Biography
Ed Abbot is a trial lawyer and litigator who concentrates his practice on a wide range of product liability, general commercial, and mass liability toxic tort litigation. He has experience representing corporations involved in asbestos litigation, as well as toxic tort litigation, premises liability, pharmaceutical and medical devices, and other complex cases in multiple jurisdictions.
Ed represents clients in federal and state courts. He is national coordinating and trial counsel to several defendants in toxic tort litigation and has diverse experience in representing defendants in other matters, including lead, construction equipment, contract, restaurant litigation, real estate, aviation, industrial machinery, business torts, and commercial disputes.
Across the country, Ed frequently lectures on issues involving toxic tort litigation, asbestos, and complex multi-party case management. He has also made radio and national television appearances to discuss legal matters, including on FOX and MSNBC as family counselor and spokesman for one of the wrongly accused defendants in the Duke Lacrosse case (2006-2007).
Education
- Fordham University School of Law (J.D., 1985)
- Fordham Urban Law Journal
- George Washington University (B.A., with honors, 1980)
Bar Admissions
Courts
- U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- Supreme Court of the United States
Professional Affiliations
- American Bar Association
- DRI
- Toxic Tort and Environmental Law Committee
- National Marketing Chair for Asbestos Medicine Conference (2009-2013)
- Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel
- Association of Defense Trial Attorneys
- New Jersey State Bar Association
- New York State Bar Association
Honors
- The Best Lawyers in America© (2021-2022, 2024)
- Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
- University of Scranton, President’s Business Council, Dinner Co-Chair and Master of Ceremonies - Supporting the University’s Presidential Scholarship Endowment Fund; October 21, 2014
- Featured in the “Leader Spotlight” Column of DRI’s The Voice Newsletter – August 15, 2012 – in recognition for leadership in, and contribution to, the organization and as Marketing Chair for DRI’s Asbestos Medicine Seminar.
Charitable & Civic Involvement
- Mayor of Essex Fells, New Jersey (2002-2017)
- Chairman, Essex Fells Historical Committee
- Chairman, Essex County Republican Committee
- Firefighter, Essex Fells Fire Department
- Volunteer, Family Service League
- Volunteer, Mighty Mutts, Inc.
- Minister, Universal Life Church
Presentations
- "Emerging out of Bankruptcy," DRI Talc Litigation Seminar, Washington, DC (August 2023)
- Lecturer, "Cosmetic Talc Update – Trials, Tribulations, and Triumphs,” Defense Asbestos Litigation Seminar (2022)
- “New Developments in the Cosmetic Talc and Asbestos Litigation,“ Defense Lawyers Asbestos Symposium, DRI (2021)
- "The Asbestos Talc Litigation: An analysis and Rebuttal of Plaintiff Claims," Defense Asbestos Litigation Seminar, Virtual (2021)
- Lecturer, “Getting Along as a Cosmetic Talc Trial – Plaintiffs, Experts, Manufacturers, Distributors, and Retailers,” Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section, Toxic Torts & Environmental Law Committee, American Bar Association (2020)
- "Update on E-Cigarettes and Vaping: Recent Litigation & Regulation," Perrin Conferences, Webinar (2020)
- Lecturer, "A Global Discussion with National Coordinating Counsel," DRI Talc Litigation Seminar, Washington, DC (2019)
- Lecturer, "The Talc Litigation: A Year in Review," Defense Asbestos Litigation Seminar (2019)
- Co-Moderator, Defense Lawyers Asbestos Symposium, DRI (2018)
- Lecturer, “Current Status of the Cosmetic Talc Litigation - Status and Successful Defenses, “Defense Lawyers Asbestos Symposium, DRI (2018)
- Lecturer, “Opioid Litigation Overview of Status and Defenses,” National Forum on Environmental and Toxic Tort Issues (2018)
- Lecturer, “The 2018 Challenges in the Cosmetic Talc Litigation,” Defense Asbestos Litigation Seminar (2018)
- Lecturer, “Update on the Cosmetic Talc Litigation,” Hilton Head Client Annual Retreat (2018)
- Lecturer, “Current Status of the Opioid Litigation,” Hilton Head Client Annual Retreat (2018)
- Lecturer, “Panel Presentation on Jury Deliberations in Toxic Tort Cases,” Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section, Toxic Torts & Environmental Law Committee, American Bar Association (2018)
- Lecturer, “Talking Talc - The Cosmetic Talc Litigation - Current Developments and Strategies,” National Forum Environmental & Toxic Tort Issues (2017)
- Lecturer, “Carcinogen Classifications: Update, Impact and How Effectively Used At Trial,” Environmental and Emerging Claim Manager Association Annual Conference (2017)
- Lecturer, “Current Status of the New York City Asbestos Litigation - It’s Past, Present and Future,” In House CLE Series (2017)
- Lecturer, “Current Status of the Talc Litigation,” Perrin Conferences (2016)
- Lecturer, “You Talc-ing to Me?” - Current Status of the Talc Litigation and the Defense Strategy, Cardno-ChemRisk Presentation (2016)
- Lecturer, “The Current State of Talc Litigation,” In-House Presentation for The Sherwin Williams Company (2016)
- Lecturer, “Talc – The New Asbestos?” and Moderator, “Jurisdictional Roundup,” Sherwin Williams Company All Counsel Meeting (2016)
- Lecturer, “The History and Current State of Cosmetic Talc Litigation,” Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section Toxic Torts & Environmental Law Committee, American Bar Association (2016)
- Lecturer, Asbestos Defense Strategy Summit, Perrin Conferences (2012)
- Moderator, “Talc Contamination and Alternative Exposures: Not Always What it Seems,” Asbestos Medicine Seminar, DRI (2012)
- Moderator, "Asbestos 101 - State of the Art and Industrial Hygienist Expert Cross-Examination Techniques," Asbestos Medicine Seminar, DRI (2010)
- Lecturer, "Inside the Deliberation Room: Influencing Juries in 2010," Cutting-Edge Issues in Asbestos Litigation, Perrin Conferences (2010)
- Moderator, "How Jurors and the Bench will View Defendant Corporations in 2010," Corporate Counsel Roundtable, DRI (2010)
- Lecturer, Asbestos Defense Strategic Summit, Perrin Conferences (2009)
- Lecturer, "Ocean's 11 Redux: The Eleven Essential Parts of Constructing and Ensuring a Coordinated Defense," Asbestos Medicine Seminar, DRI (2008)
- Lecturer, "What Does the Future Hold for Asbestos Litigation?," Asbestos Litigation Conference, Andrews Publications (2007)
- Lecturer, "National Counsel Coordinators - Working with Local Counsel and Keeping Everyone Out of Hot Water," Asbestos Litigation Conference, Andrews Publications (2004)
- Lecturer, "Alternative Causes of Mesothelioma - The Role of SV-40, the Polio Vaccine," Asbestos Litigation Conference, Andrews Publications (2001)
- Lecturer, "The Ever Changing Role of the Peripheral Defendant," Asbestos Litigation Conference, Andrews Publications (1999)
- Lecturer, "Managing Asbestos Litigation - A National Coordinator's Perspective," Asbestos Litigation Conference, Andrews Publications (1998)