NAPOLI SHKOLNIK - Key Persons
Mr. Croner primarily works on Environmental Litigation
Andrew W. Croner is a partner at Napoli Shkolnik PLLC and heads the firm's Environmental department. His practice focuses on representing clients who have been harmed by environmental contaminants, including public and private water suppliers that have been forced to incur remediation and treatment costs due to the presence of such contaminants in their water systems.
He currently represents hundreds of clients in lawsuits filed against the manufacturers of Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF), a fire suppression agent used for decades by the military and civilian airports and fire departments that has contaminated water systems across the country with toxic PFAS chemicals.
Mr. Bustamante is an associate in the firm's Aviation and Product Liability Departments.
Mr. Bustamante is an associate in the Aviation and Product Liability Departments, handling all phases of litigation from intake to settlement or trial. Mr. Bustamante has represented clients locally and nationally in Mass Tort, Class Action, Pharmaceutical, Commercial, Automobile, Mechanical Product Liability, Aviation, and Personal Injury matters. Brett has been awarded the prestigious Rising Star award by New York Super Lawyers due to his advocacy and litigation knowledge.
Mr. Schnieders is a partner in the Pharmaceutical Litigation Department.
Chris Schnieders devotes his entire practice to civil litigation with an emphasis in the areas of complex pharmaceutical and medical device actions, professional liability actions, and personal injury actions.
Chris has worked extensively in the litigation surrounding Paxil, Prozac, Transvaginal Mesh, Avandia, Yaz, Bextra, Celebrex and Vioxx. Chris' work in all of these litigations has resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars in recovery to his clients. Chris has also successfully represented both defendants and plaintiffs in numerous medical malpractice and other professional liability actions. This representation encompassed all facets of litigation, up to, and including, jury verdict.
Chris' litigation practice has earned him numerous distinctions, including recognition both as a Top 100 Trial Lawyer in the state of Missouri from The National Trial Lawyers and as a Super Lawyer for the state of Missouri starting in 2013. Chris is also AV rated, the highest rating for legal ability and ethical standards under the peer review system of Martindale-Hubbell, the national legal directory.
Chris is an active member of the American Association for Justice; the Missouri, Illinois, and Kansas Bar Associations; the National Trial Lawyers; and the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Association. Chris is a graduate of the Kansas City Metropolitan Bar Leadership Academy as well as the Ross T. Roberts Inn of Court Program, and has served as vice chair of the KCMBA Civil Practices Committee. Chris is also a board member of Boys Hope Girls Hope of Kansas City, an organization helping academically capable and motivated boys in need to meet their full potential. He has also devoted substantial Pro Bono time to indigent persons faced with family court issues.
Currently, Chris is actively involved in representing women injured by their exposure to Essure and individuals injured due to placement of an inferior vena cava (IVC) filter. Chris is further involved in representing children injured by in utero ingestion of Zofran, a drug prescribed off-label for morning sickness in pregnancy, as well as Clomid/Serophene, a drug used to induce ovulation in women wishing to become pregnant. In addition to his products liability work, Chris continues to investigate and represent claims involving catastrophic injury and wrongful death.
A press conference was held in St. Louis to outline the action that was filed in federal court to block Bayer-Monsanto from selling its weedkiller product Roundup.
The action details how Black farmers were forced into buying Roundup-resistant seeds and relying on heavier and heavier concentrations of Roundup, which has been the subject of thousands of lawsuits from victims of non-Hodgkins Lymphoma. Since some Black farmers have lower literacy rates and less access to the internet, they were less likely to understand the risks and Bayer-Monsanto made no proactive effort to educate or warn them, the plaintiff attorneys, including Partner and co-counsel in the case Christopher Schnieders, said.
Mr. Chung is a Partner in the Personal Injury department.
Mr. Phemister is the Practice Chair for the firm's Civil Rights Department.
Mr. DeMeo is an associate in the Personal Injury Department.
Mr. DeMeo is an associate in the firm's New York office and a dedicated advocate for his clients. He is a member of the Personal Injury department, focusing on automobile, slip and fall, and products liability actions, among others. He is a dual graduate of St. John's University and St. John's University School of Law, having earned early admission into law school.
