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OUR ATTORNEYS

Weitz & Luxenberg has continued to build on this tradition of success, growing as a firm both in size and resources. W&L today has over 100 attorneys working in world-class facilities located in New York, Los Angeles, Detroit, and Cherry Hill, N.J., outside of Philadelphia.

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Jerry Kristal

PARTNER

Focus: Mesothelioma and Asbestos

Phone: (856) 755-1115
Fax: (856) 755-1995

CHERRY HILL OFFICE
220 Lake Drive East, Suite 210
Cherry Hill, NJ 08002

“Not only does Weitz & Luxenberg provide excellent legal services, and obtain settlements and verdict values probably significantly greater than most law firms, but the lawyers here really care about the clients that we represent — blue-collar workers, the men and women who built this country, who went to work every day just trying to earn a living for their families, and many decades later had the misfortune of being diagnosed with a horrible disease. We’re here to represent them and try to right the wrongs that have been done to them.”

Biography

Jerry Kristal had already spent 10 years fighting for families injured by asbestos when he joined Weitz & Luxenberg in 1997. Today, he is Managing Attorney of the firm’s New Jersey office. Driven since his youth to help children and working families, Mr. Kristal leads a team of attorneys and support people fighting for justice in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and across the Mid-Atlantic region.

Mr. Kristal also serves as senior trial-counsel and is credited with some of the largest asbestos awards and settlements in the U.S.

A highly respected litigator, known for eviscerating opposing arguments and undermining the credibility of seemingly unassailable defense witnesses, Mr. Kristal is also a sought-after speaker on asbestos litigation at legal conferences and seminars.

A Lifetime of Fighting for Working Families

Mr. Kristal taught both secondary and preschool students in New York City public schools in the 1970s. Alarmed at the poverty and living conditions his students faced, he was inspired to earn both Juris Doctor and Master of Law degrees from the Georgetown University Law Center. After working criminal defense cases early in his legal career, he shifted his practice toward civil cases on behalf of helping working people. That led him to asbestos litigation.

“For the most part, these were blue-collar men who got up and went to work every day to feed the family, house the family, clothe the family, and they got screwed by big companies,” Mr. Kristal said. “So it’s the bigger-picture payback that motivates me.”

Millions in Asbestos Verdicts

That payback has sometimes come in the form of some of largest verdicts ever brought in against U.S. asbestos defendants.

One of Kristal’s memorable victories came in 2013 when his Weitz & Luxenberg team claimed a $35 million verdict in New York for the late Ivo “John” Peraica, who worked for eight years removing asbestos from boilers.

“It was a nice verdict, it was the right verdict, against a company we were trying to make a statement against,” Kristal said.

In June 2014, Mr. Kristal was part of the Weitz & Luxenberg team that won a $25 million verdict for two New York men diagnosed with mesothelioma. Ivan Sweberg and Selwyn Hackshaw had worked around boilers made by Crane Co. that contained asbestos.

Earlier that year, Mr. Kristal’s team won an $11 million verdict against Ford Motor Company, finding the automaker was 49 percent liable for the mesothelioma death of Arthur Juni, Jr. During his 44-year-career, the auto mechanic routinely repaired and replaced brakes made with asbestos parts. The jury determined Ford knew of the dangers, but never warned Juni or others who worked with its products.

Mesothelioma Litigation Leader

A pioneer of asbestos litigation for over three decades, Weitz & Luxenberg devotes the resources to win cases.

“The good thing about Weitz & Luxenberg, from a trial person’s perspective, is that there has never been any pushback on any cost or expense, or any avenue you want to pursue, or any expert you might want to retain,” Mr. Kristal said. “For the trial people, whatever you need, you got it.”

Despite his deserved reputation for toughness in taking on asbestos companies, Mr. Kristal comes across to jurors as a man of great personal warmth, compassion, and genuineness.

Perhaps it comes from the empathy built through years of helping others, the patience learned from teaching preschoolers, and over 30 years of getting to know clients racked by asbestos-related diseases.

