Howard Hershenhorn

Howard S. Hershenhorn, long recognized among New York's most accomplished and elite trial lawyers, has been named one of the TOP 10 attorneys in the entire New York Metropolitan Area through a vote of his peers for the second consecutive year. This distinction reflects his exceptional standing not only within the field of personal injury and medical malpractice, but among all practicing attorneys across every area of law in the region.

Renowned for his record of extraordinary results in catastrophic injury cases, Howard recently secured a $272.5 million settlement in the Tribeca Crane Collapse, the largest crane accident settlement in New York State history and the largest crane collapse pre-trial settlement ever achieved nationwide.

Previously recognized as Lawyer of the Year for Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs in New York City by Best Lawyers in 2020, Howard has consistently been regarded as one of "The Best of the Best," earning among the highest peer review scores in the Super Lawyers selection process. His achievements and recognitions are regularly featured in the New York Times Magazine section.

Howard was listed in "Best Personal Injury Lawyer in New York City" By Forbes Advisor in 2023, 2024 and 2025. Through careful analysis of his background, credentials and accomplishments, Forbes selected Howard among 15 other top attorneys including two of his partners.

Howard Hershenhorn is one of New York's most accomplished trial attorneys and the author of the authoritative legal textbook, "New York Medical Malpractice, 2026." The book showcases his unparalleled expertise in litigating complex medical malpractice cases, providing invaluable insights into trial strategies, case preparation, and achieving groundbreaking verdicts. Through this publication, Howard demonstrates his unwavering dedication to advancing the field of medical malpractice litigation and ensuring justice for victims of medical negligence.

In 2007, he was the youngest lawyer to be recognized by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America and New York Magazine's Best Lawyers in New York in the specialties of Personal Injury Litigation and Medical Malpractice. He has been awarded that accolade in every year since. He has also consistently been awarded the highest rating by his peers in the Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings for both legal ability and ethical standards.

The results Howard has achieved in his legal career are among the most prolific in the history of the State of New York for cases involving personal injury, wrongful death and medical malpractice. In fact, Howard has achieved some of the largest verdicts and settlements in New York State history and secured two of the largest settlements in the history of the firm. His Fall 2014 settlement of $28 million for a teenager seriously injured while a back-seat passenger in a motor vehicle is considered the highest in New York State for an individual injured in a car accident. His $26 million settlement for the family of a Financial Analyst who, as a pedestrian, was struck and killed by a truck while crossing Sixth Avenue in Manhattan is believed to be the largest in the State of New York for the wrongful death of one person.

Recently, Howard obtained an $85 million verdict for a pedestrian who was hit by a double-decker tour bus. This verdict was the top 1 jury verdict obtained in New York State and the top 25 nationally. Another multi-million dollar jury verdict in a Nassau County wrongful death bus accident case was also featured on the front cover of Newsday. He has also secured a $10 million Nassau bus accident settlement during trial and a jury verdict of $12.5 million was in a wrongful death elevator accident case in New York County. Representative results in construction accident cases include verdicts and settlements of $16 million for a Brooklyn construction worker, $9 million for a Manhattan construction worker and $8.6 million for a Queens construction worker. He also resolved a negligence/products liability case for $10.75 million on behalf of a Manhattan nurse who was injured when the tires of a tractor trailer broke loose and struck her and resolved an $8 million products liability case involving a defective medical device. Medical malpractice verdicts and settlements include his 2015 settlement of $11.9 million in a Buffalo medical malpractice case which is one of the largest medical malpractice settlements ever in Erie County. Others include a $9 million settlement in an anesthesia malpractice case, an $8.5 million settlement in a fetal distress case, an $8.25 million settlement in an emergency room malpractice case and many results between $5 million and $8 million involving failure to diagnose cancer cases and hospital negligence cases. These verdicts and settlements are some examples of his landmark results and are a testament to his skill as a trial lawyer.

Prior to joining the firm, Howard was a litigator at the law firm DLA Piper, one of the largest law firms in the world. While at that firm, he represented product manufacturers, General and Sub contractors, building owners, automobile manufacturers, bicycle manufacturers, pharmaceutical corporations, insurance companies, hospitals and doctors. Because of this experience, he possesses a unique insight into how significant personal injury cases are defended and is able to leverage that knowledge for the benefit of his injured clients. He has been a prominent plaintiff's attorney from the very beginning, as his first trial as a plaintiff's attorney resulted in a $4.9 million dollar jury verdict in 1995. His legal skills and leadership in the field were unmistakable and he became a Gair partner in 2000. He currently heads a team of lawyers, paralegals and support staff that handles cases from inception through trial.

In May 2010 he was appointed as an Adjunct Professor at Brooklyn Law School. In the fall semester of each academic year since, he has taught a 16 week 2 credit course that he created entitled "A Practical Seminar in Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice." His students have consistently rated him as "excellent" and many have commented that he is "the best professor," teaching the "best class" they have "ever taken." He has also chaired, designed, and taught courses for the New York State Bar Association and has been the Overall Planning Chair for the annual five-city Construction Site Accident Program. He is often requested to lecture national audiences for the American Bar Association and private Continuing Legal Education firms on the subjects of Construction Site Accidents, Car Accidents, Automotive Products Liability, Premises Liability and Medical Malpractice. His numerous articles have been published by the New York Law Journal the New York State Bar Journal and Medical Malpractice Law and Strategy.

Howard Hershenhorn's legal acumen has been recognized by the non-legal community as well as the legal community throughout the country. He has appeared on CNN, ABC News, CBS News, WPIX and has been interviewed and quoted by The New York Times, Daily News, Newsday and New York Post.

He is a member of the Board of Directors, the Medical Malpractice Committee and the Construction Accident Committee of The New York State Trial Lawyers Association. Howard is also a member of the Brooklyn Law School's Presidents Advisory Council. In 2014, he was reelected to his fourth term as Trustee of the Village in which he resides, and also serves his community as the Park Commissioner and as an active basketball and baseball coach.