Coffey Modica LLP, a leading defense litigation firm representing businesses and insurance companies in liability claims, excess property and casualty, medical malpractice, nursing and other professional industries, has announced that a new litigation partner has joined the firm and will work from its Tarrytown, New York offices.
Partner Colleen E. Hastie is a seasoned litigator with over two decades of experience handling defense of general litigation matters, with a focus on nursing home litigation and construction related cases, including construction defect, property damage and personal injuries arising from Labor Law violations and product liability claims.
“I had the pleasure of working on several cases with Colleen Hastie in the early days of our careers and she brings with her a strong courtroom presence and commitment to implementing unique approaches to each case,” said Tarrytown Office Managing Partner Patricia Mooney. “
Before joining Coffey Modica, Hastie held leadership roles at law firms across New York state, where she successfully represented a wide range of corporate and institutional clients, including nurses in various administrative hearings regarding professional complaints and malpractice.
She is also deeply focused on mentoring the coming generation of legal professionals, teaching a range of Continuing Legal Education (CLE) classes on a variety of subjects related to her experiences in New York general litigation matters.
“Over the course of my career, I’ve had the opportunity to work with several of the attorneys at Coffey Modica and have come to admire both their devotion to client representation and superior level of preparedness in every case,” said Hastie. “The firm has built a collaborative environment where attorneys and staff are approachable at every level and I look forward to being part of that company culture.”
Hastie will serve clients across New York City and the Hudson Valley. She received her J.D. from Pace University School of Law after obtaining her bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan.
“Over the years, I had the opportunity to litigate cases against Colleen Hastie and have always had the greatest respect for her legal acumen and litigation skills,” said Founding Partner Michael Coffey.
Coffey Modica has also promoted two attorneys working with the firm’s New York team. Veronica Mishkind of the Tarrytown office and Amanpreet Dhaliwal of the Manhattan office will both now serve in the role of counsel.
Mishkind has been a member of the firm’s Medical Malpractice and Professional Liability practice group since 2022. Having received a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing from New York University, Mishkind brings a unique understanding of both medicine and law to her role litigating complex high-exposure medical malpractice and personal injury cases. Mishkind is a graduate of Brooklyn Law School, as well as a former international competitive ice skater and the creator of “Skate for Charity,” an ice-skating show fundraiser.
“At Coffey Modica, I have had the incredible opportunity to work with and learn from a team of esteemed attorneys in the medical malpractice and professional liability space,” said Mishkind. “Their shared commitment to client-driven results has made the Coffey Modica team stand out among their peers, and I am grateful for the opportunity to continue growing with the firm in this new role.”
Dhaliwal joined Coffey Modica in 2024, where he focuses his practice on construction-related matters, general liability and complex litigation. He previously worked at several law firms across New York and New Jersey, where he gained expertise in a wide range of practice areas, including insurance litigation, estate planning, matrimonial law and criminal defense. Dhaliwal is a graduate of Stony Brook University and the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University.
“Since I first joined the firm last year, the Coffey Modica team has been incredibly supportive, helping me to develop my skills as a litigator tackling complex cases for some of the most dynamic insurers and corporate entities,” said Dhaliwal.
Founded in 2021, Coffey Modica continues to be one of the fastest-growing law firms in the nation with offices in lower Manhattan, Buffalo, Suffolk County and Tarrytown, New York; as well as Westport, Connecticut; and Jersey City, New Jersey. Coffey Modica represents defendants in high-profile, high-exposure matters across many disciplines and industries around the country. Known for being aggressive trial attorneys and litigators, Coffey Modica resolves matters on behalf of its clients with the most cost-effective resolutions aligned with their short- and long-term business goals and culture.
