42 Years - A Professional Law Corporation - Helping Asbestos Victims Since 1974

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STEVEN KAZAN, Founding, Senior and Managing Partner

Lead Counsel award

Founding, Senior and Managing Principal Steven Kazan has played a significant role in asbestos litigation for over four decades. Mr. Kazan filed his first case on behalf of an asbestos victim in 1974 and since then has represented thousands of injured workers and their family members in court cases. He has dedicated the majority of his practice to representing workers suffering from mesothelioma in third party asbestos lawsuits (against manufacturers, contractors, distributors, and premises owners). In addition, he has also represented victims of asbestos lung cancer as well as seriously disabling asbestosis.

Mr. Kazan has also been nominated by the U.S. Trustee and appointed by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court to serve as a member or as counsel to victim members on almost all asbestos bankruptcy reorganizations, including Amatex, Carey Canada, Celotex, H.K. Porter, Babcock & Wilcox, Armstrong World Industries (AWI), W.R. Grace, North American Refractories Company (NARCO), Federal-Mogul, Kaiser Aluminum, Global Technologies (GIT), ACandS, ARTRA, Owens Corning/Fibreboard, Plibrico, T&N, U.S. Gypsum, Combustion Engineering, the Muralo Company, Congoleum, Flintkote Company, Special Electric, ABB Lummus Global, T H Agriculture & Nutrition (THAN), Leslie Controls, Garlock, General Motors, the Budd Company, D-II, Energy Future Holdings (EECI/Ebasco), Pittsburgh Corning Trust (PCC), Bestwall (formerly Georgia Pacific), and Thomas Dee Engineering.  For Bestwall and Thomas Dee Engineering, Mr. Kazan serves as the Asbestos Creditors’ Committee (ACC) Chair.  For Garlock, he is co-chair of the ACC.

In almost all cases where the bankruptcy reorganization is approved, Mr. Kazan has been approved by the Federal Court to serve as a member of The Trustees’ Advisory Committee (TAC) to work with The Trust on behalf of asbestos victims.  For Leslie Controls, Mr. Kazan serves as TAC Chair.  For the Kaiser Aluminum and NARCO Trust Advisory Committees, he is co-chair.

For over forty-five years Mr. Kazan has been a lecturer, speaker, moderator, program chairman and participant at various legal, medical, and insurance seminars and conferences throughout the world focusing on asbestos, toxic torts, and mass torts. He has lobbied and testified in Congress on behalf of asbestos victims and before the Senate and House Judiciary Committees on asbestos litigation and legislation.

Prior to starting the firm in Oakland in 1974, Mr. Kazan was an Assistant to the General Counsel of the Interstate Commerce Commission in Washington, D.C. (1967-1969); an Assistant United States Attorney for the Northern District of California (1969-1971); and an associate at Werchick & Werchick, a plaintiffs’ medical malpractice specialty law office in San Francisco (1971-1974.)

 

 

Education

  • Harvard University (LL.B., 1966)
  • Brandeis University (A.B., 1963)

 

Bar and Court Admissions

  • New York (1967)
  • California (1970)
  • U.S. Courts of Appeals, Third, Fifth and Ninth Circuits
  • California and U.S. District Courts, Northern, Eastern and Central Districts of California
  • U.S. Supreme Court

 

Organizations

  • California Consumers Attorneys of California (Board of Governors 1980-1995, Vice-President 1990, Parliamentarian 1989)
  • Alameda-Contra Costa Trial Lawyers Association (President 1980)
  • Alameda County Bar Association
  • Federal Bar Association
  • New York State Bar Association
  • California State Bar Association
  • Public Justice
  • AFL-CIO Lawyers’ Coordinating Committee
  • New York State Trial Lawyers Association
  • American Association of Justice
  • Great Britain’s Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL)
  • Allen E. Broussard Law School Scholarship Foundation which, on December 24, 2019, merged with Berkeley Law Foundation (BLF) (Board Member) to establish the Broussard-Phoenix Fellowship Program for Berkeley Law Students
  • American Bar Foundation
  • National Trial Lawyers Association
  • National Association of Distinguished Counsel
  • LawDragon Hall of Fame
  • International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer (IASLC)

 

Medical Articles:

Kazan, Steven. “Work-Related Inhalation Injuries.” Chest 122.5 (2002): 1865-1866

Kazan, Steven.  “Mesothelioma at the Intersection of Law and Medicine.” 10th International Conference of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (iMig), Kyoto, Japan.  September 2010.

Kazan, Steven, Bosl, Justin A.  “A Review of the (Scarce) Literature on Localized Malignant Mesothelioma.” 11th International Conference of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (iMig), Boston, MA, USA.  September 2012.

Kazan, Steven, Ruiz, William F.  “A Geological Review of Calidria Asbestos and its Amphibole Assemblage.” 11th International Conference of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (iMig), Boston, MA, USA.  September 2012.

Kazan, Steven.  “Demonstrating the Inaccuracy of Death Certificates.” 11th International Conference of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (iMig), Boston, MA, USA.  September 2012.

Kazan, Steven.  “Patient’s Rights to Compensation from United States Bankruptcy Trust Funds.”  11th International Conference of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (iMig), Boston, MA, USA..  September 2012.

Kazan, Steven.  “Patient’s Rights to Compensation from United States Bankruptcy Trust Funds – An Update.”  12th International Conference of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (iMig), Capetown, South Africa.  October 2014.

