Best Lawyers in New York, United States for Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs
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Daniel P. O’Toole is an award-winning trial attorney known for obtaining record-breaking results in some of New York’s toughest personal injury cases. With results including $110 million, $32 million, and $30 million verdicts, Mr. O'Toole has devoted his professional life to helping victims and their families recover from devastating accidents. In 2024, Mr. O’Toole, along with partners David L. Scher and Scott Occhiogrosso, obtained the largest reported personal injury settl...
Cherie L. Peterson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs and Product Liability Litigation - Plaintiffs. Cherie L., who practices law in Buffalo, New York, has been recognized since 2019. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Cherie L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Brian Shoot is a member of the firm and an appellate specialist who has argued some 250 cases in appellate courts throughout New York. He is admitted to a variety of courts, including the United States Supreme Court, and his experience has made him a sought-after expert by members of the bar on appellate issues. He is a member of the Office of Court Administration’s Advisory Committee on Civil Practice, which advises the state courts on the potential changes in matters of civil procedur...
Jacqueline M. Thomas is a Partner with Lacy Katzen LLP in Rochester, New York, and serves as Chair of the firm’s Personal Injury Litigation Department. With more than 25 years of experience as a trial attorney, her practice is focused on personal injury litigation on behalf of plaintiffs. Her work includes Medical Malpractice Law – Plaintiffs and Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs, representing individuals and families harmed by negligence. Jacqueline handles a wide ran...
Attorney Sanford Smokler is a partner at Simmons Hanly Conroy focusing on products liability and personal injury litigation. He represents injured consumers in actions against pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers. His role centers on discovery, fact investigation and evidence development. “I strategically search for and identify key evidence in order to help develop and prove defendants’ liability stories,” he said. “This evidence is vital for use as exhibit...
Joseph P. Awad, elected President of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association (2006-2007), Governor of the American Association for Justice (2004-2011), Board Certified by the National Board of Legal Specialty, highest rating for legal and ethical standards (AV) by Martindale-Hubbell, recipient of full Academic Law scholarship and Outstanding Academic Achievement Award. Mr. Awad has an excellent record of achievement in trial and appellate advocacy on behalf of consumers in matters includ...
Lisa M. Baehre is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs. Lisa M., who practices law in Buffalo, New York, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Lisa M. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Lambros Y. Lambrou is the founder and driving force behind Lambrou Law PLLC, a respected law practice that has blossomed from a humble start to become an award-winning law firm. Recognized as one of the Best Law Firms of America. Mr. Lambrou’s unwavering dedication to his clients combined with his exceptional legal acumen and his never-ending desire to excel, has positioned the Lambrou firm at the top of the legal landscape. As a senior attorney, he specializes in all types of substanti...
Howard B. Cohen is focused on the prosecution and trial of substantial personal injury accident claims, which include automobile accidents, workplace accidents, wrongful death claims, construction accident and fall-down defect claims. He has also prosecuted substantial Insurance, Securities and Fraud claims.
Annamarie Bondi-Stoddard, Esq. who is of counsel to the Pegalis Law Group, LLC, has represented hundreds of patients in medical negligence cases, including cases involving women’s health issues, children’s birth injuries, cancers, surgical and neurosurgery. Annamarie has encyclopedic knowledge of medical terms, and has been a leading advocate of being a proactive patient. She has lectured on patient safety and medical malpractice for community groups and law industry professionals...
Richard Amico serves as Chief Trial Counsel for The Barnes Firm Injury Attorneys in New York and California and as Co-Chair of the firm’s Labor Law Department. Based in Rochester, New York, he represents individuals and families harmed by negligence, with a focus on serious accident and injury litigation. Richard began practicing law in 1989 and has dedicated my career to advocating for injured people. His practice focuses on construction accidents , motor vehicle crashes , and injuries...
I have been a partner at our law firm for 20 years and we limit our practice to personal injury litigation. I handle an extensive case load of personal injury litigation matters in both New York and Pennsylvania from case intake through trial and appeal. In addition to my legal work, I help manage the operation of our three attorney and nine employee law firm.
Nicholas Papain is one of New York's most prominent personal injury and products liability trial lawyers, having won numerous multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements for clients killed or seriously injured by defective products, fires, unsafe premises and negligently operated vehicles. Nick played a leading and critical role in a fee proceeding before a national arbitration panel regarding the Firm's representation of the State of New York in its action against the major tobacco compani...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.