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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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Alani Golanski

PARTNER AND DIRECTOR, APPELLATE LITIGATION UNIT

Focus: Mesothelioma and Asbestos

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

NEW YORK OFFICE
700 Broadway
New York, NY 10003

“Most people would be amazed by the amount of preparation that goes into asbestos exposure and environmental toxic tort litigations. Thinking painstakingly about the correct approach for each case, and developing the right theory, and all of the research this involves, are the keys to getting a great result. Research into the facts of each case, the legal principles and decisions, and the types of experts who should be retained, are just the beginning. I find it very rewarding to participate in this outstanding project as a member of the Weitz & Luxenberg litigation team.”

Overview

Mr. Golanski joined Weitz & Luxenberg in 2008 as director of our appellate litigation unit, with particular emphasis on our Asbestos-Cancer and Toxic Environmental Tort litigation groups. An authority on federal contract disputes, he also is a foremost appellate litigation specialist. Among his many impressive victories, for example, is a 1992 decision handed down by the U.S. Court of Appeals, Second Circuit, in the Brooklyn Navy Yard Asbestos Litigation that affirmed a multi-million-dollar judgment against numerous manufacturers and suppliers of ultra-hazardous asbestos-containing materials (at stake were more than 60 consolidated asbestos-related verdicts favoring the plaintiffs).

Mr. Golanski’s appellate work has helped shaped the New York high court’s view of the statute of limitations in products liability litigations, and has impacted state and federal court review of the interplay of New York’s complex judgment molding rules and statutes. Mr. Golanski has recently won two appeals at the New York Court of Appeals, New York’s highest court, on behalf of plaintiffs bringing actions against the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey for asbestos-related harms, and against building owners backed by the Defense Association of New York, establishing stricter standards for the protection of usable roof surfaces. Andrucki v. Aluminum Co. of America, 24 N.Y.3d 275 (2014); Powers v. 31 E 31 LLC, 24 N.Y.3d 84 (2014).

In addition to his juris doctor degree from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1986, Mr. Golanski obtained a master of laws degree from the Columbia University School of Law in 2003, where his academic standing qualified him for recognition as that year’s James Kent Scholar, Columbia Law’s highest academic distinction. In 2004, he earned an M.A. in philosophy from the Graduate Center of the City University of New York. He originally received his B.A. from Trinity College in Hartford, Conn., and was inducted to the Phi Beta Kappa honor society.

Publications

Mr. Golanski is a regular speaker at professional and judicial conferences throughout the nation.  He has published numerous articles and essays, particularly in the areas of products liability, toxic torts, and legal theory.  These include:

  • “Argument and the ‘Moral Impact’ Theory of Law, 11 Washington University Jurisprudence Review 293-343 (2019);
  • Why Daimler Accommodates Personal Jurisdiction in Mass Tort Litigations” 80 Albany Law Review 101 (2017);
  • Nonmoral Theoretical Disagreement in Law,” 42 Mitchell Hamline Law Review 225-272 (2016) ;
  • Book Chapter:  “Legal Considerations of Forensic Applications of Epidemiology in the United States,” in FORENSIC EPIDEMIOLOGY:  PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICE (Michael Freeman & Maurice Zeegers eds., Elsevier, 2016);
  • (with Kristal, J.), ”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);
  • Legal Theory From the Regulative Point of View,” 44 Cumberland Law Review 1-53 (2014), revised;
  • “A New Look at Duty in Tort Law: Rehabilitating Foreseeability, and Related Themes,” 75 Albany Law Review 227 (2011/2012) (cited in Wilson v. Moore Freightservice, Inc., No. 4:14-CV-00771, 2015 WL 1345261 (M.D. Pa. Mar. 25, 2015); Carney v. Galt, No. 2014-CA-001124-MR, 2017 WL 383451 (Ky. Ct. App., Jan. 27, 2017; Grubb v. Smith, 2017 WL 1102860 (Ky. Mar. 23, 2017));
  • ”Paradigm Shifts in Products Liability and Negligence,” 71 U. Pittsburgh Law Review 673 (2010);
  • ”General Causation at the Crossroads in Toxic Tort Cases,” 108 Penn State Law Review 479 (2003) (discussed in CARL F. CRANOR, TOXIC TORTS: SCIENCE, LAW, AND THE POSSIBILITY OF JUSTICE (Cambridge Univ. Press 2006), and cited, inter alia, in the Harvard Environmental Law Review, Issue 30 (2006));
  • ”Linguistics in Law,” 66 Albany Law Review 61 (2002) (discussed in CHRISTOPHER HUTTON, LANGUAGE, MEANING AND THE LAW (Edinburgh Univ. Press 2009));
  • ”When Sellers of ‘Safe’ Products Turn Ostrich in Relation to Dangerous Post-Sale Components,” 39 Southwestern University Law Review 69 (2009);
  • ”Why Legal Scholars Get Daubert Wrong–A Contextualist Explanation of Law’s Epistemology,” 22 Whittier Law Review 653-721 (2001) (relied upon in SAMIR COPRA & LAURENCE F. WHITE, A LEGAL THEORY FOR AUTONOMOUS ARTIFICIAL AGENTS (University of Michigan Press 2011);
  • ”Kahn’s Reign and Its Metaphors for Law–A Critique in the Philosophy of Legal Culture,” 27 Southwestern University Law Review 89 (2000).
  • Book Chapter, ”Why There is Widespread Nonmoral Theoretical Disagreement in Law,” in SELECTED ISSUES IN MODERN JURISPRUDENCE (David A. Frenkel ed., 2016).

