Attorneys

Kevin M. Walsh is a founding and managing partner of Walsh Markus McDougal & DeBellis, LLP. Kevin heads the Land Use, Lending, and Municipal practice groups of the Firm. Kevin represents private development clients in zoning applications before municipal boards in all areas of Long Island. Kevin is Village Attorney for 2 Nassau County villages and is zoning board counsel in 3 Nassau County villages. He is special counsel for a number of other local villages. Kevin’s success in negotiating significant land use transactions is partially explained by his experience in understanding of the needs of both municipal and private developers in land use matters. Kevin believes that sound land use development provides positive impacts for the developer, the municipality and the public. The challenge is to effectively and honestly present the benefits to all parties. Prior to founding the firm, Kevin was a founding partner in Spellman, Walsh, Rice, Shure and Markus LLP where he ran the land use and real estate groups. Kevin has been Village Attorney for the Incorporated Village of Massapequa Park for more than 20 years. He is Village Attorney for the Incorporated Village of Roslyn Harbor. He was named Super Lawyer in 2019.

Paul R. McDougal is one of the founding partners of Walsh Markus McDougal & DeBellis, LLP.  He heads the estate and trusts, foreclosure and landlord tenant practice groups and has significant experience in estate planning and administration, civil litigation, residential and commercial real estate transactions, forming and advising commercial entities, bankruptcy and business transactions and planning.  Paul has a background in accounting. He graduated from college with an accounting degree, and worked several years for premier accounting firms during which time he became a certified public accountant. His ability to analyze complex factual situations and evaluate applicable law has helped his individual and corporate clients throughout his career.   Paul has given back to the community. He is active in civic and charitable organizations and coached sports to hundreds of children in his community. In March 2024, he received a “Top Provider” award from Nassau Suffolk Law Service at Pro Bono Recognition for his services performed representing indigent tenants in landlord tenant court.  

Claudio DeBellis is a partner with more than 25 years’ experience representing clients in a wide range of litigation and insurance coverage matters. Claudio’s practice has included the defense of premises, auto liability, Dram Shop, bad faith, uninsured/underinsured motorist claims, and federal fair housing matters. Claudio has extensive experience and knowledge handling all aspects of an action, from intake through trial and appeal, in both the New York State and United States Federal Courts. Claudio’s vast experience allows him to provide his clients with the required risk assessment, and case evaluation to achieve settlement and trial results beneficial to his clients. Claudio is also well versed in alternate dispute resolution, including arbitration and mediation, where those avenues benefit his clients. Claudio has also served as Village Attorney or general counsel to the Inc. Village of Farmingdale since 2012. As Village Attorney, he is regularly consulted and gives counsel to the Board of Trustees in matters related to litigation, risk assessment, employment, zoning, development, legislation, fair housing, discrimination, and other matters affecting the health, safety and welfare of the village residents and the public at large. Claudio has also served as Zoning Board counsel for the Villages of Farmingdale, Malverne and Massapequa Park and he has served as Village Prosecutor. Claudio received his J.D. from the St. John’s University School of Law. He is admitted to practice before the New York State courts, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. He is a member of the Nassau County Bar Association, The Nassau Suffolk Trials Lawyers Association, The New York State Trial Lawyers Association, The Claims & Litigation Management Alliance and The Columbian Lawyers Association. He immigrated to the United States from Italy in 1974 and is fluent in Italian.

Matthew G. White is a partner at Walsh Markus McDougal & DeBellis LLP. He specializes in the areas of not-for-profit tax exemption litigation, tax certiorari, municipal law, real property law, zoning and land use, foreclosure, real estate finance, banking regulations and regulatory compliance, general civil litigation and appellate practice. Matthew has extensive litigation experience and has represented clients in a broad variety of complex litigation matters, both at the trial and appellate level. He has developed substantial expertise representing the interests of not-for-profit entities in the areas of real property tax certiorari and exemption litigation and has secured significant awards for these clients. Matthew is an experienced municipal practitioner, advising boards of zoning appeal in matters related to area and use variances, and has delivered victories for his clients at the trial and appellate level. He also is an experienced prosecutor, representing municipalities in code enforcement issues in local justice courts. Matthew is President of the Ancient Order of Hibernians, Division 4 – John F. Kennedy, Jr., Huntington, New York. Through the AOH, he spearheads many charitable initiatives, including feeding those with food insecurities and providing scholarships for local students, including those with special needs.

