Our Practice
Practice Areas
Practice Areas
Practice Areas
- Land Use
- Real Estate Law
- Elder Law
- Municipal Law
- Corporate and Business Law
- Wills, Trusts, and Estates
- Debt Collection
- Matrimonial Law
Our Approach
Practice Areas
Practice Areas
At William J. Better, P.C., we specialize in bringing the law to your corner. We are dedicated to understanding what results you want and to helping you understand what actions we can take on your behalf. We will work with you every step of the way to make sure that you understand the choices you are making and feel empowered to make them.
Our Team
William J. Better, Esq.
Bill was born and raised in Columbia County, where he would go on to open his own law firm. He graduated from the College of Saint Rose before obtaining his Juris Doctor from Western New England School of Law. In his 35+ year career, Bill has practiced in many areas, including land use, business litigation, civil litigation, collections and more. He has also acted as both a lender's and bank counsel for top 10 financial institutions.
Bill has also held various municipal positions in the area with the town of Valatie, Columbia County, and the Town of Kinderhook. His most recent role is the Assistant Attorney for Columbia County Department of Social Services.
Joseph D. Clyne, Esq.
Joe is an associate attorney at William J. Better, P.C. where he focuses on varying aspects of the litigation practice. He graduated from Fordham University with a Bachelors Degree in English and then went on to obtain his Juris Doctor from Albany Law School. Joe is licensed to practice law in the State of New York and the State of Florida.
Prior to joining William J. Better, P.C., he had experience with workers' compensation law and criminal prosecution. Joe has practiced before the Supreme Courts in Albany, Rensselaer, and Columbia Counties, the New York State Workers' Compensation Board, and the Appellate Division for the Third Department. He has also argued an appellate case in front of the Third Department representing Columbia County DSS and won.
Codruta Antonovici, Esq.
Codruta is an associate attorney at William J. Better, P.C where she focuses on different stages of the firm's litigation practice. She graduated from Stony Brook University with a dual degree in Political Science and Psychology, and a minor in Philosophy. She then completed an accelerated program at Brooklyn Law School and obtained her Juris Doctor in two years. Codruta is licensed in the State of New York.
Before working at our firm, Codruta spent a year on a Public Service Fellowship with the Legal Aid Society of Westchester, and the next year in insurance defense. Codruta has practiced before the Supreme Courts of New York/ Manhattan, Queens, Bronx, Brooklyn, Westchester and Columbia Counties on criminal and civil matters.
She finds joy in fighting parking tickets and the raccoon mammal.
Kelly A. Sprague
Kelly joined William J. Better, P.C. as a legal assistant in December of 2018 while studying for the LSAT and applying to law school—she has been with our practice ever since. Kelly is now a Law Clerk involved in researching a variety of procedural and substantive issues for the associates in the Office.
As a third year law student at Albany Law School, Kelly serves as Vice President of the Environmental Law Society, and as a Subeditor for both the Albany Law Review Journal and the New York Environmental Lawyer. She has recently completed a year-long fellowship mentoring first year Contracts Students with Professor Alex Seita, and a semester-long Clerkship with the Land Acquisition Section of the Environment & Natural Resources Division of the Department of Justice. She will graduate in December of 2021, and sit for the bar in February of 2022.
Deborah A. Berlin
Deborah joined the William J. Better, P.C. team in December of 2009 as a Legal Receptionist. In the years that followed, she worked with various attorneys in the firm within the fields of Real Estate, Estate Planning and Estate Administration, Civil Litigation, Motor Vehicle and Traffic matters, as well as Landlord Tenant, Intellectual Property, and Matrimonial matters. Deborah is now the Law Practice Administrator. She has been a licensed New York State Notary for over 20 years.
Her extracurricular involvement includes being a member of the Art School of Columbia County and Spencertown Academy. She is a mother of two, an artist, and is involved in animal rescue.