Hilary C. Banker

HILARY C. BANKER is managing partner of the law firm Burgio, Curvin & Banker in Buffalo, New York where she has practiced since 1997.  She is a cum laude graduate of the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Law and received her bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at Geneseo.  Her practice areas include insurance defense, insurance coverage and personal injury. 

Hilary currently serves as a Presidential Appointee to the National Board of the American Board of Trial Advocates and was recently elected a trustee of the ABOTA Foundation of which she is a Senior Life Fellow.  She has also served as President of the Buffalo Chapter of ABOTA and is currently its Treasurer. 

She has also served the legal community as President of the Western New York Chapter of the Women’s Bar Association of the State of New York, as President of the Defense Trial Lawyers of Western New York, and as a Director of the Bar Association of Erie County. 

In 2021 Hilary was named Defense Trial Lawyer of the Year by the Defense Trial Lawyers of Western New York and in 2013 received the Lady Justice Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Western New York Chapter of WBASNY.  In 2022, Super Lawyers Magazine named her one of the Top 50 lawyers in Upstate New York.  In 2013, 2016, 2018 and 2020 through 2022 she was one of the Top 25 women lawyers in Upstate New York. 

In 2011 she was honored as one of Buffalo Business First’s “40 under 40”, and from 2014 to 2020 was one of its “Legal Elite”. 

Hilary lives in Buffalo with her husband Jeff Leichtnam and their two children.