The Ferraro Law Firm
Encyclopedia
The Ferraro Law Firm, P.A. is an American
law firm
that is best known for multi-mullion dollar mass tort litigation for victims of asbestos
-induced mesothelioma
and toxic exposure. Founded in 1985 by Jim Ferraro
, the firm is based in Miami
, Washington, D.C.
, and New York City
. The firm has successfully prosecuted cases against corporations such as R.J. Reynolds Tobacco, Honeywell International, Union Carbide, Owens-Corning, and DuPont
.
worked briefly for a civil litigation defense firm. On May 13, 1985 he opened his own mass tort litigation practice, The Ferraro Law Firm, which began representing blue-collar workers such as workers that had been exposed to asbestos
. By 1990 the firm was representing thousands of blue collar workers exposed to asbestos or other toxins. As of 2011, the firm has represented more than 20,000 asbestos claimants and has won over $1 billion dollars in compensation for injured clients. They represent clients in every state, either directly or through a network of attorneys spread throughout the United States
.
Ferraro Law Firm has offices in Miami, Florida
(4000 Ponce de Leon Blvd.), Washington, D.C.
(1001 Connecticut Ave., NW), and New York City
(598 Madison Ave.).
In 1995, Jim Ferraro received the largest compensatory verdict in the history of the state of Florida for a mesothelioma case, at $6.25 million from Owens-Corning Fiberglass.
Castillo vs. Dupont
In 1996 Ferraro successfully went to trial against DuPont
in what was the first case ever prosecuted against a chemical company for causing a birth defect. In Castillo vs. Dupont, he proved that a pregnant woman's exposure to DuPont's fungicide
Benlate caused her son to be born without eyes. CourtTV broadcast the trial in its entirely, and it garnered worldwide media attention. Because of the case, in 1997 Ferraro was named one of ten national finalists for Trial Lawyer of the Year. Seven years later, the Florida Supreme Court
affirmed the verdict.
Owens-Corning vs. McKenna
In 1997, Ferraro earned the highest jury verdict in the history of the United States for a single non-malignant asbestos case, at $5 million (Owens-Corning vs. McKenna).
Castillo vs. Dupont
In Castillo v. DuPont again in 2002, the firm persuaded the Delaware Supreme Court
to weaken a law that protected large corporations from being sued more than two years after their products caused injuries to consumers.
Laqueux v. Union Carbide
In 2004 the firm went against the Union Carbide Corporation, winning the first first ever asbestos case against the company.
Whistleblowing
In December of 2007, the firm submitted a tax whistleblower
submission of more than $2 billion, the largest ever made to the IRS Whistleblower Office
.
Guilder vs. Honeywell
In April 2008, a Miami-Dade County jury ordered Honeywell International to award $24.2 to the family of Stephen E. Guilder after he contracted and was later killed by a rare type of cancer. The jury decided the cancer was caused by his exposure in the 1970's and early 1980's to brake pads
made with asbestos. The brake pads were created by Bendix Corporation
, a child company of Honeywell International. It was the largest compensatory jury verdict involving a single defendant in a Florida asbestos case.
Reese vs. Reynolds
In May of 2011 a Miami-Dade Circuit jury awarded Julie Reese, an 82-year-old Cape Coral smoker, a total verdict of $3.5 million from R.J. Reynolds Tobacco, after she developed laryngeal cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
. The jury found Reynolds to be negligent, guilty of fraud by concealment and fraud conspiracy, and guilty of placing a defective product on the market. The verdict was a first for a Miami-Dade plaintiff since the Florida Supreme Court
disbanded a statewide smoker class action in 2006.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
law firm
Law firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
that is best known for multi-mullion dollar mass tort litigation for victims of asbestos
Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
-induced mesothelioma
Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma, more precisely malignant mesothelioma, is a rare form of cancer that develops from the protective lining that covers many of the body's internal organs, the mesothelium...
and toxic exposure. Founded in 1985 by Jim Ferraro
Jim Ferraro
Jim L. Ferraro is an American litigation attorney best known for representing thousands of blue collar workers in mass tort cases against major chemical companies such as Dupont...
