Stephen Murphy

New York, NY22 years experience

About Stephen Murphy

Stephen J. Murphy is a Managing Partner at Block O'Toole & Murphy in New York City and a plaintiff-side personal injury trial attorney with over 20 years of experience. He focuses on construction accidents, motor vehicle collisions, premises liability, and wrongful death cases, and has obtained more than $500,000,000 in verdicts and settlements for clients over his career.

Stephen began his legal career as an Assistant District Attorney in Brooklyn, where he was appointed to the Homicide Bureau as the youngest member at the time, handling high-profile cases including double and triple murders, arson homicides, and gang murders. In 2005, he transitioned to civil practice and joined Block O'Toole & Murphy.

He earned his Juris Doctor magna cum laude from St. John's University School of Law, graduating in the top 3% of his class with multiple academic honors, and his bachelor's degree from Johns Hopkins University. From 2003 to 2011, he served as Adjunct Professor of Law at St. John's, teaching trial advocacy. He is admitted in New York and New Jersey, plus the U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Eastern Districts of New York.

Stephen's recognitions include being named the 2022 Best Lawyers New York City Lawyer of the Year for Plaintiff Personal Injury, recognition by Forbes Magazine as one of the Best Personal Injury Lawyers in 2023, New York Super Lawyer every year since 2011, and Top 100 Trial Lawyer by The National Trial Lawyers since 2011. He speaks English, Spanish, and Polish.

Proven verdicts and settlements at Block O'Toole & Murphy

These results are credited to Block O'Toole & Murphy. A result appears under an attorney's own name only when a published source names them as counsel on the case.

A Brooklyn jury found the NYC Transit Authority fully at fault after a track crew dropped a railroad tie onto cyclist Robert Liciaga, severing his spine, and returned $110,174,972.38.

Kings County Supreme Court, Brooklyn, NY · 2019Premises LiabilityRead the full story →
$53.5 millionVerdict

A Brooklyn jury found general contractor Mecca Contracting failed to protect Alan Moonsammy from a fall that left him paralyzed and awarded him $53.5 million.

Kings County Supreme Court, Brooklyn, NY · 2023Workplace InjuryRead the full story →

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Each case is unique and depends on its own facts.

Practice areas

Education

St. John's University School of Law
JD
Johns Hopkins University
Undergraduate

Bar admissions & credentials

State Bar of NY
State Bar of NJ
State Bar of U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
State Bar of U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
New York State Trial Lawyers Association Labor Law Committee
Brehon Law Society
Brooklyn Manhattan Trial Lawyers Association (former President)
NYSTLA Board of Directors (former)
Million Dollar Advocates Forum
Multimillion Dollar Advocates Forum

Awards & recognition

{"title":"New York City Lawyer of the Year for Plaintiff Personal Injury","organization":"Best Lawyers","year":2022}
{"title":"Best Personal Injury Lawyers","organization":"Forbes Magazine","year":2023}
{"title":"New York Super Lawyer","organization":"Super Lawyers","year":null,"note":"2011-Present"}
{"title":"Top 100 Attorneys, Super Lawyers New York Metro","organization":"Super Lawyers","year":2025}
{"title":"Top 100 Trial Lawyer","organization":"The National Trial Lawyers","year":null,"note":"2011-Present"}
{"title":"Irish Legal 100","organization":null,"year":null,"note":"2013-Present"}
{"title":"Brehon Law Society Honoree","organization":"Brehon Law Society","year":2015}
{"title":"P.T.A.I. Alumni Excellence Award","organization":"St. John's University School of Law","year":2014}
{"title":"JD magna cum laude, top 3% of class","organization":"St. John's University School of Law","year":null}

Other attorneys at Block O'Toole & Murphy

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Proven verdicts and settlements from other New York firms

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$10.9 billion · Weitz and Luxenberg Helps Win $10.9 Billion Roundup Settlement for 125,000 Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Claimants
Levy Konigsberg LLP
Levy Konigsberg LLP
$43.1 Million Verdict Against R.J. Reynolds for Brake Mechanic's Lung Cancer From Menthol and Asbestos
Kramer Dillof Livingston & Moore
Kramer Dillof Livingston & Moore
$265 million · The Amtrak 188 Derailment and the $265 Million Fund for Its Victims
Jacoby & Meyers, LLP
Jacoby & Meyers, LLP
$34 million · Jury Awards $34 Million After Prempro Hormone Therapy Causes Breast Cancer and Double Mastectomy

Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Each case is unique and depends on its own facts.