Mass Environmental Toxic Tort
The Mass Environmental Toxic Tort law practice area Co-chairs are Lydecker attorneys Mark Hendricks and Jessica LaFaurie and focuses on legal cases involving harm claimed to be caused by exposure to hazardous substances, pollutants, occupational toxins, and other materials.
Our defense for Mass Environmental Toxic Tort practice is dedicated to providing exceptional legal defense services to insurance companies and their policyholders. With a deep understanding of environmental laws, scientific principles, and complex litigation processes, our team is well-equipped to handle the challenges posed by mass tort claims. We are committed to achieving favorable outcomes for our clients by minimizing liability, protecting their interests, and ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
At Lydecker Law Firm, we combine decades of experience with a proactive and strategic approach to deliver unparalleled defense in the face of environmental and toxic tort litigation.
Mass Environmental Torts:
Class Actions and Mass Torts: Defense of claims involving environmental hazards such as contaminated water supplies, air pollution, and industrial waste.
Environmental Regulations Compliance: Advising clients on compliance with federal, state, and local environmental laws to prevent future tort claims.
Toxic Torts:
Individual and Group Claims: Handling cases involving exposure to toxic chemicals, asbestos, silica, airborne contaminants, lead, pesticides, and other substances alleged to be harmful.
Medical and Scientific Evidence: Collaborating with experts in toxicology, epidemiology, and environmental science to establish causation and quantify damages.
Product Liability and Workplace Exposure: Representing manufacturers, sellers, and distributors of allegedly defective products and defense of alleged occupational hazards.
Explore Our Locations
Talk Now
(305) 416-3180
Follow Us
Mass Environmental Toxic Tort Team
Jamie Baboolal is an associate with the firm’s Miami office. Her practice areas include products liability, premises liability, and general liability. Jamie graduated summa cum laude from Nova Southeastern University’s Shepard Broad College of Law. During law school, Jamie received Dean’s List Honors, multiple CALI Excellence for the Future Awards, and was an active member of the Nova Moot Court Society and Nova Law Review. She also held positions as teaching assistant for Constitutional Law and research assistant for Health Law. While attending law school, Jamie worked as a law clerk at a boutique firm where she gained practical experience handling wills, estates, family law, and real estate transactions. Jamie also worked as a legal intern at a securities litigation firm where she gained valuable experience in securities class actions.
Associate
Allyson Balcolm is an Associate in the firm’s Los Angeles office. Ms. Balcolm joins Lydecker’s Environmental Team, bringing her experience representing public and private entities in every aspect of federal and state litigation, regulatory compliance and land use matters, with an emphasis on contaminated site remediation and commercial business transactions.
Associate
Ms. Brice joined Lydecker as an associate in 2023. Ms. Brice has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology. She earned her law degree from Glendale University College of Law.
She currently focuses her practice on insurance defense litigation, products liability and personal injury. She also has experience in medical malpractice and worker’s compensation defense.
Ms. Brice is a member of the State Bar of California, California Lawyers Association, and Women’s Lawyer Association of Los Angeles, and is dedicated to promoting the full participation of women lawyers and judges in the legal profession. She is a vigilant advocate for each client she represents, taking great pride and interest in each case.
Associate
Samantha Brown is an Associate in the firm’s Boca Raton office. Ms. Brown’s practice involves Catastrophic Injury & Loss Defense, Complex Commercial Litigation, Professional Liability, Municipal Defense, Environmental / Toxic Tort, Premises Liability, Products Liability, and Transportation Liability.
Ms. Brown earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, Bachelor of Arts in Criminal Justice, a minor in Legal Studies, and a Certification in Criminal Profiling and Intelligence and National Security from the University of Central Florida in May 2020.
Ms. Brown earned her Juris Doctorate Degree from Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad College of Law, graduating Magna Cum Laude. Upon graduation, Ms. Brown was inducted into the Order of Barristers, a national honor society. During law school, Ms. Brown was part of the honor program and received the Dean’s List award every semester. Ms. Brown served as NSU’s Trial Association’s Vice President of External Operations. She was a national competitor for the NSU Trial Team and NSU’s Moot Court Honor Society. Ms. Brown was a Senior Associate of Nova Law Review and a teaching assistant for criminal law and criminal procedure classes. Ms. Brown was President of NSU’s Federalist Chapter and National Security Society.
