Tara C. Fappiano

About Tara C. Fappiano

I spent over 20 years in the trenches as a trial attorney, but my passion is in the areas of special education and disability law. Wanting to help clients in a more sustainable way, I have transitioned into a new type of practice.My goal is to empathize, collaborate, and advocate for clients to find them resolutions, in special education, discriminatory conflicts, and other areas. I am a trained mediator and certified conflict management coach, with extensive experience in negotiations. I offer services to anyone looking to mediate a dispute, receive conflict coaching, or who may benefit from training in conflict resolution. I offer consulting services to school districts, non-profits, boards, employers, and other organizations looking to proactively learn ways to avoid conflict. The goal is to create sustainable relationships without the need for extensive litigation.I have been told that I am relatable and approachable, which makes me an excellent negotiator and fair mediator. I understand how relationships and emotion affect decision making. For this reason, I enjoy working with clients who are collaborative, but also give me the leeway to be creative and proactive in defending them, and aggressive when needed. I pride myself on knowing where to strike a balance in the tack I take for a collaborative approach to resolution.I also have a deep commitment to ensuring equal rights for those with disabilities. This drives my commitment to families, children, and schools. I love advocating and representing persons with disabilities, as well as providing risk management for businesses in this area. For organizations, I am teaching these skills to further this commitment.

Experience

1. Partner

   Haworth Barber & Gerstman, Llc

   Jul 2020 — Present

   Litigator working in areas of product liability, tort, wrongful death and complex civil matters, handling depositions, mediations, professional development, mentoring, and overall case assessment.

Education

• St. John's University School of Law

  Doctor of Law (J.D.), Law

  1995 — 1998

• Fordham University

  BA, English Language and Literature, Sociology

  1991 — 1995

Skills

• Trial Practice
• Commercial Litigation
• Trials
• Liability
• Appeals
• Class Actions
• Arbitration
• Litigation
• Product Liability
• Toxic Tort
• Insurance
• Torts
• Mediation
• Environmental Law
• Courts
• Insurance Law
• Litigation Management
• Legal Research
• Civil Litigation