James E. Dering  joined the firm in 2015.  Jim is a member of the firm’s Health Care and Home Care practice groups, and Chairs the firm’s Cannabis Law group.

With more than 30 years of experience, Jim represents health care providers of all types including but not limited to hospitals, diagnostic and treatment centers, nursing homes, adult homes, assisted living residences, physician practices, individual physicians and other licensed individuals, etc.  This includes representing providers before the New York State Department of Health, the New York State Department of Education, and other state agencies, providing regulatory analysis and advice to clients, representing buyers and sellers in home care agency transactions, and meeting client’s needs in a variety of other types of matters.  He also provides regulatory advice to Medical Cannabis Registered Organizations and to those seeking or involved with Adult Use Cannabis licensure.  

Prior to joining Garfunkel Wild, Jim served as General Counsel of the New York State Department of Health (DOH or Department), and served as the Department’s Deputy General Counsel and Director of the Bureau of House Counsel earlier in his career.  As General Counsel, Jim was the chief legal advisor to the Commissioner of Health and oversaw approximately 125 attorneys and staff.  In addition to providing legal services to programs across DOH, Jim worked on the Department’s response to public health threats such as Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee, Superstorm Sandy, Ebola, Legionella, and synthetic marijuana and bath salts.  He was also involved in implementation of legislation such as the Compassionate Care Act (Medical Marijuana Program) and the Marriage Equality Act. 

Jim served as Bureau Chief of the New York State Attorney General’s Heath Care Bureau, and held other titles with the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) before that.  At the OAG, he was a key member of the Attorney General’s Healthcare Industry Task Force for the Ingenix/Usual, Customary and Reasonable (UCR) investigation that resulted in settlements with insurers that included industry-wide changes to the national reimbursement system for out-of-network care, almost $100 million in settlement funds, and the creation of FAIR Health, Inc.

Jim began his career at an Albany, N.Y. law firm where he became a partner and practiced for more than 10 years.  His practice included heath care, insurance and corporate law, as well as litigation.

Jim previously served as a Commissioner on the New York State Joint Commission on Public Ethics (appointed by Governor Andrew M. Cuomo).  His volunteer activities have included serving as Trustee of the Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, President of the Bethlehem Central School District Board of Education, Vice Chair of the Public Health Sector Task Force of the American Health Lawyers Association, church trustee, lake association board member, and youth soccer and tennis coach.