Before joining the firm, Ms. Brown was a Judicial intern for the Honorable Judge Weekes. Ms. Brown previously worked at a large defense firm practicing vehicular negligence.
Associate
Christopher J. Campbell is a Partner at Lydecker’s Newport Beach, Los Angeles offices and San Francisco, serving as lead counsel in state and federal courts, as well as high-stakes arbitration. Mr. Campbell’s practice focuses on defending companies across materials, industrials, utilities, healthcare, information technology, financials, and consumer discretionary sectors. Mr. Campbell prioritizes organizational objectives over legal convenience to secure favorable verdicts, settlements, and dispositive judgments.
As a trial attorney for Lydecker’s EPLI Department, Environmental Mass Tort, Product Liability Department and Professional Liability Department, Mr. Campbell has defended against complaints involving consumer and commercially available substances and materials, class action, mass, and toxic tort litigation, and recalled products claims. Mr. Campbell spearheaded growing nationwide silicosis litigation by bringing its bellwether case to verdict in Los Angeles County. His work with EPLI offers clients invaluable guidance on navigating the complex landscape of employment law. With a focus on defending employers in employment-related claims, Mr. Campbell has experience handling a wide range of workplace issues, including wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination, and wage and hour disputes. Mr. Campbell has a deep understanding of the complexities involved in professional liability cases and is committed to protecting the reputations and careers of his clients. His dedication to delivering tailored solutions and safeguarding his clients’ interests makes him a trusted advocate in professional liability defense.
Finding his roots in the in-house legal department of an international company with over 13,000 employees, Mr. Campbell brings a unique perspective to the courtroom, tailoring litigation strategies to his clients’ executive philosophies and microeconomic constraints to advance long-term organizational goals through a trial-focused approach that forces outcomes on his clients’ terms. This has allowed Mr. Campbell to adopt a proactive methodology in developing internal employment policies and procedures to reduce risks and avoid costly litigation in the first place.
Mr. Campbell’s representative clients are diverse, ranging from multinational corporations, medical device and pharmaceutical companies to local business and municipal governments, as well as global manufacturers, distributors, and major retailers. Mr. Campbell specifically focuses on defending companies against complaints involving consumer and commercially available substances and materials, class action, mass and toxic tort litigation, recalled products claims, employment discrimination, wrongful termination, and wage disputes.
Before joining Lydecker, Mr. Campbell defended businesses operating throughout California, and has acted as lead trial counsel throughout strategic discovery, pre-trial motion practice, and to completion of trial. His prior experience includes a range of manufacturer defect, fraud, employment, and regulatory compliance litigation on a state and federal level. In law school, Mr. Campbell was a Dean’s Merit Scholarship Recipient, and finalist and Best Opening Statement winner in University of California, Irvine School of Law’s Mock Trial competition. Mr. Campbell continues to participate in the development and mentorship of aspiring civil litigators.
Partner
Eliz Demren is an Associate in the Products Liability department of Lydecker’s Miami office. Prior to working at Lydecker, Ms. Demren was an associate at a boutique complex civil litigation firm. She earned her Bachelor of Arts from the Honors College at Florida International University and her Juris Doctor from the University of Miami School of Law.
During law school, Eliz received the Dean’s Certificate of Achievement Award and CALI Excellence for the Future Award for receiving the top grades in her courses. She also competed in Moot Court, interned for Circuit Court Judge Spencer Eig, and externed for Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge John J. O’Sullivan. While earning her Juris Doctor, Eliz completed several internships at various law firms to fully maximize her time in law school before beginning to practice as an attorney.
Associate
Javkhlan Enkhbayar is an Associate who works out of the firm’s San Francisco office. Ms. Enkhbayar’s practice involves all aspects of civil litigation with a focus on product liability.
