BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Family of those killed by the mass shooter at a Buffalo Tops supermarket nearly a year ago hope to move forward with civil action in the next two months. 

Attorney Terry Connors, who represents seven families who lost loved ones, as well as survivors who were hurt, said it's difficult to give an exact timeline.

"The timeline on the lawsuit has been moving because of a number of developments both legislatively and factually," Connors said.

He said they're closely watching the legislative session for any changes to rules of evidence for wrongful death or personal injury cases. Connors is optimistic the Legislature will pass an expansion of the state's wrongful death statute to allow families claim emotional damages among other things. 

The governor vetoed a version of the bill passed last session but Connors believes the new legislation addresses her objections.

"It's more than just a monetary loss. It's the grief. It's the loss of nurture, the companionship, what you learn from your parents and your grandparents growing up and that needs to be something that a jury can consider," he said.

The shooter pleaded guilty to state charges, guaranteeing he'll spend the rest of his life in prison. Connors said a federal protective order has extremely limited his and other attorneys' representing the families access to the evidence though.

The federal defender filed a motion to allow better access but the U.S. attorney in a motion this week is opposing it and even argued what's been allowed so far violates the order. Connors said it not only makes the civil case more difficult but also makes it harder for the families to give input on whether the federal government should seek the death penalty.

"To appropriately represent the families that we speak for we need to have full access to it. We'll abide by the protective order. It's not a problem but we need to have it. We need to have our experts look at it. We need to digest it. We need to look at that path that brought that shooter to that horrible day on May 14," he said.

Meanwhile, he said these families have over the last year advocated not just to remember their loved ones but for new laws and improved living conditions on Buffalo's east side.

"I'm incredibly proud and privileged to represent these families and every month I become even prouder. They have tried to take what is the most negative thing in their lives and turn it into a positive development," Connors said.