He was inspired to become a personal injury attorney after he was injured playing in a high school football game and successfully sued the City of New York and Public Schools Athletic League for their negligence in allowing student-athletes to practice and play on a dangerous and unsafe playing surface. Having experienced the pain and suffering of his own personal injury, Mr. DeMeo understands what his clients are dealing with and brings this knowledge and passion with him into the court room.
Ms. Kermani is an attorney in the Environmental Litigation department.
Ms. Silverman is a Senior Associated based in the NYC office.
"Whoever destroys a soul, it is considered as if he destroyed an entire world. And whoever saves a life, it is considered as if he has saved an entire world."
Ellie Silverman is an experienced civil rights litigator with an extensive background in Personal Injury. She brings passion, creativity and heart to every argument as she advocates for inmates and any other injured victim who have not received their just compensation under the law.
She maintains focus on bringing attention and awareness to the injustices that continue to occur on the streets of our neighborhoods, within the prison walls or police precincts. Further, with her background in Personal Injury, she has litigated hundreds of automobile and slip/trip and fall cases with serious injuries resulting in noteworthy settlements and verdicts.
Ellie's mission is to continue to fight against defendants' apathetic stance on the inhumane and inappropriate treatment that is bestowed on members of our community, whether by personal injury or civil rights, who are often overlooked and almost always ignored in our disproportionate criminal and civil justice systems.
Job Titles:
- Judge Discussed Testimony by a Minor
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Executive Director of Our Veterans Advocacy Project
Hank is Executive Director of our Veterans Advocacy Project and Managing Partner of the Public Client Practice Group.
Hank comes to Napoli Shkolnik after serving close to three decades in the Massachusetts House of Representatives. For ten years, Hank has served as House Chair of the Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security. Prior to that, he served as Chair of the Committee on Veterans in Public Affairs.
Hank has already been working closely with Napoli Shkolnik by taking the lead and advising clients and working with water districts, municipalities, counties and other entities whose water supplies have been negatively impacted by the use of perfluoroctanoic acid and peflouroctane sulfate by airports, military bases and local industries. This follows years of successfully advocating on the legislative level for environmental and water protection in Central Massachusetts and throughout the Commonwealth. His work on these issues, as well as Green Communities, smart growth and environmental sustainability earned Hank the support of the Sierra Club, among other environmental groups, in multiple bids for reelection.
Hank will also serve Executive Director of Napoli's Veterans Advocacy Project. He is a veteran of multiple tours and missions with the US Army in Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa and elsewhere in the Global War on Terror. He has worked for years with veterans' groups on the local, state and national level. Hank has served as senior advisor on Veterans and National Security Issues to two presidential campaigns, multiple other candidates and office holders and as legal counsel to numerous, service-disabled veteran owned startups.
Hank has been a commentator on BBC Newsnight in regard to the Iraq War, the National ‘Fox and Friends' Morning television show in regard to the Afghanistan War, as well as appearances on numerous television stations to include WGBH, Fox 25, WBZ-TV Channel 4, and WBZ Radio 1030, WTKK Radio 96.9 and WBUR 90.9 National Public Radio on Legislative, political and Veterans issues and issues related to foreign policy and the Iraq and Afghan wars.
Job Titles:
- Defense Attorney Makes Closing Statement, CourtTV, February 13, 2020
Job Titles:
- Executive Director
- Founder of the Manifest Your Destiny Foundation
As Executive Director, Mr. Harper partners with the firm on many social justice issues.
Hill Harper is a humanitarian, actor, author, entrepreneur, health and wellness ambassador/educator, philanthropist and honors graduate of Harvard Law School. Harper is also the founder of the social justice law group NorthStar. Through his role as Executive Director of Napoli Shkolnik PLLC, a mission-based partnership has been established between NorthStar and Napoli Shkolnik PLLC. Together, these firms are dedicated to seeking justice for vulnerable, underrepresented individuals and communities through litigation, education, awareness and remuneration. This partnership provides a legal voice to those individuals and groups who have been wronged or silenced.
