Kazan Law Receives 8th Guardian of Justice Award from Alameda County Bar Association

Posted on October 26, 2018 by Staff

Kazan Law Award For the eighth consecutive year, Kazan Law has received the Guardian of Justice award from the Alameda County Bar Association’s Volunteer Legal Services Corporation (VLSC).

The award, presented to Kazan Law on Oct. 25, is given to firms that have demonstrated the highest commitment to providing legal services to low-income people in Alameda County. “We greatly appreciate this award and we are honored to support VLSC, which works tirelessly to ensure that the scales of justice remain in balance,” said Steven Kazan, founding, senior and managing partner at Kazan Law.

VLSC provides free legal assistance to Alameda County’s low-income population by mobilizing volunteer attorneys to provide pro bono service. VLSC matches trained volunteer attorneys, paralegals and law school graduates with low-income clients in need of critical legal services—services such as ensuring that a child has a safe and stable home, shielding a patient from financial ruin, or protecting a parent’s right to custody and visitation. VLSC is the largest provider of pro bono legal services in the county.

VLSC created the Guardians of Justice campaign so that large firms, small firms, local businesses, solo practitioners, and individuals can help VLSC bridge the justice gap in our community. Guardians of Justice help:

Sustain and enhance our current programs, including 30 legal clinics a month in the areas of family law, domestic violence; bankruptcy, guardianship, and landlord-tenant disputes.
Provide training, mentoring and malpractice insurance to our dedicated volunteer attorneys, paralegals, and law school graduates.
Develop additional programs to meet the existing and growing need for legal services in Alameda County.

Kazan Law advocates for the rights of people exposed to asbestos through the negligence of often big and powerful interests, and the firm supports a legal system that protects all community members equally.

Kazan Mcclain Partners’ Foundation to Be Recognized by Stanford University for Donations to Cancer Research

Posted on September 21, 2018 by Staff

Stanford Donation Kazan Law Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation is proud to announce that Stanford University plans to include the foundation’s name on the donor recognition wall of the university’s new hospital, which is scheduled to open in 2019.

Through the generous donations of Kazan clients to the Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation, the foundation gave a total of $800,000 to Stanford University Cancer Institute from 2012 through 2016. The donation was part of the Campaign for Stanford Medicine, which raised funds for new cancer treatments, the new hospital and biomedical innovations.

The foundation would like to express its deepest thanks to clients Martin Grigg and his late wife Rose-Marie Grigg, Nancy Karidis-Koepke and her late husband Harold Koepke, and Timothy and Caroline Vest for their enormous contributions. The Grigg, Karidis-Koepke and Vest family names also will be listed on the donor recognition wall of Stanford’s new hospital.

“We were honored to help our clients support Stanford’s cancer research in the hopes that other families may be spared the ravages of mesothelioma in the years to come,” said Steven Kazan, treasurer of Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation and founder of Kazan Law.

The donor recognition wall, which will be a permanent fixture in the main atrium of Stanford’s new state-of-the-art hospital, will honor individuals and organizations that made gifts of $100,000 or more during the Campaign for Stanford Medicine.

Steven Kazan is one of the nation’s preeminent and most experienced asbestos litigation attorneys. For the past 44 years, he and the law firm he founded have represented hundreds of injured workers suffering from asbestos-related mesothelioma in some of the most high-profile cases in history, against Johns-Manville, Fibreboard, Johnson & Johnson, and others.

Steven’s groundbreaking work has helped victims and their families redress the wrongs done to them, and his work has prompted changes in asbestos law that benefit victims. He is also active in helping to improve workplaces through education and legislative advocacy.

In 1994, Steven and his firm established the Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation Inc. to support institutions that fight for the little guy and provide funding for mesothelioma research. To date, the foundation has given out more than $20 million in grant money to help make a difference in people’s lives. The foundation has worked with University of Chicago researchers to fund pleural mesothelioma research, which was presented at the International Mesothelioma Interest Group conference in May 2018. The foundation also supports thoracic cancer programs at UCSF and Stanford.

Kazan Firm Wins $117 Million Johnson & Johnson’s Talc Baby Powder Verdict

Posted on April 11, 2018 by Staff

Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder Mesothelioma Trial Team

Pictured: The trial team included Joseph Satterley (left) and Denyse Clancy (right) from Kazan Law and Moshe Maimon (middle) from Levy Konigsberg LLP.

