Robert J. Cecala, Partner

Robert J. Cecala specializes in the defense of medical malpractice, product liability, labor law and general negligence claims from inception through trial. In addition to medical malpractice work, Mr. Cecala became one of the lead trial partners supervising and handling the firm’s automotive products liability cases when the product liability group was launched. He also counsels the firm’s automotive manufacturer clients on matters ranging from insurance coverage issues to national litigation strategies. Mr. Cecala additionally serves as one of the lead trial counsels for the firm’s toxic tort group. He has been involved in numerous asbestos trials on behalf of the firm’s toxic tort clients and has litigated lead paint cases for New York City building owners. Mr. Cecala is recognized as a U.S. News – Best Lawyers® and is designated Top 1% Trial Counsel.

Highlights of his defense verdicts include:

• McMahon v. Ford Motor Company, New York State Supreme Court, New York County: defense verdict in an automotive design defect allegation resulting in paralysis to a father of two young children.
• Rotter v. Ford Motor Company, New York State Supreme Court, Nassau County: defense verdict in an automotive design defect allegation resulting in neurologic injuries to a 25-year-old woman.
• Hall v. Beth Israel Medical Center, New York Supreme Court, Kings County: defense verdict in a medical malpractice claim where plaintiff suffered a bladder perforation after the performance of a bilateral oophorectomy necessitating a nephrostomy tube, stenting and a subsequent bladder repair.
• Nesbeth v. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York Supreme Court, New York County: defense verdict in a medical malpractice case where plaintiff claimed improper treatment resulted in the loss of her pregnancy.
• Rodriguez v. Ford Motor Company, New York Supreme Court, Bronx County: directed verdict at the close of plaintiff’s case in an automotive design defect case where a 26-year-old Hispanic woman suffered a leg amputation and crush injury to the remaining leg.
• Grieve v. DOCS, New York State Supreme Court, Westchester County: defense verdict in a medical malpractice claim where plaintiff suffered a bowel perforation after the performance of a colonoscopy by our client necessitating a colostomy.
• George v. Ford Motor Company, United States District Court, Southern District of New York: hung jury, then defense verdict in automotive design defect allegation resulting in three fatalities and catastrophic injuries to three others.
• Castaldi v. Land Rover, United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York: defense verdict in automotive design and manufacturing defect allegations resulting in orthopedic and neurologic injuries.

Mr. Cecala received a Juris Doctor degree from St. John’s University School of Law where he graduated cum laude. He is a member of the American Bar Association and the Voice of the Defense Bar (DRI). He also is an active lecturer on risk management issues for the firm’s hospital clients and lectures for the New York State Bar Association on various topics, including product liability law and no-fault law.