Christopher M. Placitella is the founding partner of Cohen Placitella & Roth and one of the nation’s leading trial lawyers in mass torts, class actions, asbestos litigation, defective products, and environmental injury cases. A Certified Civil Trial Attorney by the New Jersey Supreme Court, he has spent decades representing individuals and communities harmed by corporate misconduct.

A graduate of Fordham University and Syracuse University College of Law, Placitella has played a key role in some of the most significant mass tort and consumer protection cases in the country. He helped represent the State of New Jersey in its landmark tobacco litigation, contributing to a $7.6 billion settlement, and later represented consumers in the Fen-Phen litigation, which resulted in a settlement valued at up to $4.8 billion. He also represented plaintiffs in the Vioxx litigation, which culminated in a $4.9 billion global settlement.

More recently, Placitella secured a landmark verdict against Johnson & Johnson in the talc litigation, obtaining $37.2 million in compensatory damages and $750 million in punitive damages before statutory reductions. The case was notable for compelling J&J CEO Alex Gorsky to testify in a baby powder trial for the first time.

Beyond the courtroom, Placitella has served as President of the New Jersey Association for Justice and held leadership positions within the American Association for Justice and other prominent legal organizations. His work has been featured by major media outlets, including The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, Bloomberg, and The National Law Journal.

Widely respected for his advocacy, leadership, and commitment to justice, Placitella remains a trusted voice in complex litigation and one of the most influential plaintiff trial lawyers in the United States.

Cohen Placitella & Roth