Kazan, McClain, Satterley & Greenwood, PC of Oakland, CA announces a $117 million verdict for their clients Stephen and Kendra Lanzo, formerly of Lafayette, CA. A jury this week found that Johnson’s Baby Powder contained asbestos, and that Johnson & Johnson Consumer, Inc. and its supplier Imerys Talc America, Inc. failed to adequately warn consumers of this fact, and further that Johnson & Johnson had a safer alternative design in cornstarch.

The jury awarded the Lanzo’s $37 million dollars as compensation for Stephen Lanzo’s asbestos cancer, mesothelioma, with 70% to Johnson & Johnson Consumer, Inc. and 30% to Imerys Talc America, Inc. The jury also awarded $80 million in punitive damages.

Trial counsel Joe Satterley explained that this historic victory was based on newly revealed confidential documents: “For the first time the jury was allowed to see secret, internal company documents showing that these companies knew that Johnson’s talc Baby Powder contains asbestos. As a result, the jury unanimously found that Johnson’s Baby Powder contained asbestos. Johnson & Johnson should stop selling Johnson’s talc Baby Powder and replace it with cornstarch.”

The confidential company documents also revealed that Johnson & Johnson in 1969 created “Project 101.” Project 101 showed that Johnson’s talc Baby Powder contained asbestos, and that it could cause cancer. Project 101 warned that in “forty years” the company could face litigation. In 1975, Johnson & Johnson’s talc mining subsidiary noted the presence of asbestos in the Vermont talc used in Johnson’s Baby Powder, and warned that it was a “severe health hazard.”

Imerys Talc America, headquartered San Jose, California, is the exclusive talc supplier to Johnson’s Baby Powder in North America. Imerys had also found asbestos in the Vermont talc mines in 1975, yet proceeded to purchase these mines and sell this talc for use in Johnson’s Baby Powder. An internal email revealed that Imerys failed to test the talc supplied for Johnson’s Baby Powder for four years, despite certifying to its customers that it had done so. Imerys’ confidential documents also showed that Imerys fought off regulation of its talc sales by creating “confusion” with the regulatory agencies, and by turning its regulatory efforts into a “game” as set forth on a “License to Market” monopoly board. On this board, a skull and cross bones and “DANGER” were placed next to squares marked “Public perception” and “Litigation.”

The case name is Stephen and Kendra Lanzo v. Johnson & Johnson Consumer, Inc. and Imerys Talc America, Inc. The Lanzo’s were represented at trial by Joseph Satterley and Denyse Clancy of Kazan, McClain, Satterley & Greenwood, P.C of Oakland, California and by Moshe Maimon of New York and New Jersey- based Levy Konigsberg, L.L.P.

Kazan Law Is Proud to Support the 2018 International Mesothelioma Interest Group (iMig)

Posted on April 9, 2018 by Steven Kazan

We are pleased to announce that once again this year, Kazan Law is a major financial supporter of the worldwide conference held by the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (iMig) an international group of scientists, doctors, researchers, and academic experts who devote their lives to trying to understand, cure, and prevent mesothelioma. iMig was started in 1991, and since that time has had regular meetings, the 14^th of which will be held this May in Ottawa, Canada, featuring participation of over 500 delegates from all over the world. We continue our unbroken string of providing major financial support since the meetings in Chicago (2006), Amsterdam (2008), Kyoto, Japan (2010), Boston (2012), Capetown, South Africa (2014), and Birmingham, England (2016).

In addition to our major general support and sponsorship of the particular conference activities, we are especially proud that in 2006 we suggested and offered to fund the establishment of the Young Investigator Award Program, recognizing academic work from five of the most promising young researchers presented at each conference. The awards were first given in 2008, and have become a tradition at every conference since that time. This year, five young scientists will receive these awards. In recent years we have posted short videos prepared by the winners on the Kazan Law YouTube Channel so that everyone can learn about their work, presented in language directed to all of us non-scientists. We hope to add videos from this year’s winners soon.

For the fifth consecutive conference, we have had academic papers accepted after undergoing the rigorous scientific peer review process, with abstracts published in the proceedings of the conference or related medical journals. We are the only American law firm so honored; our work focuses on issues at the intersection of law and medicine, which we think would be of interest to iMig scientists. On several occasions we have been asked to present talks at conference sessions, including a keynote address during the Kyoto Conference. Again, this year, I will be presenting a poster session, based on our accepted abstract, at two open sessions during the conference. For a short video discussing our posters, please check our YouTube Channel.

