SEATED (left to right): David Scher*, Daniel O’Toole*, Jeffrey Block*, Stephen Murphy*, Joseph Donahue*
STANDING (left to right): , Ravi Sattiraju*, Romina Tominovic**, Thomas Brennan, Michael Hurwitz*, Scott Occhiogrosso*, Christina (Mark) Mercado**, Fred Aranki*, Dan Seiden**, George Freitag
*Chosen to 2018 New York Super Lawyers; ** Chosen to 2018 New York Rising Stars
The guiding principle of Block O’Toole & Murphy has stayed consistent: prepare every case as if it’s the most important one in the office and treat every client with the utmost compassion. Our dedication to our clients has earned us the honor of having 12 of our attorneys being named to the prestigious Super Lawyers list, 3 of which have been named as Rising Stars.
To determine this exclusive list, Super Lawyers uses a thorough, peer-reviewed selection process. Attorneys are first nominated by other lawyers, and then evaluated using third-party research across 12 key categories of professional excellence, including verdicts and settlements earned, scholarly lectures and writings, and community service. The top 5% of lawyers in their practice area in each state are named Super Lawyers, and 2.5% more are named Rising Stars.
Here are the 12 Block O’Toole & Murphy lawyers who have been named in the 2018 Super Lawyers list:
- Jeffrey Block
- Daniel O’Toole
- Stephen Murphy
- Joseph Donahue
- David Scher
- Scott Occhiogrosso
- Frederick Aranki
- Michael Hurwitz
- Ravi Sattiraju
- **
- Christina (Mark) Mercado**
**Selected as a Rising Star**
Included in this list are the firm’s six partners, three associates, and an of counsel attorney. Partners Jeffrey Block and Daniel O’Toole have been named for more than 10 straight years, and it is Stephen Murphy’s eighth straight year on this prestigious list.
Rising Stars and Chrisina (Mark) Mercado bring a younger perspective which leaves Block O’Toole & Murphy able to meet any challenge and empathize with any client. To be named a rising star, an attorney must be considered within the top 7.5% of lawyers in their state and be age 40 or under or have been practicing for 10 years or less.
“We are proud to have such a dedicated team of legal talent who work so hard to provide injured New Yorkers with the top-notch legal representation they deserve,” said Partner Jeffrey Block. “At the end of the day, our results speak for how hard this team works.”
Dating back to 2012, Block O’Toole & Murphy has earned more results that are each over $1,000,000 than any other law firm in New York State. In total, the collective efforts of the attorneys at Block O’Toole & Murphy have secured more than $1 billion for our clients.
In 2017, the firm earned a $13.5 million settlement for a woman who suffered severe brain injuries after being struck by a company vehicle, the largest personal injury settlement in the history of Suffolk County. In the same year, we also secured a $12 million settlement for a construction worker who was injured in a fall while working on a project to extend the Number 7 line Subway.
“We only recruit the best talent to our firm, and it is an honor to see so many of our attorneys named to the Super Lawyers list,” said Partner Daniel O’Toole. “But it takes more than talent to be a great lawyer. It also takes work ethic and a firm moral character-and the lawyers at this firm have those in spades.”
Beyond helping injured New Yorkers, Block O’Toole & Murphy believes it is essential to give back to the community. We are especially excited to be hosting the 26th Annual Autumn Wine Tasting to raise money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Block O’Toole & Murphy has raised over $4 million since it began hosting the event in 2007.
The firm was also strongly impacted when Puerto Rico was struck by Hurricane Maria, particularly because there are multiple BOM employees of Puerto Rican descent who had friends and family on the island at the time of the crisis. Determined to act and make a difference, the firm collected more than 2,400 pounds of rice, 100 cases of water and 800 bars of soap (among other items) to send to the people of Puerto Rico.
Block O’Toole & Murphy looks to bring this same sense of hard work, dedication and justice to every client who chooses us to defend their rights.
“Our goal at Block O’Toole & Murphy is to fight for the justice that injured New Yorkers deserve,” said Partner Stephen Murphy. “When somebody is seriously injured, whether it’s brain damage, an injury to the spinal cord, an amputated limb – these are life-altering injuries that change the lives of too many New Yorkers. It’s our job to fight for the people who have been mistreated, forgotten, and kicked to the curb. Our commitment to upholding this responsibility is what defines us as a firm.”
Read more about Block O’Toole & Murphy in the 2018 Super Lawyers magazine:
