FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT

John K. Dema

A skilled trial lawyer, John “Jack” Dema has tirelessly advocated for workers exposed to toxic chemicals, stood up for consumers harmed by defective products, fought for the rights of minorities in the workplace, and helped sovereign clients recover hundreds of millions of dollars from companies that have polluted public natural resources.

Since the late 1980s, Jack has focused a substantial portion of his practice on environmental litigation. He is nationally recognized as a pioneer in natural resource damages (“NRD”) litigation on behalf of state and territorial governments that hold natural resources in trust for the benefit of the public. His representation of the Government of the U.S. Virgin Islands in the Tutu Wells litigation, in which he recovered millions of dollars from companies that had contaminated the largest aquifer in St. Thomas, has been cited as the first known instance of a state or territory retaining private counsel on a contingent fee basis to litigate NRD claims.

To date, the firm’s efforts have yielded judgments and settlements valued at more than $600 million in damages and restoration projects for its sovereign clients. The firm currently represents the State of New Jersey in several NRD lawsuits related to contamination of the State’s natural resources by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (“PFAS”), aqueous film forming foam (“AFFF”), and other hazardous substances. The firm also represents the State of New Jersey, the State of Maryland, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico in their claims against the oil industry concerning contamination of public groundwater by the gasoline additive methyl tertiary butyl ether (“MTBE”). The firm previously represented the Government of the U.S. Virgin Islands in connection with environmental contamination at one of the world’s largest oil refineries and a former alumina bauxite facility on the South Shore of St. Croix, obtaining settlements valued at over $126 million.

In addition to his extensive environmental practice, Jack’s successful litigation experience encompasses numerous sex and race discrimination class-action suits against defendants such as Bank of America, Martin-Marietta Corporation, Hess Oil Virgin Islands Corporation, and Litwin Corporation. Over the course of his career, Jack has also successfully represented individuals in hundreds of personal injury claims, recovering millions of dollars for catastrophically injured clients.

Due to his expertise, Jack is also a sought-after speaker and educator in the field of environmental law.