Ms. Enkhbayar earned her law degree at the University of San Francisco School of Law in May 2019. During law school, Ms. Enkhbayar was involved in USF’s Maritime Law Journal, Intellectual Property and Technology Law Journal, International Law Society, and Asian Pacific American Law Student Association. She also served on the boards of the Moot Court Program and USF Law Review, and competed in the Saul Lefkowitz Moot Court Competition. Additionally, Ms. Enkhbayar participated in USF’s Internet & Intellectual Property Justice Clinic and worked as a research assistant for the USF Zief Law Library.
Associate
Michael Goldman is a Partner at the firm’s New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania offices. His practice focuses in the area of employment law. Michael represents employers across a multitude of industries in litigation related to employment discrimination claims, wage and hour claims, and restrictive covenants. He also counsels clients on best practices.
Michael has extensive civil litigation experience and handles cases from inception through trial. He regularly appears in federal and state courts, as well as in administrative law and dispute resolution forums. Prior to joining the firm, Michael practiced as an associate at a prominent New Jersey firm, concentrating his practice in defense litigation on behalf of private and public entities, with an emphasis on tort liability, labor and employment law, and civil rights defense. He also represented clients in the areas of wage and hour claims, commercial litigation, construction law, and education law. Earlier in his career, Michael was an associate at a well-known litigation boutique where he focused his practice on representing public entities in matters involving tort liability, labor and employment law, and civil rights defense. Michael has been selected to the New Jersey Super Lawyers Rising Star list from 2019-2023.
Partner
Mr. Hendricks is the Managing Partner for Lydecker LLP. He practices out of the firm’s Miami and Boca Raton offices where he maintains an active trial and civil litigation practice in the Federal, State, and Appellate Courts throughout the State of Florida. Mr. Hendricks’ areas of practice include general civil litigation and trial practice, commercial litigation, professional liability/malpractice defense, insurance/tort liability defense, and labor and employment. He also serves as lead trial counsel for the firm’s clients and carriers and oversees the firm’s trial teams. He has over 25 years of experience representing clients and has successfully defended clients against multi-million dollar cases as lead trial counsel. He is often called upon to assist clients and carriers on high exposure and large loss claims in his capacity as monitoring counsel or co-counsel.
Upon graduating with Honors from the University of Miami School of Law, Mr. Hendricks began practicing as an associate Greenberg, Traurig, in the environmental litigation and land use department. Looking to further his litigation experience he accepted a position as a practiced commercial litigation associate with Kimbrell & Hamann. In 1990, Mr. Hendricks relocated to Palm Beach County where he spent several years practicing insurance defense and commercial litigation at Walton Lantoff. He subsequently joined the firm of Carman, Beauchamp and Sang as a senior associate and trial attorney. From 1999 thru 2007, Mr. Hendricks was employed as a partner at Panza, Maurer, Maynard & Noel where he served as a senior litigation partner and lead trial attorney for many of the firm’s corporate, institutional and governmental clients.
In law school, Mr. Hendricks was the winner of the University of Miami Law School’s Mock Trial Competition and member of the National Trial Competition Team. He also served as a member of the Inter-American Law Review, member of the Society of Bar & Gavel, Society of Wig and Robe, and was inducted into the school’s Moot Court Board.
Mr. Hendricks’ representative clients include private and public educational institutions, environmental, pollution and toxic tort defense, prison liability, prison healthcare and liability, public and private corporations, municipal governments, state agencies and political subdivisions, insurance companies and self-insured entities. Mr. Hendricks’ trial experience includes Federal, state and appellate proceedings including public procurements and bid protests.
Managing Partner
Alan is a senior associate at the Firm’s Los Angeles office and a trial attorney for the Firm’s Product Liability Department.
Alan has represented companies of all sizes in all phases of litigation before State and Federal Courts in connection with a variety of complex civil and commercial litigation matters with a focus on product liability and premises liability. Recently, Alan served as trial counsel for an international corporation on a forty-four-day long jury trial involving novel issues of law and some of the nation’s most prestigious experts in both medicine and industrial hygiene.
Throughout his career, Alan has defended a wide spectrum of clients including manufacturers of building materials, personal cosmetic products, automotive parts, tools, naval equipment, ceramics, vehicles, electrical cable, televisions, and cooking appliances as well as premises owners such as apartments, hotels, shopping malls, and grocery stores.
