Joseph A. French
Partner
Admissions
New York, 1984
U.S.D.C. for the Eastern District of New York, 1988
U.S.D.C. for the Southern District of New York, 1988
U.S. D.C. for the Northern District of New York, 2007
Education
Columbus School of Law, The Catholic University of America, J.D. 1983
Member of Catholic University Law Review
Recipient of the Nathan Burkan Award for Copyright, Trademark & Patent Law
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, B.A. with highest honors, 1979
Memberships
New York State Bar Association
New York County Bar Association
Queens County Bar Association
Special Master, Supreme Court, New York County (1990-2006)
Mater Dei Prep Board of Trustees (2017-2022)
Defense Research Institute
Douglaston (Queens) Civic Association, President (1991-1995), Vice President (1995-1999), Member (1991-2022)
Douglas Manor Association Board of Directors (1997-2000, 2019-Present)
New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers
New York Super Lawyers in 2018-2022
NYC Brehon Law Society
EDGE/SASF Board of Directors (2015-Present)
Board of Visitors, Columbus School of Law, Catholic University of America
Joseph A. French, the founding partner of French & Casey, LLP, is an experienced litigation and trial attorney with over thirty five years of experience.
Mr. French began his career as an Assistant District Attorney in the Office of the District Attorney for Kings County (Brooklyn, New York). During his tenure with the Kings County District Attorney's Office, he successfully prosecuted numerous cases, primarily in the Narcotics and Homicide Bureaus, and obtained dozens of verdicts. Following his experience with the Kings County District Attorney's Office, Mr. French worked with the firm of Flemming Zulack & Williamson, LLP where he defended toxic tort, product liability and commercial litigation defendants. After working at a prominent New York City insurance defense firm, Kroll & Tract LLP, Mr. French became Special Counsel at Rosenman & Colin, LLP (now Katten, Muchin & Rosenman LLP) in 1997.
Joe began his own practice in 2000, as a partner in Flanagan, Cooke & French, LLP, a predecessor to what eventually became French & Casey, LLP. He is well-known for representing and defending major New York City scaffold and hoist companies, and he has obtained numerous verdicts and scores of favorable summary judgment decisions for his varied construction clients. His practice, however, has expanded and has included a variety of clients ranging from rock star Ozzie Osbourne, whom he successfully defended at a three week trial, and Motley Crue, to sports and recreation facilities and coaches, defending well-known New York City night clubs and restaurants, prominent religious organizations, and many metropolitan area businesses and individuals.
A seasoned trial attorney, French has tried over 100 cases to verdict during his career. Mr. French’s practice has gradually expanded from construction and insurance defense arenas to commercial litigation, religious organizations, legal malpractice, sexual abuse, railroad law, and trusts and estates litigation. He has also frequently argued before the appellate courts in the First and Second Departments. Many litigation clients now retain the Firm for services ranging from business planning and advice to estate planning.
Mr. French earned his undergraduate degree in American Studies with highest honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1979. He received his Juris Doctor from the Columbus School of Law, at The Catholic University of America in1983, where he was a staff member of the Catholic University of America Law Review. He was also the recipient of the Nathan Burkan Award for Copyright, Trademark and Patent Law.
Mr. French is an active participant in numerous community and professional organizations. For many years, he served as a Special Master for the Supreme Court in New York County, working closely with various judges in the Court's Commercial Law Division to assist in the resolution of disputes discovery between commercial litigants.
Mr. French has frequently contributed articles to several trade publications. Mr. French has also co-authored three articles published in Scaffolding Industry Magazine entitled, "Sidewalk Bridges and the General Public, How to Minimize Liability for Trips, Slips and Falls Underneath Sidewalk Bridges"; "Overlooking Minor Details in a Contracted Job can Result in Major Problems"; and "Sidestep Sidewalk Bridge Risks". He also co-authored "Sidewalk Bridge License Fees: Are They Under RPAPL881?", New York Law Journal, March 26, 2013.
Mr. French is a member of the New York State Bar Association, the New York County Bar Association, the Queens County Bar Association, the New York Brehon Law Society and the Defense Research Institute. Mr. French has also been an active member of the Douglaston (Queens) Civic Association, serving as President between 1991 and 1995 and Vice President between 1995 and 2000. Additionally, Mr. French has served on the Douglas Manor Association Board of Directors, and was a basketball and soccer coach for Queens County C.Y.O. for nine (9) years. He was a member of the Board of Directors for the Douglaston Club, Inc., and served as its legal counsel from 2012-2018. He also served on the Independent Judicial Screening Committee for the Civil Court of New York County in 2014 and 2018.
In recognition of his dedication to his community, Mr. French was the 2007 recipient of the Van Zandt Award for Community Service, Douglaston, Queens. In 2018, both he and his wife, Moira Casey, were awarded with Distinguished Alumni Awards by the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America. In 2018, he was also honored by the NYC Brehon Law Society for service on the Brehon's behalf in regard to his service on the Independent Judicial Screening panels for the Civil Court of New York County. In 2022 he was honored to be recipient of Mater Die Prep's, Frank Outwater Award for Lifetime Achievements.
He has received a New York Super Lawyers designation from 2018 through 2022.
Mr. French currently serves on the board of directors for the Edge/Sports and Arts in Schools Foundation (EDGE). He formerly served on the Board of Trustees of Mater Dei Prep, New Monmouth, N.J and as Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Douglas Manor Association. He also is a member of the Board of Visitors for the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.
Sample Decisions:
Murphy v. Chaos, 26 A.D.3d 231, 810 N.Y.S.2d 39 (1st Dept. 2006)
Aguilar v. NYCHA, Komi Construction, Ace Scaffold Co., 8 Misc.3d 1011A, 801 N.Y.S.2D 776;2005 App. Withdrawn, 2005 N.Y. App. Div LEXIS 13640 (1st Dept. 2005)
Matter of McDaniel v. 162 Columbia Hgts. Hous. Corp., 2009 NY Slip Op 29047; 2009 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 216, February, 2009
Martinez v. Tishman Construction Corp., 642 N.Y.S.2d 674 (1st Dept. 1996)