Kazan, Steven, Meltzer, Faith.  “A Review of the (Scarce) Literature on Pericardial Malignant Mesothelioma.”  12th International Conference of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (iMig), Capetown, South Africa.  October 2014.

Kazan, Steven.  “Pericardial Mesothelioma – Accidental Treatment and Long-Term Survival.”  12th International Conference of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (iMig), Capetown, South Africa.  October 2014.

Kazan, Steven, Kin, I.  “Hippocrates and BAP1 Genetic Testing in Mesothelioma Litigation.”  13th International Conference of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (iMig), Birmingham, UK.  May 2016.

Kazan, Steven.  “Update:  Recent Studies Examining Impact of BAP1 Mutation on Mesothelioma Risk and Implications for Mesothelioma Litigation.”  13th International Conference of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (iMig), Birmingham, UK.  May 2016.

Kazan, Steven, Ruiz, William.  “A Mesothelioma Cluster Amongst Experimental Physicists.”  13th International Conference of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (iMig), Birmingham, UK.  May 2016.

Kazan, Steven.  “Further Update:  Impact of BAP1 Mutation on Mesothelioma Risk and Implications for Mesothelioma Litigation.”  14th International Conference of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (iMig), Ottawa, Canada.  May 2018.

Kazan, Steven, Steinberg, Henry.  “Comparative Electron Microscope Asbestos Fiber Burden Analysis of Baby Powder in the Bottle and Body”  15th International Conference of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (iMig), Brisbane, Australia.  March 2020.

Kazan, Steven.  “A Brisbane Mesothelioma Case with Worldwide Significance.”  15th International Conference of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (iMig), Brisbane, Australia.  March 2020.

Kazan, Steven.  “How to Not Find Asbestos Present in Cosmetic Talc in Order to Report ‘No Asbestos Found.’”  15th International Conference of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (iMig), Brisbane, Australia.  March 2020.

Kazan, Steven, Meltzer, Faith.  “Shipbreaking:  Creating Accountability.”  15th International Conference of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (iMig), Brisbane, Australia.  March 2020.

Kazan, Steven, Meltzer, Faith.  “The Role of Company Doctors in Decisions About Public Health and Product Safety:  A Cautionary Tale.”  15th International Conference of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (iMig), Brisbane, Australia.  March 2020.

Steven Kazan Reported Cases:

  1. Georgine v. Amchem Products, Inc., 83 F.3d 610, 64 USLW 2711, 34 Fed.R.Serv.3d 407, 26 Envtl. L. Rep. 21,138 (3rd Cir.(Pa.), May 10, 1996) (NO. 94-1925, 94-1929, 94-1932, 94-1927, 94-1930, 94-1960, 94-1928, 94-1931, 94-1968)
  2. Jackson v. Ingersoll-Rand Co., 42 Cal.App.4th 1163, 50 Cal.Rptr.2d 66, 96 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 1221, 96 Daily Journal D.A.R. 2059 (Cal.App. 1 Dist., Feb 23, 1996) (NO. A070086)
  3. Kellogg v. Asbestos Corp. Ltd., 41 Cal.App.4th 1397, 49 Cal.Rptr.2d 256, 61 Cal. Comp. Cases 49, Prod.Liab.Rep. (CCH) P 14,474, 96 Cal. Daily Op. Serv. 496, 96 Daily Journal D.A.R. 773 (Cal.App. 1 Dist., Jan 23, 1996) (NO. A050344)
  4. Ahearn v. Fibreboard Corp., 162 F.R.D. 505 (E.D.Tex., Jul 27, 1995) (NO. CIV. A. 6:93CV526)
  5. Georgine v. Amchem Products, Inc., 1995 WL 251402 (E.D.Pa., Apr 26, 1995) (NO. CIV. A. 93-0215); 160 F.R.D. 478 (E.D.Pa., Feb 28, 1995) (NO. CIV. A. 93-0215); 878 F.Supp. 716 (E.D.Pa., Sep 21, 1994) (NO. CIV. A. 93-0215); 1994 WL 124866 (E.D.Pa., Apr 05, 1994) (NO. CIV. A. 93-0215)
  6. Carlough v. Amchem Products, Inc., 158 F.R.D. 314 (E.D.Pa., Oct 27, 1993) (NO. CIV. A. 93-0215); 834 F.Supp. 1437(E.D.Pa., Oct 06, 1993) (NO. CIV. A. 93-0215)
  7. Finlayson v. Sanbrook, 10 Cal.App.4th 1436, 13 Cal.Rptr.2d 406 (Cal.App. 6 Dist., Nov 12, 1992) (NO. H009221)
  8. Jackson v. Deft, Inc., 223 Cal.App.3d 1305, 273 Cal.Rptr. 214, 59 USLW 2260, Prod. Liab.Rep. (CCH) P 12,728 (Cal.App. 1 Dist., Sep 18, 1990) (NO. A046190)
  9. Vermeulen v. Superior Court, 204 Cal.App.3d 1192, 251 Cal.Rptr. 805, 57 USLW 2264 (Cal.App. 1 Dist., Sep 29, 1988) (NO. A037335, A037462)
  10. Evangelatos v. Superior Court, 44 Cal.3d 1188, 753 P.2d 585, 246 Cal.Rptr. 629, 56 USLW 2627, Prod.Liab.Rep. (CCH) P 11,762 (Cal., Apr 21, 1988) (NO. S000194)
  11. Evans v. Celotex Corp., 194 Cal.App.3d 741, 238 Cal.Rptr. 259 (Cal.App. 1 Dist., Jul 02, 1987) (NO. A033273)
  12. North American Asbestos Corp. v. Superior Court, 180 Cal.App.3d 902, 225 Cal.Rptr. 877 (Cal.App. 1 Dist., May 09, 1986) (NO. A030737)
  13. Courtney v. Abex Corp., 176 Cal.App.3d 343, 221 Cal.Rptr. 770 (Cal.App. 1 Dist., Jan 03, 1986) (NO. AO25875)
  14. Kaminski v. Western MacArthur Co., 175 Cal.App.3d 445, 220 Cal.Rptr. 895, Prod.Liab.Rep. (CCH) P 10,882 (Cal.App. 1 Dist., Dec 10, 1985) (NO. A028702, A029762, A030047, A030125, A031922)
  15. General Foundry Service v. W.C.A.B., 213 Cal.Rptr. 420, Review Granted, Previously published at: 167 Cal.App.3d 470, (Cal.Const. art. 6, s 12; Cal. Rules of Court, Rules 28, 976, 977, 979) (Cal.App. 1 Dist., Apr 29, 1985) (NO. AO22529)
  16. Barbary Coast Furniture Co. v. Sjolie, 167 Cal.App.3d 319, 213 Cal.Rptr. 168 (Cal.App. 1 Dist., Apr 25, 1985) (NO. A015083)
  17. Maddon v. W.C.A.B., 154 Cal.App.3d 314, 201 Cal.Rptr. 146, Ordered Not Published, (Cal. Rules of Court, Rule 976), (Cal.App. 1 Dist., Apr 10, 1984) (NO. A020993)
  18. Blakey v. Superior Court, 153 Cal.App.3d 101, 200 Cal.Rptr. 52 (Cal.App. 1 Dist., Feb 16, 1984) (NO. AO21900, AO21902)
  19. Berkebile v. W.C.A.B., 144 Cal.App.3d 940, 193 Cal.Rptr. 12 (Cal.App. 2 Dist., Jun 20, 1983) (NO. CIV. 67003)
  20. Baptist v. W.C.A.B., 137 Cal.App.3d 903, 187 Cal.Rptr. 270 (Cal.App. 1 Dist., Nov 02, 1982) (NO. CIV. 54087)
  21. North American Asbestos Corp. v. Superior Court, 128 Cal.App.3d 138, 179 Cal. Rptr. 889 (Cal.App. 1 Dist., Jan 22, 1982) (NO. CIV. 51482, CIV. 52559, CIV. 53506, CIV. 53830)
  22. Johns-Manville Products Corp. v. Superior Court, 27 Cal.3d 465, 612 P.2d 948, 165 Cal.Rptr. 858, 9 A.L.R.4th 758 (Cal., Jul 03, 1980) (NO. S.F. 24086)
  23. Denton v. Secretary of Air Force, 483 F.2d 21(9th Cir.(Cal.), Jun 08, 1973) (NO. 26565)
  24. Harmon v. Finch, 460 F.2d 1229 (9th Cir.(Cal.), May 09, 1972) (NO. 71-1608)
  25. Parisi v. Davidson, 456 F.2d 686 (9th Cir., Apr 06, 1972) (NO. 25773)
  26. Cobb v. Laird, 329 F.Supp. 780 (N.D.Cal., Jun 02, 1971) (NO. C-70-1032)
  27. Cowles Communications, Inc. v. Department of Justice, 325 F.Supp. 726 (N.D. Cal., Apr 26, 1971) (NO. C-70-1599)
  28. Glazier v. Hackel, 440 F.2d 592 (9th Cir.(Cal.), Mar 31, 1971) (NO. 26106); IML Seatransit, Limited v. U. S., 323 F.Supp. 562 (N.D.Cal., Jan 18, 1971) (NO. CIV. C-702667)
  29. Parisi v. Davidson, 435 F.2d 299 (9th Cir.(Cal.), Dec 03, 1970) (NO. 25773)
  30. Zemke v. Larsen, 434 F.2d 1281 (9th Cir.(Cal.), Dec 01, 1970) (NO. 25417)
  31. Hall v. U. S., 314 F.Supp. 1135 (N.D.Cal., Jul 24, 1970) (NO. C-48017)
  32. Denton v. Seamans, 315 F.Supp. 279 (N.D.Cal., Jul 01, 1970) (NO. C-50957)
  33. Harvey v. Finch, 313 F.Supp. 323 (N.D.Cal., May 21, 1970) (NO. CIV. 52159)
  34. Maxwell v. U. S., 313 F.Supp. 245 (N.D.Cal., May 21, 1970) (NO. CIV. 50378)
  35. Prieto v. Stans, 321 F.Supp. 420 (N.D.Cal., Apr 10, 1970) (NO. CIV. C70-430)
  36. Mindel v. U. S. Civil Service Commission, 312 F.Supp. 485 (N.D.Cal., Mar 30, 1970) (NO. CIV. 49300)
  37. McFarlane v. DeYoung, 311 F.Supp. 321 (N.D.Cal., Feb 20, 1970) (NO. C-70-116)
  38. Quon v. Stans, 309 F.Supp. 604 (N.D. Cal., Feb 06, 1970) (NO. CIV. C-70-27)
  39. Jarrett v. Resor, 426 F.2d 213, 13 A.L.R. Fed. 137 (9th Cir.(Cal.), Jan 23, 1970) (NO. 24668)
  40. Beaty v. Kenan, 420 F.2d 55 (9th Cir.(Cal.), Dec 23, 1969) (NO. 24745)
  41. Taylor v. Southern Pac. Co., 308 F.Supp. 606 (N.D.Cal., Dec 19, 1969) (NO. CIV. 47289)
  42. Berman v. Resor, 302 F.Supp. 1200 (N.D.Cal., Aug 11, 1969) (NO. CIV. 51475)
  43. Superior Trucking Co. v. U. S., 302 F.Supp. 257 (N.D.Ga., Jun 03, 1969) (NO. 12407)
  44. Chemical Leaman Tank Lines, Inc. v. U. S., 298 F.Supp. 1269 (D.Del., Apr 22, 1969) (NO. CIV. 3560)
  45. Iowa Beef Packers, Inc. v. U. S., 297 F.Supp. 1156 (N.D.Iowa, Apr 16, 1969) (NO. CIV. 67-C-3016-W, CIV. 67-C-3017-W)
  46. Drum Transport, Inc. v. U. S., 298 F.Supp. 667 (S.D.Ill., Apr 07, 1969) (NO. P-3001)
  47. Transit Homes, Inc. v. U. S., 299 F.Supp. 950 (D.C.S.C., Apr 04, 1969) (NO. CIV. 68-415)
  48. I. McCormack Trucking Co. v. U. S., 298 F.Supp. 39 (D.N.J., Mar 26, 1969) (NO. CIV. 314-67)
  49. Connecticut Limousine Service, Inc. v. U. S., 295 F.Supp. 1335 (D.Conn., Feb 12, 1969) (NO. CIV. 12466)
  50. Southern Pac. Co. v. U. S., 298 F.Supp. 971 (N.D.Cal., Feb 11, 1969) (NO. CIV. 49677)
  51. Southern Trucking Corp. v. U. S., 293 F.Supp. 297 (W.D.Tenn., Nov 25, 1968) (NO. CIV. C-68-87)
  52. Houff Transfer, Inc. v. U. S., 291 F.Supp. 831 (W.D.Va., Nov 01, 1968) (NO. CIV. 67-C-27-H)
  53. Short Line, Inc. v. U. S., 290 F.Supp. 939 (D.R.I., Oct 15, 1968) (NO. CIV 3884)
  54. Younger Bros., Inc. v. U. S., 289 F.Supp. 545 (S.D.Tex., Sep 17, 1968) (NO. CIV. 68-H-282)
  55. Caravelle Exp., Inc. v. U. S., 287 F.Supp. 585 (D.Neb., Jul 22, 1968) (NO. CIV. 1258-L)
  56. Atchison, T. & S. F. Ry. Co. v. U. S., 287 F.Supp. 354 (N.D.Tex., May 17, 1968) (NO. CIV. 3-2250)
  57. Connecticut Limousine Service, Inc. v. U. S., 281 F.Supp. 681(D.Conn., Feb 16, 1968) (NO. CIV. 12085)
  58. National Bus Traffic Ass’n v. U. S., 284 F.Supp. 270 (N.D.Ill., Dec 11, 1967)
  59. Goggin Truck Line, Inc. v. U. S., 276 F.Supp. 884

