Our Team

Richard is a licensed Attorney in the State of New York and the District of Columbia. He is an experienced litigator and has represented clients in federal, state and local courts. Richard practices in the areas of Civil Rights, Employment law, Governmental Relations, Real Estate, Wills, and other General Litigation matters. He is a certified small claims arbitrator in the City of New York as well as a member of the New York State Procurement Council. In addition, Richard is a member of the New York State Bar Association, the New York City Bar Association, New Rochelle Bar Association the National Police Accountability Project and serves as an Executive Board Member and Vice-Chair of the Program Committee for the Westchester-Putnam Workforce Development Board.

Richard currently serves as a member of the Nation Council for The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and is a Board-Member of WestHab and Community Capital of New York, a CDFI, where he serves as the Chair of the loan committee.  Richard also serves as an executive board member and the Legal Redress for the New Rochelle Chapter of the NAACP. Richard has served as Counsel to the New Rochelle Voters Rights Defense Fund in New Rochelle Voters Rights Defense Fund v. City of New Rochelle (2003) and as Counsel to Cesar Ruiz in the landmark case of United States and Cesar Ruiz v. Village of Portchester(2006) .

Richard is also an Advisor to the New York City Housing Authority (NYCHA) NAACP branch. As a voting rights attorney, Richard has successfully litigated to protect and enhance the voting rights of African-Americans and Latinos in Westchester, NY. In addition, Richard is Counsel to the New York City Small Homeowners Association and a former Advisor to the Westchester County Office of Minority Women and Business Enterprise (MWBE). In that capacity, Richard lead the outreach effort on behalf of the County of Westchester to MWBEs. Richard’s firm also served as the Counsel to the Mount Vernon , NY City Council. In 2020, Richard served as a member of the transition team for Timothy L. Defoor, Auditor General of the State of PA

Richard was elected to the New Rochelle City Council in November of 2007. He served as Councilman until Jan. 1, 2012. From 2009-2010 Councilman St. Paul was appointed by his Council colleagues to serve as Deputy Mayor of the City of New Rochelle. Richard has worked in the White House under the Clinton Administration, on Capitol Hill in the Office of Congressman Chaka Fattah and in the Office of Governor of Pennsylvania, Tom Ridge.

He has served as Senior Counsel and Governmental Affairs Director to the New York State Senate Majority Leader (2009-2010). In addition, Richard has served his country for eight years as part of the United States Army Reserve, Judge Advocate General (JAG) Legal Service Organization and the Army Corp of Engineers. (2000-2008).

Richard was named by Crain Magazine as a Notable Black Leader and Executive. In 2014 Richard was named as one of Westchester’s County Top 40 under 40 Rising Stars. Also in 2011, Richard was named as one of New York’s State and City’s Rising Star by

New York Capitol News. In 2011 Richard was invited to the White House along with a group of young political leaders to discuss multiple issues including the economy with President Obama and his Senior Staff. Richard has been called on multiple times for his political and legal expertise and has made multiple appearances on Fox News Channel, RNN’s and Fios’s The Richard French Live show, New York 1’s Inside City Hall and ABC’s Here & Now.

Richard is a native of the Bronx, NY and currently lives in New Rochelle, NY.

Christopher Pisacane is an experienced attorney who is admitted to practice law in the state and federal courts of New York and New Jersey. Mr. Pisacane worked at several New York City law firms where he successfully represented clients in a wide array of matters. His experience as a law clerk to the Hon. Shirley Werner Kornreich in the Commercial Division of New York State Supreme Court gives him an edge over many other attorneys as it renders him an expert in dealing with the legal process at all levels. Mr. Pisacane’s prior career in the financial services industry further enhances his ability to serve his clients as it enables him to analyze both the legal and financial ramifications of representation and to provide them with the most efficient and cost-effective service as possible.

Mary Soyka works with clients in all stages of estate planning and estate administration. Ms. Soyka’s experience has particularly been focused on Medicaid and asset protection planning. In addition, Ms. Soyka is a Court Examiner, Court Appointed Attorney Court Appointed Guardian and Court Evaluator in Article 81 Guardianship proceedings in Richmond, and New York Counties. Ms. Soyka also prepares and reviews judicial and non-judicial fiduciary accountings and the preparation of estate and gift tax returns.

Ms. Soyka began her legal career as a clerk at the NYS Attorney General’s Office before joining a boutique New York firm to begin her practice in estates and trusts, Medicaid, and guardianships. Ms. Soyka was also an adjunct professor of law at Seton Hall University School of Law.

In addition, Ms. Soyka works in high net-worth estate planning, gift, and estate tax returns.

Roger is admitted to the state and federal courts in New York, as well as before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, and has been practicing intellectual property (“IP”) law for over 40 years at various IP law firms in the New York City area.  Roger graduated from Columbia University in 1978 with combined degrees in Electrical Engineering and Law. He has written hundreds of patent applications in fields as diverse as nuclear reactors, toothbrushes, medical diagnostic testing, automotive braking systems, semiconductor devices, furniture, computer programs and many, many others, and secured issued patents in the United States and around the globe.  He has also successfully secured trademark registrations in the United States and abroad for businesses in a wide range of industries. In litigation, Roger has also represented patent and trademark holders whose rights have been infringed in federal and state courts across the country, and defended businesses which were unjustly accused of infringing the rights of others.  Roger’s practice also includes counseling and advising authors, entertainers and other creative individuals with respect to copyright and entertainment law and licensing patents and trademarks.