Mr. Khlevnoy is originally from Los Angeles and attended law school at the University of San Diego School of Law. During law school, Mr. Khlevnoy won first place at the American Association for Justice Mock Trial Competition and he was nominated by one of his professors to study at Georgetown University School of Law and work for a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C.
Alan’s favorite teams are the Lakers, Dodgers, Kings and Rams.
Senior Associate
Jessica is a partner at the Firm’s California and Florida office and the Head of the Firm’s Product Liability Department. In her professional career, Jessica has successfully represented both corporate clients and private individuals in all phases of litigation before Local, State and Federal Courts in connection with a wide variety of complex civil and commercial litigation matters, with a primary focus on product liability and premises liability. Her representation includes global manufacturers, distributors, suppliers and major retailers in numerous areas within the field, such as class action, mass and toxic tort litigation, recalled product claims, as well as defending claims involving consumer and commercially available substances and materials.
Jessica is originally from New York and attended college at the University of Connecticut, where she was a team captain of the Ski Team. Before beginning law school, she went on to commit two (2) years to Teach for America in Miami-Dade County. Teach for America is a highly-selective non-profit organization which recruits leaders with a record in achievement to expand educational opportunities and close the achievement gap in low-income communities. Afterward, she attended the University of Miami School of Law and joined Lydecker early in her career. Currently, in addition to her role as the head of the Product Liability Division for the firm, she is involved in mentorship of younger attorneys and leading the law clerk program.
Partner
Valentina Lopera is an Associate at the Firm’s Miami office. Valentina’s practice focuses on civil litigation and insurance defense. Valentina has experience defending claims for personal injury sounding in auto negligence, premises liability, and construction negligence, as well as defending first party property damage claims, civil rights claims, employment-based claims, and workers’ compensation claims.
After graduating cum laude from Florida International University with a degree in Political Science, Valentina obtained her Juris Doctor degree from Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad College of Law. While in law school, Valentina was a Junior Associate and Bilingual Translator for the school journal, ILSA Journal of International and Comparative Law.
Valentina has a commitment to pro-bono work and received an honorary distinction for completing more than 200 hours of pro-bono services during law school career. Valentina interned with Mission United Veterans Pro Bono Legal Aid Services of Broward County, where she helped low-income veterans appeal their military discharge status and/or their benefits; as well as assisting veterans in various civil matters including evictions and child custody disputes. Valentina also interned at the Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Law Clinic, providing legal assistance services to caregivers of adults with intellectual disabilities. Additionally, Valentina has experience having interned with the Miami-Dade Public Schools Board of Education.
After graduating cum laude from Florida International University with a degree in Political Science, Valentina obtained her Juris Doctor degree from Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad College of Law. While in law school, Valentina was a Junior Associate and Bilingual Translator for the school journal, ILSA Journal of International and Comparative Law.
Valentina has a commitment to pro-bono work and received an honorary distinction for completing more than 200 hours of pro-bono services during law school career. Valentina interned with Mission United Veterans Pro Bono Legal Aid Services of Broward County, where she helped low-income veterans appeal their military discharge status and/or their benefits; as well as assisting veterans in various civil matters including evictions and child custody disputes. Valentina also interned at the Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Law Clinic, providing legal assistance services to caregivers of adults with intellectual disabilities. Additionally, Valentina has experience having interned with the Miami-Dade Public Schools Board of Education. Valentina continues to do pro-bono work.
Associate
Meliz Martin is a Partner in the firm’s Miami office. Ms. Martin represents developers, general contractors, subcontractors, design professionals, and insurance carriers in a variety of contexts arising from the construction and use of real property. These representations include construction and design defect disputes, construction transactions, construction contract/payment disputes, environmental claims, and construction accident claims involving catastrophic injuries. Her practice involves disputes arising from water intrusion through building exteriors; structural integrity; mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire suppression system performance issues; inadequate site drainage; and exterior coating and cladding failures.
