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.
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.
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.
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 York Bar Assn.
- American Association for Justice
BAR ADMISSIONS:
- District of Columbia
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
- New York
- U.S. District Court (PA Eastern; NY Eastern & Southern)
Cost
Rate : $$$
