Peter T. Crean, a senior trial partner, has represented multiple University Medical Centers, as well as individual physicians for more than 35 years in large damage litigations and complex trials in all medical specialties, including, cardiac surgery, neurosurgery, obstetrical, critical care, surgery and psychiatry lawsuits. His practice includes general medical and health care issues, state hospital investigations, physician discipline, risk management, residency training and supervision issues.

 

Mr. Crean is noted for the successful defense of the landmark Libby Zion case, which involved the defense of claims for punitive damages against an academic medical center, claims of system-wide supervision failures including residency training and sleep deprivation. Mr. Crean has handled litigations involving public figures and professional athletes such as the successful defense of claims involving former Yankee player Alex Rodriguez in Court as well as in the media. High profile matters are defended at all levels through criminal investigation, state discipline proceedings, civil trial and media management.  

 

Mr. Crean heads the Firm’s Health Care Group and regularly defends physicians and institutions in state and federal investigations including the New York State Department of Health and its Office of Professional Medical Conduct.

 

Mr. Crean leads the Firm’s Professional Liability Practice Group representing lawyers and law firms in professional liability claims. He successfully defends legal malpractice cases in a wide range of legal specialties, including personal injury, real estate, securities, contract, and commercial liability at trial and in the mediation and arbitration settings.

 

Drawing on his expertise, Mr. Crean lectures on risk management and quality assurance, as well as on malpractice prevention, trial strategy and punitive damages in Grand Rounds and other forums. He has lectured for the New York State Bar Association on Physician Discipline and licensing issues and for the Practicing Law Institute on trial strategy.  He has lectured on Psychiatric Malpractice for Lawline.com.  He has served on the Board of Trustees for a Hospital Center and also as chair of the hospital’s Quality Assurance Committee. For over fifteen years, he has served as a member of the Firm’s Executive Committee.

 

Mr. Crean is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and has served on its Downstate Committee. He has been recognized by his peers as one of the Best Lawyers in America® as published by New York Magazine and has also been recognized by New York Super Lawyers since inception. He has co-authored chapters in the Legal Manual for New York Physicians and contributed to both Medical Economics and Court T.V.  He is AV® rated by Martindale-Hubbell® which is their highest rating.* Mr. Crean has been selected for inclusion in The Irish Legal 100, an annual list compiled by The Irish Voice Newspaper, which honors the top legal professionals of Irish descent internationally. In 2017, Mr. Crean was selected for inclusion in America’s Top 100 Attorneys.

 

Mr. Crean earned his law degree from Fordham University School of Law in 1981, and his undergraduate degree from the University of Massachusetts. He is admitted to practice before the New York State Courts, the United States District Court for the Southern, Eastern and Northern Districts of New York, and the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Crean is a member of the American Health Lawyers Association (Fraud and Abuse, Healthcare Liability and Litigation Committee), The Association of the Bar of the City of New York, the New York State and Westchester Bar Associations (member, Health Law Section) and a member of the Defense Research Institute. Mr. Crean has previously served as Co-Chair of the Professional Discipline Committee of the Health Law Section of the New York State Bar Association.

 

Education

 

Fordham University School of Law, J.D., 1981

University of Massachusetts, B.A., 1977

 

 

Admitted

 

New York 

United States District Court for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York

United States Supreme Court

 

 

Memberships

 

Fellow of the American College of Trial lawyers (Downstate Committee)

Association of the Bar of the City of New York

New York State Bar Association

Westchester County Bar Association

Defense Research Institute

American Health Lawyers Association(Fraud and Abuse, False Claims; Healthcare Liability and Litigation Committee)