Mr. Golanski has also authored numerous book reviews, including (with Comerford, T.) ”The Speculation Economy: How Finance Triumphed Over Industry” (Lawrence E. Mitchell), New York Law Journal (Feb. 17, 2009), ”The Common Law Tradition: A Collective Portrait of Five Legal Scholars” (George W. Liebmann), New York Law Journal (Oct. 26, 2006), ”David Hackett Souter: Traditional Republican on the Rehnquist Court” (Tinsley E. Yarbrough), New York Law Journal (November 17, 2005), ”Rights From Wrongs: A Secular Theory of the Origins of Rights” (Alan Dershowitz), New York Law Journal (February 16, 2005), ”The Song Sparrow and the Child: Claims of Science and Humanity” (Joseph Vining), New York Law Journal (July 20, 2004), ”The Cloaking of Power: Montesquieu, Blackstone, and the Rise of Judicial Activism” (Paul O. Carrese), New York Law Journal (August 26, 2003), and ”Justice at Dachau: The Trials of an American Prosecutor” (Joshua M. Greene), New York Law Journal (July 25, 2003).

EDUCATION

  • LL.M., James Kent Scholar, Columbia University School of Law, 2003
  • M.A., philosophy, Graduate Center, City University of New York, 2004
  • J.D., University of Connecticut School of Law,1986
  • B.A., Trinity College, 1983, Phi Beta Kappa honor society

ASSOCIATIONS AND LICENSES

  • American Bar Assn.
  • U.S. Bar of Federal Claims Bar Assn.
  • Assn. of the Bar of the City of New York
  • Member, American Assn. for Justice
  • Member, Athens Institute for Education and Research

BAR ADMISSIONS

  • Connecticut
  • New York
  • New Jersey
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals (Federal, First, Second, Third, Fifth, Sixth, Eighth, Ninth & Tenth circuits)

LOOKING FOR LEGAL HELP?

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

PARTNER AND DIRECTOR, APPELLATE LITIGATION UNIT

“Most people would be amazed by the amount of preparation that goes into asbestos exposure and environmental toxic tort litigations. Thinking painstakingly about the correct approach for each case, and developing the right theory, and all of the research this involves, are the keys to getting a great result. Research into the facts of each case, the legal principles and decisions, and the types of experts who should be retained, are just the beginning. I find it very rewarding to participate in this outstanding project as a member of the Weitz & Luxenberg litigation team.”

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.

Mary Grabish Gaffney

ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY

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

“Weitz & Luxenberg has a history of protecting everyday individuals. We care about our clients. We go the extra mile. To me, the most satisfying part about my work is the time I spend with my clients, getting to know them, caring about them, helping them in a time when help is needed most. Weitz & Luxenberg’s attorneys are renowned for their extraordinary trial skills, but, even more than that, they have great compassion for the people they’re here to help.”