 

Academic and Legislative Aspects Continuing Legal Education, and Public Advocacy

Steven Kazan has substantial experience in asbestos-related academic and legislative efforts.  He co-chaired the Mealey’s Asbestos Litigation conference in 1998, 1999, 2000, and did the same in December 2001 for ALI-ABA at its First Annual Asbestos Litigation Conference in New Orleans.  He also co-chaired Mealey’s First Asbestos Bankruptcy Conference in June 2001 in Philadelphia, did a telephone seminar on asbestos bankruptcy for Andrews Publication on January 31, 2002, spoke on asbestos litigation and legislation at Mealey’s Asbestos 101 conference in Washington, D.C. on February 12, 2002, co-chaired the American Conference Institute’s conference titled “Asbestos Litigation – The Next Generation” in San Francisco in April 2002, co-chaired Mealey’s first “Wall Street Forum: Asbestos” on July 18, 2002, and co-chaired ALI-ABA’s second Asbestos Litigation Conference in Chicago in September 2002.

In June 2002, Former U.S. Attorney General Griffin B. Bell published a monograph titled Asbestos Litigation and Judicial Leadership:  The Courts’ Duty to Help Solve the Asbestos Litigation Crisis, in which he referred to Steven Kazan’s work in notes 30, 31, and 77.

In March 2003, Mr. Kazan was a panelist for the National Association of Manufacturers’ 2003 Public Affairs Conference in a session entitled “Asbestos: Everybody’s Problem,” in Tempe, AZ, and also co-chaired the American Conference Institute’s two-day 4th National Forum on Asbestos Litigation, in San Francisco.

In April 2003, Mr. Kazan spoke at the Pepperdine University School of Law two-day symposium, “Asbestos Litigation Today: Trends and Solutions,” in Malibu, CA, and his paper was published in the Pepperdine Law Review, Vol. 31, No. 1.  He also co-chaired Mealey’s Publication’s Second Annual “The Wall Street Forum: Asbestos” in New York City on April 15, 2003. In September 2003, he was in Chicago to speak on legislative issues relating to non-malignant/unimpaired asbestos cases at the Mealey’s National & International Asbestos Litigation Conference.  In November 2003, he was co-chair of the American Law Institute – American Bar Association’s 3rd Annual “Asbestos Litigation in the 21st Century” seminar in New Orleans.  He was also a panelist at the Mealey’s Asbestos Premises Liability Conference in San Francisco in December 2003.

