Attorney Profiles

Mr. Barnett joined Ackerman, Salwen & Glass in 1978. He is now a member of BEEG. Prior to 1978, he was a partner at McLaughlin, Stern, Ballen & Miller and was an assistant administrator at South Nassau Communities Hospital. He graduated from Colgate University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree, Phi Beta Kappa, and from Columbia University School of Public Health with a Masters of Science in Hospital Administration. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from Columbia University School of Law. He is a licensed Florida Healthcare Risk Manager and is a member of several associations, including the American Health Lawyers Association and the American College of Healthcare Executives. He served as the New York State Senate representative on the Board of Directors of the Medical Malpractice Insurance Association. He is currently serving his second term as a gubernatorial appointee to the New York State Hospital Review and Planning Council. Mr. Barnett is the cofounder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Concerned Lawyers Coalition, Inc., a not-for-profit charitable organization. He is admitted in New York as well as the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, and the United States Supreme Court.

Mr. Edelstein joined Ackerman, Salwen & Glass in 1978 and became a partner in 1986. He is now a member of BEEG. Before joining the firm, he worked in the litigation division of the Corporation Counsel of the City of New York. His prior administrative experience includes serving as executive director of the National Collegiate Conference Association, Inc. from 1971 through 1974. He graduated from Queens College of the City University of New York with a Bachelor of Arts degree before earning a Juris Doctor degree from St. John’s University School of Law.

Mr. Gross joined Ackerman, Salwen & Glass in 1984 and became a partner in 1988. He is now a member of BEEG. He has also served as Director of Loss Prevention for Affiliated Risk Control Administrators, Inc. since 1978. His experience in the healthcare field has included positions as an Assistant Executive Director of Interboro General Hospital and as Hospital Malpractice Loss Control Specialist with the Insurance Company of North America. He graduated from Ohio State University College of Engineering with a Bachelor of Science degree and from New York University School of Public Administration with an MPA in Healthcare Policy, Planning and Administration. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from Touro College School of Law. Mr. Gross is admitted in New York and Florida. He is a Certified Safety Professional and a licensed Florida Healthcare Risk Manager. He has lectured extensively around the country on risk management and was a member of the adjunct staff of St. Joseph’s College, teaching health-related courses.

Ms. Kass joined Ackerman, Salwen & Glass in 1987 and became a partner in 1995. She is now a member of BEEG. Her medical experience includes practice as a Registered Professional Nurse. She was a medical malpractice litigator with the firm of Goldsmith & Tabak and New York City’s Corporation Counsel. She was also a senior analyst with the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation in the Risk Management Department. Ms. Kass graduated from Queens Hospital Center School of Nursing, received a Bachelor of Science degree from Mercy College and a Masters of Public Administration in Healthcare Administration from Long Island University. She earned a Juris Doctor degree from New York Law School and is admitted in New York and New Jersey. She was a NYS Senate representative on the NYS Task Force on Healthcare Quality Improvement and Information Systems and served on the Medical Malpractice Committee of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York.

Mr. Lieber joined Ackerman, Salwen, Glass, Barnett & Ehrenfeld, P.C. In 1991. He is now a member of BEEG. He was formerly a senior litigation associate at Bower & Gardner. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Brooklyn College of the City University of New York. Thereafter, he graduated from the NYU-Bellevue School of Respiratory Therapy and practiced as a registered respiratory therapist at the New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center. He earned a Juris Doctor degree from Pace University School of Law and is admitted in New York, as well as the Southern & Eastern Districts of New York. Mr. Lieber is a Board member of the Association for Healthcare Risk Management of New York, Inc.

Ms. Vargo joined Barnett, Ehrenfeld, Edelstein & Gross, P.C. as an associate in 1999. Her medical and legal experience includes practice as a senior staff nurse at NYU Medical Center and medical malpractice litigation as an associate with Kopff, Nardelli & Dopf, LLP in New York. Ms. Vargo earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from Bombay University in India, where she also studied journalism. She has worked as a writer/editor in India, Bangladesh and New York. Ms. Vargo also has a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from the Hunter-Bellevue School of Nursing of the City University of New York, and a Juris Doctor degree from Fordham University School of Law in New York City. She is admitted in New York and Connecticut, the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, and the United States Supreme Court.

Ms. Blundi joined Barnett, Ehrenfeld, Edelstein & Gross, P.C. in 2002, having been a partner at Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman and Dicker, LLP. She has extensive experience in New York State courts with a specialization in representing hospitals and physicians in medical malpractice litigation, as well as mass tort defense relating to pharmaceutical liability. Additionally, she has represented physicians in licensure matters before the Office of Professional Medical Conduct. Prior to beginning her litigation career, she worked in the New York State Assembly as a Legislative Assistant to the Speaker, focusing on health issues. Ms. Blundi graduated from Queens College, cum laude and attended Albany Law School. She is admitted in New York and New Jersey, as well as the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. She is a member of the Health Law and Litigation Sections of the American Bar Association.

Ms. O'Neill joined Barnett, Ehrenfeld, Edelstein & Gross, P.C. as an associate in 2004, after having been with FOJP Service Corporation as a Claims Attorney. Prior to that, Ms. O'Neill was an active trial attorney with a concentration in medical malpractice actions in New York and New Jersey, and a member of Simonson, Hess and Leibowitz, P.C. Ms. O'Neill graduated from Saint Clare's School of Nursing and then earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Administration from Saint Joseph's College. She has fifteen years of clinical nursing experience. Ms. O'Neill earned a Juris Doctor degree from St. John's University School of Law and is admitted to the Bar in New York and New Jersey, as well as the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and the District of New Jersey.

Mr. Munch is President and General Counsel of Affiliated Risk Control Advisors of California, Inc. (ARCA), located in Concord, California. He also serves as counsel to Barnett Ehrenfeld Edelstein & Gross, P.C. Since 1986, his practice with ARCA has focused primarily on providing risk management and claims management services to health care organizations. Prior to 1986, he practiced law in San Francisco, focusing on health care law, medical malpractice defense and general business litigation. Mr. Munch holds a J.D. from Hastings College of Law, University of California, and a B.S. in Engineering from the College of Mineral Science, University of Montana.