Rensselaer Lawyers

New York City 9/11 lawyer Christopher J. Baione has devoted his practice to representing clients before the federal September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. He has been recognized by Super Lawyers as a top rated 9/11 lawyer and by Avvo with a Clients' Choice Award.

Michael is a highly accomplished trial attorney based in Upstate New York. A student leader at Harvard who distinguished himself through Army R.O.T.C., he served on active duty in the U.S. Army JAG Corps after earning his juris doctor degree from Syracuse University College of Law. Devoting his practice to representing injured individuals and families in catastrophic personal injury cases, Mike has secured multiple million-dollar verdicts across consecutive trials, demonstrating his exceptional skills and dedication. An active lecturer and member of various bar associations, Mike currently resides in Fayetteville with his wife and children.

Dan is an accomplished trial lawyer with over a decade of experience devoted exclusively to litigating medical malpractice actions. He received his J.D. Magna Cum Laude from Syracuse University College of Law in 2010, where he was an Editor of the Law Review, and his B.A Summa Cum Laude in Philosophy from Syracuse University at Utica College in 2006. Dan served in the U.S. Marine Corps, achieving the rank of Sergeant and being decorated for achievement in 55 combat operations during deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has been admitted to practice law in New York State and the Northern...

A member of the Commercial Litigation Department, Peter's practice concentrates on bankruptcy and banking and includes the areas of commercial litigation, creditors' rights, and banking law. He represents secured lenders in Chapter 11 bankruptcies, as well as commercial landlords, financing companies, and unsecured creditors' committees. Peter's court admissions include the United States District Courts: Eastern District of New York, 1999; Southern District of New York, 1999; Western District of New York, 1993; Northern District of New York, 1981; United States Second Circuit Court of Appeals, 1986; State of New York, 1981; State of Florida, 1981.

Michael is a board certified commercial and consumer bankruptcy specialist (American Bankruptcy Board of Certification). He is admitted to the New York State Bar, as well as the United States District Court for the Southern, Eastern and Northern Districts of New York, the Second Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court. His concentration of practice is in the representation of debtors and trustees in bankruptcy liquidations and reorganizations. Michael is the recipient of the President's Award for Pro Bono services, New York State Bar Association (1989, 1993 and 2007), and the Distinguished Service Award from the Legal Aid...

Max Smelyansky, who grew up in Bethlehem, graduated from Manhattan College earning a Bachelor of Science with a major in economics. He then graduated from the University of Baltimore School of Law, in Maryland. After graduating from law school, Max Smelyansky developed his law practice in Albany, specializing in Traffic Defense Law, Personal Injury Law, Landlord / Tenant Law, Family Law and Estate Planning Law.

Ryan Forbes is a litigation attorney with a practice focusing on criminal defense, governmental investigations, and civil rights claims. During his career, Ryan has investigated and defended felony matters, represented clients in several trials to verdict, drafted and researched related motions and appeals. Ryan has represented clients under Government investigations by agencies such as the United States Attorney’s Office, State Attorney General’s office, and Homeland Security. He also commits significant time to pro bono matters, including representing non-profit organizations in civil litigation and representing plaintiffs in § 1983 civil rights cases. While in law school, Ryan served as a judicial intern for...

Steve Coffey is the founding partner and chair of the Personal Injury and Criminal Defense practices at O'Connell and Aronowitz. With over thirty-five years of experience at the state and federal levels, he has established himself as one of upstate New York's most successful trial attorneys in both personal injury and criminal defense. As a former Assistant District Attorney for Albany County and Chief Felony Prosecutor, Steve was the youngest Felony Bureau Chief to serve in Albany County. He also served as Special Prosecutor in Fulton and Albany Counties. This prosecutorial experience provides him unique insight when defending clients in criminal...

Said (Sa-eed) Ibrahim is a fierce advocate for his clients, and practices exclusively in the field of matrimonial and family law, concentrating on divorce negotiation and litigation, custody, child support, and adoption issues. Mr. Ibrahim has extensive experience in representing clients in both Supreme and Family Court, as well as negotiations of resolutions of these matters. Mr. Ibrahim is committed to identifying the unique factors that apply to each individual case, and coming up with a legal plan which best serves each client. Whether this means aggressive compromise and settlement pursuit, or creative discovery and trial tactics, clients will always...

I am an Associate at O'Connell and Aronowitz, focusing on health-related business transactions. I joined the firm in May 2022 as a law clerk, where I sharpened my abilities through legal research, motion drafting, conducting client interviews, and preparing for court proceedings. I am a member of the New York State Bar Association and the Albany County Bar Association. I earned my Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, with a concentration in American Studies, from the University of Arizona. During my summer breaks, I gained invaluable experience as an intern at the Onondaga County District Attorney’s Office. I received my J.D....

Practice is concentrated in commercial litigation

Jenna is an Associate working in the Litigation Department of O'Connell & Aronowitz, P.C. During her law school career, Jenna was a Legal Intern with the United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of New York, as well as a Certified Legal Intern for the Albany County District Attorney's Office where she wrote appeals under supervision on behalf of the People to the Appellate Division, Third Department. Jenna earned her J.D. from Albany Law School with a Certificate in Civil Litigation with Honors. While at Albany Law School, Jenna was the recipient of the President's Scholarship and the...

