CHARLOTTE - Onder Law of St. Louis represents more than 9,000 clients with cancer claims against Johnson & Johnson, according to a spreadsheet the company filed at bankruptcy court.
The firm’s total caseload represents about a fourth of the plaintiffs in multi district litigation before Chief U.S. District Judge Freda Wolfson in Trenton, New Jersey.
The firm also represents about 700 plaintiffs in St. Louis city civil court, where it helped achieve a jury verdict close to $5 billion for 22 plaintiffs in July 2018.
Jurors found Johnson & Johnson baby powder contained asbestos that caused ovarian cancer.
Appellate judges reduced the award to about $2.2 billion for 20 plaintiffs, and the Missouri Supreme Court denied review, as did the U.S. Supreme Court in June.
No other firm dominates the field like Onder Law.
The Beasley Allen firm of Montgomery, Ala. stands in second place with more than 5,000 clients in Wolfson’s court and state courts.
Asbestos plaintiff firms hold little pieces of the action.
The Gori Firm of Edwardsville represents about 400 clients, all in Wolfson’s court.
John Simmon’s firm of Alton represents 124 clients in Wolfson’s court, 11 in California, and one in Madison County.
Maune Raichle of St. Louis, Flint Law Firm of Edwardsville, and SWMW Law of St. Louis represent clients against Johnson & Johnson but not in Wolfson’s court.
Maune Raichle represents 31 clients in a New Jersey state court, five in Madison County, and four in California.
Flint Law Firm represents five clients in Madison County, five in St. Louis, two in Jackson County, Missouri, and ten in other states.
SWMW represents 13 clients in Madison County and three in St. Louis.
Other regional injury firms also hold little pieces of the action.
Donald Schlapprizzi and John Driscoll’s firm, both of St. Louis, each represents about 400 clients in Wolfson’s court.
Tor Hoerman of Edwardsville represents 58 clients in Wolfson’s court.
Goldenberg Heller of Edwardsville represents 23 clients in Wolfson’s court and one in a New Jersey state court.
Cates Mahoney of Swansea represents 15 clients in Wolfson’s court.
Bruce Cook’s firm of Belleville represents two clients in St. Clair County.