Attorney General Cuomo Appoints Buffalo-based J. David Sampson To Head Oag's 13 Regional Offices

BUFFALO, N.Y.(September 15, 2008) - Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo today announced the appointment of J. David Sampson to Deputy Attorney General for Regional Affairs. Based in the Buffalo Regional Office, Sampson will direct and manage the13 regional offices located throughout New York state.

Each regional office serves their respective community by covering various civil and criminal matters, including consumer issues, public advocacy and defending actions against the state (state counsel). Prior to his appointment to Deputy Attorney General for Regional Affairs, Sampson served at the Attorney General’s office as Director of Regional Affairs for State Counsel.

“My office is dedicated to bringing in only the best and brightest to serve the public’s interests,” said Attorney General Cuomo. “Dave’s extensive knowledge of the law, trial experience, and understanding of the individual issues facing Western New York and other regions of the state makes him the best choice for Deputy Attorney General for Regional Affairs. It is critical that Dave be based in Buffalo, the largest regional office, so that he maintains a unique vantage point over regional operations statewide.”

Between 1999 and 2008, Sampson was a partner with the firm of Underberg & Kessler LLP and the supervising partner of their Buffalo office. His experience covered a wide array of cases, including commercial, health care, insurance, intellectual property, securities fraud and white collar crime.

Sampson also served in managing partner roles with Jasen, Jasen & Sampson, P.C., a firm led by former New York Court of Appeals Judge Matthew J. Jasen, and Walsh & Sampson, P.C. In addition to his trial practice, his responsibilities included representing NFL players as a certified NFL Players Association Contract Advisor.

“When New Yorkers need assistance or information from the Attorney General’s Office, they often turn to the regional offices for help,” said Sampson. “These full-service locations are vital to the work of the office - often the front door to the Attorney General’s Office - and I am proud to be heading the operation. I am honored that Attorney General Cuomo invited me to join his team to serve people in all corners of New York state.”

Aside from his legal experience, Sampson is an executive board member of the Greater Niagara Frontier Council Boy Scouts of America, and served as the Vice President of the Rotary Club in Buffalo, and is on the local missions committee at the Wesleyan Church of Hamburg.

Sampson received a B.A. from Canisius College in 1977 and a J.D. from Albany Law School in 1982.

Sampson’s appointment is one of several announcements today as part of the opening of the Attorney General’s new Western New York Regional Office at Main Place Tower, 350 Main Street in Buffalo. The Western New York Regional Office is the largest of the Attorney General’s 13 regional offices, and serves the counties of Erie, Niagara, Chautauqua, Genesee, Wyoming, Alleghany, Cattaraugus, and Orleans. Home to approximately 100 employees, last year it opened more than 5,000 cases covering a myriad of legal matters from consumer protection to the defense of the state. The office serves as a ‘front door’ to the Office of the Attorney General for the people of Western New York.