New York attorney record · Judicial Dept 3
Michael L. Costello
Notre Dame Law School alumna, admitted to the New York bar in 1974, 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.
- 1974
- Admitted
- 52
- Years in bar
- 1496785
- NY reg #
The record in one line
Michael L. Costello has spent 52 years on the register since admission in 1974, one of the longest-standing active practitioners the state bar carries at 96% tenure percentile.
- 52 yrs
- in active practice since admission
- Active
- current bar status: "Currently registered"
- #79 of 3,677
- by tenure in Albany office peers
- Law school
- Notre Dame Law School
Data updated September 2026
What this profile tells you
Bar status & tenure
Michael L. Costello has carried New York bar registration 1496785 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 Tobin & Dempf LLP, located in Albany, NY (Albany County), ZIP 12207. Educational background: NOTRE DAME LAW SCHOOL (202 registered alumni).
State context & due diligence
Across a career spanning 52 years, Michael L. Costello 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
Michael L. Costello's 52 years since a 1974 admission places this record near the far edge of the statewide tenure curve below.
52 years on the New York bar
Years since admission, all currently-active NY attorneys
52 Top 4% higher than 96% 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 · September 2026
Tenure among Albany, NY office peers
Michael L. Costello is earlier in the Albany, NY office cohort than most peers: local tenure rank #79 of 3,677 (2nd percentile). See the Albany attorney directory .
- Local rank
- #79
- City cohort
- 3,677
- Local percentile
- 2nd
- Admitted
- 1974
Nearest tenure peers in Albany
- Ruth Tompkins Bridgham admitted 1974 · 52 yr
- Henry Allen Decotis admitted 1974 · 52 yr
- Kirby Walter Dilorenzo admitted 1974 · 52 yr
- Howard A. Fromer admitted 1974 · 52 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 September 2026. Derived local rank, not published upstream.
How Michael compares to fellow Notre Dame Law School alumni
Among the 166 Notre Dame Law School graduates in the New York register, Michael L. Costello is longer-tenured than 99%.
52 years vs. Notre Dame Law School alumni
Years since admission - 166 NY-registered alumni of this school
52 Top 1% higher than 99% of 166 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 · September 2026
Notre Dame Law School's active-bar rate
Of Notre Dame Law School's 202 alumni in the New York register, 70.3% currently hold "Currently registered" status, above the statewide average.
The 1974 admission class today
Of the 2,908 attorneys admitted to the New York bar in 1974, 46.2% are still "Currently registered" today, below the statewide average across all admission years.
Professional Details
- Status
- Currently registered
- Registration Number
- 1496785
- Year Admitted
- 1974 (52 yrs · veteran)
- Judicial Department
- 3
- Next Registration
- Dec 2026
Location & Contact
- Company
- Tobin & Dempf LLP
- City
- Albany, NY
- County
- Albany
- ZIP Code
- 12207
- Phone
- (518) 463-1177
Education
Status Distribution Across the New York Bar
Michael L. Costello'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 Notre Dame Law School alumni
Fellow alumni on the NY register whose admission year is closest to 1974 (excluding same-firm colleagues above).
Same admission year (1974), other cities
NY-registered attorneys admitted in 1974 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 Michael L. Costello: 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 (~1974)
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
Michael L. Costello'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 Michael Costello licensed?
Michael Costello is licensed to practice law in New York.
When was Michael L. Costello admitted to the bar?
Michael L. Costello's admission to the New York bar dates back to 1974.
Where did Michael L. Costello go to law school?
Michael L. Costello attended NOTRE DAME LAW SCHOOL.
What company does Michael L. Costello work for?
Michael L. Costello is associated with Tobin & Dempf LLP in Albany, NY.
Is Michael L. Costello in good standing?
Yes, Michael L. Costello 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.