A large portion of her practice involves construction and design defect disputes, including representation of clients during the Chapter 558 pre-suit process, litigation and arbitration. Ms. Martin’s practice involves all aspects of federal and state trial litigation. She has taken hundreds of depositions and has attended hundreds of hearings. She obtained favorable results in the vast majority of these matters.
Ms. Martin’s litigation philosophy involves having an eye towards detail, this is especially true in design and construction litigation, as these claims have multiple parties and voluminous multiyear records for the life span of a construction project. Equally important is a focus on plaintiffs’ claims, which typically involve tens of hundreds of defect items. Understanding these complex facts and issues facilitates opportunities for risk transfer and early resolution of matters.
Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Martin was practicing in the areas of condominium and homeowners association, construction and real estate litigation.
Partner
Brian is a partner in the firm’s San Diego office; and specifically works in the Product Liability Department. Mr. Murphy’s practice involves all aspects of federal and state civil trial litigation with a primary focus on product liability, premises liability, personal injury, and government liability. In his professional career, Brian has successfully represented corporate clients, private individuals, and government clients in all phases of litigation. His representation includes manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, and major retailers in numerous areas within the field, such as mass and toxic tort litigation, product defect claims, as well as defending claims involving consumer and commercially available chemicals, substances, and materials.
Over the course of nearly 20 years, Mr. Murphy has represented a diverse range of clients, including large and small businesses in the biotech, chemical, communications, construction, education, entertainment, healthcare, hospitality, insurance, law enforcement, manufacturing, pest control, private post-secondary school, retail, and transportation industries.
Mr. Murphy also has extensive experience defending municipalities (defending government entities and their employees and school districts) and employers. He is admitted to practice in California.He is admitted to practice in all California district Courts, U.S. District Court, Northern District of California, U.S. District Court, Central District of California, U.S. District Court, Southern District of California, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California.
He earned his law degree from University of San Diego School of Law and his undergraduate degree from University of California, Riverside.
Partner
Robert Pariser supervises a talented team of attorneys who practice in the New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania offices. The attorneys I collaborate with are comprised of former educators, prosecutors, law clerks to state and federal judges and insurance professionals.
Robert Pariser’s legal practice focuses on the defense of claims against professionals (E&O, A&B, LPL or MPL), directors and officers (D&O) and against employers (EPL). Mr. Pariser represents design professionals (A&E) and other real estate professionals, including managing agents, appraisers, title agents, condo and co-op boards and developers in various disputes. On behalf of construction owners and managers, he defends claims prosecuted by injured workers brought pursuant to the New York Labor Law.
Robert Pariser also represent clients on other types of discrimination claims, including alleged civil rights violations, including the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Robert Pariser defends environmental cases, involving mold, asbestos and ground contamination.
Robert Pariser represents public and private educators in breach of contract, employment, bullying, failing to promote and in due process matters.
Robert Pariser has had election, stock redemption, auction, foreclosure/ sheriff sale, false arrest, prosecutorial misconduct disputes. Robert Pariser has been on the New York Metro Super Lawyers list from 2011-present.
Partner
Lee Patten is the Co-Chair of the Firm’s National Catastrophic Injury and Loss Defense Department. Mr. Patten has extensive trial court experience in complex litigation, and has defended numerous cases involving wrongful death, paralysis, amputation, traumatic brain injury, sexual assault, and other serious injuries throughout New York, New Jersey, and Florida. These claims and large loss exposures arise from a variety of liability scenarios, including premises liability, medical/healthcare/nursing home liability, school/early education/day care liability, construction site accidents (including New York labor law claims), road construction accidents, commercial trucking and car accidents, negligent security, and products liability, among others. Mr. Patten brings to bear his extensive experience in each of these specific industries to obtain excellent results for his clients.
Mr. Patten maintains a progress-oriented practice, whether pre-suit or in litigation, Mr. Patten works closely with his client to advance the case with every court filing, correspondence, email, and phone conference. Every action is designed to move the case forward toward trial or resolution.
Mr. Patten has taken countless depositions, including deposition of subject matter experts, liability experts, and damages experts. He has attended countless hearings, including important summary judgment hearings, as well as multi-day arbitrations and multi-day framed issue evidentiary hearings.
