STEVEN KAZAN, Founding, Senior and Managing Partner

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.” 10^th 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.” 11^th 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.” 11^th International Conference of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (iMig), Boston, MA, USA.  September 2012.

Kazan, Steven.  “Demonstrating the Inaccuracy of Death Certificates.” 11^th 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.”  11^th 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.”  12^th 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.”  12^th International Conference of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (iMig), Capetown, South Africa.  October 2014.

Kazan, Steven.  “Pericardial Mesothelioma – Accidental Treatment and Long-Term Survival.”  12^th 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.”  13^th 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.”  13^th International Conference of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (iMig), Birmingham, UK.  May 2016.

Kazan, Steven, Ruiz, William.  “A Mesothelioma Cluster Amongst Experimental Physicists.”  13^th 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.”  14^th 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”  15^th International Conference of the International Mesothelioma Interest Group (iMig), Brisbane, Australia.  March 2020.

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

Kazan, Steven, Meltzer, Faith.  “Shipbreaking:  Creating Accountability.”  15^th 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.”  15^th 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.