Sam is an attorney at Walsh Markus McDougal & DeBellis LLP. Sam joined WMMD in November 2023 and focuses his practice in areas of corporate structuring and transactional law, complex business litigation, contract and business tort litigation, intellectual property and restrictive covenant litigation, construction litigation, and real estate and zoning litigation. Before joining WMMD, Sam was a partner at the boutique business law firm, Pierce Jewett, PLLC (formerly Pierce McCoy, PLLC) where he opened the firm’s New York City office. Sam handles litigation cases involving breach of contract, business breakups/divorce, corporate control disputes, breach of fiduciary duties, M&A transactions, business and real estate valuations, forensic accounting, and construction litigation. Sam performs contract drafting, corporate structuring, and litigation-avoidance strategies. Sam leads WMMD’s corporate and commercial litigation practice representing business and business owners across various industries. Whether it is during periods of high hope of a new business deal or during the periods of frustration of a dispute, Sam represents businesses and business owners with creative options to help achieve their goals. Outside of the law, Sam loves traveling with his wife, Claire, and their dog Peggy, and playing golf and softball.

Alison D. Metzler’s is a partner at Walsh Markus McDougal & DeBellis LLP. Alison’s areas of practice include litigation of civil cases including premises liability, automobile accidents, products liability and labor law cases at the trial and appellate levels. She represents a diverse base of clients, such as property and business owners, construction contractors, insurers, manufacturers, trucking and automobile companies in complex civil defense litigation. Mrs. Metzler brings more than 30 years of courtroom experience to bear on matters involving premises liability, motor vehicle liability, insurance coverage, the New York State Labor Law, products liability and contract disputes. Her practice includes the preparation of pleadings, case investigation and evaluation, discovery, depositions, dispositive motion practice, settlement negotiations, mediations, trials and appeals all of which necessitate frequent appearances before the judges of the State, Appellate and Federal courts. Ms. Metzler joined Walsh Markus McDougal & DeBellis LLP in 2023 after 10 years in private practice where she litigated personal injury matters and handled real estate transactions including the sale and purchase of residential and commercial properties. Prior to joining the firm, she also worked at Downing & Peck, P.C., a firm specializing in insurance defense for twenty years as well as the firm of Sullivan Papain Block McGrath & Cannavo for four years. Ms. Metzler is admitted to practice in New York, and the United States District Court for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York. She is a member of the Nassau County Bar Association. Ms. Metzler received her B.A. from Bowdoin College and her J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law.

Manjinder Kaur is an associate attorney at Walsh Markus McDougal & DeBellis, LLP. Ms. Kaur’s practice areas focus on personal injury and defense insurance litigation. Prior to becoming an attorney in 2024, Ms. Kaur earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Fordham University on a merit scholarship. During her time at Fordham University, Ms. Kaur also minored in Middle Eastern Studies. Following her graduation, Ms. Kaur worked as a litigation paralegal at Walsh Markus McDougal & DeBellis, LLP. After four years of being a litigation paralegal, Ms. Kaur decided to attend law school. Ms. Kaur obtained her Juris Doctor in 2023 from Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University on a merit scholarship. Ms. Kaur continued to work as a litigation paralegal at Walsh Markus McDougal & DeBellis, LLP throughout law school.  In addition to working as a litigation paralegal, Ms. Kaur was a teaching assistant to Professor C. Benjie Louis.  As a teaching assistant, Ms. Kaur did extensive legal research toward the new publication of the textbook, Regulation of Lawyers, Problems of Law and Ethics. Ms. Kaur also participated in an intensive Trial Techniques Seminar where she enhanced her oral advocacy skills.  In addition, during law school, Ms. Kaur was awarded the Citation of Excellence in Alternate Dispute Resolution Law. During law school, Ms. Kaur interned for the Nassau County Bar Association’s Foreclosure Clinic where she attended foreclosure conferences and provided assistance to pro-se homeowners facing foreclosure. Ms. Kaur has seven years of extensive knowledge in handling matters from inception to conclusion in areas of general liability defense litigation and personal injury. A daughter of immigrants, Ms. Kaur appreciates the value of hard work and believes the path to success requires humility. In her free time, Ms. Kaur enjoys spending time with her husband and traveling. Ms. Kaur is also fluent in Punjabi, Hindi, and Urdu.