Mr. Kazan testified as a witness on asbestos litigation before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee in September 2002 and March 2003 and participated in the Senate’s “Asbestos Summit Conference” on April 1, 2003.

In May 2004, Mr. Kazan spoke at the University of San Francisco School of Law’s CLE Symposium, “Asbestos Litigation 2004: California and Its Impact on National Litigation – Trends and Solutions” on both asbestos bankruptcy law and prospects for legislation.  In November 2004, he again co-chaired the American Law Institute – American Bar Association’s annual “Asbestos Litigation in the 21st Century” seminar in New Orleans.

In June 2005, Mr. Kazan was again a panelist at the Mealey’s Asbestos Bankruptcy Conference in Chicago. In October 2005, he co-chaired ALI-ABA’s “Asbestos Litigation in the 21st Century” seminar in Chicago. In December 2005, he spoke at Mealey’s “Asbestos Bankruptcy Conference” in New York City.

In both 2006 and 2007, Mr. Kazan spoke at Mealey’s Asbestos Bankruptcy Conference held in June, and co-chaired ALI-ABA’s “Asbestos Litigation in the 21st Century” November seminar in New Orleans. He co-chaired ALI-ABA’s last “Asbestos Litigation” seminar in San Antonio, Texas in December 2008. In March 2009, he served as a faculty member at the Mealey’s Litigation Conference “Emerging Trends in Asbestos Litigation” in Beverly Hills.

In April 2009, Mr. Kazan gave two presentations at the Asian Asbestos Conference in Hong Kong; one was a plenary session talk about the legal aspects of asbestos disease, and the other was a two-hour workshop for community groups, labor unions, non-governmental organization representatives, and others on how to present legitimate claims for foreign asbestos disease victims against appropriate United States 524g Trusts.

Mr. Kazan co-chaired the HB Litigation (formerly Mealey’s) seminar on March 4-5, 2010 in Marina del Rey titled “Emerging Trends in Asbestos Litigation.”

In the 1980s, Mr. Kazan started and chaired a Plaintiff’s Annual Asbestos Litigation Seminar that ran for about 10 years.  He also speaks almost every year at its successor, Plaintiffs’ Asbestos Litigation Seminar annual seminar.

 

DAVID McCLAIN, Partner

David McClain has been a partner at Kazan, McClain, Satterley & Greenwood, A Professional Law Corporation since 1983. Mr. McClain graduated from the University of California Los Angeles and University of California Hastings School of Law. Mr. McClain was admitted to practice in California in 1972.

David McClain

Rated by Super Lawyers

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Mr. McClain has specialized in complex litigation involving catastrophic personal injury for 33 years. Mr. McClain has personally negotiated complex litigation settlements (including present and future victims) totaling over 5 billion dollars. In over four decades of litigation experience, Mr. McClain has never lost a trial—criminal or civil. Mr. McClain has personally obtained numerous 7 figure verdicts with his two most recent verdicts for individual cases were each 8 figure verdicts. A special assignment settlement master for Alameda County Judicial Settlement Program for over 10 years, Mr. McClain had the most successful settlement rate on cases being assigned to trial.

Mr. McClain has presented to the Consumers Attorneys of California state convention, the National Judicial College, National Lawyers Guild, and many other organizations and law schools. Mr. McClain was finalist for Consumer Attorneys of California’s Trial Lawyer of the Year and has held leadership positions which have included President and Board Director for the Alameda Contra Costa Trial Lawyers Association.

Mr. McClain is Founder and President of the Kazan McClain Partners’ Foundation, Inc., which has given over $22 million in grants since its formation in 1994. Mr. McClain has earned recognition as a Super Lawyer, and received the Best Lawyers award for mass tort litigation/class action – plaintiffs for 10 consecutive years.

 

David McClain Settlements

Education

  • Hastings College of the Law, University of California (J.D., 1972), member of the Thurston Society (top 5%)
  • University of California at Los Angeles (B.A., 1969)

Bar and Court Admissions

  • California (1972)

Organizations

  • Alameda-Contra Costa Trial Lawyers Association (President 1996 and member of the Board of Governors since 1987)
  • American Association for Justice
  • Asbestos Litigation Group
  • National Lawyers Guild
  • Consumer Attorneys of California
  • Alameda County Bar Association
  • California State Bar Association

JOSEPH SATTERLEY, Partner

Joseph D. Satterley has always been attracted to the practice of law. He firmly believes that everyone deserves to have quality legal representation and fights to the bitter end when his clients are facing tough opposition. He has provided compassionate yet aggressive assistance to clients for 23 years.

Joseph D. Satterley

Rated by Super Lawyers

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Mr. Satterley is one of the most highly accomplished asbestos attorneys in the United States. His drive to succeed in this area of law is based on a personal experience: Mr. Satterley’s own grandfather suffered from asbestosis, a potentially deadly disease caused by asbestos exposure. In addition to a successful track record of winning major occupational asbestos exposure related mesothelioma cases, Mr. Satterley has been at the forefront of talc litigation for many years and has won more mesothelioma verdicts for individuals exposed to talc than any other lawyer in the nation. Mr. Satterley is a keynote speaker for asbestos cases across the country and has produced many successful results for his clients.
 