, the firm is based in Miami
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The firm has successfully prosecuted cases against corporations such as R.J. Reynolds Tobacco, Honeywell International, Union Carbide, Owens-Corning, and DuPont
DuPont
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...
.
History
After graduating from the University of Miami Law School in 1983, Jim FerraroJim Ferraro
Jim L. Ferraro is an American litigation attorney best known for representing thousands of blue collar workers in mass tort cases against major chemical companies such as Dupont...
worked briefly for a civil litigation defense firm. On May 13, 1985 he opened his own mass tort litigation practice, The Ferraro Law Firm, which began representing blue-collar workers such as workers that had been exposed to asbestos
Asbestos
Asbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals...
. By 1990 the firm was representing thousands of blue collar workers exposed to asbestos or other toxins. As of 2011, the firm has represented more than 20,000 asbestos claimants and has won over $1 billion dollars in compensation for injured clients. They represent clients in every state, either directly or through a network of attorneys spread throughout the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Ferraro Law Firm has offices in Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
(4000 Ponce de Leon Blvd.), Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
(1001 Connecticut Ave., NW), and New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
(598 Madison Ave.).
Types of practice
- MesotheliomaMesotheliomaMesothelioma, more precisely malignant mesothelioma, is a rare form of cancer that develops from the protective lining that covers many of the body's internal organs, the mesothelium...
and asbestosAsbestosAsbestos is a set of six naturally occurring silicate minerals used commercially for their desirable physical properties. They all have in common their eponymous, asbestiform habit: long, thin fibrous crystals... - Environmental toxic tortTortA tort, in common law jurisdictions, is a wrong that involves a breach of a civil duty owed to someone else. It is differentiated from a crime, which involves a breach of a duty owed to society in general...
s - Defective drugs and medical devices
- Wrongful death
- Catastrophic personal injury
- Medical malpracticeMedical malpracticeMedical malpractice is professional negligence by act or omission by a health care provider in which the treatment provided falls below the accepted standard of practice in the medical community and causes injury or death to the patient, with most cases involving medical error. Standards and...
- Product liabilityProduct liabilityProduct liability is the area of law in which manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, retailers, and others who make products available to the public are held responsible for the injuries those products cause...
- Automobile defects
- Consumer protectionConsumer protectionConsumer protection laws designed to ensure fair trade competition and the free flow of truthful information in the marketplace. The laws are designed to prevent businesses that engage in fraud or specified unfair practices from gaining an advantage over competitors and may provide additional...
for economic loss - White-Collar Defensive CrimeWhite-collar crimeWithin the field of criminology, white-collar crime has been defined by Edwin Sutherland as "a crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation" . Sutherland was a proponent of Symbolic Interactionism, and believed that criminal behavior was...
- ReceivershipReceivershipIn law, receivership is the situation in which an institution or enterprise is being held by a receiver, a person "placed in the custodial responsibility for the property of others, including tangible and intangible assets and rights." The receivership remedy is an equitable remedy that emerged in...
- Family lawFamily lawFamily law is an area of the law that deals with family-related issues and domestic relations including:*the nature of marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships;...
- Qui TamQui tamIn common law, a writ of qui tam is a writ whereby a private individual who assists a prosecution can receive all or part of any penalty imposed...
/ Tax fraud Whistleblowing (for tax underpayments of over 2 million)
Notable lawsuits
Galotti vs. Owens-Corning FiberglassIn 1995, Jim Ferraro received the largest compensatory verdict in the history of the state of Florida for a mesothelioma case, at $6.25 million from Owens-Corning Fiberglass.
Castillo vs. Dupont
In 1996 Ferraro successfully went to trial against DuPont
DuPont
E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company , commonly referred to as DuPont, is an American chemical company that was founded in July 1802 as a gunpowder mill by Eleuthère Irénée du Pont. DuPont was the world's third largest chemical company based on market capitalization and ninth based on revenue in 2009...
in what was the first case ever prosecuted against a chemical company for causing a birth defect. In Castillo vs. Dupont, he proved that a pregnant woman's exposure to DuPont's fungicide
Fungicide
Fungicides are chemical compounds or biological organisms used to kill or inhibit fungi or fungal spores. Fungi can cause serious damage in agriculture, resulting in critical losses of yield, quality and profit. Fungicides are used both in agriculture and to fight fungal infections in animals...
