About Us | Martin Clearwater & Bell LLP

Our attorneys have vigorously defended and counseled local and national corporations, privately-held companies, governmental entities, and individuals for more than 100 years.
‍
While our Firm enjoys the distinction of being the oldest and largest medical defense firm in New York, our practice areas have grown significantly over the decades to include labor & employment, nursing home and aging services defense, professional liability, appellate matters, and more.

A Brief History

MCB’s origins trace back to 1912 with the partnering of two well-known District Attorneys who established the predecessor firm of Whiteside & Stryker. In 1914, the Firm became counsel to the New York State Medical Society, defending medical malpractice claims brought against its members. The Firm’s name was changed to Martin Clearwater & Bell LLP in 1952, and for the past seven decades, MCB has dominated the defense of medical malpractice cases statewide.
‍
Over the past 70 years, the Firm has strategically expanded and diversified its legal services and practice areas. MCB currently has six locations and nearly 100 attorneys, including over 30 partners.

Why Choose Us

Client Service

Our business philosophy is to build strong and lasting relationships with our clients by developing a deep understanding of their business operations, anticipating their legal needs and providing prompt solutions when needed. Responsiveness is a cornerstone of how we operate, not only while helping clients navigate legal challenges and avoid lawsuit exposure, but also in terms of keeping clients informed and educated about industry trends and risk management protocols.

We continually monitor changes to all pertinent laws and regulations so that we may quickly provide clients with the latest news affecting their businesses and livelihoods.

Investment in Technology

To best serve our clients’ needs and to maintain optimal cost-effectiveness, the Firm has heavily invested in state-of-the-art, high-speed data and communications networks. With utmost priority on security, MCB’s network lies within a next-generation firewall, and robust anti-virus and anti-malware software has been installed to further enhance data integrity. Our first-rate IT team conducts regular network scans to identify and remediate any vulnerabilities in real time.

Working remotely has gone from being convenient to being essential during COVID-19, and our Virtual Desktop Infrastructure allows our attorneys to securely connect to their virtual office at any time and on any device. This has enabled MCB to continue operating, without disruption, since the start of the pandemic.

Recognition

Year after year, MCB and its talented attorneys are recognized by peers and prestigious legal publications and organizations.

Martindale-Hubbell

The majority of the Firm’s partnershave earned the coveted Martindale Hubbell® AV Preminent® rating*

American College of Trial Lawyers

Three senior partners are Fellows of the American College of Trial Lawyers; Peter T. Crean, Anthony M. Sola, Bruce G. Habian

American Board of Trial Advocates

Four Partners are members of the American Board of Trial Advocates: Sean F.X. Dugan, Rosaleen T. McCrory, Jeffrey Lawton, Christopher Terzian

Best Lawyers in America

Seven of the Firm’s Senior Partners have been selected to Best Lawyers in America 2021 and 12 of the Firm’s attorneys have been selected to Best Lawyers Ones to Watch in 2021.

U.S. News Best Law Firms

The Firm has three Tier 1 Rankings by U.S. News Best Law Firms in 2020.

Super Lawyers Metro New York

Ten of the Firm’s attorneys were selected to Super Lawyers – Metro New York in 2020.

Let’s Work Together

Get In Touch