The iMig conference is a great opportunity for me to visit with medical and scientific friends from around the world with whom I have been working for many years. The panel discussions and academic presentations are always interesting, and the conference is always great fun. I hope to be posting regular updates on interesting developments to our Facebook and Twitter feeds, so drop by and take a look.

Kazan Law Applauds the Appointment of Judge Rafael Vazquez

Posted on February 13, 2018 by Staff

Kazan Law is proud to announce that one of its former associate attorneys has just become one of the newest judges on the California bench. In December of 2017, Rafael Vazquez, 42, was among 33 new judges appointed by Governor Jerry Brown. Judge Rafael Vazquez will serve in the Monterey County Superior Court.

Humble Beginnings for Judge Rafael Vazquez

The fact that he was appointed to a judgeship at so young an age is no small accomplishment for Judge Rafael Vazquez. He grew up in King City in Monterey County, the son of immigrant parents. His teachers and coaches at King City High School encouraged him to dream big and seek out a college education.

After he graduated from high school in 1993, Rafael started his college career at Hartnell Community College in Salinas, then transferred to San Jose State. While he was at San Jose State, his teachers recognized his potential for success and suggested that he apply to law school.

Rafael finished his undergraduate work in 2000 with a degree in criminal justice. He went on to get his Master’s degree from San Jose State a year later. Rafael was a law clerk in the law-and-motion department at Kazan Law while he attended the University Of San Francisco School of Law. It was there he met Dianna Lyons, a Kazan Law partner (now retired) who became an important mentor to Rafael as he advanced his legal career.

After he completed his law degree in 2004, Rafael went to work for the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office as a deputy district attorney. In in 2007, he took a job at a law firm and, in 2008, he returned to Kazan Law as an associate attorney. He left the firm to become an assistant D.A. for Santa Cruz County.

During his time as a D.A., Rafael prosecuted some high-profile cases, including the case of a teenager who committed a high-profile murder of a young girl in 2015. He felt the crime was premeditated and that the teen should not be back on the streets any time soon. He recently succeeded in moving that case to the adult courts, where the defendant is more likely to get a tougher sentence.

After practicing law for just 13 years, Rafael was elevated to the bench on February 2, 2018.

Finding a Mentor at Kazan Law

From left to right, Kazan Law partner (retired) Dianna Lyons, Judge Rafael Vazquez, Kazan Law associate Ian Rivamonte

One of the people most excited to attend the investiture of Judge Rafael Vazquez was Dianna Lyons, who has stayed in touch with her former law clerk through the years. The investiture of a judge is the ceremony where an appointed judge is formally given his post. Judge Rafael Vazquez used the opportunity to remember the mentorship he received from Dianna at Kazan Law. In this early legal experience, Dianna’s guidance helped Rafael get his start as a lawyer. She made an impression that has stayed with him to this day.

When Rafael came back to Kazan Law in 2008, he didn’t work directly with Dianna, but she continued to support his development as a lawyer. He particularly appreciated Dianna’s perspective on maintaining work-life balance as an attorney.

Dianna was just one in a long line of people who saw Rafael’s promise and gave him the leg up he needed to move to the next level. At Kazan Law, we are honored to have played a part in the training of someone as bright and motivated as Rafael. We are humbled to have Judge Rafael Vazquez among our alumni.

A Showing of Support for Judge Rafael Vazquez

Judge Vazquez addressing the audience during the investiture at the Monterey County Government Center

Dianna Lyons wasn’t the only distinguished guest present to celebrate the elevation of Judge Rafael Vazquez. Congressman Jimmy Panetta, who represents the 20th District (Monterey, San Benito, and part of Santa Cruz counties) in Washington, was in attendance as well. Rafael and Jimmy met when they both worked for the D.A.’s office in Alameda County and they have remained close friends ever since.

Jimmy’s father Leon Panetta was also on hand to celebrate Rafael’s judicial appointment. Leon Panetta represented the same part of California that his son now serves for 16 years, until he left to be Chief of Staff for Bill Clinton in 1994. More recently, Leon Panetta served as the Secretary of Defense and CIA Director under Barack Obama and he’s another inspirational figure for Rafael.

