The Team

John Bonina

John is the senior trial attorney for the firm and has been making a difference for his clients ever since his first trial win over 20 years ago. Some significant verdicts include a $4,646,000 verdict for the wrongful death of a woman due to delayed diagnosis of lung cancer; a $2,500,000 verdict for the family of a woman who bled to death while waiting for emergency surgery on a ruptured aneurysm; and a $1,646,000 verdict for the family of a man who died as the result of delayed diagnosis of lung cancer. His success extends beyond verdicts, with numerous multi-million-dollar settlements in cases involving injured construction workers, catastrophically injured children and other New Yorkers injured by negligence or malpractice. Under John’s leadership, the firm has recorded more than $200 million in combined settlements and verdicts. He credits the firm’s success to a combination of old-fashioned hard work and innovative trial techniques.

As a result of his skill and empathy for clients, John has been a frequent lecturer through the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers and the Brooklyn Bar Association. The respect from his peers has earned him a place in The Best Lawyers in America and in New York Magazine’s Best Lawyers in the New York Area.

Andrea Bonina

Since beginning her law career in 1992, Andrea Bonina has concentrated almost exclusively on significant plaintiff’s personal injury cases. Andrea is now managing partner of the firm, which handles medical malpractice, product liability, and other complex personal injury litigation.

Andrea is a frequent lecturer on litigation and practice management topics. She is the past president of the Brooklyn Bar Association and current Foundation Trustee. She obtained an “AV” rating from Martindale Hubbell, which is the highest rating for skills and ethics. Andrea has earned the respect of her peers and has been featured in the New York Times “Super Lawyers” section since 2007 as one of the finest plaintiff’s product liability litigators in New York. She has been included in the New York Area’s Top Rated Lawyers since 2012. Andrea has received numerous awards and honors including the Brooklyn Bar Association’s Vivian H. Agress Trailblazer Award and the Brooklyn Bar Association’s Distinguished Service Award.

Andrea’s decision to practice law is an outgrowth of her commitment to helping others. As Co-Chair of an annual fund-raising drive for St. Jude Children’s Hospital from 1992 through 2006, Andrea raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for children stricken with catastrophic diseases. Andrea is also a founder and past co-chair of the annual Liz Padilla Memorial 5K race to benefit the Brooklyn Bar Association’s Volunteer Lawyer Project. The race raises money to provide pro bono legal services and programs to needy Brooklyn residents.

Deborah Trerotola

Since joining Bonina & Bonina, P.C. in 1988, Deborah has played an important role in the general liability division. She is responsible for handling general liability cases, including premises liability, negligent supervision and other actions against the City of New York. She is deeply motivated and dedicated to protecting and helping seriously injured people. Deborah is a member of several bar associations, including the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers, the Brooklyn Bar Association, The Bay Ridge Lawyers Association and the Columbian Lawyers Association.

Amy Insler

As an attorney, Amy’s courtroom skills have resulted in many favorable outcomes and settlements. Because of her medical knowledge, which includes pre-med undergraduate studies and working as a Pharmacist’s Assistant, Amy is able to comprehend even the most complex medical records easily. Her aggressive and focused attitude has earned her the assignment of most failure to diagnose cancer cases where discovery has to be expedited. Under Amy’s supervision, these cases now move through discovery and on to the trial calendar in a matter of months.

In her spare time, Amy has participated in several fundraisers for cancer patients, including the Avon Breast Cancer 3-Day Event, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, and the Revlon Run/Walk. Additionally, Amy is a member of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, New York State Bar Association, and Brooklyn Women’s Bar Association.

Erin Peake

Erin is our newest attorney. She works closely with John Bonina to represent survivors of sexual abuse. While in law school, Erin completed an internship at the United Nations with the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Sexual Violence in Conflict; through this internship, she learned how to balance professionalism and empathy in high-stress environments. Erin also previously served on the Student Editorial Board for the American Bar Association’s academic publication, Family Law Quarterly, where she developed her drafting and editing skills. She looks forward to spending her career fighting for others and is committed to achieving justice and closure for all survivors of sexual abuse.

Erin was admitted to the New York Bar in 2021, and she is a member of the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers.