Jacqueline (Mecchella) Bushwack is a partner in Rivkin Radler LLP’s Complex Torts & Product Liability, General Liability and Medical Malpractice Defense Practice Groups, where she defends property owners, universities, construction management companies, construction contractors, pharmaceutical companies, convenience store chains, hospitals, physicians, adult care facilities and others in suits alleging premises liability, violations of New York State’s Labor Law, product liability, pharmaceutical liability, medical and dental malpractice, nursing home negligence and toxic exposures (including asbestos and lead paint).

Proficient in managing all phases of discovery and trial preparation in both state and federal courts, Jacqueline has helped her clients obtain important discovery rulings, dismissals before trial, and favorable jury verdicts. She also has successfully resolved many cases through mediation and strategic settlement negotiation.

Jacqueline has obtained favorable results for her clients in several recent well publicized cases, including In re Aredia and Zometa Products Liability Litigation and In re East 51st Street Crane Collapse Litigation.

Jacqueline is a member attorney of the USLAW Network, Inc., where she participates in the retail, construction and product liability sections.  In collaboration with other USLAW member firms, Jacqueline assisted in updating the USLAW Compendium of Law on Construction, specifically concerning Labor Law sections 200, 240, and 241.  Click here to view the compendium. She also contributed to USLAW’s National Compendium of Law for the State of New York, which presents information on a variety of procedural and litigation-oriented issues. To view the National Compendium, click here.

She is also active in the American Bar Association (ABA), where she co-chairs the Work/Life Management Sub-Committee of the Section of Litigation’s Woman Advocate Committee and serves as the Sub-Committee Chair of Book Projects. Her most recent book project, “Her Story: Lessons in Success from Lawyers Who Live It,” was published in May 2017.  During the 2013 ABA Annual Meeting in San Francisco, she served as a delegate to the Young Lawyers Division Assembly. Jacqueline is a board member of the North Shore Child & Family Guidance Center and co-chairs its Business Advisory Council.

Jacqueline was named to Crain’s New York Business’ Notable Women in Law list for 2019. She was also selected as one of Long Island’s 50 Most Influential Women by Long Island Business News for 2017 and 2014.  Jacqueline has been recognized as a Super Lawyer in the field of civil litigation: defense in 2019 and as a Rising Star in the Metropolitan New York area for 2017 and 2018.

She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the North Shore Child and Family Guidance Center, the leading not-for-profit children’s mental health agency on Long Island dedicated to restoring and strengthening the emotional well-being of children. Prior volunteer experience includes serving a two-year term on the Nominating Committee for the Girl Scouts of Nassau County and organizing food drives and toy drives for various organizations on Long Island.

While at Albany Law School, Jacqueline served as lead articles editor for the Albany Law School Journal of Science and Technology and interned for the Hon. Lawrence E. Kahn of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York. From 2007 to 2010, she served as the recent graduate trustee on the board of trustees at Albany Law School.

A college athlete, Jacqueline still enjoys athletic competition and participates in the firm’s softball and volleyball teams.