Perhaps the most important people at the ceremony were also named Vazquez: Judge Rafael Vazquez’s three children, Apollonia, Vianni, and Trajan, along with his wife, Yvette.

Judge Rafael Vazquez Represents California’s Legal Future

In Monterey County, where almost 60 percent of county residents are Latino, only 16 percent of the judges have been Latino in recent years. The elevation of Judge Rafael Vazquez to the bench will help make the county’s judges more representative of the population.

As a first-generation American with immigrant parents, Rafael is in a better position than most to understand the life histories of many of the people who will pass through his courtroom. His contributions to his community won’t be limited to the courtroom; he has a history of community service that will serve him well as a member of the judiciary. He mentors young people in Salinas, where he lives. He has also done work to safeguard female farm workers from sexual harassment and assault. He is passing on to others the leg up that helped launch him on his legal career.

People like Rafael represent the future of the judiciary: smart, talented legal minds from a broad range of backgrounds who will bring many perspectives to the cases they hear. Perhaps most important, Rafael sets an example for others. Kids in Monterey County who live in immigrant families like his can see his example and know that, if a kid from King City can grow up to be Judge Rafael Vazquez, they can too.

Three New Partners at Kazan Law

Posted on October 17, 2017 by Staff

Kazan Law earlier this year welcomed three new partners: Ted Pelletier, Denyse Clancy, and John Langdoc.

Ted Pelletier

Ted Pelletier manages the firm’s appellate and motion department. He leads the firm’s briefing on legal issues including evidentiary issues, jury instructions, and post-trial matters. With a career spanning over two decades, he has appeared before California’s Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal dozens of times representing injured consumers and people who have developed asbestos-related illnesses. Read the story about his most recent victory, “Landmark Case: Employers Liable for Secondary Asbestos Exposure,” in this newsletter.

Denyse Clancy

Denyse Clancy is a nationally recognized appellate and trial lawyer with prominent experience in asbestos litigation and other toxic torts. She has tried and won a wide array of asbestos-related cases and has succeeded in defending a number of verdicts. Ms. Clancy’s victories have been named on the top nationwide verdicts lists and the largest settlements and awards by various publications, including the National Law Journal.

John Langdoc

John Langdoc’s practice focuses on scientific issues, particularly dissecting industry-funded “studies” that invariably show that known industrial toxins are “safe.” In 2015 Mr. Langdoc’s $48 million dollar verdict on behalf of a California mesothelioma patient and his wife was affirmed after numerous unsuccessful appeals by the asbestos company. This landmark case was recognized by Legal 500 as one of the most significant toxic exposure verdicts in the nation, and it was selected by the National Law Journal as one of the Top 100 Verdicts of the year.

Kazan Law Chosen for U.S. News Best Law Firms List

Posted on November 2, 2016 by Staff

We are proud to announce that our firm has been selected for the new 2017 Best Law Firms listings released by U.S. News & World Report in collaboration with Best Lawyers, a professional law publication.

Our firm Kazan, McClain, Satterley & Greenwood, A Professional Law Corporation, not only has been chosen for this prestigious list but we have been ranked as a top tier firm for our metropolitan area of Oakland, California for mass tort litigation and class action suits on behalf of plaintiffs. Hard work, dedication to detail, and a determination to help asbestos victims in need all contribute to our success at Kazan Law.

What the New U.S. News & World Report and Best Lawyers Ranking Means

According to the information we received about our selection as a top tier firm, “Firms included in the 2017 Best Law Firms list are recognized for professional excellence with persistently impressive ratings from clients and peers. Achieving a tiered ranking signals a unique combination of quality law practice and breadth of legal expertise.”

The 2017 rankings involved the highest number of participating firms and highest number of client ballots on record. Over 10,000 attorneys provided more than 800,000 law firm assessments, and over 10,000 clients provided more than 90,000 evaluations.

“U.S. News is the global authority in rankings,” said Tim Smart, executive editor of U.S. News & World Report. “Evaluating law firms is a natural extension of what we do best.” Many people are familiar with U.S. News & World Report’s rankings of many important American institutions, including colleges and universities. In addition to education, U.S. News now provides consumer advice, rankings and analysis in areas including health, personal finance, travel, cars as well as its traditional coverage of national and international news.

