New York attorney record · Judicial Dept 3
J Michael Better
Albany Law School alumna, admitted to the New York bar in 1978, registered office in Albany, NY. A half-lifetime's worth of status, address, and registration history on this record come straight from the NY Office of Court Administration.
- 1978
- Admitted
- 48
- Years in bar
- 1120740
- NY reg #
The record in one line
J Michael Better has spent 48 years on the register since admission in 1978, one of the longest-standing active practitioners the state bar carries at 92% tenure percentile.
- 48 yrs
- in active practice since admission
- Active
- current bar status: "Currently registered"
- #159 of 3,677
- by tenure in Albany office peers
- Law school
- Albany Law School
Data updated August 2026
What this profile tells you
Bar status & tenure
J Michael Better has carried New York bar registration 1120740 for the better part of a career, still active and in good standing. Registration is recorded within Judicial Department 3, the appellate division overseeing this attorney's home district.
Practice context & education
Practice address is listed under J Michael Better, located in Albany, NY (Albany County), ZIP 12206. Educational background: Albany Law School (8,285 registered alumni).
State context & due diligence
Across a career spanning 48 years, J Michael Better has remained part of the New York bar's active cohort, a share of the register detailed further below.
Experience vs. the active New York bar
J Michael Better's 48 years since a 1978 admission places this record near the far edge of the statewide tenure curve below.
48 years on the New York bar
Years since admission, all currently-active NY attorneys
48 Top 8% higher than 92% of 290,787 active NY attorneys
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more active NY attorneys. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NY Office of Court Administration, Attorney Registration · August 2026
Tenure among Albany, NY office peers
J Michael Better is earlier in the Albany, NY office cohort than most peers: local tenure rank #159 of 3,677 (4th percentile). See the Albany attorney directory .
- Local rank
- #159
- City cohort
- 3,677
- Local percentile
- 4th
- Admitted
- 1978
Nearest tenure peers in Albany
- John Philip Asiello admitted 1978 · 48 yr
- Walter G. Breakell admitted 1978 · 48 yr
- Daniel J. Centi admitted 1978 · 48 yr
- Peter Anthony Cristo admitted 1978 · 48 yr
How local rank is computed
Rank uses years since NY-bar admission among non-deceased registry rows that list the same office city and state, a local placement, not a statewide claim. Source: NY Office of Court Administration Attorney Registration · as of August 2026. Derived local rank, not published upstream.
How J compares to fellow Albany Law School alumni
Among the 4,944 Albany Law School graduates in the New York register, J Michael Better is longer-tenured than 99%.
48 years vs. Albany Law School alumni
Years since admission - 4,944 NY-registered alumni of this school
48 Top 1% higher than 99% of 4,944 fellow alumni
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more fellow alumni. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NY Office of Court Administration, Attorney Registration · August 2026
Albany Law School's active-bar rate
Of Albany Law School's 8,285 alumni in the New York register, 73.4% currently hold "Currently registered" status, above the statewide average.
The 1978 admission class today
Of the 3,834 attorneys admitted to the New York bar in 1978, 51.7% are still "Currently registered" today, below the statewide average across all admission years.
Professional Details
- Status
- Currently registered
- Registration Number
- 1120740
- Year Admitted
- 1978 (48 yrs · veteran)
- Judicial Department
- 3
- Next Registration
- Feb 2028
Location & Contact
- Company
- J Michael Better
- City
- Albany, NY
- County
- Albany
- ZIP Code
- 12206
- Phone
- (518) 858-7493
Education
Status Distribution Across the New York Bar
J Michael Better's current status, "Currently registered", places this attorney in the 67.2% of the 432,625-attorney New York register currently marked active.
Full statewide breakdown & source note
Source: NY Office of Court Administration, Attorney Registrations. Status counts reflect the latest reporting cycle. Bar status confirms registration only; it does not imply competence, specialty fit, or freedom from complaints.
Near-tenure Albany Law School alumni
Fellow alumni on the NY register whose admission year is closest to 1978 (excluding same-firm colleagues above).
Same admission year (1978), other cities
NY-registered attorneys admitted in 1978 whose listed office city differs from Albany, a vintage cohort, not a neighborhood list.
Nationwide attorneys with similar admission year or city registry density
Two non-geo peer axes for J Michael Better: closest NY bar admission year outside NY, and closest out-of-state office cities by how many NY-registered attorneys they list (~3,678 here). Distinct from same-firm, fellow-alumni, and same-year other-city strips above.
Similar admission year (~1978)
Counts come from the NY State Office of Court Administration registration extract; peers are not a competence or practice-area ranking.
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Compare attorneys →Before you rely on this record
J Michael Better's "Currently registered" listing confirms bar standing only, it is a registration fact to verify, not a verdict on quality or competence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is J Better licensed?
J Better is licensed to practice law in New York.
When was J Michael Better admitted to the bar?
J Michael Better's admission to the New York bar dates back to 1978.
Where did J Michael Better go to law school?
J Michael Better attended Albany Law School.
What company does J Michael Better work for?
J Michael Better is associated with J Michael Better in Albany, NY.
Is J Michael Better in good standing?
Yes, J Michael Better holds active bar status ("Currently registered").
Cite this page & disclosure
Sourced from the NY Office of Court Administration, informational only, not legal advice. Full disclosure.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.