COHEN - Key Persons
Carl Jaeckel is of counsel to the firm, and is admitted to practice law in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Mr. Jaeckel focuses his practice on mass torts and class actions. Throughout his career he has represented clients in class action and mass tort lawsuits involving consumer fraud, product liability and defective drugs.
Job Titles:
- Counsel
- Is of Counsel to
- Member of the Faculty at the School for Management and Labor Relations
Carla A. Katz is Of Counsel to the firm. Ms. Katz is a member of the faculty at the School for Management and Labor Relations (SMLR) at Rutgers University where she teaches labor studies and law. Prior to joining the faculty full-time, she taught at SMLR as a Visiting Lecturer for more than twelve years teaching courses in Collective Bargaining, Union Organizing and Occupational Safety and Health among others. Ms. Katz also writes and lectures on politics, power, and issues that affect working women and men. Her practice is primarily focused on public sector labor and employment law. She works closely with New Jersey's firefighters and other public employees.
Ms. Katz has a long history of representation of union members and workers, including nine years as the elected president of the Communications Workers of America, Local 1034. She served as a commissioner of the New Jersey Public Employment Relations Commission from 2002 to 2006. Prior to joining Cohen, Placitella & Roth, she was an attorney with Fox and Fox LLP in Livingston New Jersey.
Job Titles:
- Shareholder
- Shareholder of the Firm
On March 17, 2020, Attorney Chris Placitella argued that claims can be filed concurrently under two separate New Jersey statutes:… Continue reading Attorney Chris Placitella's Oral Arguments in Sun Chemical Lawsuit
Christopher M. Placitella is a shareholder in the law firm and an accomplished trial lawyer with a nationwide reputation as one of the country's leading legal authorities on mass tort, class actions, and cases about asbestos-related diseases. He represents individuals injured by defective products and drugs, toxic substances, and environmental contamination. Chris has been counsel on numerous landmark cases that have changed the law in favor of the consumer and wrongfully injured.
Mr. Placitella has developed an award-winning reputation for his commitment to those who have been harmed due to the wrongful conduct of others. His professional integrity and personal commitment to his clients and his community have earned him local, regional and national recognition for his work and service. He is continuously recognized by his peers for his contribution to mass tort and class action litigation.
Mr. Placitella helped to establish the National Asbestos Litigation Group dedicated to successfully and effectively representing individuals suffering from asbestos-related diseases and serves as co-chair of the Group.
Deborah Robbins, N.P. is a dedicated nurse practitioner who is well-equipped to help families with a range of physical illness. As an editorial contributor, her goal is to educate the public on mesothelioma and asbestos-related diseases. She is an active advocate of disease prevention.
Debra S. Goodman is Of Counsel to the firm and has an office located in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania. She concentrates her practice in shareholder & commercial litigation.
Ms. Goodman began her practice of law in Philadelphia where she was a Partner at Margolis Edelstein. For 18 years, she concentrated her litigation practice on mass tort litigation, handling numerous trials. Following, Margolis Edelstein, Ms. Goodman was associated with The Weiser Law Firm. There she was involved in all aspects of the firm's practice, including securities fraud, shareholder class and derivative actions and antitrust litigation.
Ms. Goodman has substantial trial experience involving complex actions in federal and state courts throughout the country. In 2009, Ms. Goodman was co-lead trial counsel in one of the few class action ERISA cases ever to be tried, which involved claims against the fiduciaries of the 401k plan of an S&P 500 company for imprudent investment in company stock and misrepresentations to plan participants. In addition to her significant trial recoveries, she has successfully resolved numerous actions through arbitrations and mediations in an array of forums.
Job Titles:
- Associate of the Firm
- Associate With
Dennis M. Geier is an Associate with Cohen, Placitella & Roth. He represents individuals in complex civil litigation matters including personal injury, products liability, asbestos litigation and other civil litigation matters. He focuses his practice on mass tort litigation, with a concentration on asbestos litigation.
Since 2006 Mr. Geier has represented individuals in asbestos and other mass tort and personal injury litigation.Mr. Geier is a 2006 graduate of Seton Hall Law School and a 2003 graduate of Syracuse University's S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. While attending Syracuse University, he was a journalist for the school's independent newspaper The Daily Orange.