Selection for The Best Lawyers in America Required for Best Law Firms Ranking

To be eligible for a ranking in the Best Law Firms in America, a firm must have at least one lawyer currently listed in The Best Lawyers in America, which recognizes the top 4 percent of practicing attorneys in the U.S.

Kazan Law attorneys consistently appear on The Best Lawyers in America list. This year, favorable evaluations from other lawyers resulted in three of our partners being selected for the highly regarded list. This year’s inclusion marks the tenth time that founder Steven Kazan and partner David McClain have appeared on the prestigious list and the fifth time for partner Denise Abrams.

It is a point of pride with us that lawyers cannot pay for their names to appear on the Best Lawyers list. It is truly an honor that only can be earned through an outstanding level of achievement that is recognized by our professional colleagues in the legal field.

Best Lawyers is the oldest and most respected attorney ranking service in the world. For more than 30 years, Best Lawyers has assisted those in need of legal services to identify the attorneys best qualified to represent them in distant jurisdictions or unfamiliar specialties. Best Lawyers lists are published in leading local, regional and national publications across the globe. The Best Lawyers in America list recognizes the very best lawyers in each practice area and metropolitan region in the country.

Kazan Law Continues to Achieve Justice For Asbestos Victims

Kazan Law was founded over 40 years ago by partner Steven Kazan with the goal of fighting for justice on behalf of everyday working people. We helped pioneer the field of asbestos litigation to bring to account businesses that knowingly exposed innocent people who trusted them to lethal asbestos. That we have been and continue to be successful in this important area is rewarding. We are very grateful for the recognition from our colleagues and our clients. However our joy is tempered by the tragedies we have encountered of lives lost to mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.

We continue to work hard every day to achieve justice for our clients not only through the courts but through efforts to improve workplace safety on a state and national level. But as exposure to asbestos continues into the future, we also fund through our firm’s foundation many medical research programs to try to find improved ways of diagnosing and treating the diseases caused by asbestos exposure.

How the Best Law Firms List Is Shared In addition to individual firms like ours that have been chosen for this prestigious list sharing the news with clients and colleagues, there will be other avenues for disseminating this information. The national and metropolitan First Tier list, which includes Kazan Law, will be featured in the Best Law Firms General Counsel Publication. This will be distributed in December to more than 30,000 in-house counsel, and in digital format to more than 60,000 private practice lawyers worldwide.

The 2017 Best Law Firms rankings will also be available in its entirety online at bestlawfirms.usnews.com. More than 37 million people visit USNews.com each month for research and guidance in making informed choices, according to company information.

The Careful Methodology Used in Creating the Best Law Firms List

The U.S.News – Best Lawyers Best Law Firms rankings used a careful evaluation process that involved collecting client and lawyer evaluations and peer reviews from leading attorneys in their field. Clients were asked to provide feedback on firms, including expertise, integrity, responsiveness, cost-effectiveness, civility, and whether they would refer another client to the firm.

“Lawyers also voted on whether they consider a firm a worthy competitor. We asked this group to vote on law firms that have a preeminent national presence within specified legal practice area(s) they know well,” the summary reports about the new listings.

For the fourth year, a Law Firm Leaders Survey was implemented to provide personal insight on the legal landscape surrounding the nationally ranked practice areas. In addition to information from these surveys, the rankings incorporate 7.3 million evaluations of 54,463 individual leading lawyers collected by Best Lawyers in its most recent annual survey.

All of the quantitative and qualitative data were combined into an overall “Best Law Firms” score for each firm. This data was then compared to other firms within the same metropolitan area and at the national level. Because firms were often separated by small or insignificant differences in overall score, we use a tiering system rather than ranking law firms sequentially. The first tier in each metropolitan area includes those firms that scored within a certain percentage of the highest-scoring firms.

Mesothelioma Law Firm Client Communication

Posted on October 24, 2016 by Steven Kazan

While you are dealing with the symptoms, care, and treatment of a serious illness like mesothelioma, you want to put your legal case into the hands of a mesothelioma law firm you can trust. One of the key qualities to look for in a mesothelioma law firm is good communication. A lawyer who doesn’t return your calls or respond to your emails in a timely fashion will cost you time and energy. You deserve someone who is ready to respond to you when you need answers, when you set out to select a mesothelioma law firm and throughout the handling of your case.