Attorney James Linnan has taken more than 200 jury verdicts and was awarded the prestigious "Lawyer of the Year for Medical Malpractice in Albany" by Best Lawyers. We have represented thousands of injured people and have been involved in numerous high-profile state and federal trials. We have taken many of these cases to a verdict and have obtained verdicts and settlements in excess of $1 million in Personal Injury, Medical Malpractice, Construction Site Accidents and Motor Vehicle Accidents.

Terry O’Connor is a 1980 graduate of St. Lawrence University, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa and Omicron Delta Kappa. In pursuing his B.S. degree, he also attended the University of Copenhagen in Copenhagen, Denmark. Terry received his J.D. from the University of Notre Dame Law School in 1983. Terry is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell and was recently recognized by the Best Lawyers in America consumer guide. He has also been recognized as one of the top 50 upstate New York lawyers by Super Lawyers consumer guide. Terry is a trial lawyer who defends physicians, manufacturers and...

Originally from Mechanicville, New York, and now living in Albany, Nicholas is an Associate working in our Business Law and Transactions and Health Law departments. Joining O&A in August of 2021, Nicholas focuses largely on business law topics and cannabis. Cannabis law is Nicholas’ passion, and he strives to provide guidance to applicants and licensees (including Conditional Adult Use Retail Dispensaries (“CAURD”) and Adult-Use (“AU”)) who are uncertain and overwhelmed by the onerous requirements imposed by New York’s Marijuana Regulation and Taxation Act (“MRTA”) and the regulations implemented by New York’s Office of Cannabis Management (“OCM”). Additionally, Nicholas advises clients...

Focusing on criminal defense and DWI.

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 frequently assists clients with the assessment of security incidents, HIPAA compliance and response to breaches, and has represented clients before state and federal agencies relating to various cyber security and privacy...

Jeffrey is a health care attorney and 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 45 years. His clients include clinical laboratories, substance abuse and behavioral health clinics, home care providers, adult care facilities, DME suppliers, and professional practices. His clinical laboratory practice is nationwide, and he is regularly tapped to speak at national conferences and forums on issues affecting clinical laboratories. Jeffrey practices in all federal and state courts and health care regulatory agencies. He has successfully represented the state hospital industry...

Cristina is Of Counsel with O'Connell and Aronowitz in the Civil Litigation and Personal Injury Litigation groups. Cristina attended Albany Law School where she served as both a member and Senior Editor of the Albany Law Review and was a semi-finalist in the Domenick L. Gabrielli Appellate Advocacy Competition. Further, she interned for the Honorable David R. Homer, United States Magistrate Judge for the Northern District of New York. Upon her graduation, she was inducted into the National Order of Barristers for excellence in student advocacy.

Will is a Partner managing our Bankruptcy and Matrimonial & Family practices. He is a founding board member of Albany Barn, an organization dedicated to developing a permanent, sustainable creative arts incubator and community arts center in Albany. He is a member of the American, New York State, and Albany County Bar Associations; the Family Law section of the New York State Bar Association; and the Capital Region Bankruptcy Bar Association. Will sits on the Board of Directors of the the Capital Region Bankruptcy Bar Association and the Capital District Business Leaders. A recipient of the New York State Bar Association’s...

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. Pam consistently obtains excellent results representing plaintiffs in personal injury, wrongful death, medical malpractice, automobile collisions, trucking crashes, dangerous products, abused children, and defective medical devices and pharmaceuticals. Pam recently settled an automobile collision involving a pedestrian for $4 million. She settled a pedestrian-construction case for $2.65 million. Pam co-counseled a trial for an $11 million verdict in a medical malpractice case involving sexually abused children. Pam obtained a $1.8...

David is a Shareholder focusing his practice on Medicaid, Medicare and private insurance audits & investigations, Health Law including fraud and abuse, governmental investigations of all kinds, administrative hearings, Federal and State False Claims whistleblower cases, Medicaid compliance plans, criminal defense, and Article 78 cases. He is the head of the Firm’s Government Investigations Unit and a member of the Healthcare Fraud and Abuse Unit. David has had a number of high ranking positions within New York State government. Former Governor George Pataki appointed him General Counsel of the Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG) when the OMIG was created...

Michael J. Garry. Born Albany, New York December 29, 1949, admitted to bar, 1976, New York. Admitted Federal District Court, 1976. Education: Boston College (B.A., 1972); Albany Law School of Union University (J.D. 1975) Assistant Public Defender, Albany County, 1976-1980. Member: Albany County and New York Bar Associations, New York State Bar Association Real Property Section. Authorized to practice in all courts of New York State and United States District Court. Zoning Board Attorney for the Town of Colonie.

General Practice before all State and Federal Courts, Corporate and LLC Formation, Estate Planning, Probate, Residential and Commercial Real Estate,...

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 has been 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 Office as an assistant district attorney under the Hon. Sol Greenberg. In 1991 he was hired by the Hon. Mary Donohue as Chief...