Meet Our Attorneys

The experienced attorneys at DeToffol & Gittleman dedicate their practice to helping victims in New York City and beyond who have been hurt as a result of someone’s carelessness in workplace harassment disputes and personal injury cases using whatever adversarial and non-adversarial strategies necessary to accomplish the client’s objective most efficiently. By using both settlement negotiations and litigation techniques, wherever necessary, the team assists clients in achieving the best possible outcomes for themselves and their families while controlling their legal costs.

Martin Druyen

Special Counsel

Martin Druyen

Aggressive, detail oriented, energetic representation of client. Full litigation and trials on civil matters in the New York Supreme and Federal District courts. Appeals to the Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court and federal Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit.

World-wide representation of international musical recording artists in New York, Los Angeles, and London England, British Commonwealth and European Union, including management, recording, publishing, motion picture and Broadway stage production agreements, and royalty litigation.

REPRESENTATIVE CLIENTS: Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Stanely Kubrick, E.L.. Doctorow, Roy Cohen, Esq., Ace Paul Frehley, Kiss, Richard Price, Hal Lieberman Pres. Universal Studios, State Supreme Court Justice Hyman Korn, Bronx Surrogate/Councilman Bertram Gelfand.

General Counsel to American Federation State County Municipal Employees, AFSCME. District Council 37 AFSCME on all legal and political issues, and endorsements and campaigns / union interests / lobbying / representation, arbitration, court litigation and appeals, Article 78 proceedings in New York City, Albany N.Y. and Washington D.C., with presidential, senate, congressional, gubernatorial public candidates and elected officials.

Education:

  • Fordham Law School, Urban Law Journal Honors, 1974-77
  • Lehman College City University, History Scholarship Honors
  • BAR ADMISSIONS:
  • New York Bar, 1978
  • Florida Bar, 2016

Joshua Gittleman

Partner

Joshua Gittleman

Joshua Gittleman is a partner at DeToffol & Gittleman, representing individuals in workplace discrimination and personal injury cases. His practice includes handling a variety of personal injury, medical malpractice, wrongful termination, employment discrimination, and retaliation claims under federal, state, and local laws.

Mr. Gittleman holds degrees from St. John’s Law School and University at Buffalo, where he graduated cum laude with concentrations in Finance and Marketing.

Education:

  • St. John’s University School Of Law, J.D., 2018
  • University At Buffalo, B.A., 2015, cum laude

Court Admissions:

  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
  • New York State Court

David DeToffol

Principal Trial Attorney

David DeToffol

Founder and principal trial attorney at DeToffol & Gittleman represents individuals in workplace and personal injury cases. His large law firm, military defense industry, and Washington D.C. Department of Defense credentials and experience sharpened his knowledge and skill in human resource personnel and discrimination cases, and just as significantly for catastrophic injuries caused by construction, industrial, and advanced medical technology. He is a member of the following courts and organizations:

  • New York State Bar
  • United States District Court, Southern District of New York
  • United States District Court, Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
  • Association of the Bar of the City of New York
  • American Trial Lawyers Association (now American Association for Justice)
  • New York State Trial Lawyers Association
  • New York County Lawyers Association

Education:

  • St. John’s University Law School, J.D., 1994
  • Virginia Tech, B.S.M.E., 1987

James Lane

Of Counsel

James Lane

James Lane is of counsel in the practice area of legal research and writing, especially appeals. He began his legal career at the corporate firm of Rogers & Wells. As a plaintiff’s lawyer, he has worked at The Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Firm and in the Appeals Unit at Schneider, Kleinick, Weitz, Damashek & Shoot. He has argued numerous appeals before the Appellate Division, First Department; the Appellate Division, Second Department; and the Second Circuit Court of Appeals. He is a graduate of University of Massachusetts at Amherst (Phi Beta Kappa), and University of North Carolina School of Law (member, North Carolina Law Review). He is a member of the following courts and organizations:

  • New York State Bar
  • United States District Court, Southern District of New York
  • United States District Court, Eastern District of New York
  • Association of the Bar of the City of New York

Rachel Knox

Managing Paralegal

Rachel Knox

Rachel Knox is a St. John’s University alumni and an accomplished Managing Paralegal with years of experience in the legal industry. With a strong background in handling medical malpractice, personal injury, and employment legal matters, Ms. Knox brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to DeToffol & Gittleman, Attorneys at Law.