Doran & Murphy, LLP

On April 28, 2009, while returning from a business trip to Cleveland, Michael Doran and Matthew Schnirel were killed when the plane that Mr. Doran was piloting crashed into a wooded area.  Eye-witness accounts report that Mr. Doran directed the plane away from neighboring houses and have hailed him a hero. 

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Michael and Matt’s families and friends.  Our two brothers will be missed by their Doran & Murphy Family. 

Michael Doran

Born and raised in Buffalo, Mr. Doran graduated from Williamsville North High School, where he was an accomplished springboard diver.  Mr. Doran attended the University of Buffalo, majoring in business administration, and diving in the 1979 Empire State Games.  He received his undergraduate degree in 1979 and was accepted into the University of Buffalo Law School, graduating in 1982.

Mr. Doran was admitted to the New York bar in 1983.  After beginning his legal career at the law firm of Collins, Collins and Di Nardo, here in Buffalo, Mr. Doran began his own practice, Michael Doran and Associates in 1992.  In 1999, Mr. Doran partnered with attorney Christopher Murphy and founded the firm of Doran and Murphy, L.L.P.  He was also admitted to practice law in Florida, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Ohio, as well as in the Supreme Court of the United States.

For over 25 years, Mr. Doran dedicated his legal practice to representing individuals afflicted with serious injury and occupational disease, as well as wrongful death cases.  He achieved multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements in various types of complex litigation, including medical malpractice, construction law, products liability, asbestos litigation, pharmaceutical litigation and railroad law.

In particular, Mr. Doran concentrated on representing railroad workers who sustained on-the-job traumatic injuries, as well as those who contracted occupational diseases including noise-induced hearing loss, lung disease and asbestos-related cancers.  He has been honored with induction into the Million Dollar Advocates Society for his efforts in representing numerous injured railroaders.  Mr. Doran lectured on railroad law on several occasions to the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, where he served as past chairman of the railroad section.  Mr. Doran also volunteered his services to helping the victims of the 9/11 tragedy receive compensation. 

Active in the service of his community, Mr. Doran was a member of the board of directors of the Western New York Leukemia Society, the University of Buffalo Center for Children and Families, an active volunteer with the University of Buffalo Law School Alumni Association, and a generous patron of the University of Buffalo as well as many charities.  In 2008, he participated in the Ride for Roswell, biking sixty-two miles and raising over eighty-five hundred dollars for that charity.  He was currently working with Roswell Park Cancer Institute in promoting a program for early detection of lung cancer in high risk patients.  This program, proven to be effective in prolonging life and curing lung cancers, is designed to help detect lung cancer in individuals who have been exposed to asbestos and have a history of smoking.

Mr. Doran was also an ardent sports enthusiast and world traveler, visiting Ireland, Italy, Tahiti, Greece, Switzerland and Mexico, among other places.  He enjoyed boating, bicycling, rollerblading, was an avid extreme skier and the 2008 champion of the Buffalo Croquet and Debating Club.  Mr. Doran’s passion was flying.  He was an FAA certified pilot, holding a multi-engine instrument rating, and many years of flying experience since becoming a pilot.

Mr. Doran was a member of Saint Benedict’s Catholic Church, The Erie County and New York State Bar Associations, New York State Trial Lawyers Association, The American Association for Justice and former Chairman of its Railroad Section.  He is survived by his two children, Gabrielle and Garrett, his brother Thomas (Julia), two sisters, Debbie (Eugene) and Susan (Andy), as well as his parents Robert and Nina, many aunts and uncles, nieces, and dearest friend Georgiann. 

Michael Doran’s family will be present at Amigone Funeral Home 5200 Sheridan Drive (Sheridan near Hopkins) Williamsville, NY  14221on Sunday, May 3rd  from 2:00pm – 4:00pm,  7:00pm -9:00pm; and Monday, May 4th from 2:00pm-4:00pm, 7:00pm – 9:00pm. A Funeral Mass will be held on Tuesday, May 5th at 10:30 AM, at St. Gregory the Great, 200 Saint Gregory Court, Williamsville, NY, with burial at Forest Lawn Cemetery. A reception will follow at the Buffalo Club, 388 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo, NY 14202 from 12pm to 5pm. Friends invited. Flowers are graciously declined; memorials may be made in Michael’s name to Our Lady of Victory Basilica.

Matthew Schnirel

Matthew Schnirel, a beloved and respected associate attorney of Doran & Murphy, died suddenly and tragically on April 28, 2009, as a result of a plane crash that claimed both his, and fellow attorney Michael Doran’s lives.

Matthew was the oldest of four children, and was survived by his loving parents, Kevin and Kathleen Schnirel, as well as his siblings: Amanda, Rebecca and Eric.  Matthew also left behind the love of his life, Lauren Schilling.   He will be dearly missed by his friends and colleagues within the Buffalo legal community, especially by his family here at the firm.

A native of Buffalo, NY, Matthew was the oldest of his brother and sisters, and every day  exuded great care and a strong work ethic in his daily life that was undoubtedly the product of his loving and supportive upbringing.  His parents, a salesman and an emergency room nurse, taught Matthew by example the value of hard work, caring for others and the satisfaction of a job well done.  These were traits that Matthew carried with him throughout his life, and were qualities recognized in him every day by his friends and coworkers.

Matthew worked his way though his undergraduate studies at the University of Albany, where he excelled in both the classroom and the local community.  After earning his bachelor’s degree, Matthew returned to his hometown to attend law school at the University at Buffalo.  Matthew received his Juris Doctorate from UB in 2008, again working his way through school at a law clerk position with Doran & Murphy.  Matthew’s attitude and work product were so well received at the firm, that he was offered a position upon his graduation in 2008.

Though Matthew’s legal career had only just begun, he had already made a splash within the legal profession due to his extensive participation in moot court trial competitions.  Matthew faithfully and admirably represented the University in competitions across the country, including  New York, Texas, and Michigan.  This experience helped Matthew make invaluable contributions later as an attorney with Doran and Murphy, where he worked in civil litigation.  Matthew was a counselor who was well known to both the legal community of Buffalo, and also to his many and diverse clients.  Never one to remain in the background, Matthew prided himself on intimate client contact, and zealous advocacy.  His clients often lauded him for making the complex and confusing legal process of tort and asbestos litigation a much more manageable and understandable process from a layman prospective. 

Matthew will be dearly missed by his friends and family, including and especially those working here at Doran and Murphy.  His contributions to our practice have been invaluable and will doubtless prove to be irreplaceable.  The Buffalo community will be much poorer due to his loss.

Matthew’s family will be present on Friday from 3-9 PM at the (Tonawanda Chapel) AMIGONE FUNERAL HOME, INC. 2600 Sheridan Dr. (at Parker Blvd.). A Memorial Mass will be held on Saturday at 11 AM from Christ the King Church (Main & Lamarck). Friends invited. Flowers gratefully declined. If desired, memorials may be made in Matt's memory to the Matthew J. Schnirel Memorial Fund at UB Foundation, P.O. Box 1232, Buffalo, NY 14204-1232.