Joel B. Schechter

Joel Schechter is a founding partner of Bennett Schechter Arcuri & Will and practices in the areas of trucking industry defense litigation, insurance defense litigation, and insurance coverage law. He is the chairman of the firm’s insurance and trucking defense practice groups.

He began his career in 1979 as an Assistant District Attorney prosecuting rackets cases in Suffolk County, New York.  He went on to become an associate counsel to a New York City firm representing the New York City Patrolman’s Benevolent Association. In connection thereto, he represented police officers throughout the New York City metropolitan area in disciplinary and grand jury proceedings.

Mr. Schechter began his practice in Western New York in 1987.  He represents national clients throughout Western and Upstate New York.  His practice encompasses complex litigation matters for the trucking, insurance and retail industries.  He is the past President of the Trucking Industry Defense Association (www.tida.org) and served on its Board of Directors for nine years (2006-2015).  Mr. Schechter has a unique knowledge of the legal issues involved in defending trucking industry cases.  He is also a member of the Ontario Trucking Association, Transportation Lawyers Association, Canadian Transportation Lawyers Association, New York State Motor Truck Association and the Defense Research Institute.

Mr. Schechter represents national general liability carriers in the defense of their insureds in diverse actions such as products liability, toxic torts, workplace accidents, auto and general liability. He has represented major general liability insurance carriers in New York for over thirty years.

Mr. Schechter represents restaurant and retail establishments in the defense of liability claims. He is a member of the National Retail and Restaurant Defense Association.

Mr. Schechter also practices in the area of mediation and arbitration. He is a trained mediator with over thirty years of civil litigation experience. He offers mediation and arbitration services to members of the bar and the insurance industry. He provides full mediation facilities and flexible scheduling.

Mr. Schechter was named a Super Lawyer for the years 2014 – 2022 in the field of Transportation law.

Speaking Engagements:

• Ontario Trucking Association, US Liability for Canadian Fleets – Toronto, Canada – November, 2007
• Ontario Trucking Association, Sleep Apnea in the Trucking Industry – Toronto, Canada – November, 2009
• National Retail and Restaurant Defense Association Update on the Law – Dallas, Texas – February, 2010
• Covenant Transportation/US Xpress Symposium on New York Law – Chattanooga, Tennessee – February, 2010
• Intact Insurance, Symposium on New York Law – Mississauga, Ontario, Canada – June, 2010
• Harco National Insurance, Symposium on New York Law – Chicago, Illinois – January, 2011
• American Conference Institute Trucking Litigation Program – Chicago, Illinois – April, 2011
• American Conference Institute Second National Forum on Defending and Managing Trucking Litigation, Orlando, Florida, December 2011
• Ontario Trucking Association Cargo Law Seminar, Toronto, Ontario, September 2012
• New York State Bar Association Law School for Insurance Professionals, Buffalo, New York, September 2012
• American Conference Institute’s Third Annual National Forum on Defending and Managing Trucking Litigation, Atlanta, Georgia, November 2012
• National Retail and Restaurant Defense Association – New Orleans, LA, February, 2013
• American Bar Association MegaConference on Trucking Litigation – New Orleans, LA, March 2013
• American Conference Institute 2014 Trucking Litigation Conference – Chicago, IL, March, 2014
• 2015 Transportation Megaconference XII – “Jury Deselection” – New Orleans, LA, March 12, 2015
• Arkansas Trucking Seminar- Rogers, Arkansas, September 17, 2015
• Cottingham and Butler Risk Control Workshop update on transportation rules and regulations – Las Vegas, Nevada, October 2015