Overview

An adroit litigator and negotiator, Mary Grabish Gaffney concentrates on representing clients suffering asbestos-related illnesses as well as those alleging other forms of personal-injury harm. Over the course of her career, she has served as lead attorney on over 300 bench and jury trials, and has successfully negotiated multi-million-dollar settlements on behalf of her clients.

In 2016, for the fifth year in a row, Ms. Gaffney was named a New Jersey “Top 40 under 40” attorney by the National Trial Lawyers Assn., an honor reserved for attorneys who exemplify superior qualifications, trial results and leadership as a young trial lawyer. Additionally, the National Trial Lawyers designated Ms. Gaffney a 2015 Top 100 trial lawyer. Also in 2015, the National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys awarded her the designation of “Top 10 under 40.”

Ms. Gaffney also is a seven-time New Jersey Super Lawyers “Rising Star” in the categories of product liability and personal injury, paralleling her designation in 2010 and 2012 as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyers “Rising Star” in those same sectors.

Before joining Weitz & Luxenberg in 2010, Gaffney was an associate at Locks Law Firm in Philadelphia. Prior to that, she held a post as a Philadelphia assistant public defender, assigned to the city’s Major Felony Trial Unit.

Gaffney studied law at Temple University, completing the juris doctor program there in 2002. While an undergraduate at Catholic University of America, she played women’s varsity soccer and spent a year attending Universidad de Valladolid in Spain. Ms. Gaffney was born and raised in North Wales, Penn.; she resides in the Philadelphia suburbs.

Mary Grabish Gaffney can be reached directly by email at mgaffney@weitzlux.com.

EDUCATION

  • J.D., Temple Law School, 2002
  • Catholic University of America

ASSOCIATIONS AND LICENSES

  • New Jersey Bar Assn.
  • Pennsylvania Bar Assn.
  • Philadelphia Bar Assn.
  • U.S. District Court (NJ; Eastern PA)
  • National Trial Lawyers Assn.
  • New Jersey Association for Justice
  • Pennsylvania Association for Justice

BAR ADMISSIONS

  • New Jersey
  • Pennsylvania

LOOKING FOR LEGAL HELP?

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

ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY

“Weitz & Luxenberg has a history of protecting everyday individuals. We care about our clients. We go the extra mile. To me, the most satisfying part about my work is the time I spend with my clients, getting to know them, caring about them, helping them in a time when help is needed most. Weitz & Luxenberg’s attorneys are renowned for their extraordinary trial skills, but, even more than that, they have great compassion for the people they’re here to help.”

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.

Charles M. Ferguson

PARTNER AND PRACTICE GROUP CHAIR

Focus: Mesothelioma and Asbestos

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

NEW YORK OFFICE
700 Broadway
New York, NY 10003

“If you’re a plaintiff, being able to put your trust in a strong, powerful law firm is a tremendous advantage. I’m proud to say that Weitz & Luxenberg is exactly that kind of friend.”

Overview

Charles M. Ferguson, Esq., joined Weitz & Luxenberg in 1989 as an associate attorney in our Asbestos Litigation group. He has been admitted to practice law in the state of New York since 1988; not long after that, he gained the privilege to represent clients in U.S. District Court (Southern and Eastern Districts of New York).

Mr. Ferguson received a juris doctor degree from Brooklyn Law School in 1987. He completed undergraduate studies at Wilkes College, which, in 1983, conferred upon him a bachelor of arts degree.

EDUCATION

  • J.D., Brooklyn Law School, 1987
  • B.A., Wilkes College, 1983

BAR ADMISSIONS

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

LOOKING FOR LEGAL HELP?

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

PARTNER AND PRACTICE GROUP CHAIR

“If you’re a plaintiff, being able to put your trust in a strong, powerful law firm is a tremendous advantage. I’m proud to say that Weitz & Luxenberg is exactly that kind of friend.”

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.

Leonard F. Feldman

ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY

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

“Our typical client is a man who has worked his whole life to provide for his family — he didn’t do anything wrong, and yet he ends up with this awful disease. Money can never fully compensate him for the loss of his health. But, often, a client will tell us that it is a great comfort to him, knowing that even though he is sick, he is still providing for his family through the settlements and verdicts we obtain on his behalf. Our team works to make sure that our client’s lifetime efforts to support his family are not in vain. Personally, I‘m involved in every step of the litigation, right from the very start. We have a close working relationship with experts in the field who treat asbestos-related diseases, which helps both in court and in helping clients gain access to the best medical care available.”