Dominique L. Montoya zealously advocates for her clients in a range of personal injury and wrongful death litigation. Ms. Montoya believes in an interpersonal approach to her client relationships and has assisted in securing multi-million dollar awards for her clients.
Ms. Montoya graduated from Temple University's Beasley School of Law, where she received her J.D. and Certificate in Trial Advocacy and Litigation. During her time at Temple, Ms. Montoya was also a member of the National Trial Team and received several accolades for her advocacy skills, including Best Advocate (2020 Regional Trial Competition, Final Round) and Best Direct Examination (2019 National Civil Trial Competition). Ms. Montoya received her undergraduate degree from the University of Delaware. Currently, Ms. Montoya coaches Temple Law students on the National Trial Team.
Job Titles:
- Counsel
- Distinguished Physician
- Is of Counsel to the Firm
- Member of the American Medical Association
Dr. David A. Lenrow has published peer reviewed medical journal articles. He has also contributed articles and edited several medical books. His published work includes research ethics to spine disorders and rehabilitation issues.
Dr. David A. Lenrow is Of Counsel to the firm & a practicing physician and Of Counsel to the law firm. He was admitted to the Pennsylvania and the New Jersey Bars in 2002. Dr. Lenrow is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania where he received his B.A. in 1981, and SUNY Downstate Medical Center where he received his M.D. in 1985. He received his law degree from Temple University School of Law (magna cum laude) in 2001.
Dr. Lenrow's medical training includes: University of Illinois (General Surgery Resident, 1985-1987); University of Pennsylvania (Fellowship in Transplant Immunology, 1987 - 1989); Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (General Surgery Resident, 1989 - 1990, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Resident, 1990 - 1993); Board Certified PM&R (1995).
Dr. Lenrow has authored numerous articles in peer reviewed medical journals. He has also edited and written chapters in several medical books. His published topics span research ethics to spine disorders and rehabilitation issues.
Dr. Lenrow is a member of the American Medical Association, the American and Pennsylvania Bar Associations and the Health Law Section of the American Bar Association.
David Lenrow, M.D. is a distinguished physician who practices in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania at one of the area's top hospitals. His peer reviewed medical journal articles, book chapters, and editorial expertise has been provided in several medical books. His published topics span the areas of research, medical ethics to disorders and rehabilitation issues. He has been recognized by Philadelphia Magazine's Top Docs issue and is an active member of the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
Job Titles:
- Associate of the Firm
- Associate With
Elizabeth M. Amesbury is an associate with Cohen, Placitella & Roth. She focuses her practice on the representation of injured parties in complex civil litigation, including medical malpractice and products liability, as well as motor vehicle accident and premises liability claims.
Ms. Amesbury has successfully briefed and argued cases before numerous appellate courts. Among other results, her advocacy has resulted in published opinions ensuring plaintiffs receive the compensation they deserve for their life-altering injuries. Shiflett v. Lehigh Valley Health Network, Inc., 217 A.3d 225 (Pa. 2019) and Mader v. Duquesne Light Co., 199 A.3d 1258 (Pa. Super. 2018), affirmed by, 241 A.3d 600 (Pa. 2019).
Ms. Amesbury currently manages the firm's attorney fellowship program; a one-year program designed to give recent law school graduates an opportunity to gain valuable experience in plaintiff-side personal injury litigation.
Ms. Amesbury graduated cum laude from Temple University's Beasley School of Law in 2015, where she served as staff editor for the Temple Law Review. She received her undergraduate degree with high distinction in Crime, Law & Justice from the Pennsylvania State University in 2012. While in law school, Ms. Amesbury was a judicial intern for the Honorable Robert B. Kugler in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.
Ms. Amesbury is admitted to practice before the state courts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, as well as the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the District of New Jersey, and the United States Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit.
Mr. Pasternack is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States.
Eric S. Pasternack is an Associate with Cohen, Placitella & Roth, and focuses his practice on class action and environmental litigation.
