Lecturer Bios
Bari Chase
Bari Chase is the Director of the Continuing Legal Education Institute and Programs at the New York County Lawyers’ Association. She has fifteen years of experience developing programs for attorneys at all stages of their careers. Previously, she spent more than twenty years working in the legal information and technology industries, starting in the Editorial Department of Matthew Bender and Co. where she was responsible for such product lines as State and Federal Practice and Procedure, Admiralty, Immigration and Education Law.
For ten years she held various business development and acquisition positions for both Times Mirror Co., and LexisNexis, focusing on acquiring technology companies that would complement the legal content
owned by the parent companies. After leaving Lexis, Bari was involved in residential and commercial real estate, and served as an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Business Law Department of the Peter J. Tobin School of Business at St. John’s University.
She is a graduate of Hofstra University, where she earned a B.A. degree with Honors in Political Science, magna cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, and received a J.D. from Hofstra University School of Law.
John R. Gerard, LUTCF, CLTC
John began his insurance career in 1984 as a Bodily Injury Claims Adjuster with the Liberty Mutual
Insurance Company. This perspective has allowed him to help Advisors/Producers recognize the
importance of contractual language when securing the proper Disability Income Protection.
After 25 years of personal production, John transitioned to the role of Vice President – Disability and
Long Term Care Brokerage. His management experience has helped Advisors/Producers build a better
Practice and add more revenue through creative ideas and out of the box thinking. John has been
recognized by Guardian as an Elite Disability Income Specialist and has consistently ranked in the top 10
of Guardian’s Elite Disability Income Specialists.
John holds a Business Management degree from the University of Scranton and he and his wife Tricia
reside in Bradley Beach, New Jersey.
Paul J. (PJ) Russotto
After spending 13 years on Wall Street, in hedge funds and sales trading, PJ has taken that
knowledge to his client’s financial needs. He takes an integrated common-sense approach to
Insurance and Financial planning which is uncommon in the marketplace. Your greatest asset is
yourself, and it is where planning begins. Before you can build assets for the future, you must
protect your ability to generate cash flow. If PJ is not working, you can find him spending time with
his family, outdoors playing golf, or relaxing at the beach.
Registered Representative and Financial Advisor of Park Avenue Securities LLC (PAS). Securities
products and advisory services offered through PAS, member FINRA, SIPC. PAS is a wholly owned subsidiary of Guardian. Northeast Financial Network LLC is not an affiliate or subsidiary of
PAS or Guardian. Guardian, its subsidiaries, agents, and employees do not provide tax, legal, or
accounting advice. Consult your tax, legal, or accounting professional regarding your individual
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