It's not magic that makes Mark LeWinter so successful representing victims of unsafe product and workplace accidents over the past thirty years, as well as being selected to the Super Lawyers list for the past ten years. It's his deep desire and ability to help clients who are injured. In fact, he's been behind many seven-figure verdicts and settlements against manufacturers of unsafe products where safe design principles were not followed, and where workplace accidents occurred. For instance, Mr. LeWinter is responsible for securing a $14 million verdict for a worker who was catastrophically injured on the job when required safety practices were not followed, a $12.5 million settlement for a U.S. tourist who was rendered quadriplegic at a Jamaican resort, and an $8.5 million settlement for a laborer who was paralyzed due to unsafe scaffolding. He is credited also with a $19 million settlement for a 27-year-old ironworker who became quadriplegic due to a fall.
But magic has its place for Mr. LeWinter. An accomplished magician, he has volunteered at St. Christopher's Hospital and other Delaware Valley hospitals for the past 20 years. He's written numerous articles and lectured on courtroom magic where he instructs litigators on how they can integrate magic theory to the courtroom.
Mr. LeWinter has lectured at more than 100 seminars on product liability issues as well as the use of demonstrative evidence and technology in the courtroom, including for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, and the America Association of Justice. He currently serves on the National Board of the American Board of Trial Advocates. Mr. LeWinter was recently selected by his peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers of America, has been named one of the top 100 lawyers in Philadelphia for four consecutive years, and has received the highest rating in skill and ethics from Martindale-Hubble.
Manufacturers of workplace producs often hide behind weak U.S. safety standards to avoid liability for injuries. More stringent international safety standards can show what the manufacturer should have done to prevent your client's injury.
Can trial lawyers learn how to better connect with jurors by taking a few magic lessons?
A trial lawyer for more than 25 years, I am also an amateur magician, a student of close-up magic. My experience in both has convinced me that while the magician and lawyer have different audiences, forms and goals, the presentation skill set and dynamics are remarkably similar. The purpose of this article is not to transform lawyers into magicians but to show them that they can learn much from the masters of magic, their performance skills and presentation excellence.
OSHA 'double standard' permits ironworkers to work unprotected at heights up to 30 feet while others work safe above six feet.
The National Safety Council accident statistics establish that falling from a height of 11 feet creates a likelihood of being killed. Jay Hawthorne wasn't killed. He suffers, however, what is arguably a fate worse than death.
A 26-year old roofer suffered a debilitating spinal cord injury when he fell when working on a rooftop.
Jay Hawthorne, a 27 year old ironworker was rendered a quadriplegic when he fell 14 feet while attempting to install metal decking on a rooftop.
Nafis Jefferson was fatally shot by another child in a gun play accident who found a gun under a parked car in South Philadelphia.
The gun was traced to as gun dealer who had sold the handgun in a straw purchase under circumstances where the Dealer had "turned a blind eye" and had sold the gun which was then re-sold illegally. Mr. LeWinter co-counseled this case with Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence. Click here to read more about this case.
A 34 year old worker at a Chinese Food warehouse tragically fell to his death when he entered an elevator without realizing that the elevator car was not there.
The elevator service company responsible for servicing the elevator had been declared unsafe by the Department of Labor and Industry but discovery revealed that the service company illegally unsealed it and put the elevator back in service. Mr. LeWinter was lead trial counsel for the family of Jin Mian Jin . Click here to read more about this case.
A mother and her three children perished in a house fire which had been caused by initially by a defective baseboard heater and within minutes had begun to consume the entire house.
Investigation led to the discovery that the rapidly spreading fire was due in large part to the lack of flame retardants in the living room sofa. The sofa was the first item ignited and evidence revealed that had the polyurethane foam stuffing been treated with flame retardants at a nominal cost the tragic loss of life could have been prevented. The manufacturer of the heater settled for confidential amount. Mark J LeWinter served as lead counsel. Click here to read more about this case.