New York attorney record · Judicial Dept 2
William James Mcdonald
University Of Buffalo alumna, admitted to the New York bar in 1998, registered office in Setauket, NY. Decades of status, address, and registration history on this record come straight from the NY Office of Court Administration.
- 1998
- Admitted
- 28
- Years in bar
- 2864908
- NY reg #
The record in one line
With 28 years on the register since a 1998 admission, William James Mcdonald ranks among the New York bar's most senior active practitioners, longer-tenured than 62% of the currently-active bar.
- 28 yrs
- in active practice since admission
- Active
- current bar status: "Currently registered"
- #30 of 41
- by tenure in Setauket office peers
- Law school
- University Of Buffalo
Data updated September 2026
What this profile tells you
Bar status & tenure
Registration 2864908 with the New York bar authority has long belonged to William James Mcdonald, a veteran practitioner still in active good standing. Registration is recorded within Judicial Department 2, the appellate division overseeing this attorney's home district.
Practice context & education
Practice address is listed under The Mcdonald Law Firm, located in Setauket, NY (Suffolk County), ZIP 11733. Educational background: UNIVERSITY OF BUFFALO.
State context & due diligence
After 28 years on the register, William James Mcdonald still falls within the New York bar's active cohort, a share of the register detailed further below.
Experience vs. the active New York bar
Few active New York attorneys match William James Mcdonald's 28 years since admission in 1998.
28 years on the New York bar
Years since admission, all currently-active NY attorneys
28 Top 38% higher than 62% 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 Setauket, NY office peers
In the small Setauket, NY cohort (41 with admission years), William James Mcdonald ranks #30 by tenure. See the Setauket attorney directory .
- Local rank
- #30
- City cohort
- 41
- Local percentile
- 71st
- Admitted
- 1998
Nearest tenure peers in Setauket
- Britt Silver Halvorsen admitted 1997 · 29 yr
- Amy Beth Siegel admitted 1997 · 29 yr
- Christopher M. Hahn admitted 2000 · 26 yr
- Harold Edwin Jacobson admitted 1994 · 32 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 William compares to fellow University Of Buffalo alumni
Among the 309 University Of Buffalo graduates in the New York register, William James Mcdonald is longer-tenured than 18%.
28 years vs. University Of Buffalo alumni
Years since admission - 309 NY-registered alumni of this school
28 Top 82% higher than 18% of 309 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
The 1998 admission class today
Of the 7,302 attorneys admitted to the New York bar in 1998, 62.9% are still "Currently registered" today, below the statewide average across all admission years.
Professional Details
- Status
- Currently registered
- Registration Number
- 2864908
- Year Admitted
- 1998 (28 yrs · veteran)
- Judicial Department
- 2
- Next Registration
- Dec 2026
Location & Contact
- Company
- The Mcdonald Law Firm
- City
- Setauket, NY
- County
- Suffolk
- ZIP Code
- 11733
- Phone
- (631) 403-0399
Education
UNIVERSITY OF BUFFALO
Status Distribution Across the New York Bar
William James Mcdonald'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 University Of Buffalo alumni
Fellow alumni on the NY register whose admission year is closest to 1998 (excluding same-firm colleagues above).
Same admission year (1998), other cities
NY-registered attorneys admitted in 1998 whose listed office city differs from Setauket, a vintage cohort, not a neighborhood list.
Nationwide attorneys with similar admission year or city registry density
Two non-geo peer axes for William James Mcdonald: closest NY bar admission year outside NY, and closest out-of-state office cities by how many NY-registered attorneys they list (~42 here). Distinct from same-firm, fellow-alumni, and same-year other-city strips above.
Similar admission year (~1998)
Counts come from the NY State Office of Court Administration registration extract; peers are not a competence or practice-area ranking.
Verify This Attorney
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Compare attorneys →Before you rely on this record
William James Mcdonald'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 William Mcdonald licensed?
William Mcdonald is licensed to practice law in New York.
When was William James Mcdonald admitted to the bar?
William James Mcdonald's admission to the New York bar dates back to 1998.
Where did William James Mcdonald go to law school?
William James Mcdonald attended UNIVERSITY OF BUFFALO.
What company does William James Mcdonald work for?
William James Mcdonald is associated with The Mcdonald Law Firm in Setauket, NY.
Is William James Mcdonald in good standing?
Yes, William James Mcdonald 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.