Environmental Law & Public Health

Our attorneys have earned their reputation in the fields of environmental litigation and mass torts by successfully prosecuting some of the largest, most well known cases of our time. Our lawyers were principal counsel in the trial of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill, which culminated in a record-setting $5 billion punitive damage award, later set at $507.5 million by the U.S. Supreme Court. Berger Montague was also lead counsel in the School Asbestos Litigation, the first mass tort property damage class action certified in the United States on a national basis, in which a class of secondary and elementary schools recovered in excess of $300 million to defray their asbestos abatement costs. America’s worst nuclear incident was the near meltdown of a reactor at Three Mile Island, just 15 miles from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Berger Montague was lead/liaison counsel. The State of Connecticut selected Berger Montague to represent its interests in the State of Connecticut Tobacco Litigation, which resulted in a $3.6 billion settlement.

Mass tort cases can pose the most demanding challenges in modern litigation. Effective representation requires skilled and experienced attorneys who:

• stay abreast of rapidly evolving legal standards, as well as current scientific and technical knowledge;
• have the experience and background necessary to handle sophisticated legal and procedural issues in a wide variety of forums;
• possess the resources and commitment to litigate difficult cases to a successful conclusion; and
• are sensitive to the unique concerns that mass tort litigation can pose to individual victims as well as institutional and governmental clients.

Berger Montague’s cases reflect the diversity of our firm’s practice in environmental and mass tort litigation, including oil spill litigation in California; radiation cases in Colorado, Oregon and Washington; coal slurry litigation in Kentucky; diet drug litigation in Pennsylvania and New Jersey; and lead paint lawsuits in Philadelphia and Chicago. Our Environment & Public Health Group also prosecutes significant claims for personal injury, commercial losses, property damage, and environmental response costs.

No Fees Without Recovery

Berger Montague environmental and mass tort cases are often litigated on a contingent fee basis, so plaintiffs and the class do not pay attorneys’ fees or court costs unless there is a recovery.

Contact Us To Learn More

We invite you to learn more about our Environment & Public Health Group. Berger Montague welcomes referrals from other law firms and attorneys. For more information or to schedule a confidential discussion about a potential case, please fill out the contact form on the right, email us at [email protected], or contact an Environment & Public Health Group shareholder. We are available to evaluate potential environmental and mass tort cases without charge.