 

Education

  • Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law (J.D., 1997)
  • Eastern Kentucky University, Political Science and Military Science (B.A., 1989)

 

Bar and Court Admissions

  • Kentucky Bar
  • Pennsylvania Bar
  • California Bar
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Kentucky
  • U.S. District Court, Western District of Kentucky
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 6th Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 8th Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit

 

Professional Memberships

  • California Bar Association
  • Kentucky Bar Association
  • Louisville Bar Association
  • Former president, Kentucky Justice Association
  • American Association of Justice Leaders Forum
  • Member, Board of Governors, American Association for Justice
  • Member, Consumer Attorneys of California

 

GORDON GREENWOOD, Partner

Gordon Greenwood has made a career of representing real people. He began working as an Associate at Kazan Law in 1998. For more than 18 years, he has represented hundreds of persons who either worked with or around asbestos containing products, or whose families worked with these toxins. Mr. Greenwood has also prosecuted claims on behalf of victims of construction accidents and victims of medical malpractice. He has represented clients located throughout the United States, and who worked in various industries, including commercial construction, residential construction, auto maintenance and repair, military service, oil refineries and power plants. Read more about Kazan Law Partner Gordon Greenwood in the Super Lawyers article, “A Fighter And A Gentleman“.

Gordon D. Greenwood

Rated by Super Lawyers

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Prior to joining Kazan Law, Mr. Greenwood spent eight (8) years as a Trial Attorney in the San Francisco Public Defenders Office, defending the rights of those accused of criminal offenses. During his tenure, he conducted more than fifty (50) jury trials, in addition to countless hearings and other administrative proceedings, representing criminal defendants. Mr. Greenwood counts his experience as a Public Defender as career-defining and life-changing—the experience that developed his compassion for representing the under-served and the under-represented.
 

 
In addition to maintaining an active practice representing victims of asbestos disease, Mr. Greenwood lectures throughout the United States on subjects related to his practice and also maintains a caseload of pro bono cases. These cases are primarily focused on defending and prosecuting claims related to elder financial abuse. He is also active in fundraising for numerous Democratic political candidates and participates extensively in the community. Mr. Greenwood currently serves on the Board of Directors of the following organizations:

  • West Bay Local Development Corporation (Chair)
  • Oakland Babe Ruth Baseball Association
  • Northcoast Express AAU Basketball Association
  • Destined 2 Dance Performing Arts Company
  • Mentor, Chabot Community College Daraja Project
  • Lecturer, Fremont High School Street Law Program
  • Lecturer, Willie Brown Academy Career Symposium

 

Education

  • George Washington University School of Law (J.D., 1988)
  • Morehouse College (B.A., 1985)

 

Bar and Court Admissions

  • California (1988)

 

Organizations

  • Charles Houston Bar Association (Life Member)
  • National Bar Association (Life Member)
  • American Bar Association
  • Alameda County Bar Association
  • Association of Trial Lawyers of America
  • Alameda/Contra Costa County Trial Lawyers Association
  • Consumer Attorneys of California
  • National Lawyers Guild
  • National Association For The Advancement of Colored People (Life Member)

PHILIP HARLEY (1947-2009), Partner

Our beloved friend and partner, Philip A. “Phil” Harley, passed away peacefully on Thursday July 2, 2009. Phil spent his last moments at home, in the company of his loved ones, his husband Mark Harley, their daughters, Sara and True, and Phil’s mother and brothers.

Philip A. Harley was a nationally recognized and certified civil trial specialist focusing in the areas of asbestos, toxic-related cancers and catastrophic injury. In 1990, Mr. Harley’s trial practice began to focus on toxic diseases and other catastrophic injuries. He believed his knowledge and skills were best used to assist those who have been the most severely impacted by corporate misconduct. Mr. Harley was widely recognized by both the Bar and the Bench for his outstanding trial advocacy. Since 1990, his clients have over 100 jury verdicts with many in excess of $10,000,000.

Mr. Harley also supported consumer advocacy programs, including 1) financial support for the Mesothelioma Research Foundation of America; 2) an endowment for Washburn University Law School to support trial-related education programs; and 3) political donations for legislators who work to protect consumers, the environment and victims of corporate abuses.

Born in 1947, Phil Harley was raised in Germany and the U.S. due to his father’s military career. Phil completed his undergraduate training and obtained his law degree at the Washburn University in Topeka, Kansas, where he was a national finalist in both the National and International Moot Court Competitions. During his tenure at law school, Phil was selected Student of the Year in his senior year and was a member of the Order of Barristers. Mr. Harley was first admitted to practice in Kansas in 1974.

Education

    • Washburn University School of Law (J.D., 1974)
    • Washburn University (B.A., 1969)

Bar and Court Admissions

    • Kansas, 1974
    • California, 1990

DENYSE CLANCY, Partner

Denyse F. Clancy is a nationally recognized appellate and trial lawyer with prominent experience in asbestos and talc litigation and other toxic torts. She is a partner in the Oakland, CA law firm of Kazan, McClain, Satterley & Greenwood. Prior to joining Kazan Law as a partner in 2016, Ms. Clancy was a shareholder and lead appellate and trial counsel at Baron & Budd, P.C.

Denyse Clancy

Rated by Super Lawyers

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Ms. Clancy is one of only a handful of lawyers in the entire nation who has both (i) been lead trial lawyer in cases resulting in National Law Journal Top 100 verdicts in the nation, and (ii) protected the law as an appellate attorney in numerous state Supreme and Appellate Courts. She was selected by San Francisco Magazine as one of the top women attorneys in Northern California.