Harper is perhaps most recognizable for his starring role in the CBS hit television drama CSI: NY where he played brilliant Dr. Sheldon Hawkes for which Harper won three NAACP Image Awards for Best Lead Actor in a Drama Series. Subsequently, Harper joined the hit series Covert Affairs, the fast-paced drama Limitless, and Showtime's award-winning drama Homeland. Currently, Harper stars on television's #1 new drama ABC's The Good Doctor and hosts How It Really Happened with Hill Harper on HLN. In theatres, Harper can be seen co-starring alongside Will Smith in the Sony Pictures film Concussion, in the Tupac Shakur biopic All Eyez on Me and this summer's hit off-Broadway New York play Our Lady of 121 st Street directed by Phylicia Rashad.
In addition to his performing career, Harper has authored four New York Times bestsellers: Letters to a Young Brother, Letters to a Young Sister, The Conversation, and The Wealth Cure, which chronicled his diagnosis with thyroid cancer and his journey to health. Letters to a Young Brother won several awards and was named "Best Book for Young Adults" by the American Library Association in 2007. Harper has been recognized with seven NAACP Image Awards, four of them for his writing. His latest book, Letters to an Incarcerated Brother, which speaks to the current mass incarceration crisis, was released to critical acclaim and was nominated for several awards.
Harper is the founder of the Manifest Your Destiny Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering underserved youth through mentorship, scholarship and grant programs.
Harper served on the President's Cancer Panel from 2011 to 2018 having been appointed by then President Obama in 2011. Harper travels worldwide as a motivational speaker, addressing current affairs and life-awakening topics to a wide array of audiences of youth, adults, couples, and business leaders.
Harper was born in Iowa City, IA, the son of two doctors - his father, a psychiatrist and his mother, an anesthesiologist. He graduated magna cum laude from Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts degree and was named Valedictorian of his department. Harper then graduated with a J.D. cum laude from Harvard Law School, as well as with a Master's Degree in Public Administration, with honors, from the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He holds honorary doctoral degrees from Howard University, Winston-Salem State University, Cheyney University, Le-Moyne Owen College, Westfield State College, Dillard University and Tougaloo College. Amongst his other titles, Harper is a successful businessman and entrepreneur. He is co-owner of the award-winning New Orleans hotel, International House and a successful coffee franchise in downtown Detroit called Roasting Plant. Harper also owns several commercial and residential rental properties in Los Angeles and Newark, New Jersey.
Education
Harvard University Law School, cum laude, J.D.
Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, with Honors, Master's Degree in Public Administration
Brown University, B.A., named Valedictorian in his Department
Job Titles:
- United States Secretary of State
Hunter J. Shkolnik concentrates his area of practice to the trial of significant personal injury cases primarily in the area of drug, automobile, heavy truck, and aviation-related product liability actions. As an esteemed attorney, he leads the discovery and trial teams of various mass tort pharmaceutical and medical device litigations for Napoli Shkolnik PLLC.
Hunter J. Shkolnik is an esteemed and dedicated attorney who focuses on the trials of significant personal injury cases, primarily in the area of drug, automobile, aviation-related, and heavy truck product liability litigation.
He leads the discovery and trial teams of various mass tort pharmaceutical and medical device litigations for the Napoli Shkolnik PLLC law firm. He is also active in managing national litigation and plaintiff litigation groups including the American Association of Justice's Actos Litigation Group.
He is currently serving as a chairman, leader, or court-appointed representative on Plaintiff Steering Committees in various drug and other mass torts. Additionally, Mr. Shkolnik has also held officer positions in the New York State Trial Lawyers, Nassau County Bar Association and Committee Chair positions in ATLA Health Care Finance Litigation Group, Orthopedic Implant Litigati on Group, AAJ Breast Cancer Litigation Group, Co-Chair AAJ Heart Device Litigation Group, and the Chair of the Medtronic ICD and CRTD Litigation Sub Group.
Mr. Shkolnik has also lectured and organized seminars on issues involving Guidant, Medtronic, and St. Jude pacemakers; ICD and lead wire recall science and litigation; card iac device product liability litigation; class action topics such as Ethics of Mass Tort Settlements, Lone Pine, State Federal Coordination and Preemption; and has - on multiple occasions - lectured on the science related to various pharmaceuticals.
