Management Team
Our Executive Officers
Perry Weitz, Esq., Chairman
Perry Weitz is a founding partner of the NYC-based law firm Weitz & Luxenberg, P.C., one of the most pre-eminent plaintiffs’ law firms in the country. He has substantial expertise in, among other areas, personal injury, mass tort, toxic tort, construction litigation, medical malpractice, products’ liability and consumer fraud.
He is also currently Chairperson of the New York County Lawyers Association and a member of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, and the Trial Lawyers for Public Justice.
Mr. Weitz was admitted to the New York Bar in 1985, having received his law degree from Hofstra University Law School in 1983 and a Bachelor of Arts degree from George Washington University in 1981.
Arthur Luxenberg, Esq., Vice Chairman
Arthur Luxenberg is also a founding partner of Weitz & Luxenberg, specializing in all forms of personal injury cases. He is also co-author of the Practise Law Institute Course Book, 1988 and was a Moot Court Judge at Fordham University from 1987 to 1988.
Admitted to the New York Bar in 1985, he received his law degree from the Benjamin Cardozo School of Law in 1984 and his Bachelor of Arts degree with highest honors from the University of Pennsylvania in 1981.
Mr. Luxenberg is a member of the New York State Bar Association, the New York County Lawyers Association, the Association of Trial Lawyers of America, the New York State Trial Lawyers, the Association of Trial Lawyers of the City of New York, and the Trial Lawyers for Public Justice.
Paul R. Cody, President
Paul Cody is a certified public accountant licensed in New York State. Prior to joining Counsel Financial, he was a General Partner and Chief Financial Officer of Seed Capital Partners, a private equity fund with a focus on early stage technology investments, and JoRon Management, a closely held private equity fund with investment interests ranging from non-recourse plaintiff funding to commodity-based financial products. In that capacity, he oversaw portfolio investment activities, lead dozens of complex equity and debt transactions, and frequently assumed operating roles within portfolio companies.
Mr. Cody holds a Masters in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science degree from the University at Buffalo (UB). He has also served as an adjunct faculty professor at UB’s Jacobs School of Management.
Michael P. Callahan, Director & Chief Financial Officer
Michael Callahan, a certified public accountant licensed in New York State, is Counsel Financial’s top financial officer. He has over 25 years of diversified experience assisting companies in the development, growth and structuring of business and financial operations. He has served as CEO, President, and CFO of numerous public and privately held companies.
Mr. Callahan received a Masters in Business Administration from Monmouth University in 1980 and a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Fordham University in 1971.
Hon. Joseph S. Mattina, J.S.C. (Ret.), General Counsel
Judge Joseph S. Mattina has served the Western New York legal community for more than 48 years, 40 years as a prominent jurist. He joined Counsel Financial upon his retirement from the bench in December 2003. He performs underwriting and audit services for Counsel Financial on a full-time basis.
Judge Mattina is a former NYS Surrogate Court Judge, NYS Supreme Court Justice, Erie County Judge, Buffalo City Court Judge and Erie County Assistant District Attorney. He has also been a faculty instructor at the National Judicial College for many years, and an adjunct professor at the University at Buffalo (UB) for more than 30 years. He graduated from UB’s Law School in 1956.
Megan B. Payne, Chief Operating Officer
Megan Payne oversees underwriting and operations of the Company. She reviews and analyzes all new loan applications, as well as manages the relationships with all current clients. Ms. Payne is instrumental in planning and executing the sales and marketing strategies of the Company.
Prior to joining Counsel Financial Services, Ms. Payne was employed at M&T Bank as a credit analyst and also as a commercial lender. She received a Masters in Business Administration from the William E. Simon Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Rochester, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mathematics and Statistics from the University of Rochester.
Joseph C. Kasouf, J.D., M.S., Deputy General Counsel
Joseph Kasouf has 19 years of experience in corporate legal, litigation, budget, financial and business leadership. Most recently, he was Associate Vice President, Associate General Counsel at Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, a Fortune 100 international insurance and financial services corporation.
He also has been an Adjunct Professor at Syracuse University where he taught Speech Communications and at Franklin University where he taught MBA-level communications.
Mr. Kasouf is a graduate of Syracuse University where he earned a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Speech Communication (cum laude), a Master of Science in Speech Communication, and a Juris Doctor degree.
Earl G. Boyle, Esq., Deputy General Counsel
An attorney for the past 18 years with experience in a variety of fields, Earl Boyle currently serves as one of Counsel Financial’s chief legal analysts, conducting legal due diligence on the case portfolios of existing clients and applicants.
Prior to joining Counsel Financial, he was an Assistant General Counsel at Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, a Fortune 100, multi-line, international insurance and financial services corporation. In that capacity, he served as Corporate Counsel on regulatory issues affecting the company’s Casualty Claims Organization, Special Investigations Unit and Medical Organization. He also served in other corporate legal capacities, which included the supervision and direction of third-party litigation involving commercial, automobile and homeowner bodily injury claims.
Mr. Boyle received his Juris Doctor degree from Syracuse University College of Law in 1991. In 1992, he was admitted to the New York State Bar and the U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York.
He is currently a member of the New York State Bar Association.
Thomas Olivieri, Director of Financial Auditing
Thomas Olivieri reviews, analyzes and audits the financial performance of applicants and existing clients for Counsel Financial. Prior to joining the company, he served in an audit and due-diligence role for a variety of companies, most recently for GE Healthcare Financial Services.
Mr. Olivieri graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from SUNY Fredonia in 1982. He also earned a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Phoenix in 2004 and is a licensed Certified Fraud Examiner.
James W. Cox, Director of Financial Auditing
James Cox reviews the financial performance of clients and applicants and works with clients on-site to ensure that adequate and appropriate funding is provided throughout the relationship. Prior to his employment with Counsel Financial, he spent 21 years in the commercial lending and investment industries.
Mr. Cox graduated from LeMoyne College, in Syracuse, NY, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Finance. He also earned a Masters in Business Administration in Management from the Lally School of Management and Technology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.