Mr. Patten has tried cases before many trial courts throughout the state of Florida, New York, and New Jersey, and has obtained many favorable settlement outcomes at the eleventh hour due to detailed trial preparations, including motions in limine and Daubert challenges to opposing experts.
Mr. Patten has also served as monitoring counsel and converted to lead trial counsel in numerous cases involving large losses or multiple layers of insurance. He is successfully able to parachute into potential “problem” or “high risk” cases, and laser in on key areas to prepare liability and damages defenses quickly and efficiently.
Before joining the firm, Mr. Patten was a prosecutor at the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s office, as well as a prosecutor for the Department of Children and Families. It was there that Mr. Patten started his trial career and was able to transfer those skills to civil litigation. In Law School, Mr. Patten served as Editor-in-Chief of the Law Review and won several awards for both Mock Trial and Moot Court competitions.
Partner
Mr. Richardson is an Associate in the Products Liability department of Lydecker’s Miami office. He earned his Bachelor of Science from Philadelphia University (now Thomas Jefferson University) and his Juris Doctor from Cooley Law School.
While earning his Juris Doctor, Jordan was an intern for a legal center for women and children. After finishing law school, he worked as a law clerk, gaining experience in maritime and personal injury law for a firm in Miami.
Associate
Dianera Rodriguez is an Associate in the Products Liability department in the firm’s Miami office. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Rodriguez was an associate at a civil defense litigation firm where she handled premises liability claims, personal injury claims, property damage claims, and workers’ compensation claims.
Ms. Rodriguez earned Juris Doctor from St. Thomas University School of Law and her Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice along with a Minor in Business from Florida International University. During law school, Ms. Rodriguez received the Dean’s Honor Award and CALI Excellence for the Future Award in Criminal Justice.
Associate
James Spratt is a partner in the firm’s Los Angeles office and practices in all courts in California. His primary areas of practice include complex commercial litigation, tort practice in products liability, real property and construction defect.
Mr. Spratt earned his Juris Doctor Certificate from University of La Verne and his Bachelor’s degree in History from University of California, Santa Barbara. While in law school, Mr. Spratt has held numerous legal internships, including Office of Legislative Affairs for the U.S. Department of Justice in Washington, D.C.
In Mr. Spratt’s practice, he has held various partner positions with national law firms and has worked for national insurance companies, as staff counsel. He has worked defending national insurance companies in professional negligence, commercial trucking negligence, premises liability and habitability claims.
Mr. Spratt is active in conservation efforts of Santa Monica Mountains Restoration Trust and enjoys snow skiing and swimming in his spare time. He also enjoys spending time with his family and his German Shepard dog. Mr. Spratt is also a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association.
Partner
Ronald (Ronn) S. Whitaker is a partner in the firm’s Los Angeles office and brings a wealth of litigation experience in the both the public and private sectors. He has represented corporate clients, public entities and private individuals in all phases of litigation in both State and Federal Courts with an emphasis in the defense of product liability, class action, personal injury, civil rights, professional liability, and premises liability cases. He also has extensive experience in employment litigation, including being admitted in pro hac vice in the State of Arizona to successfully defend a large national corporation against claims of wrongful discrimination and racial discrimination. Prior to joining Lydecker, Ronn had a lengthy career in defending high exposure claims on behalf of both corporate and governmental clients, including a number of high-profile parties in high stakes litigation. He has represented multinational corporations, and has a deep understanding of the complexities in defending large corporate entities and institutions, including providing legal and strategic advice which contemplates the impact of large scale litigation and claims on the client’s competing needs.
As a trial attorney for Lydecker’s Environmental Mass Tort, Product Liability Department and General Liability Department, Ronn has tried in excess of sixty (60) jury trials as lead trial counsel with an outstanding record of success. At Lydecker, his primary focus is utilizing his extensive experience and unique background to vigorously defend global manufacturers, distributors, suppliers, and other business owners from the inception of a claim through trial, as well as in spearheading new and emerging litigation in the mass and toxic tort arena.
Ronn completed his undergraduate studies at UCLA, and then obtained his law degree from the UCLA School of Law, where he was selected as a Distinguish Advocate in the Moot Court Honors Program.
Partner