“Many lawyers can develop legal skills,” he said. “But I think the most important thing is to have a heart.”

Key Verdicts:

Publications

  • Kristal, J., Golanski, A., “A Reply to James K. Toohey and Rebecca L. Matthews’ Commentary: ‘Liability for the Post-Sale Installation of Asbestos-Containing Replacement Parts or Installation.’” Mealey’s Litigation Report: Asbestos (2011)

EDUCATION

  • LL.M., Georgetown University, 1981
  • J.D., Georgetown University, 1977
  • M.Ed., Queens College of the City University of New York, 1972
  • B.A., Queens College of the City University of New York

ASSOCIATIONS AND LICENSES

  • American Bar Assn.
  • District of Columbia Bar Assn.
  • Pennsylvania Bar Assn.
  • New Jersey Bar Assn.
  • New York Bar Assn.
  • American Association for Justice
  • Trial Lawyers for Public Justice

BAR ADMISSIONS

  • District of Columbia
  • Pennsylvania
  • New Jersey
  • New York
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals (Third Circuit)
  • U.S. District Court (PA Eastern; NY Eastern & Southern)

LOOKING FOR LEGAL HELP?

We would feel privileged to assist you.
For a free case review, please contact us today.

PARTNER

“Not only does Weitz & Luxenberg provide excellent legal services, and obtain settlements and verdict values probably significantly greater than most law firms, but the lawyers here really care about the clients that we represent — blue-collar workers, the men and women who built this country, who went to work every day just trying to earn a living for their families, and many decades later had the misfortune of being diagnosed with a horrible disease. We’re here to represent them and try to right the wrongs that have been done to them.”

Mesothelioma Asbestos

Request a Free Legal Consultation

In addition to being a pioneer in asbestos litigation, our firm is in the forefront of asbestos legislation, championing laws that protect the rights of current and future asbestos victims.

By providing your cell number you acknowledge and consent to receive and exchange communications via text messaging (SMS) and receive automated text messages. Messaging and data rates may apply. Text “stop” to opt-out at any time. No purchase necessary.

Danny R. Kraft, Jr.

PARTNER

Focus: Mesothelioma and Asbestos

Phone: (212) 558-5500
Fax: (212) 344-5461

NEW YORK OFFICE
700 Broadway
New York, NY 10003

“Doing good for clients and their families is what our firm is all about. We really do make a difference.”

Biography

Danny R. Kraft, Jr., recognized as a 2014 National Trial Lawyers’ “Top 40 Under 40” attorney, frequently puts his extensive courtroom experience to work for Weitz & Luxenberg clients who have been exposed to asbestos. His goal at trial is to argue your case in the most compelling way possible so as to persuade a jury to deliver a favorable verdict — or, alternatively, to convince the defendants that they cannot possibly win and that their best hope rests in agreeing to a generous settlement.

For example, in 2013, Mr. Kraft helped deliver a verdict worth a combined $190 million for five Tri-State Area tradesmen who developed mesothelioma after exposure to asbestos (this was the largest consolidated asbestos verdict in New York history and, for two of the plaintiffs, the $60 million each received represented what is believed to be the largest individual sums ever awarded in a New York asbestos case).

Also in 2013, Mr. Kraft served on the victorious trial team that obtained $35 million for the family of a deceased New York mesothelioma victim. Two years earlier, Mr. Kraft helped convince a jury to award $22 million in damages from Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. and Goodyear Canada to two clients who were smokers and developed lung cancer after exposure to asbestos.

In 2014, Mr. Kraft and his trial-team colleagues convinced a New York jury to award $6 million to the estate of a steamfitter, $3.5 million to the estate of a power-house insulator, and $3 million to the estate of an electrician. Throughout the course of this trial, Mr. Kraft amply demonstrated his penchant for effortless slicing and dicing of the arguments raised and the evidence offered by asbestos defendants eager to avoid liability for causing innocent victims to develop mesothelioma.

