When going to trial in New York In a personal injury or medical malpractice case, can you sit at the lawyer's table during the trial?

 

A: The short answer is: "Yes."
The longer answer is: It is extremely rare for the attorney to have their client or clients sitting at counsel table with them.

Years ago there was a perception that if the client sat next to the attorney at their table during the trial, they would associate whatever good intentions and credibility the lawyer generated simply by sitting next to the attorney. However, that perception has dissipated. What you can expect is that when you bring a personal injury or medical malpractice lawsuit that goes to trial in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, Nassau or Suffolk, most attorneys will have their clients sit in the spectator section of the courtroom.

Many attorneys, at the beginning of the case, will make sure to introduce their clients to the jury so that they know exactly who they are during the course of the trial before they ever get up to testify.

Gerry practices law exclusively in the State of New York. Within New York he practices primarily in the following counties: New York, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx, Staten Island, Nassau and Suffolk. Technically, Brooklyn is known as "Kings County," and Manhattan and New York City are known as "New York County." Staten Island is known as "Richmond County." These counties make up the New York metropolitan area.