Ms. Clancy is a recipient of the Pound Civil Justice Institute Award for her work on Air & Liquid Systems Corp. et al v. DeVries (2019), a United States Supreme Court opinion holding that manufacturers of equipment incorporating asbestos component parts are liable for the foreseeable harm caused by these asbestos parts. Her recent victories as lead appellate attorney include Hart v. Keenan (2020), a California Supreme Court case holding that names and logos are non-hearsay identification evidence; Bader v. Avon (2020), a California Court of Appeal case holding that Plaintiffs do not have to prove that talc products contain asbestos at the jurisdictional phase of the case; and Booker v. Imerys Talc America, Inc. (2020), a California Court of Appeal case holding that Plaintiffs were not required to provide testimony from an expert geologist in order to prove that there is asbestos in talc. She was also lead appellate attorney in Izell v. Union Carbide and Mahoney v. Georgia-Pacific, which affirmed large punitive and compensatory damages verdicts, respectively.

Ms. Clancy was co-first chair in Schmitz v. Johnson & Johnson and Colgate (2019), in which the jury awarded $12 million to a lifelong school teacher whose mesothelioma was caused by her exposure to cosmetic talc. She was part of the trial team in Lanzo v. Johnson & Johnson (2018), in which the jury awarded $117 million to a forty-four old man whose mesothelioma was caused by lifelong use of Johnson’s Baby Powder. She was co-first chair in Tyler v. American Optical (2016), in which the jury awarded $32.8 million to a machinist whose respirator was defective.

Ms. Clancy graduated magna cum laude from Yale University, and was valedictorian, summa cum laude of her law school, Southern Methodist University.
 
Publications

  • “Fraud Claims Under Sections 11 and 12(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933: Should Pleading with Particularity be Required?,” 27 SEC. REG. L.J. 411 (2000).
  • “The Deductibility of the Costs of Aircraft Maintenance,” 64 J. AIR. L. & Com. 539 (1999).

 
Education

  • Southern Methodist University School of Law, Dallas, Texas (J.D., Valedictorian, 1999)
  • Columbia University (M.A. 1992)
  • Yale University (B.A., magna cum laude, 1989)

 
Bar and Court Admissions 

  • State Bar of Texas (1999)
  • State Bar of California (2008)
  • State Bar of Louisiana (2010)
  • State Bar Pennsylvania (2010)
  • S. District Court Eastern District of Texas
  • S. District Court Southern District of Texas
  • S. District Court Middle District of Louisiana
  • S. District Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania
  • S. District Court Central District of California
  • S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit
  • S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit

JOHN LANGDOC, Partner

John L. Langdoc joined Kazan Law as partner in January 2016. Prior to this, Mr. Langdoc was a shareholder and lead trial lawyer for the well-respected Baron & Budd law firm, headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

John Langdoc was a scientist before he was a lawyer. At Baylor College of Medicine, Langdoc researched the brain. Earlier, in graduate school, he researched how prescription drugs like Prozac can cause brain defects in babies born to mothers taking the medications.

Today, as a lawyer, much of Langdoc’s practice remains focused on scientific issues, particularly dissecting industry-funded “studies” that invariably show that known industrial toxins are “safe.”

John L. Langdoc

Rated by Super Lawyers

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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 selected by the National Law Journal as one of the Top 100 Verdicts of the year.

Mr. Langdoc was inducted into the inaugural Texas Lawyer’s Verdicts Hall of Fame. He was recognized for the top California toxic exposure verdict of 2012, and for both the first place and second place largest product liability verdicts in Texas in 2011.

Langdoc’s recent trial successes include:

  • $48 million verdict against Union Carbide Corporation for causing a construction worker’s cancer
  • $9 million verdict against Dow Chemical Company for exposing a worker to carcinogens at a Texas chemical refinery
  • $12 million verdict for a man who was exposed to carcinogens at a Pennsylvania paper mill
  • $20 million verdict against Georgia-Pacific for a woman who developed cancer from being exposed to asbestos in the Koch Industries subsidiary’s home remodeling products
  • $8 million verdict for the wife of a man who was exposed to carcinogens from Ashland Inc.’s Haveg pipe
  • $6 million verdict for a man who was exposed to carcinogens at a Dow Chemical Company plant in Louisiana
  • $5.5 million verdict for the families of men exposed to asbestos, which included Ericsson’s asbestos containing wire and cable
  • $11 million verdict for a man who was exposed to carcinogens as a painter

 

Education 

  • University of Houston Law Center, Houston, Texas
  • Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas
  • Baylor University, Houston, Texas

 

Bar and Court Admissions

  • State Bar of Texas
  • State Bar of California

MICHAEL T. STEWART, Partner

Michael Stewart joined Kazan Law in 2006. He mostly works on writing projects in the trial and appellate courts. In recognition of Michael’s skill and professionalism, he was selected to Northern California Super Lawyers. Some examples of appellate cases that Michael helped to win include Bader v. Avon Products, Inc. (2020) 55 Cal.App.5th 186; Johnson v. United States Steel Corp. (2015) 240 Cal.App.4th 22; and Scott v. Ford Motor Co. (2014) 224 Cal.App.4th 1492.

Michael T. Stewart

Rated by Super Lawyers

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Michael always wanted to represent injured people. His favorite legal book is A Civil Action, about a lawyer who pursues the companies that polluted a town’s drinking water.
 