Prior to joining the firm, Mr. Pasternack was an associate with Ricci Tyrrell Johnson & Grey, where he represented major corporations in products liability, premises liability, maritime, and environmental litigation.
Before entering private practice, Mr. Pasternack served as a Deputy Attorney General for the State of New Jersey. In that capacity, he litigated enforcement and cost recovery actions on behalf of the Department of Environmental Protection in actions brought under the Spill Compensation and Control Act, the Site Remediation and Reform Act, the Underground Storage of Hazard Substances Act, and the Industrial Site Recovery Act. He also advised the Department of Environmental Protection in complex, multi-district litigation involving hazardous substances such as MTBE.
Mr. Pasternack has also counseled and represented various state agencies in actions concerning an Attorney General Directive authorizing the use of police body cameras, the regulation of the medical profession, the Attorney General's managerial prerogative, and New Jersey's election laws. In two of those cases, he successfully opposed petitions for certiorari before the Supreme Court of the United States. He also briefed and argued cases before the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division, including:
Goodwin v. Conway, 836 F.3d 321 (3d Cir. 2016) (argued)
Zitter v. Petruccelli, 11767 F. Supp. 3d 698 (D.N.J. 2016)
Doe v. Governor of New Jersey, 783 F.3d 150 (3d Cir. 2015)
Balsam v. Secretary of State of New Jersey, 607 Fed. Appx. 177 (3d Cir. 2015)
King v. Governor of New Jersey, 767 F.3d 215 (3d Cir. 2015)
Robinson v. N.J. Mercer County Vicinage, 562 Fed. Appx. 145 (3d Cir. 2014)
Nichols v. Sivilli, 130 F. Supp. 3d 912 (D.N.J. 2015)
Mr. Pasternack is a J.D./M.B.A. graduate of Rutgers Law School and Rutgers School of Business. While in law school, he served as an editor of the Rutgers Law Journal, a Governor's Executive Fellow with the Eagleton Institute of Politics, and a Dean's Academic Excellence Scholar. Upon graduation, the faculty of Rutgers Law School awarded him the Albert P. Blaustein Memorial Award for his note, HIPAA in the Age of Electronic Health Records, 41 Rutgers L.J. 817 (2012).
Harry M. Roth is widely regarded for his superior handling of complex civil litigation including medical malpractice, product liability, catastrophic personal injury, wrongful death, and pharmaceutical cases. He has been selected by his fellow lawyers,…
Job Titles:
- Shareholder
- Member of the Firm
JAMES P. GOSLEE (Shareholder) is an experienced trial lawyer and represents plaintiffs in personal injury, product defect, medical malpractice and libel and defamation claims. In addition to representing individuals injured as a result of negligence, he has recently served in a leadership role in multidistrict litigation, serving as State Liaison Counsel in In Re Sorin 3T Litigation.
James has secured substantial jury verdicts on behalf of his clients. Some of his notable verdicts and settlements include:
$2 million settlement reached during trial in a medical malpractice claim in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania (2017);
$2.39 million jury verdict in a medical malpractice case in Lehigh County (2016). Voted as one of the Top 20 Verdicts in Pennsylvania by The Legal Intelligencer;
$6 million settlement on behalf of the parents of 13-year-old boy who drowned in an apartment complex swimming pool (2016);
$1,400,000 settlement for a boy injured during childbirth (2017);
$750,000 settlement in a lack of informed consent case (2019);
$1,250,000 for a woman who suffered an amputation injury due to medical negligence (2017);
$495,000 jury verdict in Philadelphia for a worker who suffered a hamstring tear (2017);
$965,000 settlement for a patron assaulted outside a bar (2017);
$975,000 settlement for a tenant injured by a ceiling falling inside her apartment (2017);
$528,000 jury verdict in Philadelphia for a worker injured when he fell through scaffolding (2015);
$700,000 arbitration award for a school teacher who suffered a mild traumatic brain injury in a car accident (2016);
$1 million policy limit settlement for a man injured in an automobile accident.
James serves on the Leadership Council of the non-profit Community Legal Services of Philadelphia and is an active member of the Temple Inn of Court. In 2016, he was the recipient of The Legal Intelligencers Lawyer on the Fast Track award.
