James Whalen is a partner in the New York office of Lewis Brisbois and a member of the General Liability Practice. Mr. Whalen is one of the top trial attorneys in New York State and is perennially named to the Super Lawyers list by his peers based on his professional achievements. He is on the Board of Directors of the Defense Association of New York, is a Member of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association, and is the Vice-Chairman of Lewis Brisbois’ Construction Accident/New York Labor Law Committee. Mr. Whalen was recognized by New York Law Journal as having one of the best defense verdicts of the year and has had verdicts featured by VerdictSearch.

In his 40 plus years of experience, Mr. Whalen earned more than 100 defense verdicts, selected more than 400 juries, and has taken hundreds of cases to trial. Mr. Whalen’s trial successes have primarily been won in Brooklyn, Bronx, and Queens’s “plaintiff friendly” venues. Mr. Whalen’s practice areas include premises liability, construction, labor law, motor vehicle (personal and commercial), wrongful death, medical malpractice, dram shop, and property damage. He also has extensive experience as a criminal defense attorney in both State and Federal courts.

Professional Presentations

• CLE Lecturer on trial tactics
• “Managing and  Mitigating Damages in a Wrongful Death Case”
• “Conducting Trials and Negotiating Settlements.”
• “Use of Biomechanical Experts at Trial.”

Admissions

• State Bar Admissions
  • New York
• United States District Courts
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York
  • United States District Court for the Southern District of New York

Admissions

New York

Associations

• New York State Trial Lawyers Association
• Bronx County Bar Association
• American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA)

Awards & Honors

Super Lawyers: New York Times Best Lawyers in the New York Metropolitan Area, 2006-2007, 2009-2015

Education

St. John’s University School of Law

Juris Doctor, 1978

Holy Cross College

Bachelor of Science, 1974