INSURANCE LAW FIRM TO SPLIT INTO TWO

The White Fleischner & Fino insurance law firm plans to split into two smaller firms early next year, with one of the practices to be headquartered in White Plains.

The partners have decided to focus on their specialties, insurance coverage and insurance defense, according to partner Patti Potash.

The Fleischner Potash firm will concentrate on insurance coverage and insurance recovery and will be based in White Plains. White, Werbel and Fino will continue to do insurance defense law in Manhattan.

Potash said the goal is to remain as a midsize law practice that is not so small to specialize or so big that they lose the personal touch with clients.

The insurance coverage practice in : White Plains has clients nationwide. It provides coverage opinions, mediation, arbitration and litigation for primary insurers, excess insurers and reinsurers.

? state Department of labor regulatory filing classified the reorganization as a plant closing with 45 layoffs. In fact, Potash said, most or all employees will continue to work at one firm or the other when they split up by Jan. 31.

The firm was established in 1976 and it now has offices in Manhattan, White Plains, Long Island, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Florida.