Many of the hard-hitting litigation skills Mr. Kraft employs were cultivated during his years as an assistant district attorney in Bronx County, N.Y. During his tenure with that office, he prosecuted defendants accused of crimes ranging from theft to murder, all the while amassing an impressive record of convictions at trial.

Mr. Kraft began the practice of law upon his admission to the bar of the state of New York (he subsequently gained admission to also represent clients in U.S. District Court, the Southern District of New York).

Originally from Youngstown, Ohio, he earned a bachelor of science degree from the University of Notre Dame before entering Emory University School of Law, which, in 2001 conferred upon him a juris doctor degree.

His selection as a “Top 40 Under 40” attorney means Mr. Kraft possesses talent and skills few peers in his age group can match.

Key Verdicts:

  • $190 million (2013, largest consolidated asbestos verdict in New York history)
  • $75 million (2017, largest verdict ever in New York for single asbestos case)
  • $41.625 million (2018; Knecht v. Ford, jury verdict in Delaware)
  • $35 million (2013)
  • $27.4 million (2021; Johnson v. Johnson & Johnson)
  • $25 million (2014; Sweberg/Hackshaw v. Crane Co.)
  • $22 million (2011; Koczur/McCarthy v. Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co./Goodyear Canada)
  • $20 million (2017; Anisansel v. Crane Co.)
  • $12.5 million (2014; Estates of Brown, McCloskey, and Terry — Index #190441-12, #190415-12, #190403-12, NY Sup. Court)
  • $12.5 million (2016; Cooney v. Caterpillar, Inc.)

EDUCATION

  • J.D., Emory University School of Law, 2001
  • B.S., University of Notre Dame

ASSOCIATIONS AND LICENSES

  • American Association for Justice
  • New York State Trial Lawyers Assn.
  • National Trial Lawyers’ Top 40 Under 40

BAR ADMISSIONS

  • New York
  • U.S. District Court (NY Southern)

LOOKING FOR LEGAL HELP?

We would feel privileged to assist you.
For a free case review, please contact us today.

PARTNER

“Doing good for clients and their families is what our firm is all about. We really do make a difference.”

Mesothelioma Asbestos

Request a Free Legal Consultation

In addition to being a pioneer in asbestos litigation, our firm is in the forefront of asbestos legislation, championing laws that protect the rights of current and future asbestos victims.

By providing your cell number you acknowledge and consent to receive and exchange communications via text messaging (SMS) and receive automated text messages. Messaging and data rates may apply. Text “stop” to opt-out at any time. No purchase necessary.

Jeffrey S. Kanca

ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY

Focus: Mesothelioma and Asbestos

Phone: (212) 558-5500
Fax: (212) 344-5461

NEW YORK OFFICE
700 Broadway
New York, NY 10003

“The executives at companies that manufacture products containing asbestos may smile, put on a friendly face, and try to charm you. But we’ve known since the early 1900s asbestos is harmful. These corporations shouldn’t be able to get away with trying to pull the wool over our eyes. That’s why Weitz & Luxenberg is so important and why I feel privileged to be here. We need to stand up for the people who have been marginalized by the system and not let these unscrupulous companies get away with endangering people’s lives.”

Biography

Jeffrey S. Kanca has joined Weitz & Luxenberg’s skilled and experienced Mesothelioma and Asbestos Practice Group litigation unit. He brings the fierce tenacity Weitz & Luxenberg seeks in every promising attorney we hire.

Thirty years ago, we founded this firm because we felt compelled to help victims of asbestos exposure and seek justice on their behalf. Like Mr. Kanca, our firm is committed to helping people not in a position otherwise to stand up to giant corporations that put profits first and people last.

Each year, our firm takes on hundreds of new cases of asbestos exposure. We are fortunate to count Mr. Kanca among our dedicated and experienced team of mesothelioma and asbestos litigation attorneys.

Rather than represent some faceless corporation, Mr. Kanca seeks validation in helping others — in fighting and working for the underdog. He has seen what cancer can do in his own family and can relate to the families he represents.

“It’s hard watching a family struggle,” he said, “and I know firsthand how devastating cancer can be. With mesothelioma, which is a horrible, aggressive cancer, ‘time is of the essence.’”

