Jenna Smith

Elliot Hallak brings extensive experience in handling a diverse array of legal matters, with a focus on commercial and insurance litigation. Based in Albany, New York, Elliot is part of the Harris Beach Murtha team, where he works on significant cases that cover areas such as banking disputes, life insurance issues, interpleader actions, and class-action lawsuits. His practice also involves resolving complex business conflicts, shareholder oppression cases, and property valuation disputes. In...

Mike is the President at O’Connell and Aronowitz. He handles plaintiff’s personal injury cases and criminal defense at our firm. He has handled or supervised over three dozen homicide prosecutions, trying many of those cases to verdict, and he is a court-appointed special prosecutor in homicide cases in Albany and Rensselaer counties. While in law school, Mike was an Associate Editor of the Albany Law Review. Upon graduation, he entered the Albany County District Attorney’s ...

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, ...

Jeffrey is Of Counsel at O’Connell & Aronowitz. Primarily a health care attorney, he is also an accomplished litigator in health care, commercial and employment cases. In his national health law practice, Jeffrey has represented providers and their trade associations for over 35 years. His clients include hospitals, clinical laboratories, alcohol and substance abuse providers, behavioral health providers, nursing homes, home health care agencies, adult care facilities, DME and respi...

Bill advises businesses and organizations on energy related matters, strategic planning initiatives regarding economic development, state and federal regulatory affairs, and policy decisions. He also advises clients on local, state and federal governmental affairs. Bill is noted for his experience in regulatory policies and legislation related to electricity, gas, water, cable television, and telecommunications services. He served as Chairman of the New York State Public Service Commission (N...

Benjamin M. Friedman is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Nonprofit / Charities Law. Benjamin M., who practices law in Albany, New York, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Benjamin M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

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

Matt is partner concentrating his practice in the area of elder law, estate administration, and Medicaid planning. In his Medicaid planning practice, Matt works with families to preserve their assets, while obtaining access to necessary long term care services. Matt has been a Legal Services Provider for the Saratoga County Office for the Aging for over a decade and previously served as the Saratoga County Examiner of Guardianship Accounts. Matt is a frequent lecturer on elder law issues for ...

With nearly three decades of experience in life, property, casualty, and workers compensation insurance matters, Michael J. Murphy is a skilled New York insurance legislative and regulatory attorney. Michael has been involved in many noteworthy insurance matters that have come before the New York State Legislature and the New York State Department of Financial Services, including most recently, ride sharing, climate change, and cybersecurity. Michael represents a number of national property c...

William Reynolds is a partner in Nixon Peabody’s Commercial Litigation practice, based in our Albany office. He is an experienced trial attorney who represents clients from a wide array of industries in complex litigation. Bill has also successfully represented major governmental agencies and authorities in litigation both in New York State and Massachusetts, where he served for four years as an assistant attorney general. What do you focus on? I focus my practice on complex civil litig...