Habriel Mykula

Habriel focuses his practice on defending property owners, general contractors and sub-contractors in variety settings, including construction incidents, contribution and indemnification claims, slip and fall incidents at the premises, subrogation property damage claims, arising out of construction defects, and motor vehicle collisions.

Prior to joining Gerber Ciano Kelly Brady LLP, Habriel handled insurance defense matters as a part of Attorney Collaboration Team Unit of Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, for almost ten years.  As a Team Litigator, he successfully defended individual and corporate clients in various matters, including construction site incidents, product liability matters, automobile accidents, and property damage claims. In this role, Habriel provided case evaluations of the referred matters, identifying key issues and suggesting early litigation plans and budgets. He drafted pleadings and motions, reviewed and analyzed discovery materials, and provided recommendations based on his findings. He collaborated with claims partners and defense counsel, developed pre-trial and trial strategies, and formulated defense positions and themes. Habriel evaluated each matter’s strengths and weaknesses before proceeding to trial or alternative dispute resolution and assessed the likelihood of success on summary judgment. His defense efforts were focused on providing optimal results to insured clients, mitigating high-risk exposures, and avoiding trial complications and unnecessary expenses. Habriel also handled no-fault/PIP matters, UM/UIM matters, pre-litigation assessments and recommendations, and various other insurance-related aspects in different jurisdictions.

Habriel's defense work was recognized by Liberty Mutual Insurance Group multiple times. He received a Gold Bravo Award and Shine Recognition awards for providing successful insurance defense work.

Prior to joining Liberty Mutual Insurance Group, Habriel worked in a small litigation firm in Brooklyn, New York, where he gained valuable experience in versatile areas of practice, including prosecution of bodily injury claims arising out of automobile collisions, defective products, slip/trip and fall incidents at the premises and construction sites, defense of small and mid-level contractors and materialmen in various contractual and litigation disputes, partnership and matrimonial disputes, real estate transactions, wills and estate planning. He grew from a Legal Assistant to Associate Attorney.

Earlier in his career, Habriel served as a law clerk to Hon. Viktor Heyrush, Deputy Chief Judge of Mukachevo District Court in Ukraine. Habriel drafted court opinions and decisions in criminal, civil and administrative matters, conducted legal research, analyzed court statistics and prepared reports to the appellate courts. He was also in charge of various administrative and liaison functions. 

Born and raised in the western part of Ukraine, in a family of a doctor and an engineer, Habriel decided to become a lawyer. He received his first law degree in Ukraine. However, being fascinated by flexibility of the common law system and jury trial, in 2004, Habriel decided to immigrate to the United States of America to learn more about the American legal system. He earned a Master of Laws degree at University at Buffalo School of Law and was duly admitted practicing law in the State of New York.

Habriel and his wife fell in love with Buffalo and Western New York nature which reminded them of their native Transcarpathia. Having graduated from UB, they decided to stay in Buffalo. Outside the office, Habriel enjoys traveling, visiting philharmonic orchestra, boat fishing, kayaking, cooking and spending time with his wife.