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Glenn W. Dopf
Lifespire 2026 75th Anniversary Honoree

Glenn W. Dopf, Esq.

Partner, Kopff, Nardelli & Dopf LLP · Principal, DOPF, P.C.

We are proud to honor Glenn W. Dopf, Esq., Founder and Principal of DOPF, P.C., as our 2026 75th Anniversary Gala Honoree. Mr. Dopf is one of New York's most accomplished trial attorneys, with a distinguished legal career spanning more than four decades. He earned his B.S., cum laude, from Fordham University, his J.D. from Fordham University School of Law, and his LL.M. in International Legal Studies from New York University School of Law. He is admitted to practice before numerous state and federal courts, including the Supreme Court of the United States, and has been recognized in Who's Who in American Law, Who's Who in America, and Who's Who in the World.

Mr. Dopf is nationally recognized for his expertise in medical malpractice defense, healthcare liability, professional liability, personal injury litigation, physician and hospital representation, and complex civil litigation. Over the course of his career, he has successfully litigated major cases in state and federal courts while serving as a trusted advisor to healthcare professionals and institutions.

In addition to his distinguished legal practice, Mr. Dopf has made significant contributions to the legal and medical communities through his extensive scholarship and publications. His most recent contribution, "Legal Risks in Obstetrics and Gynecology," was published in Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics of North America in 2025. He has also authored influential works for the New York State Bar Association and Practicing Law Institute, helping to educate and guide attorneys across the nation on complex litigation and healthcare law.

Beyond his professional achievements, Mr. Dopf has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to philanthropy and community empowerment. We extend our deepest gratitude to Mr. Dopf, DOPF, P.C., and the Soltner Foundation for their transformational $250,000 gift, which has enabled our organization to launch a food truck business that will provide meaningful employment opportunities, workforce training, and entrepreneurial experience for the individuals we serve. This visionary investment represents far more than financial support — it creates pathways to independence, dignity, and self-sufficiency, empowering individuals to gain practical job skills, build confidence, and achieve long-term success.

As our 2026 75th Anniversary Honoree, Glenn W. Dopf exemplifies excellence, leadership, service, and generosity. We are honored to celebrate his remarkable legal career, his influential contributions to legal education and healthcare law, and his commitment to creating opportunities that transform lives and strengthen our community.

Notable Accomplishments & Honors

Litigation Background

  • Mr. Dopf has litigated multiple major actions to conclusion in both State and Federal Court as a partner at Kopff, Nardelli & Dopf LLP and as a principal of DOPF, P.C.

Education

  • LL.M., International Legal Studies, New York University School of Law, 1983
  • J.D., Fordham University School of Law, 1979
  • B.S., Fordham University, cum laude, 1975

Legal Associations

  • Member, New York City Bar Association

Professional

  • Member, Bar of the State of New York, 1980
  • Member, Bar of the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, 1980
  • Member, Bar of the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, 1980
  • Member, Bar of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York, 1980
  • Member, Bar of the United States Court of International Trade, 1981
  • Member, Bar of the Supreme Court of the United States, 1983
  • Biographee, Who's Who in American Law, Sixth through Nineteenth Editions
  • Biographee, Who's Who in America, Fifty-Fourth through Seventieth Editions
  • Biographee, Who's Who in the World, Eighteenth, Twenty-First, Twenty-Third through Twenty-Fifth, Twenty-Seventh through Thirty-Third Editions
  • Biographee, Who's Who in the East, Twenty-Seventh Edition, Thirty-Seventh through Forty-Third Editions
  • Biographee, Who's Who of Emerging Leaders in America, Third and Fourth Editions

Legal Employment History

  • DOPF, P.C. — Member, June 2012 – Present
  • Kopff, Nardelli & Dopf, LLP — Member, February 1982 – May 2012
  • Martin Clearwater & Bell — Associate, January 1980 – September 1981

Awards and Honors

  • New York Area's Best Lawyers, New York Magazine, 2006 through 2020
  • New York Super Lawyers, 2006 Edition through 2026
  • Best Lawyers in America, 2007 to 2026
  • Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent Rated Attorney — Highest Possible Rating in Both Legal Ability & Ethical Standards, 1985 through 2026

