John is a nationally recognized trial lawyer who has been responsible for obtaining many of the largest verdicts in Upstate New York. He is a leader in the law-a trial lawyer, educator and speaker -and brings competency and professionalism to every case.
A football standout as an undergraduate at Syracuse University, John was signed to the NFL's Cleveland Browns after completing his degree. Instead, he chose to dedicate himself to the law. John gained prominence as a top trial lawyer by winning large and complex cases throughout the country. In 1983, he founded a Syracuse-based law firm dedicated to representing the seriously injured, and practiced trial law in the areas of medical malpractice, product liability, workplace accidents, automobile accidents, mass torts and aviation matters.
In 2006, John was selected by Governor George Pataki to serve as a New York State Court of Claims Justice, and he was then Acting Supreme Court Justice in Onondaga County for six years. In those roles, he presided over an extensive trial calendar that covered a wide array of substantive and procedural aspects of state law and wrote many significant decisions.
In 2013, after a distinguished career on the bench, John decided to return to the practice of law to help victims of catastrophic injury, and established Cherundolo Law Firm, PLLC. In his years of practice, John has had many settlements and verdicts for clients well in excess of a million dollars, with some approaching and/or well into the tens of millions.
An active member of the legal community, John speaks regularly at New York State Academy conferences and local bar association seminars about advanced skill development and strategy in trial practice.
He is also an Adjunct Professor at the Syracuse University College of Law, where he teaches Advanced Torts and Civil Actions: Procedures and Pre-Trial Discovery.
Bar Admissions
- New York State Bar Association (Since 1974)
Education
- Temple University, Master of Laws (LL.M.), Trial Advocacy, 2011
- Syracuse University College of Law, J.D., cum laude, 1973
- Honors: Order of the Coif (top 10%)
- Syracuse University Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, M.A., 1972
- Syracuse University College of Arts and Sciences, B.A. 1970
Court Admissions
- All courts of the State of New York
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York
Memberships/Associations
- National Trial Lawyers (Top Ten Personal Injury Lawyers in New York)
- New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers (founding member, former president)
- Elite Trial Lawyers of America (platinum member)
- International Academy of Trial Lawyers (fellow-limited to 500 best trial lawyers in the United States)
- American Board of Trial Advocates (fellow)
- American College of Trial Lawyers (fellow)
- New York State Trial Lawyers Association (former president; former dean of New York Trial Lawyers Institute)
- Litigation Counsel of America (fellow)
- Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum (fellow)
- American Trial Lawyers Association (former state delegate)
- American Association for Justice (member)
- Alliance of Consumer Rights (former chair of steering committee)
- Trial Lawyers for Public Justice (former state coordinator)
- New York State Trial Lawyer Association (Past President 1981 - Current)
- New York State Bar # 1357805 (Member, 1974 - Current)
Awards
Speaking & Publications
Book Chapter "The Art of Cross Examination"
New York State Bar Association
Decisions
New York State Trial Lawyers
Precedents and Statutes
New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers
New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers
Attorney Cherundolo speaks annually across central New York for the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers presenting new developments in the Law of Products Liability.
Syracuse University College of Law, Syracuse, New York
Attorney Cherundolo speaks annually in Upstate New York, and present current cases and statutes in the field of Product Liability to Lawyers for the New York State Academy of Trial Lawyers. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Law at Syracuse University, and teach courses in Advanced Torts regularly and annually.
Professional Experience
Trial Lawyer/Founder and Managing Partner
Cherundolo Law Firm
2013 - Current
Adjunct Professor of Law--Advanced Torts
Syracuse University College of Law
1993 - Current
Adjunct Professor of Law, Specializing in Advanced Torts, Mass Torts, Medical Malpractice, Product Liability, Labor Law, Truck accident cases
Acting Supreme Court Justice
New York State Office of Court Administration
2007 - 2013
I was appointed to the New York Court of Claims by Governor George Pataki, and served as Acting New York Supreme Court Justice for almost 7 years
Trial Lawyer/Founder and Managing Partner
Cherundolo Bottar & Leone
1983 - 2006
Trial Lawyer, involved in hundreds of cases for clients with serious and catastrophic injuries, during this time had hundreds of cases with settlements and verdicts of multi million dollars
