For the tenth straight year I am traveling around the great State of New York this fall to deliver my annual update on New York personal injury law to my fellow New York personal injury lawyers. As always, my topic is governmental liability for personal injuries and wrongful death. In other words, I am explaining to other New York injury lawyers how to hold the New York State and its counties, school districts, villages, towns, and other “public corporations”, liable for carelessly causing injuries and death. I have already knocked off Albany and Syracuse, and will be hitting Buffalo and Rochester in the weeks ahead.
I am deeply honored that the New York State Trial Lawyers Academy keeps inviting me back year after year to impart whatever wisdom I have on this topic to my brethren of the Bar.
Although my lecture tour is only once a year, I field calls from other lawyers on this topic all year long. That’s because New York lawyers who have read my articles or have attended my lectures consider me a “expert” in this area. They want to “pick my brain” to help them with cases they have against New York governmental entities.
I agree I am an expert in this area of the law. I am not, however, a “specialist”. One of my college professors once explained to me the difference between a “generalist” and a “specialist”. A generalist, he said, is someone who knows nothing about everything. A specialist, on the other hand, is someone who knows everything about nothing. I definitely don’t think the scope of my knowledge is that narrow!
It is true, however, that my law practice has been dedicated almost exclusively to New York personal injury and wrongful death cases, which includes cases in which I have sued New York public corporations, cities, towns, etc for injuries and death. I have also written books and articles about both New York personal injury claims generally and claims against New York municipalities in particular.
Why do I stick with such a narrow field of law? I think people tend to like what they are good at, but they also tend to be good at what they like. I am not sure which came first with me, liking it or being good at it. But one led to the other, of that I am sure.
This brings me to another quotable statement from one of my old teachers: “If you find a career you love, you’ll never have to work a day in your life”. He was right. Going to work does not feel like going to work. Every day is just a new adventure . . .
Keep safe!
Mike Bersani
Email me at: bersani@mbk-law.com I’d love to hear from you!
mbk-law.com
Central NY Personal Injury Lawyers
Michaels Bersani Kalabanka
315-253-3293