
- Max Koren Award (most outstanding member of University at Buffalo School of Law class of 2013)
- David Kochery Leadership & Service Award, 2013
- James M. Kieffer Trial Excellence Award, 2013
- Robert J. Connelly Trial Technique Award, 2012
- Best Advocate of the 2012 Buffalo-Niagara Mock Trial Competition
- Former member, Buffalo Law Review editorial board
In the News
- WIVB, March 23, 2021
- Buffalo Business First, September 25, 2020
- Buffalo Business First, June 29, 2018
- Rochester City Newspaper, March 14, 2018
Press Releases
- August 23, 2023
- August 17, 2023
- Hodgson Russ Press Release, August 23, 2022
- Hodgson Russ Press Release, August 19, 2022
- Hodgson Russ Press Release, December 16, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Press Release, August 20, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Press Release, August 19, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Press Release, September 15, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Press Release, September 8, 2020
- Press Release, August 12, 2019
- Press Release, January 8, 2019
- Press Release, September 24, 2018
- Press Release, August 20, 2018
- Press Release, September 6, 2017
- Press Release, February 7, 2014
Publications
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert , August 8, 2023
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert , December 14, 2022
- Hodgson Russ Municipal Alert, November 28, 2022
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, September 12, 2022
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy and Real Estate Alert , June 21, 2022
- Hodgson Russ Municipal Alert, May 16, 2022
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy & Municipal Alert, May 3, 2022
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy and Municipal Alert, April 29, 2022
- Hodgson Russ Municipal and Education Alert, April 19, 2022
- Hodgson Russ Environmental Alert, March 22, 2022
- New York Law Journal, February 14, 2022
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, February 3, 2022
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, January 19, 2022
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, November 30, 2021
- Hodgson Russ SALT and Renewable Energy Alert, November 15, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, November 9, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Environmental Alert, November 5, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Environmental Alert, November 2, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Municipal Alert, October 29, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Environmental Alert, October 20, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, September 14, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, September 8, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, August 3, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, August 2, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Media & First Amendment Alert, July 22, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Education and Media & First Amendment Alert, June 23, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Media and First Amendment Alert, June 21, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Media and First Amendment Alert, May 14, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Media and First Amendment Alert, April 20, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, April 19, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, April 7, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, April 6, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Media and First Amendment Alert, March 29, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Environmental and Renewable Energy Alert, March 24, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Media and First Amendment Alert, March 22, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, March 4, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Media and First Amendment Alert, March 3, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Media and First Amendment Alert, February 24, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, January 13, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Media & First Amendment Alert, January 12, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Media & First Amendment Alert, January 7, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, January 6, 2021
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, December 17, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, December 1, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, November 23, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, October 28, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, October 23, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, October 21, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, October 19, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, October 16, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, September 22, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, September 17, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, September 10, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Environmental and Renewable Energy Alert, August 20, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Environmental Alert, August 12, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Municipal and Education Alert, August 7, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, August 6, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Environmental Alert, August 6, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Environmental Alert, July 28, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, July 28, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, July 24, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, July 20, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Media & First Amendment Alert, July 9, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Environmental Alert, July 1, 2020
- BLR's New York Employment Law Letter, July 1, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Brownfield Redevelopment Alert, June 29, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Business Litigation Alert, June 23, 2020
- Municipalities Hit with Deluge of FOIL Requests After Repeal of Section 50-a of the Civil Rights LawHodgson Russ Municipal Alert, June 22, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Business Litigation and Bankruptcy & Restructuring Alert, June 22, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, June 19, 2020
- Hodgson Russ OSHA Alert, June 15, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, June 12, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, June 9, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Media & First Amendment Alert, June 9, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, June 3, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, June 2, 2020
- Hodgson Russ OSHA Alert, June 1, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Class Action Litigation Alert, May 29, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, May 26, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Business Litigation Alert, May 22, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, May 20, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy and Construction Alert, May 15, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, May 15, 2020
- Hodgson Russ OSHA and Business Litigation Alert, May 13, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, May 6, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Municipal Alert, May 5, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Environmental Alert, April 27, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, April 27, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, April 23, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Media & First Amendment Alert, April 22, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Business Litigation Alert, April 22, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, April 21, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Media & First Amendment Alert, April 20, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, April 20, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, April 16, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Business Litigation Alert, April 15, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Municipal Alert, April 14, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Municipal Alert, April 10, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Construction Alert, April 9, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, April 9, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Business Litigation Alert, April 9, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Education, Municipal & Public Finance Alert, April 8, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Renewable Energy Alert, April 3, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Public Finance Alert, April 1, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Municipal Alert, March 30, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Construction Alert , March 27, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Media & First Amendment Alert, March 25, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Municipal Alert, March 17, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Municipal Alert, March 16, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Municipal Alert, January 6, 2020
- Hodgson Russ Municipal and Education Alert, October 21, 2019
- Hodgson Russ Media Law & First Amendment Alert, June 5, 2019
- Hodgson Russ Media Law & First Amendment Alert, May 30, 2019
- Hodgson Russ Municipal Law Alert, May 22, 2019
- Hodgson Russ Media Law & First Amendment Alert, May 3, 2019
- Hodgson Russ Media Law & First Amendment Alert, March 26, 2019
- Media Law & First Amendment Alert, February 28, 2019
- Municipal Law Alert, February 27, 2019
- Media Law & First Amendment Alert, February 7, 2019
- Media Law & First Amendment Alert, November 19, 2018
- Media Law & First Amendment Alert, November 5, 2018
- Media Law & First Amendment Alert, August 27, 2018
- Media Law & First Amendment Alert, August 8, 2018
- Municipal Law Alert, July 26, 2018
- Media Law & First Amendment Alert, June 18, 2018
- Media Law & First Amendment Alert, April 13, 2018
- Media Law & First Amendment Alert, March 5, 2018
Blog Posts
- Supreme Court May Hear Another False Claims Act Case The Whistleblower Blog, October 17, 2016
- Showdown Looming Over Whether Whistleblowers Can Use “Statistical Sampling” To Prove Fraud Claims And Increase Damages Award The Whistleblower Blog, April 6, 2016
Thought Leaders in Law and Business Podcast
Presentations & Events
- June 8-9, 2021
- Buffalo Grand Hotel & Events Center, March 10, 2020
- Millennium Hotel, 2040 Walden Avenue, Buffalo NY 14225, January 17, 2020
- December 6, 2019
- The Offices of Hodgson Russ, 140 Pearl Street, Buffalo, NY 14202, October 23, 2019
- Millennium Hotel, 2040 Walden Avenue, Cheektowaga, NY, June 13, 2019
- Millennium Hotel, 2040 Walden Avenue, Cheektowaga, NY 14225, May 16, 2019
- May 14, 2019
- Offices of Hodgson Russ, June 28, 2018
- Millennium Hotel, 2040 Walden Avenue, Cheektowaga, NY 14225, May 17, 2018
- Winery and Vineyard Law CLE: Ethics Issues Representing ClientsBuffalo, NY, June 22, 2017
- Removal, Transfer, and Forum Selection Clauses: An Overview in Light of New Supreme Court PrecedentBuffalo, NY, April 2014
- Media Training for the Western New York Chapter of the Women's Bar Association of New YorkBuffalo, NY, May 15, 2013
Professional Associations
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American Bar Association
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New York State Bar Association
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Bar Association of Erie County
- Former executive board member, University at Buffalo School of Law Student Bar Association
Community & Pro Bono
- Member, Dean's Advisory Council: University at Buffalo School of Law
- Chairman, Erie County Audit Committee: 2016-Present
- Member, Board of Directors: Western New York Deaf Access Services
- President, Board of Directors: University at Buffalo School of Law Graduates of the Last Decade (GOLD) Group - 2018