Fran L. Garfinkel - New York, NY

Frances L. Garfinkel, Esq., is an associate at Silver & Kelmachter, LLP with more than 30 years of experience practicing law in New York, primarily in the areas of medical malpractice and personal injury litigation. Her career uniquely combines extensive legal experience with substantial in-house healthcare and hospital system experience, providing her with a highly informed and practical perspective in complex malpractice cases.

Before entering private practice, Ms. Garfinkel earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Johns Hopkins University and an M.B.A. in Healthcare Administration from Baruch College/Mount Sinai School of Medicine. She worked in hospital administration, human resources, labor relations, and medical school administration, gaining firsthand experience with hospital operations, institutional decision-making, and regulatory compliance. She later earned her Juris Doctor from Fordham University School of Law.

Following law school, Ms. Garfinkel practiced at both plaintiff-side and defense-side firms and also served in-house at the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, where she was directly involved in matters relating to hospital operations, risk management, and litigation involving public healthcare institutions. This in-house experience continues to inform her ability to analyze institutional conduct, evaluate standards of care, and assess systemic failures in medical malpractice litigation.

Since 2017, Ms. Garfinkel has focused her practice on representing victims of negligence, including numerous cases brought under the Child Victims’ Act. She has tried multiple cases to verdict and plays a central role in the development, prosecution, and trial preparation of complex matters within the firm.

Ms. Garfinkel is also actively involved in advocacy and community service. She has been a longstanding supporter of the Alzheimer’s Association, participating in the Manhattan Walk to End Alzheimer’s annually since 2009 and serving on the Walk’s Planning Committee since 2021.

Ms. Garfinkel is known for her thorough preparation, practical judgment, and ability to navigate the medical, institutional, and procedural issues that arise in sophisticated malpractice litigation.