Binghamton Attorney
James P. O'Brien

Mr. O’Brien joined Coughlin & Gerhart, L.L.P. in 1980 and is a Partner in the firm. Mr. O’Brien’s 30 plus years of civil litigation experience includes intellectual property litigation, including patent, trademark, copyright and trade secret matters. Mr. O’Brien has been the lead counsel in a number of large business and intellectual property cases. His experience also includes commercial litigation and representation of plaintiffs in personal injury cases, defense work for insurance carriers and individuals and corporations. Mr. O’Brien has successfully prosecuted numerous lawsuits in the areas of intellectual property, business litigation, personal injury, wrongful death, products liability and medical malpractice.

Mr. O’Brien is a member of the Intellectual Property Section of the New York State Bar Association. He is the Vice President of the Southern Tier Affiliate of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association. Mr. O’Brien is a member of the Committee on Premises Liability/Labor Law for a section of the New York State Bar Association, is a member of the Torts, Insurance and Compensation Law section, and is a member of the Executive Committee of the General Practice Section, representing the Sixth Judicial District. Mr. O’Brien is also a member of the New York State Bar, New York State Trial Lawyers, American Trial Lawyers, and the Broome and Tompkins County Bar Associations. He is a Member of the Board of Directors of the Union Volunteer Emergency Squad, Inc., and is on its Executive Committee. Mr. O’Brien is also a charter member of the International Society of Primerus Law Firms.

Education:

• State University of New York, College of Oswego, B.A., magna cum laude, 1977
• Syracuse University College of Law, J.D., magna cum laude, 1980

Admissions:

• New York, 1981
• U.S. Supreme Court, 1984
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York, 1981
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York, 2002
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, 2006
• U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, 2003
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 2004

Professional Affiliations:

• New York State Bar Association
• Broome County Bar Association
• Intellectual Property Section of the New York State Bar Association(Member)
• Young Lawyers Section of the New York State Bar Association (Chair, 1990 – 1991)
• Southern Tier Affiliate of the New York State Trial Lawyers Association (Vice President)
• Committee on Premises Liability/Labor Law (Section of the NYSBA) (Member)
• Torts, Insurance and Compensation Law Section (NYSBA) (Member)
• Executive Committee, General Practice Section representing the 6th JD of NYS (Former Member)
• New York State Trial Lawyers Association
• Tompkins County Bar Association
• New York Academy of Trial Lawyers
• Board of Directors of the Union Volunteer Emergency Squad, Inc.(Member)
• International Society of Primerus Law Firms

Pro Bono Activities

• Board of Directors of the Union Volunteer Emergency Squad, 1998 – Present