Martin Clearwater & Bell LLP Announces Four New Partners of the Firm Effective January 1, 2020 –
Michael F. Bastone, Jayne L. Brayer, Conrad A. Chayes, Jr. and Elizabeth J. Sandonato
Martin Clearwater & Bell LLP (MCB) is pleased to announce the promotion of four talented attorneys to our team of partners, effective January 1, 2020. Each has demonstrated outstanding legal skill and dedication to their clients. We appreciate their contribution to the success of our Firm, and congratulate them on this well-deserved professional achievement.
Michael F. Bastone joined MCB in 2014 and is a resident in the Firm’s White Plains office. He focuses his practice on the defense of medical malpractice, dental malpractice and product liability matters, defending our client physicians, dentists, medical groups, hospitals, and health care systems. Michael is a member of the Firm’s Publications Committee and frequently publishes in the Firm’s newsletter, Defense Practice Update, as well as, for MD News. Michael has prior experience handling mass tort and multidistrict litigation involving complex products liability matters along with malpractice defense work. Michael received his B.A. from Georgetown University and his J.D. from Fordham Law School. He has an Advanced Graduate Certificate in Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Law & Compliance from Seton Hall University Law School. He is admitted to practice in New York and the United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts.
Jayne L. Brayer joined MCB as Of Counsel in 2016 in the Firm’s White Plains Office. Jayne has over 27 years of medical malpractice experience including extensive trial experience. Jayne focuses her practice on the defense of medical malpractice, dental malpractice and product liability matters, defending our client physicians, dentists, medical groups, hospitals, and health care systems. Jayne began her legal career as a Bronx Assistant District Attorney and has worked both in-house and in law firms. Prior to returning to MCB, Jayne was a field litigation attorney at Liberty Mutual. She has been an Adjunct Professor at Mercy College for approximately 20 years teaching Constitutional Law, Introduction to the Rules of Evidence and other undergraduate pre-law and paralegal studies courses. Jayne obtained her J.D. from Pace University School of Law, and her B.A. from Temple University. She is admitted to practice in New York and the US District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.
Conrad A. Chayes, Jr. joined the Firm in 2018 in the New York City office. Conrad is an accomplished attorney with extensive experience; he defends our client physicians, hospitals, health care delivery systems, and premier academic medical centers in medical malpractice matters. He has experience handling a full caseload of medical, dental, hospital and nursing home malpractice defense actions, as well as, healthcare, large residential and municipal facilities and entities in general liability matters. He also has experience defending medical and dental practitioners in licensing and disciplinary matters before the New York Office of Professional Medical Conduct and of the Office of Professional Discipline. Conrad received his B.S. from Siena College and his J.D. from Touro College Jacob D. Fuchsberg Law Center. While at Siena College, Conrad clerked for a top-ranked law firm in London. He is admitted to practice in New York.
Elizabeth J. Sandonato joined the Firm as Of Counsel in 2017 in the Firm’s Long Island Office. She is a highly accomplished civil litigation attorney specializing in medical malpractice, nursing home negligence, and general negligence law for over 16 years. An experienced strategist with an exceptional ability to identify case issues, strategize defense, and obtain successful and pragmatic outcomes, Elizabeth successfully brings matters to resolution through mediation and settlement and has a very high summary judgment motion success rate. She has obtained multiple defense verdicts in various counties in New York throughout her career, and has argued in the Appellate Division. Elizabeth brings risk management experience from the client’s perspective to the MCB team. As a senior claims counsel in the risk management department for one of New York’s largest medical systems, Elizabeth was responsible for managing a large caseload for several hospitals. She has extensive experience collaborating with leadership within hospitals on potential claims, as well as, discovery and quality issues. Elizabeth received her J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law and her B.A. from Binghamton University. She is admitted to practice in New York.
Martin Clearwater & Bell LLP is one of the oldest and largest professional liability firms in New York, focusing on defense litigation. The Firm has been recognized by Best Lawyers since inception as a Metropolitan Tier 1 – New York City “Best Law Firm”. The Firm which has offices in Manhattan, Nassau County, Westchester County, Rochester, NY, Roseland, NJ and Stamford, CT is recognized by both the bench and bar as a leader in defense areas, and has served the professional community for over 100 years.