Mesothelioma Law Firm Contact

When you first reach out to a mesothelioma law firm to discuss your case, you will want easy access to a live human being who can answer your questions. Your energy may ebb and flow during treatment and it’s important for you to be able to talk to someone when you feel up to it, not when it’s convenient for someone else’s schedule.

At Kazan Law, our website features a live chat feature where you can ask any question you have about starting your mesothelioma lawsuit and get an answer right away from a real person. This information is freely given with no obligation to choose Kazan Law as your mesothelioma law firm. We want you to have the best information possible as you research lawyers.

The choice of who will represent you in your asbestos claim will be the most important financial decision you make in your life, given the amounts of money that many people with mesothelioma may receive in a settlement of their asbestos lawsuit or a jury verdict. A Kazan Law representative can help you understand the process of hiring a mesothelioma law firm and put you on the right path toward finding a lawyer who will be a good fit to represent you.

If you’re not comfortable with web chat or you prefer to talk your questions through on the phone, the Kazan Law website also offers access to our call center, where you can speak to a representative right away, 24 hours a day, even when the office is closed.

Through our office staff, by web chat or the call center, Kazan Law is available to answer questions you might have as you prepare to seek compensation for your asbestos-related injuries. Questions people often ask include:

How much will a lawyer cost? (Hint: a reputable mesothelioma law firm will not charge you anything up front; the firm’s fees will be paid from any settlement or verdict they obtain for you. If you don’t win your case, you owe nothing.)
What kinds of settlements have others in the same situation as me received?
How long does it take to receive payment?
What are the different ways I may be able to collect compensation for my mesothelioma?
Do I have to file a lawsuit in order to get compensated for my asbestos disease?
Is there a limit on how long ago I was exposed to asbestos?
Can I hire a mesothelioma law firm based in a different state from where I live? (Hint: the answer is yes.)
Can my family collect if I pass away before my lawsuit concludes?
How much work will I need to do to prepare for a lawsuit?
Will I have to give testimony?

Mesothelioma Law Firm Online Resources

Many of the questions above are also answered on the Kazan Law website. Kazan Law’s blog contains posts on these and other subjects. In addition, our website provides information on past verdicts and settlements and frequently asked questions. The Kazan Law website is easy to access and view from a computer or a mobile device, so you can connect to us from wherever you are.

As a mesothelioma law firm, we feel a responsibility to the mesothelioma community that goes beyond great legal representation. To help our clients and other mesothelioma patients stay up to date on the latest developments in mesothelioma care, we started Mesothelioma Circle. In addition to frequent blog posts, this site provides basic information for those new to mesothelioma and background facts about asbestos exposure.

At Kazan Law, we want to go above and beyond and provide resources that all people with mesothelioma can easily access. That’s why Mesothelioma Circle shares vital information not just on a webpage but also on Facebook and on Twitter, where you can connect with our international mesothelioma network at @mesocircle. These social media streams allow us to provide original resources and repost and share information from the mesothelioma community.

We believe that part of the job of a great mesothelioma law firm is to make connections. That’s why we feel our social media presence is so important. It’s a way of creating a community that makes us all stronger. That’s why Kazan Law has created @KazanLaw on Twitter, to keep in close contact with our clients and our allies in the mesothelioma community.

Staying in Touch with Your Mesothelioma Law Firm

Once you choose a mesothelioma law firm to represent you in your asbestos lawsuit, it’s important to keep the channels of communication open. A good asbestos attorney will do most of the work it takes to move your mesothelioma lawsuit forward, but your legal team will reach out to you to get key pieces of information, especially during the investigation of your claim.

At Kazan Law, we have seven investigators who work full time to uncover the facts of our clients’ cases and provide the evidence we need to win large settlements and jury verdicts. This means that you will get personal attention from an experienced researcher who can work with you to put together the strongest possible legal case.

You will also want to get regular updates on the progress of your case as it moves forward. Sometimes the wheels of justice move slowly and it can seem like nothing is happening. A good mesothelioma law firm will communicate with you on a regular basis to let you know what has happened so far and what the next steps are, even if you aren’t required to do anything toward those next steps (which is likely). Beyond the investigation stage, Kazan Law staff are available to answer questions from our clients as we work through the stages of each case.