He is a legal and political news analyst with extensive experience in areas such as civil and criminal law as well as election-related issues.
Jaquay B. Felix is an associate in the firm's Mass Torts Litigation and Probate Departments, primarily focusing his practice on Wills, Estates, Trusts and Personal Injury.
Mr. Kirsch is part of the firm's Personal Injury Department handling all aspects of motor vehicle, Labor Law, premises and municipal litigation.
Jed brings over 37 years of experience in all phases of personal injury litigation, as well as the experience of running a successful solo practice for more than 15 years. Interestingly enough, early on in his legal career, Jed was an associate at one of the largest personal injury firms in New York and came under the tutelage of partner Joseph Napoli. It was therefore quite fitting when Jed "returned to the fold" of working with Joe at the firm years later after he joined the firm.
Jed's concentration presently is in the area of alternative dispute resolution (ADR), which includes mediations and "settlement days" directly with insurance carriers. This can provide an efficient and expedited way to resolve cases and claims, saving time and money, allowing injured parties to receive the compensation they are entitled to much sooner.
Mr. Ashton is a law clerk in the Personal Injury department.
Jeremy Ashton is part of the Personal Injury team in the New York office. Currently, he is handling automobile, slip and fall, and products liability actions, among others. He is a graduate of St. John's University and St. John's University School of Law. Jeremy was an Ozanam Scholar at St. John's University, working to address immediate needs related to poverty, education, homelessness, and healthcare through direct service work and as a policy advocate lobbying for RESULTS and Oxfam America.
As an Ozanam Scholar, Jeremy worked with NGOs and community service projects in Ecuador, France, India, and Italy. He was also able to work on service projects within the United States in New York, South Dakota, Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C, and his hometown, Orlando. Florida. His primary capstone project involved building a program at Safe Horizon homeless shelters, fighting for the needs of teenaged survivors of domestic violence. These experiences led him to continue advocating for justice as an attorney.
Mr. Fernandez works in the Complex Commercial Litigation and Pharmaceutial Litigation Departments.
Mr. Fernandez is an associate in the firm's Complex Commercial litigation and Pharmaceutical Department. He handles litigation support and trial preparation involving the opioid crisis that affects communities across the nation. He also provides discovery support for multi-district plaintiffs ‘suits against the pharmaceutical industry, including analysis of voluminous discovery for deposition and trial preparation, research of legal issues and relevant elements.
Mr. Ciaccio is the Partner in charge of the firm's Medical Malpractice Litigation Department.
Since beginning his career, Joseph has dedicated his practice to the representation of victims of medical malpractice. This includes the representation of children who have suffered birth injuries as well as families who have lost loved ones due to the negligence of physicians and medical facilities.
Since joining our office, Joseph has also applied this experience in our Pharmaceutical litigation department with the representation of clients injured by prescription medications.
As a skilled and dedicated personal injury attorney with experience in medical malpractice litigation, Joseph is part of the team currently handling the representation of both families and governmental entities against the manufacturers and distributors of opioid pain medications. He is presently handling the representation of hundreds of counties, cities, and other governmental entities in this litigation.
He has successfully litigated a wide variety of medical malpractice actions, including failures to diagnose cancer, infections, orthopedic negligence, and more.
Joseph has also successfully litigated a wide variety of birth-related injuries including fetal distress, hypoxia, and Erb's palsy injuries.
Mr. Napoli handles Personal Injury cases and is based out of the New York City office.
Joseph Napoli is a dedicated legal advocate, academic scholar, and performance artist who brings all his education, skills, experience, and talent to bear in each case that he handles.
He is widely recognized as one of the most tenacious and dedicated litigators in New York. He is known for taking on the ‘difficult' cases and recovering substantial damages when other firms have insisted there was no claim.
Currently, Mr. Napoli spends most of his time advocating for clients injured in auto accident cases and other types of personal injury that involve multi-million-dollar damage figures. As a personal injury attorney, Mr. Napoli also represents victims of defective products. Whether related to a design defect, manufacturing defect, or a failure to warn about known dangers, these actions often affect millions of innocent consumers.
He is also known for his expertise in cases involving traumatic brain injuries. He has a reputation for the lengths he is willing to go in pursuit of justice on behalf of his clients and investing as much time and resources as is needed to present a winning case.