James graduated from Temple University School of Law Magna Cum Laude and has a master's degree in trial advocacy. He worked for 3 years at a large international law firm before taking a clerkship with a federal district court judge.
Job Titles:
- Is of Counsel to
- Mayor of Millvale
James R. Burn, Jr. is Of Counsel to Cohen, Placitella, Roth P.C. and has an office in Pittsburgh, PA. He concentrates his practice at CPR on Veterans Benefits law.
Mr. Burn graduated from Duquesne University in 1985 and received his J.D. from the University of Dayton in 1988. He has been practicing law in the Pittsburgh area since graduating law school. Rated AV® by Martindale-Hubbell, Mr. Burn has over thirty years of experience in Veterans Law, Worker's Compensation, Social Security Disability, and Personal Injury. Jim also served as a Hearing Committee Member for the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
Mr. Burn served as mayor of Millvale, PA from 1994-2005. He received the "Mayor of the Year Award" in 1997 from the Pennsylvania State Mayor's Association. He has also received the "Outstanding Young Men in America Award", and the "Community Award" from the North Hills Community Outreach.
Jim was the mayor of the Borough of Millvale, PA from 1994 to 2005; past chairman of the Allegheny County Democratic Party from 2006 to 2011; Allegheny County Council Member from 2006 to 2013, and he is the former chair of the Pennsylvania Democratic Party. He also served on the board of directors for the Jail Oversight Board, ARTEZ Community Enterprise Zone, Local Government Academy and the Northern Area Boys and Girls Club.
James R. Burn, Jr. is Of Counsel to Cohen, Placitella, Roth P.C. and has an office in Pittsburgh, PA. He concentrates his practice in civil litigation. Mr. Burn graduated from Duquesne University in 1985 and…
On March 17, 2020, Attorney Chris Placitella argued that claims can be filed concurrently under two separate New Jersey statutes:… Continue reading Attorney Chris Placitella's Oral Arguments in Sun Chemical Lawsuit
Jared M. Placitella is an Associate with Cohen, Placitella & Roth, P.C., practicing primarily in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. He represents individuals in complex civil litigation, including class actions, asbestos, and other mass tort claims, as well as products liability and catastrophic injury claims.
Mr. Placitella currently serves on the Board of Governors for both the American Association for Justice and the New Jersey Association for Justice, for which he has authored amici briefs before New Jersey's appellate courts. Mr. Placitella lectures in educational seminars sponsored by the New Jersey State Bar Association as well the New Jersey Association for Justice. He is the Associate Editor of the Second Edition of the New Jersey Mass Tort and Class Action Treatise published by the New Jersey Institute of Continuing Legal Education. Mr. Placitella has been recognized as a New Jersey Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2016 through 2021, and a Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Rising Star from 2019 through 2021.
Mr. Placitella is a 2013 graduate of the George Washington National Law Center where he received his J.D. and served as a member of The George Washington Journal of Energy and Environmental Law, as well as a 2010 graduate of the University of Maryland, College Park where he received his B.A. in Government & Politics magna cum laude. Mr. Placitella is admitted to practice before the state courts of New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania, as well as the United States District Courts of New Jersey and the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
Job Titles:
- Director
- Member of the Firm
- Member of the Law Firm
Jillian A. S. Roman is a member of the law firm. She focuses her practice on the representation of injured parties in complex professional negligence and personal injury litigation, including medical malpractice and pharmaceutical and medical device products liability litigation.
Ms. Roman is a graduate of Temple Law School (2008) and Dickinson College (2004, magna cum laude). Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Roman served as a law clerk to the Honorable Carol E. Higbee, P.J.Cv., for the Superior Court of New Jersey, where she worked primarily on pharmaceutical products liability litigation.
As a member of the firm's medical malpractice team, Ms. Roman has successfully litigated cases on behalf of catastrophically injured patients and their families throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Ms. Roman also serves as the Director of the firm's pharmaceutical and medical device mass tort program. She was previously appointed Plaintiffs' Co-Liaison Counsel in the In re Pelvic Mesh/Gynecare Litigation, Superior Court of New Jersey, Atlantic County, where she ultimately assisted in obtaining resolution of the claims of thousands of injured women.