You deserve personal attention from your mesothelioma law firm, from your first contact through the conclusion of your lawsuit. At Kazan Law, we strive to make ourselves available to people with mesothelioma in as many ways as possible because we know that being of service means making life easier for you.

The Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation a Commitment to Justice

Posted on October 12, 2016 by Steven Kazan

At the Kazan Law Firm, our practice centers around helping our clients get just compensation for the harm that has been done to them and holding negligent corporations accountable. With the Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation, we take our commitment to justice even further. We created the foundation 25 years ago to support institutions that fight for the little guy, just like we do. I’m proud to say that, since 1994, the Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation has given out a total of more than $20 million in grant money. We’re excited to see the Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation grants making a difference in people’s lives. Here are a few of the community, health, and civic organizations that benefit from Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation funding.

Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation Funds Mesothelioma Research

As one of the pioneering law firms in the field of asbestos litigation, we have worked with a great many mesothelioma clients since we opened our practice in 1974. Because of the brutal nature of this cancer, we have also had to say goodbye to our clients with mesothelioma, some sooner, some later. We have sat with grieving families who have lost fathers and mothers, husbands and wives. We have seen firsthand the devastating effect of mesothelioma on the lives of our clients and our loved ones.

Because of these experiences, research into better treatments and, ultimately, a cure for mesothelioma is a top priority of the Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation. The Foundation has given almost one third ($6 million) of its donations to mesothelioma research.

The Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation has given grants to the University of California San Francisco (UCSF) Thoracic Oncology Program. UCSF is one of the top medical schools in the United States. Their Thoracic Oncology Program specializes in treatment of cancers of the lungs, including mesothelioma. In the 20 or so years since its founding, the program has done ground breaking research. The program’s Thoracic Oncology Laboratory was awarded a National Institutes of Health R01 grant in 2005 to study mesothelioma. In addition to this important research, the thoracic oncology specialists at UCSF provide top-notch care to mesothelioma patients.

We also support the Thoracic Cancer Program at Stanford Healthcare. Through its connection with the Stanford University School of Medicine, mesothelioma patients get state of the art care from some of the best and brightest medical practitioners in the country. Mesothelioma care options include one of the most exciting new treatments for mesothelioma patients: immunotherapy. By analyzing the genetic code of a tumor, Stanford physicians can prescribe chemotherapy that attacks the mechanisms by which that particular cancer grows, increasing the chance of fighting back the tumor and extending life

We are proud to have had a role in funding these and other promising new breakthroughs in mesothelioma treatment, including innovative surgical procedures. The Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation will continue to fund mesothelioma research at outstanding institutions like the ones above and the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine and Creighton University School of Medicine.

Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation Funds Fellowships

At Kazan Law, we know that the legal community that defends the rights of everyday people is only as robust as its next generation. Training young lawyers for careers representing the poorest and neediest among us and holding corporate wrongdoers to account is close to our hearts. That’s why the Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation provides grants to pay for fellowships and internships for law students and new lawyers at nonprofit legal organizations.

The Golden Gate University Innocence Project is an adjunct to the Northern California Innocence Project, based out of Santa Clara Law School. The project is part of a national movement to exonerate prisoners who were wrongly convicted using DNA and other evidence. Law clinic students get practical experience in criminal law through the project, which has brought much needed attention to the hundreds (or perhaps thousands) of people who languish in jail because of shoddy work by the criminal justice and legal systems.

The East Bay Community Law Center gives low-income communities of color free legal advice and education and also represents low income clients for no fee. EBCLC helps with everything from tax compliance to understanding loan documents to creating a nonprofit organization. This nonprofit legal center also provides a program for UC Berkeley Law School students that trains them in community legal activism.

The Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation has also supported Hastings Students for Immigrant Rights, which helps law students at Hastings build the foundations for a career representing immigrants. The group was named the Student Organization of the Year in 2016.

Our Foundation has also contributed to the Center for Gender & Refugee Studies, Public Justice, Impact Fund, and Bay Area Legal Aid, among others.

Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation Fund Youth

It all begins with our children. Healthy, strong, and empowered youth are the foundation of a just and sustainable society. The Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation has provided money for scholarships and stipends that create opportunities for youth from diverse backgrounds to explore careers in government in law.

