September 1, 2022 by matray

National law firm Wilson Elser announced today that two lateral partners have joined the firm's Medical Malpractice & Health Care Practice in the White Plains and New York offices, effective September 1, 2022.

Timothy Sheehan and Joe Swart joined the firm from DeCorato Sheehan Merolesi & Federico LLP. Before working at DeCorato, Sheehan was a trial lawyer at Wilson Elser from 1987 to 2012, serving as a partner for the last 19 years of his tenure.

In returning to the firm, Sheehan will be based in the White Plains office, and Swart will work in the New York City office.

"I want to welcome Tim and Joe to the firm and to our practice," said Lori Semlies, co-chair of Wilson Elser's Medical Malpractice & Health Care Practice. "Tim and Joe will strengthen our already deep trial bench and bolster the defense litigation capabilities we offer our clients. On a personal note, I was an associate on Tim's team when I joined Wilson Elser, and am thrilled to be working with him again."

Sheehan is an experienced trial attorney, focusing on the defense of high-exposure medical malpractice claims. For more than 35 years, he has represented hospitals, physicians, nursing homes, podiatrists, nurse practitioners, dentists, chiropractors and other medical professionals in a myriad of claims arising out of the delivery of medical care across all areas of specialization.

As a measure of his experience and reputation, Sheehan was certified by the Supreme Court of the State of New York as a medical malpractice panelist and served in that capacity in Westchester, New York and Kings counties while the panel system was in effect.

Swart concentrates his practice on defending hospitals, physicians, physicians' assistants, nurses and nurse practitioners. He specializes in every aspect of complex medical malpractice litigation, including obstetrics, gynecology, oncology, brain injury and surgical cases, often obtaining an early dismissal or facilitating a defendant's verdict at trial.

Prior to entering private practice, Swart was a prosecutor in the Kings County District Attorney's Office, where he spearheaded long-term criminal investigations into narcotics and firearms trafficking cartels, including the Latin Kings and other gangs. His investigations received attention from national media, including Court TV, The New York Times and HBO.

Sheehan earned his J.D. degree in 1984 from University of Buffalo Law School and a B.A. degree in 1981 from the University of Buffalo. Swart earned his J.D. degree in 1996 from New York Law School and a B.A. degree in 1993 from Auburn University.