Kevin M. Kearney
Practices & Industries
Admissions
- New Jersey
- New York
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York
- U.S. District Court, Western District of New York
- U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Supreme Court
Clerkships
- Associate Justice Harry A. Blackmun, U.S. Supreme Court (October 1988 term)
- Judge James L. Oakes, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- Judge Harold Holtzmann, Iran-U.S. Claims Tribunal, The Hague, Netherlands
Education
Boston College, B.A., summa cum laude
Boston College, M.A.
Emory University School of Law (Woodruff Fellow in Law), J.D., with distinction
In addition to serving as the firm's general counsel, Kevin's practice focuses on federal court litigation. He has defended clients in securities and antitrust class actions, and litigated a wide variety of corporate governance disputes. He also devotes a substantial portion of his practice to advising other lawyers on professional responsibility and malpractice issues, and on state and federal appellate issues.
Kevin clerked for Judge James L. Oakes of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit and for Associate Justice Harry A. Blackmun of the U.S.Supreme Court during the October 1988 term. After his federal clerkships, Kevin served as a confidential advisor to Judge Howard M. Holzmann of the Iran/U.S. Claims Tribunal at The Hague, which dealt with a variety of public and private international law issues.
Honors
- Listed, Best Lawyers in America (Commercial Litigation) 2007 - 2020, 2022 - 2024
- Listed, Upstate New York Super Lawyers, (Business Litigation) 2020 - 2023
- ECBA Volunteer Lawyers Project Immigration Award Recipient, 2020
- Fr. Bissonette Pro Bono Award, Erie County Bar Association, 2017
- Buffalo Business First/Buffalo Law Journal's Legal Elite of Western New York, 2014
- New York Bar Association Pro Bono Award for the Eighth Judicial District, 2001
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Rating
- Former editor-in-chief, Emory Law Journal
Experience
Kevin has represented clients in complex federal litigation for over twenty-five years, including criminal and civil antitrust, class-action defense, and corporate governance matters. He also serves as the Firm's General Counsel and often counsels other lawyers on legal ethics and professional obligations.
In the News
- Buffalo Law Journal, June 20, 2016
- Buffalo Law Journal, September 26, 2014
- Law360, December 21, 2009
Press Releases
- August 23, 2023
- August 17, 2023
- Hodgson Russ LLP Honored with 2023 New York State Bar Association President’s Pro Bono Service AwardApril 17, 2023
Blog Posts
Thought Leaders in Law and Business Podcast
Presentations & Events
- May 20, 2021
- Best Practices: Working with the Press, ModeratorHodgson Russ, 140 Pearl St, Buffalo, NY, February 2, 2018
- Hodgson Russ, Buffalo, NY, January 21, 2016
- Hodgson Russ, Buffalo, NY, December 10, 2014
Professional Associations
- American Bar Association
- Bar Association of Erie County
Community & Pro Bono
- President, Erie County Volunteer Lawyers Project, 2010 – present
- Director, Erie County Volunteer Lawyers Project, 2004 – present
- Local Rules Committee for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York, 2002