The next generation of litigants has arrived—and one of New York City’s most iconic marketing strategies has a new face.
three years later shocking breakup The personal injury law firm Cellino & Barnes, which is known for its “Don’t Wait! Call 8!” jingle, it ubiquitous billboard campaign Has undergone a major rebrand: Ross Cellino’s son personal injury attorney Timothy Cellino will now help advertise the family firm cellino law On billboards across cities.
The Buffalo-born business and its attorneys have become local New York City celebrities since the split after opening offices in the city in 2010 and millions invested in advertising — including ubiquitous signage, painfully attractive TV and radio commercials and the 1-800-888-8888 phone number. highly profitable The firm gained more prominence when its lawyers started quarrel from time to timeleading to a covered extensively divorce that led to Duel Jingle being acquired by new, competing firms – and even a off-broadway play, Then, later in 2020, shortly after the split, Steve Barnes was killed In an upstate plane crash.
Separate billboards soon began appearing for Cellino Law—one featuring a single Ross Cellino—and the Barnes firm, which featured the face of the late Steve’s brother, Rich Barnes.
Now, Cellino Law’s billboards will once again feature not one, but two smiling legal representatives posing the ominous, all-caps question “car accident?” and the new number, 800-555-5555. Ross Cellino is seen on the left and son, 34, on the right.
“Now that he wants me on these billboards, he’s like ‘time to get back in shape,’ so, I’m trying to lose 20-30 pounds so he’ll stop yelling at me, Timothy told The Post the pressures of being a Billboard star with his father, the sole owner of a 28-lawyer firm. Currently only one billboard with Tim is up there — but soon, 10-or-more will be plastered across Long Island and Queens.
“As a little kid I was constantly teased for the jingle,” said Tim, noting that “my grandfather actually started the firm in 1958. So it’s a generational business that passed down to my father And then, hopefully, it’s passed down to me and my siblings.
His three sisters – two older, one younger, all of whom are lawyers – still live in Buffalo and Tim was glad to join Dad at the signs instead of on his own. (Tim lives on Long Island, several hours from Buffalo.)
“Better him than me!” Tim’s sister and Cellino Law attorney Annemarie Cellino texted The Post, stating that “although I am a lawyer, I have stepped back from managing cases to focus on the business aspect of the firm.”
When he’s not freaking out at drivers, Tim enjoys playing with his 2-year-old German Shepherd Sal, hanging out with his girlfriends, playing golf, and going to the gym. In November, for his birthday, his girlfriend got a pair of tickets to a Knicks game at Madison Square Garden, only to be blocked from entering after the MSG CEO flagged it down. James Dolan’s facial recognition technology,
Tim Cellino and his girlfriend after being denied entry to Madison Square Garden.
An old billboard from the Cellino and Barnes days.
Advertisement
Tim Cellino and his dog, Sal.
Advertisement
As far as Ross Cellino is concerned, Billboard’s development is invigorating. “It’s exciting for me to unveil the fact that I have a son who can stand in my place,” he told the Post, while adding that he wants the firm to transition to the “next generation” in the next 25 to 30 years. . ,” He certainly isn’t ready to stop working yet.
And even when he does, it looks like his reputation as New York’s best-known personal injury attorney will live on until his retirement.
“I was just in Grand Central, walking to the office, and a guy came up to me and said, ‘Oh, Mr. Cellino, can I take a selfie with you?’ He remembered. “It’s a little weird, that people treat me like some kind of superstar,” he explained when he was flattered, “I don’t feel like I’m a celebrity in my mind. I’m just a regular guy.