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The History of Our Personal Injury Firm

The firm has been devoted to litigation since its inception.  After Joseph C. Dwyer graduated from Cornell University and The Cornell Law School, his practice was centered in civil and criminal litigation.  In 1969, he became a partner with former Supreme Court Justice George F. Francis.  In 1974, Mr. Dwyer formed his own firm in Olean, New York, being joined by his wife, Elaine Niver Dwyer, also a Cornell law graduate.  In 1994, Jeffrey A. Black, a Dickinson (PA) School of Law graduate, became a partner, with the firm becoming “Dwyer & Black, P.C.”  The firm devoted its practice solely to plaintiffs’ personal injury matters.  After extending its practice to Northwest Pennsylvania, the firm became known as “Dwyer, Black & Lyle, P.C.”, with the addition of another Dickinson (PA) School of Law graduate, Ethan M. Lyle, also now a partner of the firm. In 2008, Kevin M. Habberfield joined the law firm as an associate attorney after graduating from the University of Buffalo School of Law.   Mr. Habberfield was named a partner in the law firm in 2011.

These attorneys practice under the name of “Dwyer, Black & Lyle, LLP” at 1616 West State Street, Olean, New York, with a staff of seven, including an Registered Nurse, a full-time Investigator, several legal assistants, secretaries and a business manager.

Throughout its history, the firm has been involved in numerous community and charitable functions including making donations and providing financial support to groups such as the Olean YMCA, the United Way of Cattaraugus County, the Rehabilitation Center and Literacy Volunteers of Cattaraugus County.   Below is a photo of the firm with "Lady Justice", the squirrel they commissioned in support of Olean's Woodland in the City program.