James P. O’Brien
Of Counsel
Mr. O’Brien joined Coughlin & Gerhart, LLP in 1980 and is Of Counsel with the firm. Mr. O’Brien’s 40 plus years of civil litigation experience includes commercial corporate litigation and intellectual property litigation. Mr. O’Brien has been the lead counsel in a number of large business and intellectual property cases. His experience also includes commercial litigation and representation of plaintiffs in personal injury cases, defense work for insurance carriers and individuals and corporations. Mr. O’Brien has successfully prosecuted and defended numerous lawsuits in the areas of intellectual property, business litigation, personal injury, wrongful death, products liability and medical malpractice.
Mr. O’Brien is a member of the Committee on Premises Liability/Labor Law for a section of the New York State Bar Association, is a member of the Torts, Insurance and Compensation Law section, and is a former chair of the General Practice Section and was a member of its Executive Committee for a number of years, representing the Sixth Judicial District. Mr. O’Brien is also a member of the New York State Bar Association, New York State Trial Lawyers Association, the Broome County Bar Association and the New York Academy of Trial Lawyers. He is a Member of the Board of Directors of the Union Volunteer Emergency Squad, Inc., and is on its Executive Committee. Mr. O’Brien is also a charter member of the International Society of Primerus Law Firms.
Honors & Awards
- Listed, U.S. News & World Report’s Best Lawyers in America©, 2012 – 2022
- Named Lawyer of the Year for Personal Injury Litigation Defendants in U.S. News & World Report’s Best Lawyers in America© (Named twice, including 2023)
- Life Member Designation/Award from Union Volunteer Emergency Squad, 2010 – Present
- Appreciation Award from the Southern Tier Zoological Society, Inc.
- Justinian Society (Member)
- Moot Court Board (Member)
Leadership & Community Involvement
- Board of Directors & Executive Committee of the Union Volunteer Emergency Squad, 1998 – Present
Practice Areas
Admissions
- New York, 1981
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1984
- U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York, 1981
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York, 2002
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, 2006
- U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, 2003
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 2004
Education
Syracuse University College
of Law
- J.D., magna cum laude, 1980
State University of
New York College
- B.A., magna cum laude, 1977
Professional Affiliations
- New York State Bar Association
- Broome County Bar Association
- Young Lawyers Section of the New York State Bar Association (Chair, 1990 – 1991)
- Committee on Premises Liability/Labor Law (Section of the NYSBA) (Member)
- Torts, Insurance and Compensation Law Section (NYSBA) (Member)
- Executive Committee, General Practice Section representing the 6th JD of NYS (Former Member)
- New York State Trial Lawyers Association
- New York Academy of Trial Lawyers
- Union Volunteer Emergency Squad, Inc. (Board of Directors, Member; Executive Committee, Member)
- International Society of Primerus Law Firms