In terms of individual actions, Mr. Napoli often represents victims of medical malpractice and construction negligence. When he was only a year out of law school, Mr. Napoli obtained a landmark decision reversing a one-hundred-year-old law allowing plaintiffs with foreign objects left in their bodies after surgery to sue from the date of discovery. Mr. Napoli also has an in-depth knowledge of New York's complex scaffolding law, which holds some construction companies strictly liable for the damages that they cause.
Mr. Napoli is also one of the few personal injury attorneys in New York who routinely handles civil appeals. He is regularly recognized by his colleagues for the quality of his work and the commitment he brings to every case he accepts.
Justice St. George sustained Marie Napoli's $500,000,000 defamation claims against Paul Napoli's former Partner, his attorney, Cliff Robert and their publicist for liable that appeared in the NY Post and other Media. In a statement, Marie Napoli said she is pleased with St. George's "well-reasoned decision," noting her claims were sustained against Napoli's Ex-Partner and his attorney, Robert "for their unconscionable conduct." She added, "We are confident that the discovery and eventual trial of this matter will result in a substantial damages award, which will be some small consolation for the harm they have done to my reputation."
Ms. Factor is an associate in the Environmental Litigation Department
Ms. Factor is an associate in the firm's Environmental Litigation Department, working out of the Melville, NY office. She has 14 years of experience handling a wide range of environmental and civil litigation matters. These include petroleum contamination of soil and groundwater, transactions involving contaminated property, environmental remediation, pesticide regulations, solid and hazardous waste, sewering, renewable energy and recycling.
Ms. Fleming is an associate in the Complex Litigation Department.
Maria Fleming is an associate in the firm's Complex Litigation Department, working out of the Cleveland, Ohio office. She handles motion writing and depositions involving the opioid crisis across the country. Ms. Fleming has experience in corporate compliance where she worked as a compliance analyst for a recruiting company.
She takes pride in serving her community and helping others. Ms. Fleming enjoys spending time with her son, travelling and singing in her home church.
Job Titles:
- Founding Partner
- Partner
- Lawyer Viewpoint
- S Published Works
- Thought Leader and Founding Partner
Marie Napoli has over twenty-five years of experience with personal injury, medical malpractice, mass tort, and complex litigation matters. Marie earned her J.D. from St. John's University Law School and her L.L.M. degree from New York University (NYU) School of Law.
Marie has been an attorney for over twenty-five years. She has experience handling personal injury, medical malpractice litigation, pharmaceutical litigation, employment discrimination, civil rights, and mass tort matters. Marie earned her J.D. from St. John's University Law School and her L.L.M. degree from New York University (NYU) School of Law. She has worked for the New York Appellate Division, 2 nd Department and has taught CLE courses on Tort and Civil Procedure at St. John's University School of Law.
As a founding partner of Napoli Shkolnik PLLC, Marie is involved in many depositions and has tried multiple cases to verdict. As a skilled and determined attorney who is well-versed in numerous litigation fields, Marie understands the breadth of the legal issues that particularly affect women injured by pharmaceutical and other defective products.
Marie is a breast cancer survivor and philanthropist creating awareness to fund research through such charitable organizations such as The Bone Marrow Foundation, Inc. Marie is an avid runner and has raised money by competing in the Long Island Half Marathon and the New York City Marathon.
Marie is dedicated to plenty more philanthropic organizations and activities. She was a board member at Glen Cove Boys & Girls Club, which is a youth organization in Glen Cove, New York, and a member of the Board of Governors at the St. John's University, as well as the President of the Middle School Parent Council of Friends Academy.
In 1993, while attending St. John's University School of Law, Marie Napoli had two of her works published: "The Lord in the Law: Reflections on a Catholic Law School", by the St. Mary's Law Review, and "Sexual Harassment of Women in the Workplace: He Said, She Said," by the St. John's Journal of Legal Commentary.
She continued to highlight the important issue of sexual harassment and discrimination with her 2017 piece "Lawyer Viewpoint: Marie Napoli on the Law on Sex Addicts and Weinstein", published by Lawdragon.
