Client-Recommended Attorneys, Adjusters and Experts
Client-Recommended Attorneys, Adjusters and Experts



Best's Recommended Insurance Attorneys - General Defense


296 Washington Avenue Extension, Suite 3, Albany, New York 12203

Established: 2000

Practice Areas

  • Civil Trial Practice
  • Insurance Defense
  • Appellate Practice
  • Automobile
  • Commercial Litigation
  • General Liability
  • Labor and Employment
  • Municipal Liability
  • Product Liability
  • Trial Practice
  • Accountants and Attorneys Liability
  • Coverage Issues
  • Directors and Officers Liability
  • Premises Liability
  • Asbestos Litigation
  • Automobile Liability
  • Automobile Tort
  • Construction Accidents
  • Construction Defect
  • Construction Liability
  • Professional Liability
  • Contractors Liability
  • Wrongful Termination
  • Subrogation
  • Medical Malpractice Defense

Cases Gone to Trial: 500+


About Us

After years of working in a large law firm environment, we wanted to create a firm that offered its clients the experience, technology and efficiency of a large firm and the tradition of service, responsiveness, accountability and customer satisfaction typically found in a small family business. We believe that our firm which opened on June 19, 2000, not only meets, but exceeds, that goal.

Our lawyers offer over 100 years of combined legal experience in State and Federal courtrooms throughout New York. Litigation is our primary focus and we concentrate our practice in the defense of professional liability claims (medical, legal, accounting, engineering and architectural); product liability defense; trucking and transportation liability; labor and employment law; the defense of municipalities in civil rights; lead paint and discrimination claims; and personal injury litigation. We are a dual resource to our clients. As trial attorneys, we are ready, willing and able to try even the most complex litigation to conclusion before judge or jury. As counselors at law, we assist our clients, both in resolving matters that should not be litigated and in preventing litigation before it starts.


Client Information

Insurance Clients


Personnel Information

Partner Emeritus


Eugene E. Napierski — (Retired)

Partners


John W. VanDenburgh

Albany, NY

Years of Experience: 33

Admitted
  • New York, 1988
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of New York, 1993
  • U.S. Supreme Court, 2001
Additional Biographical Details:

Council on Litigation Management; Eagle International Associates Inc. (Member, Board of Directors); New York State Dental Society (Panel Counsel, Risk Management Presenter); Lecturer, Dental and Medical Societies on Risk Management and Liability Limitation; Martindale Hubbell AV-Preeminent; N.Y. State Super Lawyer; Listed in Best Lawyers' Best Attorneys in N.Y.

Memberships:
  • Federal, American, (Tort and Insurance Law Section) and New York State (Insurance, Negligence, Compensation Law and Employment Law Sections) Bar Associations
  • Albany County and Schenectady County Bar Associations
  • Capital District Trial Lawyers Association
  • Defense Research Institute of Northeastern New York (Past President)
  • Defense Research Institute
  • New York State Trial Lawyers Association
  • Transportation Lawyers Association
Publications:
  • Articles on Trial Tactics, Witness Preparation and the Doctrine of Informed Consent
Education:
  • Siena College, B.A. (magna cum laude), 1984
  • Albany Law School of Union University, J.D., 1987

Born: 1959


Eugene Daniel Napierski

Albany, NY

Years of Experience: 29

Admitted
  • New York, 1992
  • North Carolina
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York
Memberships:
  • New York State Bar Association
  • North Carolina State Bar
Education:
  • College of William & Mary, B.A., 1988
  • Albany Law School of Union University, J.D., 1991

Born: 1966


Christine M. Napierski

Albany, NY

Years of Experience: 31

Admitted
  • New York, 1990
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York, 1992
Memberships:
  • New York State and Albany County Bar Associations
  • Capital District Women's Bar Association
  • Capital District Trial Lawyers
  • New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers
  • Defense Research Institute
Education:
  • Syracuse University, B.A., 1986
  • Albany Law School of Union University, J.D., 1989

Born: 1964


Shawn F. Brousseau

Albany, NY

Years of Experience: 26

Admitted
  • New York, 1995
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York, 1998
  • U.S. District Court, Southern and Western Districts of New York, 2002
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
  • U.S. Supreme Court
Memberships:
  • American, New York State and Albany County Bar Associations
  • Capital District Trial Lawyers Association
  • Defense Research Institute
Publications:
  • Contributor: Public Sector Labor & Employment Law, 2nd Edition
Education:
  • St. Lawrence University, B.A. (magna cum laude), 1991
  • Albany Law School of Union University, J.D., 1994
Honors:
Phi Beta Kappa

Born: 1969


Kimberly E. Kenealy

Albany, NY

Years of Experience: 24

Admitted
  • New York, 1997
  • Massachusetts
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
Memberships:
  • American, New York State, Schenectady County and Albany County Bar Associations
  • Capital District Women's Bar Association
  • Capital District Trial Lawyers Association
  • Council on Litigation Management
  • Eagle International Associates, Inc.
  • Defense Research Institute
  • New York State Trial Lawyers Association
Reported Cases:
Matter of Tabrizi v Faxton-St. Luke's Health Care; 66 A.D.3d 1421;13 N.Y.3d 717, 922 N.E.2d 906; McLaughlin v Malone & Tate Bldrs., Inc., 13 AD3d 859, 861
Education:
  • College of Saint Rose, B.A., 1980
  • Western New England College School of Law, J.D., 1996

Born: 1957


Thomas J. O'Connor

Albany, NY

Years of Experience: 53

Admitted
  • New York, 1968
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
Memberships:
  • American, New York State and Albany County Bar Associations
  • Capital District Trial Lawyers Association
  • Defense Research Institute
Education:
  • Fordham University, B.A., 1962
  • Albany Law School, J.D., 1968

Born: 1941


Associate Attorneys


Diane L. Schilling

Albany, NY

Years of Experience: 30

Admitted
  • New York, 1991
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York
  • New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division
Memberships:
  • Northern District of New York Federal Court, New York State, Albany County and Rensselaer County Bar Associations
  • Capital District Women's Bar Association
Education:
  • Cornell University, B.S., 1987
  • Albany Law School of Union University, J.D., 1990

Born: 1964


Ronnie S. Lindberg

Albany, NY

Years of Experience: 6

Admitted
  • New York, 2015
Memberships:
  • New York State and Albany County Bar Associations
  • Capital District Women's Bar Association
Education:
  • Hamilton College, B.A., 1990
  • Niagara University, M.S.Ed., 1991
  • Albany Law School of Union University, J.D., 2014

Courtney L. Alpert

Albany, NY

Years of Experience: 5

Admitted
  • Massachusetts, 2016
  • New York
Memberships:
  • New York State and Capital District Women's Bar Associations
  • New York State Trial Lawyers Association
Education:
  • Siena College, B.A. (magna cum laude), 1984
  • Albany Law School of Union University, J.D., 1987

Brian P. Henchy

Albany, NY

Years of Experience: 6

Admitted
  • New York, 2016
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York, 2017
Memberships:
  • New York State Bar Association
  • New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers
  • Northeastern Association of the Blind at Albany (Board Member, 2017- Present)
Education:
  • Binghamton University, B.A., 2012
  • Albany Law School, J.D., 2015

Born: 1990


Service Areas

Schenectady, New York, USA 15 miles

Troy, New York, USA 8 miles


(This firm also appears in the Subrogation section of this publication)

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