“I believe in fighting for ‘the optimal result’ and striving to see that the family is taken care of. I hope to make an impact on people’s lives and raise awareness about mesothelioma, which is far more prevalent than people might think.”

Unfortunately, Mr. Kanca is right. We have known for more than a century that asbestos exposure can lead to severe lung damage.  

You might think this knowledge would change how corporate executives act — that they would do everything reasonable to keep people safe. However, for some, just the opposite is true. When it comes to money, some companies overlook the very real, sometimes tragic, consequences of asbestos exposure.

These single-minded corporate executives may hope to get away with their unconscionable actions, but, as Mr. Kanca says, he and his fellow associates at Weitz & Luxenberg intend to hold them fully accountable and “rectify their wrongs.”

Over the years, Weitz & Luxenberg has made it our mission to help victims of asbestos exposure. To date, we have won billions of dollars in verdicts and settlements in an effort to help families confront the ravages of asbestos-exposure illnesses, and we do not plan to stop anytime soon.

Asbestos is a known carcinogen. Although the damage is not noticeable at first, over decades, fibers of asbestos can build up in the lungs.

Mesothelioma, an aggressive form of cancer, is just one of several diseases specifically tied to asbestos exposure. This disease typically moves quickly, often leaving someone with just months to live.

When a victim of mesothelioma contacts Weitz & Luxenberg, one of our goals is to seek justice and hold the negligent corporation responsible. For families, we hope to    establish a legacy that will meet their financial needs.

Mr. Kanca brings to Weitz & Luxenberg the very ideals our firm represents. Before coming to work with us, Mr. Kanca had identified and honed his skills in several areas of law, one of which is mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.

While working as an associate at a prominent asbestos litigation law firm in New York, he handled product liability and negligence cases, including a range of exposure-related personal injury litigation, such as talcum powder. In addition, Mr. Kanca oversaw a large number of civil files from inception through resolution.

Mr. Kanca also worked as an associate attorney at another firm specializing in asbestos-related cases. In addition to managing complex cases, he argued briefs before the civil presiding judge in Bridgeport, Connecticut, as well as the presiding justice for the Rhode Island Superior Court.

At the University of Connecticut Criminal Law Clinic, Mr. Kanca served as a clinic counselor, representing clients who would not have been able to afford representation otherwise.

His passions outside of work include giving back to the community, following the Giants and the Yankees, playing softball, skiing, and cycling. He also loves travel, with Austria rating high on his destination wish list.

Mr. Kanca is licensed to practice law in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island. He is also permitted to practice federal law in Connecticut and Rhode Island.

He earned his J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 2012 and his B.A. in political science in 2009.

EDUCATION

  • J.D., University of Connecticut School of Law, 2012
  • B.A., Boston College, 2009

ASSOCIATIONS AND LICENSES

  • New York State Bar Association
  • American Association for Justice

BAR ADMISSIONS

  • New York
  • Connecticut
  • Massachusetts
  • Rhode Island

LOOKING FOR LEGAL HELP?

We would feel privileged to assist you.
For a free case review, please contact us today.

ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY

“The executives at companies that manufacture products containing asbestos may smile, put on a friendly face, and try to charm you. But we’ve known since the early 1900s asbestos is harmful. These corporations shouldn’t be able to get away with trying to pull the wool over our eyes. That’s why Weitz & Luxenberg is so important and why I feel privileged to be here. We need to stand up for the people who have been marginalized by the system and not let these unscrupulous companies get away with endangering people’s lives.”

Mesothelioma Asbestos

Request a Free Legal Consultation

In addition to being a pioneer in asbestos litigation, our firm is in the forefront of asbestos legislation, championing laws that protect the rights of current and future asbestos victims.

By providing your cell number you acknowledge and consent to receive and exchange communications via text messaging (SMS) and receive automated text messages. Messaging and data rates may apply. Text “stop” to opt-out at any time. No purchase necessary.

