Schwartz & Ponterio, PLLC

What Schwartz & Ponterio, PLLC does

Schwartz & Ponterio, PLLC is a two-attorney Manhattan-based law firm founded in February 2005 by Matthew F. Schwartz and John Ponterio, both of whom have been practicing law since 1992. The firm concentrates exclusively on plaintiff-side legal malpractice litigation, representing individuals and entities who have suffered harm due to attorney negligence, missed deadlines, ethical violations, settlement issues, fraud, unauthorized practice of law, or cybersecurity failures affecting attorney-held client funds. The firm also handles copyright law matters as a secondary practice area. Both founders have deep experience in civil litigation and are members of the New York State Bar Association, the New York Trial Lawyers Association, and the New York City Bar Association.

The firm operates as a specialty plaintiff-side boutique with a single Manhattan office at 134 W. 29th Street, Suite 1001, serving clients throughout the New York City metropolitan area, including Manhattan, Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens, Staten Island, Nassau County, Suffolk County, and Westchester County. Revenue is generated through professional services fees on legal malpractice cases, typically structured as contingency or hourly arrangements, with much of the firm's new business originating from referrals from other attorneys in the New York legal community. The firm's go-to-market is augmented by a website, an active blog, social media presence on Facebook, Twitter/X, and LinkedIn, and a marketing partnership with FindLaw (Internet Brands).

The firm previously operated under the name Schwartz, Ponterio & Levenson, PLLC. It is a privately held New York PLLC with no external investment, no parent company, and no disclosed acquisitions. The practice has remained at two named partners since founding, with a total headcount of six, and has not pursued geographic expansion beyond the NYC metropolitan area or product line expansion beyond legal malpractice and copyright law.

Name

Schwartz & Ponterio, PLLC

Legal name

Schwartz & Ponterio, PLLC

Website

https://splaw.us

Company type

Private

Founded year

2005

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Schwartz & Ponterio, PLLC is a two-attorney Manhattan law firm specializing in plaintiff-side legal malpractice litigation and copyright law, serving individuals and entities harmed by attorney negligence throughout the New York City metropolitan area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Legal Malpractice Law

NAICS

Legal Services (5411), Offices of Lawyers (541110)

SIC

Services-Legal Services (8111)

akta.pro primary industry

Litigation Support & Expert Witness Services (BPAHALAG)

Keywords

• Legal malpractice litigation
• Plaintiff-side law firm
• Copyright law services
• Attorney negligence claims
• Professional malpractice law

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Legal Services - Legal Malpractice Representation: The firm provides legal malpractice litigation services to plaintiffs who have been harmed by attorney negligence. Revenue is generated through legal fees for case representation, typically on a contingency or hourly basis for malpractice litigation.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Schwartz & Ponterio, PLLC is a New York City-based plaintiff-side law firm that represents clients in legal malpractice claims against attorneys who have committed professional negligence. The firm also provides copyright law services. Its practice is concentrated on a narrow specialty—suing lawyers for malpractice—rather than offering a broad array of legal services.

Product overview

Schwartz & Ponterio, PLLC is a New York-based law firm offering legal malpractice litigation services. The firm operates as a unified legal services practice with a primary focus on representing plaintiffs in legal malpractice cases against negligent or unethical attorneys. The core offerings include legal malpractice litigation and copyright law services, with specialized practice modules covering missed deadlines, ethical violations, settlement issues, real estate malpractice, personal injury malpractice, fraud and misrepresentation, unauthorized practice of law, cybersecurity failures, inadequate investigation or discovery, and errors in legal advice. The firm serves clients throughout the New York City metropolitan area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Plaintiff-Side Legal Malpractice Litigation Representation of individuals and entities in claims against attorneys for professional negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, and other malpractice-related misconduct. Service is targeted at clients who have suffered losses due to a prior attorney's errors or omissions, primarily in the New York City metropolitan area.
• Copyright Law Services

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• New York State Bar AssociationminorOthersThe firm's attorneys are members of the New York State Bar Association, a professional organization for attorneys in New York. This membership provides professional networking and credibility within the legal community.
• New York Trial Lawyers AssociationminorOthersThe firm's attorneys are members of the New York Trial Lawyers Association, a professional organization representing trial lawyers. Membership provides networking and professional development opportunities.
• New York City Bar AssociationminorOthersThe firm's attorneys are members of the Association of the Bar of the City of New York. This membership provides professional credibility and networking within the New York City legal community.
• FindLaw (Internet Brands)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerFindLaw provides business development solutions and online marketing services for the firm. The firm partners with FindLaw, an Internet Brands business, for website hosting, online visibility, and client acquisition through the FindLaw platform.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• FindLaw (Internet Brands): Legal directory and marketing platform that is an active GTM partner of Schwartz & Ponterio. Comparable as an ecosystem enabler — competitor platforms serve the same online client acquisition channel for plaintiff malpractice firms.

Broad incumbents

• Pazer, Epstein, Jaffe & Fein, P.C. Established New York plaintiff litigation firm with broad tort and professional liability practices. Comparable as a competing plaintiff-side resource for malpractice-adjacent claims in the New York metro.
• Cellino & Barnes (now Cellino Law): Large New York plaintiff personal injury firm with broad brand presence. Comparable as a larger incumbent in the regional plaintiff market whose marketing reach competes with boutique malpractice firms for inbound leads.
• Block O'Toole & Murphy: Large, well-known New York plaintiff personal injury firm. While not exclusively a malpractice practice, its scale, brand, and metro presence mean it can absorb plaintiff malpractice matters and competes for the same referral and search-driven demand.
• Gair, Gair, Conason, Rubinowitz, Bloom, Hershenhorn, Steigman & Mackauf: Long-tenured New York plaintiff firm with deep personal injury and professional negligence experience. Comparable as a broader incumbent that competes for plaintiff-side malpractice referrals in the same geography.
• Rheingold, Giuffra, Ruffo & Plotkin LLP: Manhattan-based plaintiff personal injury and medical malpractice firm. Comparable as a New York plaintiff incumbent that may compete for malpractice-related referral demand from the local bar.

Direct peers

• Hach & Rose, LLP: New York-based plaintiff firm with a documented legal malpractice practice area serving victims of attorney negligence in Manhattan and the metro area. Comparable on practice focus, plaintiff-side orientation, and NYC footprint.
• Siller Wilk LLP: New York City boutique firm long known for plaintiff-side attorney malpractice litigation. Highly comparable to Schwartz & Ponterio in niche, geography, and client base; notably, co-founder Matthew F. Schwartz was previously an attorney at Siller Wilk before founding his own firm.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/spl_pllc
• Facebookfacebook.com/Schwartz-Ponterio-Levenson-PLLC-332575300879182
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/schwartz-&-ponterio-pllc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Schwartz & Ponterio, PLLC