John D North

Professional Memberships

International Academy of Trial Lawyers Fellow

American College of Trial Lawyers Fellow

Litigation Counsel of America Senior Fellow, Order of Centruions Barrister, Order of Certus Advocate

Trial Attorneys of New Jersey (President, 2012)

New Jersey State Bar Association, Civil Trial Bar Section

Association of the Federal Bar of New Jersey

Million Dollar Advocates Forum

Trial Law Institute

Diversity Law Institute

Publications

Author, "A Trial Lawyer's Strategic Guide to the New Jersey Rules of Evidence," (NJICLE) 2013

Contributor, "Business and Commercial Litigation in Federal Courts" (Thomson Reuters/ABA) 2017

Career

John is a trial attorney certified by the Supreme Court of New Jersey as a Civil Trial Attorney. He has tried jury and non-jury cases in state and federal courts, including more than 75 jury trials to verdict.

His practice focuses on high-exposure litigation involving catastrophic injury, toxic torts, negligence, public entity liability, professional liability, employment disputes, healthcare litigation, and construction and real estate matters. John represents public entities, hospital systems, real estate developers, financial institutions, and professionals, including physicians, attorneys, accountants, and insurance brokers.

John has significant experience defending toxic tort and personal injury actions, as well as employment claims brought under the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination (NJLAD) and Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA). He also represents hospital systems and healthcare clients in physician privilege disputes, medical staff litigation, and related trial and appellate matters involving medical staff bylaws, tortious interference, fraudulent inducement, and suspension or termination of privileges.

In the real estate and construction sectors, John represents commercial and residential developers in design and construction defect litigation and matters involving the Planned Real Estate Development Full Disclosure Act (PREDFDA) and Consumer Fraud Act. His practice also includes the defense of professionals in negligence and malpractice actions and representation of financial services clients in lender liability, financial fraud, and negotiable instrument disputes.

John is also an author and lecturer on evidence and trial practice. His publications include A Trial Lawyer’s Strategic Guide to the New Jersey Rules of Evidence, contributions to Business and Commercial Litigation in Federal Courts, and a chapter in Winning Legal Strategies for Construction Law. He regularly lectures on trial practice and evidence issues for continuing legal education programs sponsored by the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education.

Work Highlights

Successfully defended a major real estate developer in a six-month jury trial involving $200 million in alleged construction defect, financial misrepresentation, and consumer fraud claims brought by a condominium owners’ association.

Leading the firm’s team as New Jersey counsel to a multinational chemical manufacturer in more than two dozen federal and New Jersey state court actions alleging air and groundwater contamination caused by the discharge of PFAS substances. The cases include claims of alleged biomonitoring, personal injury, natural resource damage and contamination of a local water supply.

Representing the State of New Jersey, Department of Military and Veterans’ Affairs in multiple investigations and civil litigation arising from hundreds of COVID-related veteran deaths at state-operated long-term care facilities. This engagement also includes representation in the defense of dozens of employees who contracted COVID, as well as the defense of alleged civil rights violations in connection with the deaths of residents in these facilities, with claims totaling more than $69 million.

Representing the State of New Jersey, Department of Children and Families and Department of Corrections in a series of high-exposure cases arising under extended statutes of limitations involving claims of alleged child sexual abuse. The potential aggregate exposure across these matters approaches $1 billion, with certain cases expected to resolve through settlement or high/low agreements.

Represented the State of New Jersey, Department of the Treasury, Division of Investment and senior state officials in federal litigation alleging misappropriation of proprietary information and civil rights violations, securing dismissal of claims against the State and officials in their official capacities based on sovereign immunity.

Represented a major healthcare system in litigation brought by a former physician alleging wrongful termination of privileges and antitrust and Lanham Act violations, resolving the matter through a favorable settlement.

In the first case decided under New Jersey’s elder financial abuse reporting statute, obtained a favorable non-jury ruling confirming that the client, a financial institution, acted properly and that the statute imposed no affirmative regulatory obligations.

Obtained a $26.2 million jury verdict on behalf of a plaintiff in a complex products liability “crashworthiness” case.

Represented a condominium association in litigation against a developer for alleged construction and design defects and financial misrepresentations, securing an eight-figure settlement during trial.

Represented a major financial institution in construction loan litigation involving complex lender liability defenses and counterclaims, securing a jury verdict rejecting all lender liability claims and a judgment for full recovery of amounts due.

Successfully represented a managing general agent in a high-stakes contractual dispute with an insurance carrier, obtaining injunctive relief in federal court and defending against nine-figure damage claims in arbitration.

Education

Awards