Erik Jacobs

ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY

Focus: Mesothelioma and Asbestos

Phone: (212) 558-5500
Fax: (212) 344-5461

NEW YORK OFFICE
700 Broadway
New York, NY 10003

“It’s difficult to quantify the value of the help we offer to our clients. Yes, of course, one measure is the size of our verdicts and settlements — over $7 billion at last count. But how do you quantify the value of simply being there to offer comfort, support, and encouragement to someone who is dying of mesothelioma or one of the other asbestos cancers?”

Overview

Erik Jacobs joined Weitz & Luxenberg in 1997 and is an associate attorney in our Asbestos Litigation group. A practicing attorney since 1993, he is admitted to the bar of the State of New York.

Mr. Jacobs studied the law at New York Law School, which conferred upon him a juris doctor degree in 1992. Earlier, in 1985, he earned a master’s degree in international and public affairs from Columbia University and, four years prior to that, the New York native received a bachelor of arts degree from Columbia College.

EDUCATION

  • J.D., New York Law School, 1992
  • M.I.A., Columbia University, 1985
  • B.A., Columbia College, 1981

ASSOCIATIONS AND LICENSES

  • New York
  • U.S. District Court (NY Southern & Eastern)
  • U.S. Court of Appeals (Second Circuit)
  • U.S. Supreme Court

LOOKING FOR LEGAL HELP?

We would feel privileged to assist you.
For a free case review, please contact us today.

ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY

“It’s difficult to quantify the value of the help we offer to our clients. Yes, of course, one measure is the size of our verdicts and settlements — over $7 billion at last count. But how do you quantify the value of simply being there to offer comfort, support, and encouragement to someone who is dying of mesothelioma or one of the other asbestos cancers?”

Mesothelioma Asbestos

Request a Free Legal Consultation

In addition to being a pioneer in asbestos litigation, our firm is in the forefront of asbestos legislation, championing laws that protect the rights of current and future asbestos victims.

By providing your cell number you acknowledge and consent to receive and exchange communications via text messaging (SMS) and receive automated text messages. Messaging and data rates may apply. Text “stop” to opt-out at any time. No purchase necessary.

Laura A. Green

ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY

Focus: Mesothelioma and Asbestos

Phone: (212) 558-5500
Fax: (212) 344-5461

NEW YORK OFFICE
700 Broadway
New York, NY 10003

“Our clients worked their whole life to take care of their families. They looked forward to retirement when they could spend more time with their families and watch their grandchildren grow up. But the companies they worked for exposed them to asbestos. Now, instead of enjoying their retirement, our clients must undergo surgeries and procedures to deal with a disease they never should have gotten. It’s horrible and I want to do everything I can legally to help them.”

Overview

Laura A. Green has joined Weitz & Luxenberg’s experienced and dedicated Mesothelioma and Asbestos Practice Group litigation unit. “I’m thrilled to be part of such an excellent group of attorneys. Everyone here is working toward the same goal. We want to help our clients receive the compensation they deserve,” declares Ms. Green.

“Coming here after working for a district attorney’s office in Brooklyn feels like a natural transition for me. I’m used to helping people who have been hurt because of other people’s actions. Working with clients and helping them is the most important thing to me.”

Weitz & Luxenberg recognizes tenacity and commitment when we see it. We knew Ms. Green would be an asset to our team of asbestos and mesothelioma attorneys when we met her. She shares the firm’s principles and values for helping people injured through the hurtful, often selfish, actions of others.

Good Outcomes for Our Clients Are Rewarding

“Getting just outcomes for real people is important to me,” Ms. Green emphasizes. “Having regular, direct contact is meaningful. I want to contribute to the process of helping people and that’s what Weitz & Luxenberg is all about.

“No one should develop mesothelioma. It’s only because some companies didn’t bother to safeguard their workers from asbestos that our clients have to deal with this terrible illness.”

The Link Between Asbestos and Mesothelioma

“Here in New York, I grew up knowing about the link between asbestos and mesothelioma. With all the construction, we know about the dangers of breathing in asbestos fibers along with all the dust in the air,” Ms. Green points out.