The Youth Law Academy at Centro Legal de la Raza calls itself “a diversity pipeline.” The Academy is an after-school program that helps high school students in Oakland, California, prepare for college and for legal careers. The students are mentored by lawyers and judges, learn leadership skills, and get help with college applications, SAT prep, and financial aid.

The Center for Youth Development Through Law gives students from disadvantaged communities in the East Bay, San Francisco area, exposure to the law through programs at UC Berkeley Law School. During the intensive summer program, youth get paid internships while they take classes on campus. The program also sponsors a mock trial competition to develop self-confidence for local high school students.

The Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation also supports youth through The Annual Cruz Reynoso Social Justice & Judicial Externship Fellowship Dinner and the Oakland Technical High School Washington DC Program. We are excited to play a part in the education of the next generation of inspiring leaders, in the legal field and beyond.

The Future of the Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation

This is only part of the story of the Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation. We have supported the San Francisco Chronicle Season of Giving holiday fundraising drive and given funding to the Employee Rights Advocacy Scholarship Program every year since it began almost ten years ago. We continue to find new ways to use foundation funding to support mesothelioma patients, budding lawyers, and the cause of justice for all citizens.

Kazan Law Partners Chosen For Selective Best Lawyers Listing

Posted on August 15, 2016 by Steven Kazan

: Steven Kazan

: David McClain

: Denise Abrams

Positive and favorable evaluations from other lawyers, Kazan Law legal peers, have resulted in three Kazan Law partners being selected for the highly regarded The Best Lawyers in America list. This year’s inclusion marks the tenth time that the Oakland firm’s founder Steven Kazan and his longtime partner David McClain have appeared on the prestigious list and the fifth time for our partner Denise Abrams.

Lawyers cannot pay for their name to appear on the Best Lawyers list. It is truly an honor that only can be earned through an outstanding level of achievement that is recognized by other lawyers.

Kazan Law focuses intensely on asbestos litigation, a specialty area of law practice the firm helped pioneer over forty years ago. The firm is widely respected for its relentless dedication to achieving justice for victims of asbestos exposure, and for the multimillion dollar awards it wins for its clients.

Best Lawyers’ History of Recognizing Legal Excellence

Best Lawyers is one of the most respected peer-reviewed publications in the legal profession. Being selected is considered by lawyers, clients and legal scholars as a significant honor conferred on a lawyer by his or her peers. For nearly three decades, the extensive lists carefully compiled have been regarded as a credible source for the profession, the media, and the public, as a highly reliable, unbiased directory of excellent legal referrals.

How the Best Lawyers Selection Process Works

Best Lawyers lists of outstanding lawyers are assembled through conducting very thorough peer-review surveys. In these surveys, tens of thousands of attorneys confidentially rate their professional peers.

Being included in the Best Lawyers list one year does not guarantee inclusion for the following year. If the evaluations for an attorney are positive enough for inclusion in Best Lawyers, that attorney must maintain those favorable evaluations in subsequent polls to remain on the list for each new edition. Lawyers are not permitted to pay any fee to participate in or be included on these lists.

The 2016 edition of Best Lawyers includes 55,041 attorneys in 140 practice areas. It covers all 50 states and the District of Columbia. This year’s publication is based on over 6.7 million detailed evaluations of lawyers by other lawyers.

Best Lawyers Reach

Because of Best Lawyers credibility, their lists reach a wide audience. More than 17 million readers see Best Lawyers lists in dozens of city and regional publications in the U.S. including The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and The Chicago Tribune, as well as in major business publications. Best Lawyers peer-reviewed listings are now published in almost 70 countries around the world, and its profile is increasing in the international legal community.

Kazan Law’s Ongoing Commitment to Legal Excellence

Since it was founded by Steven Kazan in 1974, Kazan Law has represented thousands of people suffering from asbestos-related illnesses, especially mesothelioma. On our staff we are proud to have some of the most experienced mesothelioma lawyers in the country, including those honored this year by Best Lawyers, Steven Kazan, David McClain and Denise Abrams.

We are extremely grateful for the support and accolades given to us by our legal colleagues by choosing these principals from our firm for inclusion in Best Lawyers. But we do not do the work we do to seek praise and adulation, however much we appreciate it. Our main focus remains as it has for over – forty years – seeking justice for our clients and for workers everywhere whose health has been knowingly jeopardized by exposure to asbestos.

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