Faculty Member

  • New York State Bar Association Continuing Legal Education Program, "How to Handle a Neck and Back Injury Case," December 4, 1998
  • The New York State Judicial Institute, Educational Seminar 2008: Medicine for Judges, January 15, 2008
  • New York State Trial Lawyer's Institute: Medical Malpractice Seminar, April 3, 2008
  • American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons Annual Meeting and Tripartite Meeting, Boston, MA, 2008 — Invited Lecturer: "Avoiding The Lawsuit – In the First Place"
  • The Society of Gynecologic Oncology 44th Annual Meeting, 2013
  • The American College of Surgeons Congress, San Francisco, California, 2014
  • Master Class in Jury Selection, Suffolk Academy of Law, April 26, 2017
  • New York State Trial Lawyers Association — "25 Trial Issues Seminar," June 24, 2019
  • Sexual Medicine Society of North America, What Surgeons Need to Know About the Medicolegal Issues in Penile Surgery, November 15, 2020
  • New York State Trial Lawyers Association — Birth Trauma Litigation and Maternal Morbidity and Mortality, January 23, 2024
  • The New York State Judicial Institute — 2025 Medicine for Judges Seminar, Failure to Diagnose Cancer, March 4, 2025

Book Chapter

  • "Legal Risks in Obstetrics and Gynecology," Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics of North America, 2025

Publications

  • "Selected Topics in Damages in Personal Injury Actions," Proving and Defending against Damages in Personal Injury Litigation, Practising Law Institute, 1993
  • "Trial Practice: Evidence and Witnesses" (Chapter 14) and "The Collateral Source Rule" (Chapter 18), Medical Malpractice in New York, New York State Bar Association, 1993
  • "Medical Malpractice Case Management in Discovery: A Defense Perspective," Fundamentals of Medical Malpractice Litigation, Practising Law Institute, 1992
  • "Modern Trends in Obstetrical Malpractice," Journal of the Bellevue Obstetrical & Gynecological Society, Vol. VIII, Spring, 1992
  • "Handling Your First Medical Malpractice Case," Practising Law Institute, 1991
  • "Trial Practice in a Medical Malpractice Case: A Defense Perspective," The Management and Trial of a Medical Malpractice Case, Practising Law Institute, 1990
  • "People v. Plummer, et al.: Psychomotor Epilepsy – The Defense Fails," The New York Journal of Epilepsy, Volume 1, Number 3, 1980

Lectures Delivered

  • "Toxic Torts from the Standpoint of Defense Counsel for Physicians," International Bar Association 21st Biennial Conference, September 1986
  • "Defending Oral & Maxillofacial Malpractice Claims," New York State Society of Oral & Maxillofacial Surgeons Annual Conference, 1990
  • "The Management and Trial of a Medical Malpractice Case," Practising Law Institute Seminar, 1990
  • "Handling Your First Medical Malpractice Litigation: From a Defense Perspective," Practising Law Institute, 1991
  • "The Obstetrical Malpractice Suit," Grand Rounds, New York University Medical Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 1992
  • "Medical Malpractice Litigation," Grand Rounds, Memorial Hospital-Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, 1992–2005, 2024 and 2025
  • "Economic Damages From a Defense Perspective," Practising Law Institute, 1993
  • "Issues Involving Allegations of Pathology Malpractice," Association of Directors of Anatomic and Surgical Pathology, Primary Guest Lecturer, Chicago, Illinois, 1994
  • "Defending Alleged Neurosurgical Malpractice Claims," Visiting Professor – Grand Rounds, Neurological Institute of the City of New York at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, 1995
  • "Obstetrical Malpractice," Visiting Professor – Grand Rounds, New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 1997
  • "The Adverse Neurosurgical Event," Visiting Professor – Grand Rounds, Neurological Institute of the City of New York at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center, 1997
  • "Liability of Psychiatrists in Physician-Patient Relationships," The Society of Medical Jurisprudence, Lenox Hill Hospital, June 11, 2001
  • Invited Lecturer: 60th Annual Cancer Symposium of the Society of Surgical Oncology, Washington, D.C., 2007 — "Avoiding The Lawsuit – In the First Place" (Placed Third Best Speaker out of 150 speakers)
  • The New York State Bar Association's Program on Medical Malpractice, Fall 2009
  • The New York State Bar Association's Program on Expert Testimony – What You Need to Know In New York, October 15, 2010
  • "The Legal Implications of Robotic Surgery," The 2014 Congress of the American College of Surgeons
  • New York State Bar Association Young Lawyers Section Annual Meeting, January 28, 2015
  • "Legal Aspects of Robotic Gastrointestinal Surgery: Program Planning, Approach, and Applications," The American College of Surgeons Clinical Congress 2016
  • American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists, 2018 Annual District II Meeting, October 2018 — "How to Avoid a Medical Malpractice Lawsuit"
  • "Legal Implications of Using AI in Taking Care of Cancer Patients," Golden Jubilee Celebration: 50 Years of Jatin Shah's Legacy in Head & Neck Surgery, Education, Innovation, and Leadership, Scientific Program, September 2025