“But when people started working around asbestos decades ago, employers didn’t warn people about the dangers. The employers were more interested in making products as cheaply as they could and making as much money as possible.

“Some companies figured they can get away with this, since mesothelioma takes decades to develop. So these companies go ahead and expose their workers to asbestos. They hope their employees die from old age or other diseases first, before they develop mesothelioma,” explains Ms. Green. “If not, they may hope that their employees decide not to try and hold the companies they worked for so long ago accountable.”

Asbestos Is a Known Carcinogen

As part of our Asbestos team, Ms. Green, pulls no punches. She is here to help our clients get all the compensation they might deserve.

Asbestos causes cancer. This is a known fact. The EPA knows this and every company operating in the United States should know it, too.

The link between asbestos and mesothelioma is not a new discovery. Mesothelioma is a direct result of exposure to asbestos. For decades, we have known about this deadly link.

Many of our clients face mesothelioma. Unfortunately, it is one of the most aggressive and devastating forms of cancer that exists.

When companies intentionally expose people to asbestos through their products or types of business, they are knowingly putting people at risk for developing this cancer. What is particularly disturbing is that people should not have to face this cancer. If companies protect, warn, and safeguard people from asbestos, people do not get mesothelioma.

That’s where working at Weitz & Luxenberg comes in. Ms. Green chose to join a firm that was founded more than 30 years ago. She joins us in helping people who develop mesothelioma after being exposed to asbestos.

“I’m grateful Weitz & Luxenberg welcomed me into the firm,” Ms. Green states. “To be a part of their effort to help people on such a grand scale is incredibly rewarding.”

Building Legal Skills Necessary to Help Clients

Ms. Green comes to Weitz & Luxenberg from the Kings County District Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn, New York. She joined the Attorney General’s Office in September 2014. Ms. Green landed the position of assistant district attorney shortly after graduating from law school.

As assistant district attorney, Ms. Green litigated trials, argued before the court, and presented cases to the grand jury. She worked closely with the New York Police Department and the Crime Strategy Unit to improve the quality and understanding of her cases.

She spent a lot of time investigating the facts of her cases and interviewing victims and witnesses. These skills are at the forefront of her work at our firm. Our successful results rely in a large part on conducting research and working with people to recreate the dangers they were exposed to at work.

Ms. Green says her move to Weitz & Luxenberg feels right. Through her work with victims of criminal actions, she realized how much she enjoys working directly with people. Even more importantly, she enjoys the satisfaction that comes when she sees her clients receive a just outcome.

Interest in Many Cultures

Outside of work, Ms. Green loves to travel — anywhere. She enjoys exploring new areas and sampling the food at different restaurants and in different countries.

Ms. Green is licensed to practice law in New York and New Jersey.

She earned her J.D. from the Seton Hall University School of Law in Newark, New Jersey, and her B.A. from the State University of New York at Albany.

EDUCATION

  • J.D., Seton Hall University School of Law, 2014
  • B.A., State University of New York at Albany, 2011

ASSOCIATIONS AND LICENSES

  • Brooklyn Bar Association

BAR ADMISSIONS

  • New York
  • New Jersey

LOOKING FOR LEGAL HELP?

We would feel privileged to assist you.
For a free case review, please contact us today.

ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY

“Our clients worked their whole life to take care of their families. They looked forward to retirement when they could spend more time with their families and watch their grandchildren grow up. But the companies they worked for exposed them to asbestos. Now, instead of enjoying their retirement, our clients must undergo surgeries and procedures to deal with a disease they never should have gotten. It’s horrible and I want to do everything I can legally to help them.”

Mesothelioma Asbestos

Request a Free Legal Consultation

In addition to being a pioneer in asbestos litigation, our firm is in the forefront of asbestos legislation, championing laws that protect the rights of current and future asbestos victims.

By providing your cell number you acknowledge and consent to receive and exchange communications via text messaging (SMS) and receive automated text messages. Messaging and data rates may apply. Text “stop” to opt-out at any time. No purchase necessary.