Veteran education lawyer joins Guercio & Guercio | Long Island Business News

John Gross, a veteran education law attorney and former senior managing partner at a regional firm, has joined Guercio & Guercio, an education law firm with an office in Farmingdale.

Now of councel at Guercio & Guercio, Gross represents school districts, colleges, municipalities, non-profits and private clients in municipal, education, public sector labor, employment and corporate law. He has maintained an active trial, appellate and administrative practice while serving in leadership roles within the New York State legal community. He frequently litigates before the Commissioner of Education; teacher tenure discharge tribunals; the state’s Division of Human Rights, labor, commercial, and construction arbitration panels; the courts; and the New York State Public Employment Relations Board in improper practice and representational proceedings.

“I am honored to join Guercio & Guercio LLP, a firm with a longstanding reputation for excellence in education, labor, and municipal law,” Gross said in a written statement. “I look forward to working with such a talented group of attorneys in service of public-sector clients across New York State. I am excited to contribute my experience and continue advocating for public institutions and the communities they serve.”

Gross previously served as senior managing partner at Ingerman Smith. With more than 40 years of practice, he has negotiated hundreds of labor contracts.

“We are thrilled to have John join our firm,” Christopher Mestecky, managing partner at Guercio, said in written statement.

“He brings a wealth of education industry knowledge and experience that will undoubtedly benefit not only our educational clients, but every attorney in our firm,” Mestecky said.

“The stature and respect he commands in the education field cannot be overstated,” Mestecky added. “John, along with our founding partner, Greg Guercio, have been the standard bearers and pioneers in education law. Now, with both John and Greg at the firm, our education and municipal clients will have access to a knowledge base and level of service unparalleled in the industry.”

Gross has held numerous leadership roles in professional and bar associations, including president of the Suffolk County Bar Association, vice president and executive committee member of the New York State Bar Association (NYSBA), and chair of multiple NYSBA committees and task forces. He has also served as counsel to the Suffolk County Bar Association for 30 years and as special counsel to the NYSBA.