Michael is from Mammoth Lakes, California. He would rather be running.
 

Education

  • University of California, Hastings College of the Law (J.D., 2007)
  • University of California, Berkeley (B.A., Rhetoric and Anthropology, 2004)

Bar Admissions

  • California (2007)

 

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HENRY STEINBERG, Partner

Henry Steinberg is a partner at Kazan Law where he dedicates his practice to seeking justice for individuals diagnosed with mesothelioma and for their family members facing the devastating effects of this disease in their loved ones.  Henry is honored to work with the committed team at Kazan on behalf of those victims who are irreparably and needlessly harmed by exposure to asbestos.

Henry A. Steinberg

Rated by Super Lawyers

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Throughout pre-trial and trial practice, Henry has represented mechanics, insulators, truckers, instrument technicians, drywallers, veterans and the family members of those exposed to asbestos.  Previous to his work in asbestos litigation, Henry served as a law clerk at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, externed with a Federal District Court Judge in California and worked in private and public sectors in the United States and abroad representing victims of international human rights violations.  In 2012, Henry graduated magna cum laude from U.C. Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco, California, where he served as an editor of the Hastings Law Journal and earned honors including the CALI Award for Academic Excellence in Negotiation and Mediation and  in Federal Rules of Civil Procedure, membership in the Thurston Society, and Outstanding Achievement in Pro Bono.  Henry is also fluent in Spanish and has represented Spanish-speaking clients and their families.
 

Publications

  • Henry A. Steinberg, Note, Civil Conspiracy Up in Smoke: How Similar are Cigarettes and Smokestacks, 18 Hastings W.-Nw. J. Envt’l L. & Pol’y 157 (2012)

 

Education

  • University of California, Hastings College of the Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 2012)
  • College of the Atlantic, (B.A. in Human Ecology, 2006)

 

Bar and Court Admissions

  •  California (2012)
  •  U.S. District Court Northern District of California (2015)
  •  U.S. District Court Central District of California (2015)

 

Organizations

  • Alameda Contra Costa Trial Lawyers Association
  • American Association for Justice
  • National Lawyers Guild
  • Consumer Attorneys of California
  • Alameda County Bar Association
  • State Bar of California

 

LAUREL HALBANY, Partner

Laurel Halbany litigates for people suffering from mesothelioma resulting from asbestos exposure in the workplace or home. She has extensive trial experience successfully trying cases to verdict in California courts as well as obtaining favorable settlements on behalf of her clients. She has served as lead trial counsel for plaintiffs in asbestos personal injury and wrongful death trials throughout California.

Laurel Halbany

Rated by Super Lawyers

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Laurel interviews clients, witnesses, and experts such as doctors and toxicologists and collaborates with the firm’s staff of skilled investigators to research the brands, manufacturers and suppliers of asbestos products to ascertain how clients were exposed to asbestos and who is responsible.

Laurel has experience in formulating and executing discovery strategy. She drafts discovery requests and responses, evaluates the opposing party’s requests and responses, reviews documents and oversees document productions, and conducts discovery-related legal research and briefing.

Outside her law practice, Laurel is active in her community and is an avid supporter of women, minority and LGBTQ rights. Volunteering with the Justice & Diversity Center (JDC) at the Bar Association of San Francisco has been a part of her practice since the beginning of her legal career a dozen years ago. For her work representing indigent tenants in eviction defense cases, she has received the JDC’s Outstanding Volunteer Award multiple times.

Laurel is a graduate of the American Association for Justice’s ( AAJ) Leadership Academy. An initiative of AAJ’s Diversity Committee, the Leadership Academy trains participants to become effective leaders in professional settings, in AAJ, and in their communities. She volunteered with the AAJ’s Voter Protection Action Committee as election monitor in the 2012 and 2016 elections in Ohio.

Prior to joining Kazan Law, Laurel represented workers and their families who were injured by asbestos or electronics industry toxins at several other law firms. During law school, she participated in the Student Trial Advocacy Program and moot court and was a quarter finalist in the Jerome Prince Evidence Competition in Brooklyn. She also served as the treasurer of the Free Legal Aid Clinic.
 

Professional Affiliations

  • Member, American Association for Justice
    • Member, Board of Governors
    • Member, Asbestos Litigation Group
    • Past Chair, LGBT Caucus
    • Member, Minority Caucus
    • Member, Women Trial Lawyers’ Caucus
  • Member, Consumer Attorneys of California
    • Member, Board of Governors,
    • Member, Diversity Committee
  • Board Member, Alameda-Contra Costa County Trial Lawyers’ Association
  • Member, BALIF
  • Member, Alameda County Bar Association

 

Honors & Awards

  • Recipient, Consumer Attorneys of California Presidential Award, 2023
  • Recipient, Consumer Attorneys of California Marvin E. Lewis Award, 2021
  • Recipient, Outstanding Volunteer Award, Justice & Diversity Center, Bar Association of San Francisco, 2016, 2015, 2012, 2011, 2006, 2005, 2004
  • Named, Rising Star, SuperLawyers, 2011
  • Named, Top Women Attorneys in Northern California, SuperLawyers, 2011

 

Education

J.D., Wayne State University Law School, 1995

B.A., University of Michigan, 1989
 

 Courts

  • US Supreme Court
  • US Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit
  • US District Court, Northern District of California
  • US District Court, Central District of California
  • US Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of California

 

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