David M. Tang Named Co-Managing Partner of Underberg & Kessler
Rochester, New York, March 17, 2026 – Underberg & Kessler LLP is pleased to announce David M. Tang has been named Co-Managing Partner, to serve with Co-Managing Partner Patrick L. Cusato in leading the firm.
A well-known litigator, David serves as Chair of the Creditors' Rights and Health Care practice groups and has served on the firm’s Executive Committee since 2020. David began his career at Underberg & Kessler as a summer law clerk in 2004. Pat, who joined the firm in 1988, is Chair of the Real Estate & Finance and Banking & Commercial Lending practice groups and has served in management for more than 20 years. Together, they will guide the firm’s strategy, governance and practice development while advancing a culture built on long-term relationships, excellence in client service, strong work ethic, and community involvement.
“It is an honor to partner with Pat in this role. Having practiced law together for more than 15 years, we bring complementary strengths and perspectives. This approach allows us to support each other’s practices, share the responsibility of leading the firm, and focus on what each of us does best, while also creating a framework for the transfer of institutional knowledge, leadership development and succession. I look forward to the collaboration,” said David.
David advises commercial lenders, health care providers, nonprofits and business clients on restructuring, governance, risk management, and complex litigation matters. David has served in leadership roles on the boards of several nonprofit organizations, including America’s Public Television Stations, WXXI Public Broadcasting Council, The Little Theatre, St. John’s Senior Services, the Center for Dispute Settlement, and Providence Housing Development Corporation. He is a member of the American, New York State (NYSBA), and Monroe County Bar Associations (MCBA). He serves on the Executive Committee of the NYSBA General Practice Section and is a former MCBA Trustee, a past Chair of the MCBA Membership Committee and Diversity Committee.
David is a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation and received the NYSBA Trial Lawyers Section’s Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg Vanguard Award (2023), which recognizes a trial attorney whose leadership advances fairness, inclusivity, and equity in the legal system. David is recognized by Best Lawyers in America® for his work in Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Health Care Law, Litigation—Banking and Finance, and Litigation—Health Care. He has been named an Upstate New York Super Lawyers honoree every year since 2021.
Pat, who has served as Managing Partner since 2024, focuses his practice on commercial and residential real estate, mortgage banking, tax credit development and finance projects, and affordable housing transactions. A strong proponent of community and industry engagement, Pat serves on the Executive Board of the Mortgage Bankers Association and as Vice President of the Bishop Sheen Ecumenical Housing Foundation board, on which he previously served as President, Chair of the Project Development Committee, and Chair of the Foundation’s annual fundraising gala. Pat serves as the Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Webster Soccer Association and President of the Board of Directors of the Sports Association of Webster, Inc. He is a member of the American Bar Association and member of its Real Property, Trust & Estate Law and Affordable Housing and Community Development Sections. Additionally, Pat is a member of the MCBA and past Chair of the MCBA Real Estate Section. He serves on the ReImagine ROC Housing task force, a collaborative initiative addressing the Great Rochester region’s housing shortage.
Pat has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® for his work in Real Estate Law and Commercial Finance Law (2013-2026). He is a multi-year Upstate New York Super Lawyer honoree (2007-2010, 2021-2025) and was named to the Rochester Business Journal and The Daily Record’s Power 50 Law list in 2024 and 2025, among other distinctions.
This leadership transition comes as Underberg & Kessler celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2026, a milestone that reflects a century of commitment to excellence, resilience through economic and industry changes, and an unwavering dedication to our clients. “Our 100-year history is defined not merely by longevity, but by the trust we have earned, the solutions we have delivered, and the mutual respect and collegiality that have long-defined our culture. The co-leadership structure with David reflects the partnership’s commitment to planning for the future and will help strengthen our focus on client service, sustainability, and the development of exceptional legal talent,” said Pat.
About Underberg & Kessler LLP
Underberg & Kessler LLP, a full-service law firm, delivers comprehensive counsel across multiple practice areas to business, municipal, not-for-profit, and individual clients. With offices in Rochester, Buffalo, Canandaigua, and Geneseo, New York, the firm advises clients in banking and commercial lending, business and corporate, cannabis, construction, creditors’ rights, environmental and energy, estates and trusts, family law, health care, labor and employment, litigation, municipal, real estate and finance, and tax law. Both the firm and its attorneys are consistently recognized by leading national ranking publications, including Best Law Firms®, Best Lawyers in America®, and Super Lawyers. For more information, visit underbergkessler.com.