James W. "Jim" Bendall

David Ross is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Health Care Law. David, who practices law in Latham, New York, has been recognized since 2025. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which David is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Javid Afzali, based in Albany, New York at Harris Beach Murtha, provides comprehensive legal guidance in Commercial Litigation to both domestic and international businesses. His practice covers a wide range of business, real estate, land use, and environmental matters. Javid collaborates directly with company leaders and in-house counsel to navigate corporate governance, project development, and dispute resolution related to corporate and commercial matters, as well as business separations. E...

Whitney Phelps represents healthcare clients in corporate, transactional, and regulatory matters. She has extensive experience in health care benefits, managed care and value-based contracting. Prior to joining Nixon Peabody, Whitney also served as Director of Managed Care and Associate Counsel at the Healthcare Association of New York State. My focus I am a healthcare strategist. I provide practical and solution-oriented options for healthcare stakeholders of all kinds on a broad range of co...

Kurt Bratten is a partner in our Health Law Department. His practice includes a wide range of civil litigation, transactional work, compliance and other advisory services. Kurt’s primary focus is on counseling health care providers regarding various compliance and transactional matters such as state and federal data security and privacy requirements, managed care and other contractual matters, and state and federal regulatory requirements applicable to various provider groups. He freque...

Doreen U. Saia has a wide-ranging energy law practice focused on the representation of national and international corporations that own and operate electric generating facilities and engage in financial transactions trading electricity products. She has been actively involved in state and federal regulatory proceedings concerning the deregulation of the electricity market, the siting of new generating facilities and cost-of-service ratemaking. Doreen was instrumental in developing the structu...

Peter is a partner in our Business Law department, concentrating on corporate bankruptcy cases, commercial law and banking law. With over 40 years of experience representing banks and secured lenders, Peter regularly appears in bankruptcy court for the Northern District of New York. In addition to his creditors’ rights practice, he has represented several Chapter 11 debtors and has successfully confirmed a number of Chapter 11 reorganization cases. Peter’s clients include banks, l...

Chris Stevens handles employment litigation and provides employment-related advice and counsel across a wide variety of industries. My focus I represent employers confronted with people, payroll, and other problems that arise in the context of the employment relationship. My practice focuses on litigation, though I also provide employment-related advice and counsel to clients across a wide spectrum of industries. Employment Litigation I represent employers in all phases of litigation. I regul...

Robert H. Coughlin, Jr. currently concentrates his practice in the area of civil litigation with an emphasis on trial practice and insurance law, negligence, labor law and commercial matters. As a Juris Doctor Candidate at Albany Law School, Mr. Coughlin was in the first class of inductees to the ALS chapter of the Order of the Barristers. He began his career as a confidential law clerk to a New York State Supreme Court Justice immediately after graduation. Following his time as a law clerk, ...

Pam has been a Partner at O’Connell & Aronowitz since 1997 where she practices in our Personal Injury Litigation Department. She was the firm’s managing partner for fifteen years. Her accomplishments tackling the legal issues that arise during litigation have been critical to the firm’s overall success. Pam consistently obtains excellent results representing plaintiffs in all areas of personal injury lawsuits including wrongful death cases, medical malpractice, automobil...

Amber Wright is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Amber, who practices law in Albany, New York, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Amber is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.