Stephen J. Gaba joined the firm immediately upon his graduation from Albany Law School in 1987.  Up until his retirement in 2026, his practice consisted principally of municipal law, land use development and civil litigation.

Steve was one of the foremost municipal lawyers in the Hudson Valley, representing countless counties, towns and villages as both general counsel for the municipality and its boards and as special counsel on discrete legal issues.  One of the firm's leaders in creating the municipal law department that remains a significant practice area for the firm, Steve always trained the team to understand that "Knowledge and experience are the keys to providing good representation to municipalities.  While every municipal project is unique in some way, we must remain trained to find the recurring themes and issues.  Knowledge of state and federal statutes as well as local codes and the experience that comes from our collective years of representing municipalities allows us to recognize the legal issues presented by a particular situation and to provide municipal officials with clear and concise answers, timely advice, and options for moving forward."

His land use development practice was comprised of representing property owners seeking municipal land use approvals.  His clients ranged from national companies pursuing approvals for large scale commercial development to individuals seeking variances for small home improvements.  Commenting on the firm's philosophy in representing land development clients, Steve states, "While obtaining the approvals at issue is the ultimate goal, it is equally important to focus on the time and expense involved in the permitting process.  Succeeding in obtaining approvals at a cost so great or after delays so long that it essentially kills the project is a Pyrrhic victory.  In order to bring a development project to a successful conclusion, it is necessary to coordinate the efforts of all consultants and to take a fair but firm approach in dealings with permitting boards and officials."

In his litigation practice, Steve represented government entities, corporations and individuals in a wide variety of cases.  

Former Member, Orange County Bar Association

Member, New York State Bar Association