Dana Walsh Sivak Selected as 2026 Long Island Business News Top 50 Women in Business Honoree
Falcon Rappaport & Berkman (FRB) is proud to announce that Equity Partner Dana Walsh Sivak has been named as one of the 2026 Long Island Business News (LIBN) Top 50 Women in Business.
LIBN’s Top 50 Women in Business awards recognize Long Island’s leading women professionals for their business acumen, mentoring, and community involvement. Honorees are selected by a panel of previous Top 50 Women winners based on documented professional accomplishments, community service, and mentorship.
Dana serves as Chair of FRB’s Elder Law Practice Group and is a member of the firm’s Management Committee. Since joining FRB, she has made a significant impact not only through her legal practice, but also through her leadership in shaping the firm’s culture, policies, and commitment to supporting the professional advancement of its team.
“Dana has made an incredible impact on FRB from the day she walked in the door, and it is hard to believe she has been with us only a few years because this firm has been shaped by her as much as it has been shaped by anyone,” said Kenneth J. Falcon, Co-Managing Partner of FRB. “She is the kind of leader who makes an organization better through her judgment, empathy and humanity. Dana has a rare ability to make people feel seen, supported and understood, while also bringing clarity and strength to difficult situations. She has made FRB a more thoughtful, supportive and compassionate place to work, and I cannot think of anyone more deserving of this recognition.”
Dana has devoted much of her legal career to advocating for seniors, adults with disabilities, and their families. Her practice encompasses Article 81 guardianship proceedings, complex Medicaid eligibility and crisis planning, nursing home litigation, long-term care planning, and quality-of-life advocacy. Her experience and judgment have also led courts to appoint her to serve in important roles in complex and contested guardianship proceedings.
Beyond her client work, Dana has demonstrated a longstanding commitment to mentoring and strengthening the legal profession. As Co-Chair of the Elder Law, Social Services and Health Advocacy Committee of the Nassau County Bar Association, Dana created a mentorship program designed to train and support less experienced guardianship attorneys and foster a more inclusive and diverse community of practitioners serving vulnerable populations.
Dana has also played an instrumental role in advancing women within FRB. Shortly after joining the firm, she brought forward policy proposals that ultimately helped lay the foundation for the FRB Women’s Initiative, which was formally launched in March 2026. The firmwide initiative is dedicated to recognizing, supporting, and advancing the women of FRB through mentorship, professional development, greater visibility, and meaningful dialogue about the challenges women face in the workplace.
Under Dana’s leadership, the initiative has also helped encourage broader conversations about workplace policies and practices, including improvements designed to better support employees taking parental leave. Her work on these initiatives was among the contributions recognized when she was elevated to Equity Partner and appointed to FRB’s Management Committee.
“I am incredibly honored to be recognized among this group of accomplished women,” said Dana. “Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to learn from mentors and colleagues who encouraged me to use my voice, support others and look for opportunities to make a meaningful difference. Whether through my work with clients, mentoring other attorneys or helping advance the Women’s Initiative at FRB, I hope to continue creating opportunities for others to feel supported, empowered and confident in pursuing their own paths to success.”
Dana’s commitment to service extends throughout the Long Island community. She has supported organizations including Girls Inc. of Long Island, Girl Scouts of Nassau County, the Alzheimer’s Association Long Island Chapter, and the Northwell Health NICU Family Advisory Council at North Shore University Hospital.
Dana is also an accomplished author and speaker whose work has appeared in the New York Law Journal, the New York State Bar Association Elder Law & Special Needs Journal, the Nassau Lawyer, and the Suffolk Lawyer. She regularly speaks at professional conferences, continuing legal education programs, and community events on elder law, estate planning, Medicaid, guardianship, and issues affecting seniors.
This latest recognition builds upon a distinguished record of professional achievement. Dana was previously named to Long Island Business News’ 40 Under Forty in 2021 and received its Leaders in Law Award in 2024. She has also been recognized as a New York Metro Super Lawyers Rising Star and has received honors including Who’s Who in Healthcare Law, Ones to Watch: Law, and the St. Vincent DePaul Legal Program Award.
The 2026 Top 50 Women in Business honorees will be celebrated on October 15 at Crest Hollow Country Club in Woodbury, New York.
FRB congratulates Dana on this well-deserved recognition and celebrates the leadership, compassion, mentorship, and commitment to service she brings to the firm, her clients, the legal profession, and the Long Island community.
Falcon Rappaport & Berkman LLP is a full-service business law firm proudly advising clients on their most complex matters. FRB differentiates itself by approaching matters with a level of depth and variety of skills unmatched by typical advisors, following through on a firmwide commitment to excellent service, offering access to thought leaders in numerous areas of professional practice, and partnering with clients to develop and achieve their legal, business, and personal objectives.
For more information or inquiries, please contact Abby Winckler at pr@frblaw.com.