In addition, Ms. Roman has successfully briefed and argued before numerous appellate courts. Among other results, her appellate practice has resulted in published opinions affirming the rights of plaintiffs to obtain compensation for their injuries. Clarke v. MMG Insurance Co., 100 A.3d 271 (Pa. Super. 2014) and Greely v. West Penn Power Co., 156 A.3d 276 (Pa. Super. 2017).
Ms. Roman previously served as a hearing committee member of the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania (2012 - 2018). She is barred in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and the District Court of New Jersey.
Joel S. Rosen is a frequent invited lecturer on product liability and negligence claims, as well as complex subrogation matters, investigation and discovery.
Joel S. Rosen specializes in product liability cases, representing individuals who are catastrophically injured as result of defective and faulty products, and in particular, cases involving defective automobiles and trucks.
Mr. Rosen also represents firefighters and other first responders and their families when they sustain serious injuries or have been killed on the job. He has obtained numerous multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements for his clients at Cohen, Placitella, Roth P.C. He has successfully represented victims and litigated cases across the country, including Florida, Alabama, Virginia, Ohio, New Jersey, New York, and Maryland.
Jon D. Rubinstein focuses his practice on the representation of catastrophically injured individuals and their families in a range of personal injury and wrongful death litigation, particularly in the areas of product liability, work-related incidents,…
Mark A. Verlin is Of Counsel to the firm and has an office located in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania. He concentrates his practice in personal injury litigation. Mr. Verlin was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and he…
Michael A. Ferrara, Jr. is Of Counsel to Cohen, Placitella, Roth P.C. and has been an attorney since 1972. He is admitted to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court, the New Jersey Supreme Court, the…
Mr. Coren is a graduate of Temple University where he received his B.A. in 1974 and Cleveland State University, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law where he received his J.D., magna cum laude in 1979. He was…
Michael E. McMahon, Esq., earned his Juris Doctor degree from Seton Hall University School of Law in 2004, and his Bachelor of Arts degree from Saint Mary's College of Maryland in 1998. During law school, Mr. McMahon served as Research Assistant to Professor Robert J. Martin, a sitting state senator at the time. After law school he served as Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable John J. Hughes in the United States District Court, District of New Jersey. He is currently an attorney at the law firm of Cohen, Placitella & Roth. In addition to his professional work, Mr. McMahon serves as trustee to Project U.S.E., a not-for-profit outdoor experiential education program.
Rachel A. Placitella is a Member of Cohen, Placitella & Roth, P.C. and handles complex litigation matters, including asbestos litigation, product liability and personal injury matters. She is an experienced litigator handling each case from…
Robert Pratter has brought his broad based legal experience to Cohen, Placitella & Roth where he heads up the firm's complex litigation group primarily representing public entities, union pension funds and private individuals in securities,…
Whether in the courtroom or the community, Stewart L. Cohen has worked relentlessly as an advocate on behalf of his clients for over thirty years. Mr. Cohen is a Shareholder at Cohen, Placitella, Roth P.C. , focusing…
In Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania and throughout the United States, asbestos can be found in many older homes and commercial buildings. Know how to look for unsafe, crumbling asbestos and how to have it safely removed from your home or workplace.
William L. Kuzmin is a Member of Cohen, Placitella, Roth P.C. He primarily represents injured parties in complex civil litigation cases including personal injury, product liability, asbestos litigation, and other civil litigation matters. Mr. Kuzmin is a 2000…
William L. Kuzmin, Esq. is a 2000 graduate of the Rutgers School of Law in Newark, New Jersey. A 1997 graduate of Rutgers University in New Brunswick with a degree in political science, Mr. Kuzmin focuses his practice on mass torts, with a concentration on asbestos cases. In addition to his professional work, Mr. Kuzmin serves on the Atlantic Highlands Environmental Commission as well as the Planning Board. He also serves as the Public Relations Chairman for the Rutgers Touchdown Club and has been active on behalf of the Genevieve Hawley Foundation.