Admitted to the New York Bar, 1995; New Jersey Bar, 1994; Arizona Bar, 2011, United States District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York, 1996, Northern and Western Districts of New York, 2012, and the District of New Jersey, 1994

Education: Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law (J.D., Cum Laude, 1994); New York University (B.A., Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa 1991)

Member: New York State Bar Association, New York County Lawyers’ Association

Over the course of his career, Richard has focused on defending complex medical malpractice, nursing home negligence and general negligence matters, in both state and federal courts in New York and New Jersey, from pre-suit investigation, pleadings and discovery through trial and appeal. He has successfully tried cases involving diverse areas of medicine. He has also handled many dental and podiatric malpractice cases. He has extensive experience in the defense of malpractice and negligence actions involving nursing and rehabilitation facilities, including claims brought under New York Public Health Law § 2801 (d), and nursing home class action suits. He has obtained favorable verdicts for both MTA Bus Company and the New York City Transit Authority. He has also drafted and argued appeals on a wide range of procedural and substantive issues.

Richard believes that success in litigation is achieved by keeping clients and their carriers closely involved in the decision-making process at every stage of a case, and fully informed of all developments throughout the litigation.  Richard strives to identify both the strong and weak aspects of a case early on, to help guide the defense of the client, to determine which cases may best be resolved by early settlement to avoid unnecessary litigation costs, and to have ample time to thoroughly prepare for trial those cases that cannot be resolved by settlement.

Admitted to the New York Bar, 1997; United States District Court, Southern and Eastern Districts of New York (1997)

Education: Brooklyn Law School (J.D., 1996); St. John’s University (B.S., Cum Laude, 1990)

Member: New York State Bar Association; New York County Lawyers Association

Francesca is the managing partner at Marulli, Mannarino, Erichsen & Tomaszewski, LLP who joined the firm as a law student in 1996 and then worked her way up to becoming a supervising partner.

Francesca is a New York City resident and has over 20 years’ experience defending physicians, dentists, podiatrists and other health care providers in a wide range of legal matters. Francesca has successfully represented medical providers in all aspects of litigation, including at the trial court level, and on the appellate level. She is a tireless advocate for her clients and her hard work and perseverance have resulted in the dismissal of numerous cases on summary judgment in very complex medical cases. She has particular expertise in the defense of dentists, podiatrists and  medical specialties including Ob-Gyns, radiologists, general surgeons, orthopedist, neurologists and ophthalmologists.

Admitted to the New York Bar, 1984; New Jersey Bar, 2001; United States District Court, Southern and Eastern Districts of New York and District of New Jersey; Federal Second Circuit Court of Appeals; New York State Court of Appeals

Education: New York Law School (J.D., Cum Laude, 1983); Pace University (B.A., Cum Laude, 1980)

Member: New York State Bar Association (Trial Lawyers Division); American Bar Association

Instructor for National Institute for Trial Advocacy

John has successfully defended scores of medical malpractice, products liability, and complex and catastrophic injury cases through trial in New York and New Jersey state and federal courts. Representative companies and clients include Medical Liability Mutual Insurance Company, Princeton Insurance Company, Physicians Reciprocal Insurers, American Insurance Company, Medical Malpractice Insurance Pool of New York, Intercare Insurance Services, NCMIC Insurance Company, CNA Insurance Company, The May Department Stores Company and Sears Roebuck & Company. He is known for his expertise in litigation involving LASIK and other laser and computer assisted surgery. Examples of recent victories include defense verdicts in Federal District Court of New Jersey in a highly publicized case involving a claim of near total vision loss in both eyes due to improperly performed LASIK, and in Bronx County, New York in which the plaintiff claimed she sustained severe retinal damage and was rendered legally blind from improperly performed cataract removal/intraocular lens implantation surgery.

John strives to obtain early dispositions through summary judgment and other means to avoid the vagaries of jury trials, and has successfully argued appeals of dismissals in New York State’s First and Second Judicial Departments and in the United States Courts of Appeals in the Second and Third Circuits. John successfully argued the seminal case of Sheppard-Mobley v. King in New York State’s highest court, the Court of Appeals, in which the court held that a mother has no independent claim for emotional distress upon the birth of a brain injured infant in an obstetrical malpractice case. In particular, the Court was receptive to the public policy argument that to extend a claim to the mother would create a great burden on insurers in that it would have triggered two separate claimants in every infant case with double the exposure. The decision has been greatly hailed by the medical community in New York State.

Admitted to the New York Bar (1979); the United States District Court, Southern and Eastern Districts of New York; Education: Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY (B.A., Cum Laude, 1975); New York Law School, NY, NY (J.D., 1979).

Mr. Schuchman has handled cases on behalf of multiple insurance carriers during his career including the following: Starstone Insurance Company, Enstar Insurance Company, RLI Insurance Company, Mt. Hawley Insurance Company, Corporate Claims Service, Inc., Castle Point Insurance Company, National Interstate Insurance Company, CNA Insurance Companies, Colony Specialty, AXA Insurance, Zurich American Insurance Group, Discover Re, Mercury Insurance Company, Hartford Insurance Company, Medical Liability Mutual Insurance Company, Medical Malpractice Insurance Association, Medical Malpractice Insurance Pool of New York, Physicians’ Reciprocal Insurance Company, TIG Insurance Company, Academic Health Professionals Insurance Association, Medical Protective Company, Group Council Mutual Insurance Company, United States Liability Insurance Group, Torus Insurance Company, CNA HealthPro, Catholic Health Care Systems, Iron Shore Insurance Company, Sedgwick Claims, Metropolitan Dental, Tri Star and others. We have recently been added as panel counsel by the New York Liquidation Bureau.

Admitted to the New York Bar, 2020

Member: New York State Bar Association, New York County Lawyers Association

Education: University of South Carolina School of Law (J.D., Cum Laude, 2019); Pennsylvania State University (B.S., 2015)

Sam focuses mainly on the defense of physicians and their practices, as well as municipality defense. He is actively involved in numerous medical malpractice trials, by assisting senior trial counsel during all aspects of litigation. Sam has experience researching and drafting detailed motions before New York courts, conducting and attending depositions, handling discovery, and attending court conferences.

Prior to joining the Firm, Sam worked at the Office of Disciplinary Counsel within the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing and Regulation; where he assisted in the prosecution of various medical professionals accused of professional misconduct. He brings the knowledge he gained through investigating and prosecuting these cases, to effectively defend medical professionals accused of malpractice.

While at the University of South Carolina, Sam helped found the Legal Entrepreneurship Club; a student run organization which educated law students about non-traditional ways in which they can use their law degree.

Admitted to the New York Bar, 2016

Member: New York State Bar Association

Education: Brooklyn Law School (J.D., 2016); Binghamton University (B.A., 2013)

Douglas focuses on the defense of physicians in complex medical malpractice and other personal injury cases. He is actively involved in assisting senior trial counsel during all aspects of litigation. Douglas has extensive experience conducting pre-trial hearings, researching and drafting detailed motions before New York courts, handling discovery, negotiating case resolutions with opposing counsel, and attending court conferences.

Prior to joining the Firm, Douglas worked at Brooklyn Defender Services, where he represented indigent criminal defendants from arrest to trial. He brings his extensive litigation and in-court experience to effectively represent clients in civil matters.

While at Brooklyn Law School, Douglas participated in the Pro Bono Scholars Program, which allowed a select group of students to take the bar examination six months early and spend their final semester of law school doing pro bono work on a full-time basis.