Overview

Leonard F. Feldman, Esq., runs our asbestos litigations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey from our offices in Cherry Hill, N.J. He joined Weitz & Luxenberg in 2009. An experienced trial attorney admitted to practice law in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, Mr. Feldman over the years has secured numerous seven-figure verdicts and settlements on behalf of mesothelioma, lung cancer and asbestosis victims from across the Garden and Keystone states. Additionally, he holds privileges to represent clients in federal court — specifically, U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Earlier in his career, Mr. Feldman served as chief of the Montgomery County, Pa., insurance fraud unit and, prior to that, as a Norristown, Pa., assistant district attorney.

Mr. Feldman in 1993 obtained a juris doctor degree from the University of Maryland School of Law. While a student there, he served as an editor of The Business Lawyer, a journal published by the American Bar Assn. In 1989, Mr. Feldman received from Cornell University a bachelor of science degree in industrial and labor relations.

He is a longtime active member of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee and, previously, was executive director of the American Interfaith Institute. A sports enthusiast, Mr. Feldman coaches Little League baseball in his community.

EDUCATION

  • J.D., University of Maryland School of Law, 1993 
  • B.S., Cornell University, 1989

BAR ADMISSIONS

  • New Jersey
  • Pennsylvania
  • U.S. District Court (Eastern PA)

LOOKING FOR LEGAL HELP?

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

ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY

“Our typical client is a man who has worked his whole life to provide for his family — he didn’t do anything wrong, and yet he ends up with this awful disease. Money can never fully compensate him for the loss of his health. But, often, a client will tell us that it is a great comfort to him, knowing that even though he is sick, he is still providing for his family through the settlements and verdicts we obtain on his behalf. Our team works to make sure that our client’s lifetime efforts to support his family are not in vain. Personally, I‘m involved in every step of the litigation, right from the very start. We have a close working relationship with experts in the field who treat asbestos-related diseases, which helps both in court and in helping clients gain access to the best medical care available.”

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.

Justin Weitz

ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY

Focus: Mesothelioma and Asbestos

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

NEW YORK OFFICE
700 Broadway
New York, NY 10003

“Our asbestos-injured clients have had their lives stolen from them. What I desire above all else is that they receive the justice they are owed from those who did the taking.”

Overview

Associate attorney Justin Weitz adds to the power and prestige of our Asbestos Litigation group with his unceasing, undaunted determination to see callous wrongdoers brought before the bar of justice.

Many of the legal skills Mr. Weitz so adroitly brings to bear against those who injure our clients were acquired during his years as an assistant district-attorney in Nassau County, New York. During his time in that role, he prosecuted hundreds of felony and misdemeanor cases (work performed by Mr. Weitz included the negotiation of plea deals with lawbreakers accused of acts ranging, variously, from theft to attempted murder; he also frequently took cases all the way through to verdict in jury as well as bench trials, formulated arrest- and search-warrants based on his investigations of crime scenes, and worked closely with grand juries to obtain indictments of targets suspected of systematic illegal conduct.

Mr. Weitz joined the office of the Nassau County District Attorney shortly after gaining admission to the bar of the State of New York, an achievement that followed close on the heels of his completion of studies at Hofstra University Law School in 2009. While pursuing a juris doctor degree there, Mr. Weitz earned a citation for academic excellence in trial advocacy and was nominated to receive the George and Sadie Krulik Award for outstanding performance in advanced trial advocacy. Prior to his enrollment at Hofstra University, he graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in sociology.

Mr. Weitz currently is a member of the Nassau County Bar Assn., an organization that helps him stay fully attuned to the newest thinking in the law profession.

EDUCATION

  • J.D., Hofstra University Law School, 2009
  • B.A., Syracuse University

ASSOCIATIONS AND LICENSES

  • Nassau County Bar Assn.

BAR ADMISSIONS

  • New York

LOOKING FOR LEGAL HELP?

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

ASSOCIATE ATTORNEY

“Our asbestos-injured clients have had their lives stolen from them. What I desire above all else is that they receive the justice they are owed from those who did the taking.”

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.