As the country, and world, continues to grapple with the opioid epidemic, Marie co-authored "Opioid Crisis Costs: Is There a Cause of Action?," with her husband and which was published by the New York Law Journal.
Marie then tackled the difficult subject of human trafficking in her article "Lawyers Taking A Stand Against Human Trafficking" which was published both by the New York Law Journal and Lawyer Monthly. This piece focuses on the legal actions victims do have if they have been the victim of trafficking, a situation that is very difficult to escape. Many victims are hesitant to come forward to share their story as they fear shaming and retaliation from their former captors. Marie clearly outlines the resources and legal help that is available.
Mr. Farnolo has represented a variety of local, national and international clients in Mass Tort, Class Action, Mechanical Product Liability, Aviation, Commercial and Personal Injury matters.
Ms. Emanuele is a Law Clerk working out of the Manhattan office.
Ms. Emanuele is a law clerk in the Medical Malpractice department, based out of the Manhattan Office. She attended SUNY Cortland for undergrad where she majored in Political Science and minored in sociology and then attended Hofstra Law School. After completing her first year of law school, she became a judicial intern to the Honorable Charles M. Troia of the Richmond County Supreme Court. Her time as a judicial intern sparked her interest in the practice area of Personal Injury and eventually led her towards her current career in the field of Medical Malpractice. Ms. Emanuele graduated from law school in May of 2021, having served as an associate staff member of ACTEC Law Journal, a member of the Moot Court Board, and as president of the Federal Bar Association- Hofstra Division.
She now brings her knowledge and experience to case management, where she handles client matters from intake to discovery to correspondence with defense counsel and clients. In her free time she enjoys reading and taking care of the dogs her family fosters.
Job Titles:
- Community Marketing Liaison
Mr. Ozdemir is a Community Marketing Liaison primarily for the Turkish Community.
Patrick Lanciotti works in the environmental litigation and toxic tort department of the firm.
Patrick Haines is the managing attorney for the Firm's offices in Edwardsville, Illinois as well as in Austin, Texas. He is licensed to practice in Texas and oversees the firm's asbestos litigation.
Patrick Haines is the managing attorney for the Firm's asbestos practice group and is based and licensed in Austin, Texas. For the past twenty five years his practice has focused on helping the victims of asbestos and other toxic substances obtain compensation for their injuries.
He has represented over 5000 victims of mesothelioma and lung cancer from all over the United States and has successfully tried cases to verdict in Texas, Arizona and Louisiana.
His trial victories include the first asbestos verdicts ever against Borg Warner Corporation and Exxon Mobil. In addition, he has litigated cases involving injuries from helicopter crashes, benzene and diesel fumes and railroad accidents.
Job Titles:
- Founding Partner
- of Counsel / Paul Napoli Law PLLC
Paul J. Napoli was a Founding Partner at one of the most successful national litigation firms. Paul was appointed by the United States District Court as Co-Liaison Counsel representing more than 11,000 9/11 first responders and other rescue and recovery workers who became ill or were injured during the rescue.
Paul Napoli and Hunter Shkolnik of Napoli Shkolnik PLLC, Co-Counsel with Attorney Ben Crump, Announce Lawsuit Against Hollywood Police Department, yahoo!finance (February 8, 2022)
Rachel L. Shkolnik is an associate in the firm's Product Liability, Pharmaceutical Department.
Mr. Gitelman is an integral part of the firm's Products Liability and Asbestos Departments.
Mr. Badala is the firm's General Counsel and a partner in the firm's Complex Commercial Litigation Department.
Shayna E. Sacks is a partner in the Napoli Shkolnik PLLC Pharmaceutical litigation department. Her personal injury practice focuses primarily on mass tort litigation, including pharmaceutical products liability, personal injury, medical device liability, and medical malpractice cases.
Mr. Holihan is Of Counsel to the firm and a retired FDNY firefighter.
Job Titles:
- Professional Affiliations
Mr. Narducci is an associate in the Melville, NY office.
Mr. Berman's practice primarily focuses on the litigation of complex mass tort litigation and class actions all over the country.
Ms. Mitchell focuses her practice on the opioid crisis and pharmaceutical litigation.