Published by Gbaf News
Posted on December 14, 2017
5 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
Has tried over 250 cases to verdict; will lead firm’s medical malpractice defense group
Dorf & Nelson LLP announced today that noted medical malpractice defense litigator John Lyddane has joined the firm as a partner. Mr. Lyddane will head up Dorf & Nelson’s Medical Malpractice Defense Group in New York. He joins from Martin Clearwater & Bell.
Mr. Lyddane has tried well over 250 cases to dismissal or verdict. His cases have included malpractice claims and product liability as well as general commercial litigation, usually with a highly technical factual component. He is also a widely-published and frequent speaker on professional liability and risk management topics.
His wide-ranging roster of corporate clients has included hospitals, insurance carriers, product manufacturers, large residential landlords, municipalities and the State of New York. He also has represented numerous prominent individual defendants including physicians at teaching hospitals, other attorneys, and engineers. Additionally, he has served as national claims counsel for two corporate suppliers of medical services.
Dorf & Nelson is a dynamic and rapidly growing mid-size firm with offices in Westchester, NYC and Los Angeles. Among the notable attorneys at the firm is Michael D. Hess, the former NYC Corporation Counsel.
Jonathan B. Nelson, the Chair of Dorf & Nelson’s Litigation Department, noted that the firm was positioned to provide a full range of litigation and advisory services to a rapidly changing and consolidating health care industry.
“We are excited that John has decided to join our team,” Mr. Nelson said. “He is an icon in the field of insurance defense and we could not be more pleased to have him on board. John’s vast experience in medical malpractice and complex personal injury defense will complement our thriving commercial litigation practice. With John to guide the practice group and try major technical cases, the systems of Dorf & Nelson will be put to their most effective use. Dorf & Nelson’s wide ranging portfolio of legal services will allow our firm to effectively and efficiently service the medical community.”
Mr. Lyddane noted that Dorf & Nelson’s legal and technical range was the right match for the future of complex litigation:
“Dorf & Nelson is an innovative firm which uses advanced technology and procedures to focus on the critical facts and issues at an early point in complex litigation and then prepare for trial efficiently,” said Mr. Lyddane. “This benefits the attorneys, the individual clients, and their insurance carriers. Equally important, Dorf & Nelson has a team of attorneys who can engage in the full range of litigation strategies as well as an experienced lineup of seasoned practitioners who can provide transactional legal counseling to my clients.”
John Lyddane is consistently ranked among the top attorneys by his peers, with an AV Preeminent rating by Martindale-Hubbell and inclusion in the “Best Lawyers in America.” He is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.
He holds a J.D. from Syracuse University School of Law, and a B.A. from The University of Rochester.
Has tried over 250 cases to verdict; will lead firm’s medical malpractice defense group
Dorf & Nelson LLP announced today that noted medical malpractice defense litigator John Lyddane has joined the firm as a partner. Mr. Lyddane will head up Dorf & Nelson’s Medical Malpractice Defense Group in New York. He joins from Martin Clearwater & Bell.
Mr. Lyddane has tried well over 250 cases to dismissal or verdict. His cases have included malpractice claims and product liability as well as general commercial litigation, usually with a highly technical factual component. He is also a widely-published and frequent speaker on professional liability and risk management topics.
His wide-ranging roster of corporate clients has included hospitals, insurance carriers, product manufacturers, large residential landlords, municipalities and the State of New York. He also has represented numerous prominent individual defendants including physicians at teaching hospitals, other attorneys, and engineers. Additionally, he has served as national claims counsel for two corporate suppliers of medical services.
Dorf & Nelson is a dynamic and rapidly growing mid-size firm with offices in Westchester, NYC and Los Angeles. Among the notable attorneys at the firm is Michael D. Hess, the former NYC Corporation Counsel.
Jonathan B. Nelson, the Chair of Dorf & Nelson’s Litigation Department, noted that the firm was positioned to provide a full range of litigation and advisory services to a rapidly changing and consolidating health care industry.
“We are excited that John has decided to join our team,” Mr. Nelson said. “He is an icon in the field of insurance defense and we could not be more pleased to have him on board. John’s vast experience in medical malpractice and complex personal injury defense will complement our thriving commercial litigation practice. With John to guide the practice group and try major technical cases, the systems of Dorf & Nelson will be put to their most effective use. Dorf & Nelson’s wide ranging portfolio of legal services will allow our firm to effectively and efficiently service the medical community.”
Mr. Lyddane noted that Dorf & Nelson’s legal and technical range was the right match for the future of complex litigation:
“Dorf & Nelson is an innovative firm which uses advanced technology and procedures to focus on the critical facts and issues at an early point in complex litigation and then prepare for trial efficiently,” said Mr. Lyddane. “This benefits the attorneys, the individual clients, and their insurance carriers. Equally important, Dorf & Nelson has a team of attorneys who can engage in the full range of litigation strategies as well as an experienced lineup of seasoned practitioners who can provide transactional legal counseling to my clients.”
John Lyddane is consistently ranked among the top attorneys by his peers, with an AV Preeminent rating by Martindale-Hubbell and inclusion in the “Best Lawyers in America.” He is a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers.
He holds a J.D. from Syracuse University School of Law, and a B.A. from The University of Rochester.
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