Benlate caused her son to be born without eyes. CourtTV broadcast the trial in its entirely, and it garnered worldwide media attention. Because of the case, in 1997 Ferraro was named one of ten national finalists for Trial Lawyer of the Year. Seven years later, the Florida Supreme Court
Florida Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of Florida is the highest court in the U.S. state of Florida. The Supreme Court consists of seven judges: the Chief Justice and six Justices who are appointed by the Governor to 6-year terms and remain in office if retained in a general election near the end of each...
affirmed the verdict.
Owens-Corning vs. McKenna
In 1997, Ferraro earned the highest jury verdict in the history of the United States for a single non-malignant asbestos case, at $5 million (Owens-Corning vs. McKenna).
Castillo vs. Dupont
In Castillo v. DuPont again in 2002, the firm persuaded the Delaware Supreme Court
Delaware Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of Delaware is the sole appellate court in the United States' state of Delaware. Because Delaware is a popular haven for corporations, the Court has developed a worldwide reputation as a respected source of corporate law decisions, particularly in the area of mergers and...
to weaken a law that protected large corporations from being sued more than two years after their products caused injuries to consumers.
Laqueux v. Union Carbide
In 2004 the firm went against the Union Carbide Corporation, winning the first first ever asbestos case against the company.
Whistleblowing
In December of 2007, the firm submitted a tax whistleblower
False Claims Act
The False Claims Act is an American federal law that imposes liability on persons and companies who defraud governmental programs. The law includes a "qui tam" provision that allows people who are not affiliated with the government to file actions on behalf of the government...
submission of more than $2 billion, the largest ever made to the IRS Whistleblower Office
False Claims Act
The False Claims Act is an American federal law that imposes liability on persons and companies who defraud governmental programs. The law includes a "qui tam" provision that allows people who are not affiliated with the government to file actions on behalf of the government...
.
Guilder vs. Honeywell
In April 2008, a Miami-Dade County jury ordered Honeywell International to award $24.2 to the family of Stephen E. Guilder after he contracted and was later killed by a rare type of cancer. The jury decided the cancer was caused by his exposure in the 1970's and early 1980's to brake pads
Brake pads
Brake pads are a component of disk brakes used in automotive and other applications. Brake pads are steel backing plates with friction material bound to the surface that faces the disk brake rotor.- Function :...
made with asbestos. The brake pads were created by Bendix Corporation
Bendix Corporation
The Bendix Corporation was an American manufacturing and engineering company which during various times in its 60 year existence made brake systems, aeronautical hydraulics, avionics, aircraft and automobile fuel control systems, radios, televisions and computers, and which licensed its name for...
, a child company of Honeywell International. It was the largest compensatory jury verdict involving a single defendant in a Florida asbestos case.
Reese vs. Reynolds
In May of 2011 a Miami-Dade Circuit jury awarded Julie Reese, an 82-year-old Cape Coral smoker, a total verdict of $3.5 million from R.J. Reynolds Tobacco, after she developed laryngeal cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease , also known as chronic obstructive lung disease , chronic obstructive airway disease , chronic airflow limitation and chronic obstructive respiratory disease , is the co-occurrence of chronic bronchitis and emphysema, a pair of commonly co-existing diseases...
. The jury found Reynolds to be negligent, guilty of fraud by concealment and fraud conspiracy, and guilty of placing a defective product on the market. The verdict was a first for a Miami-Dade plaintiff since the Florida Supreme Court
Florida Supreme Court
The Supreme Court of the State of Florida is the highest court in the U.S. state of Florida. The Supreme Court consists of seven judges: the Chief Justice and six Justices who are appointed by the Governor to 6-year terms and remain in office if retained in a general election near the end of each...
disbanded a statewide smoker class action in 2006.