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Julie Friedman

With nearly 20 years of experience in the toxic tort practice area, Julie has defended manufacturers, suppliers, and contractors, including Fortune 500 companies, in mass and toxic tort litigation, with an emphasis on asbestos litigation and high exposure cases. As national coordinating counsel for a multinational conglomerate corporation, she has tried cases to verdict in state and federal courts across the country. Julie also plays an integral role in developing and driving nationwide litigation strategy for the same client.

In addition to her national trial work, Julie serves as local counsel to various clients in the West Virginia and western Pennsylvania area, handling cases from inception through settlement negotiations. She is highly experienced at representing defendants in notoriously difficult jurisdictions.

Julie is known for her effective communication style: she has a gift for explaining detailed scientific and legal matters in a way that jurors can readily understand, and she easily builds trust in the courtroom. She places a high priority on developing and maintaining in-depth knowledge of the science and medicine behind clients’ cases, making her a better advocate and a more effective strategist. Clients also appreciate Julie’s ability, honed through decades of experience, to consider both the intricate details and the broader picture of each case. She instinctively understands how each piece of litigation fits in with a nationwide strategy.

Most of all, though, Julie has a strong reputation for caring deeply about clients. No client is ever just a number to her, and she aims to build lasting relationships over many years, investing deeply in clients’ success.

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The Georgia Assembly passed sweeping tort reform on Friday, March 21, 2025. Governor
Brian Kemp had announced his tort reform package on January 30, 2025. The Georgia Senate subsequently passed two bills, Senate Bill 68 on February 21, 2025, and Senate Bill 69 on
February 27, 2025. A committee substitute to Senate Bill 68 was debated at length on March 20, 2025, in the Georgia House, which eventually adopted the substitute and sent the legislation directly to the Georgia Senate. On March 21, 2025, after another lengthy debate, the Senate adopted the House version of SB 68. Senate Bill 69 remains in committee in the House.

We previously reported that the Illinois Supreme Court issued its long-awaited decision in Martin v. Goodrich Corp., upholding the constitutionality of a 2019 amendment to the Illinois Workers’ Occupational Diseases Act (the “Act”).1 Since then, the Seventh Circuit has recognized the Illinois Supreme Court’s ruling as an “unequivocal determination” of Illinois law and allowed a plaintiff’s tort claims to proceed as exempt from the Act’s exclusivity provisions.

On January 24, 2025, the Illinois Supreme Court issued its long-awaited decision in Martin v. Goodrich Corp., upholding the constitutionality of a 2019 amendment to the Illinois Workers’ Occupational Diseases Act (the “Act”).1 This decision confirms that Plaintiffs can indeed file civil claims after the 25-year statute of repose period for asbestos claims under Workers’ Compensation has expired. This decision will have a far-reaching impact throughout toxic tort litigation as it allows employees to pursue civil claims against their employers even if their Workers’ Compensation claim would otherwise be barred.