Atty. Michael P. "Mike" McDermott
Mike is the President at O’Connell and Aronowitz. He handles plaintiff’s personal injury cases and criminal defense at our firm.
Profile Summary
About Michael P. "Mike" McDermott at a glance
Michael P. "Mike" McDermott is a medical malpractice, personal injury, and criminal defense attorney based in Latham, New York, practicing at O'Connell & Aronowitz. They have 36+ years of legal experience, licensed to practice since 1990. Admitted to practice in New York, New York State Bar Association (1990) and New York, NDNY (1990). Educated at Albany Law School of Union University (J.D., 1989) and Siena College (B.A. in English, 1983). Recognitions include Best Lawyers in America — Criminal Defense: General Practice (2026), Best Lawyers in America — Medical Malpractice Law - Plaintiffs (2026), and Best Lawyers in America — Personal Injury Litigation - Plaintiffs (2026). Serands clients in Latham, NY and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About
- 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 is 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 Assistant District Attorney of Rensselaer County
- After leaving the Rensselaer County DA’s Office, Mike was a partner in the former Albany law firm of Bouck, Holloway, Kiernan and Casey where he specialized in defending insurance carriers in arson cases
- In 2002, he returned to the Albany County District Attorney’s Office as Chief Assistant District Attorney under the Hon. Paul A. Clyne
- In 2004, Mike was named New York State Arson Prosecutor of the Year by the New York State Fire Investigators Association
- Mike continued to serve in the Albany County District Attorney’s Office as Chief Assistant under the Hon. P. David Soares until January of 2007, when he became Of Counsel to our firm
- Also in 2007, he was appointed by Gov. Eliot Spitzer to the New York State Commission on Sentencing Reform
- He previously served as a member of the City of Albany Gun Violence Task Force
- For the 12th consecutive year, Mike was named to the Upstate New York Super Lawyers list, a distinction earned by less than 5% of the attorneys in the state
- He previously served on the board of directors of TASC, Inc., a local not-for-profit corporation providing residential drug treatment as an alternative to incarceration for eligible offenders in the Capital District
- Mike served on the board of directors of the Albany County Bar Association from 2010 to 2022, and was President of the Association from 2020 through 2021
- He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the New York State Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers
- In addition to the practice of law, Mike has been an adjunct professor at Siena College and Southern Vermont College
- He has lectured on legal issues for the New York State Bar Association, the Albany County Bar Association, the Schenectady County Bar Association, the New York State Prosecutors Training Institute, Albany Law School, and the National Business Institute
Practice Areas Explained
Michael P. "Mike" McDermott's Areas of Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Michael P. "Mike" McDermott handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.
Medical malpractice lawyers represent patients harmed by negligent doctors, hospitals, and other providers. Free case review, no fee unless you win.
Michael P. "Mike" McDermott is one of 49,086 medical malpractice attorneys indexed nationally. Browse medical malpractice attorneys in New York →
Personal injury attorneys help accident victims recover compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and pain & suffering. Most work on contingency — no fee unless you win.
Michael P. "Mike" McDermott is one of 264,852 personal injury attorneys indexed nationally. Browse personal injury attorneys in New York →
A criminal defense attorney protects your rights from arrest through trial. Find experienced lawyers handling DUI, drug, federal, theft, and violent-crime charges.
Michael P. "Mike" McDermott is one of 214,270 criminal defense attorneys indexed nationally. Browse criminal defense attorneys in New York →
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in New York
Practicing law in New York. Legal matters in New York are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Latham are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate New York state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in New York brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in New York courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Looking for additional New York attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Latham or all attorneys in New York.
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