A New Jersey judge dismissed a suit against the firm’s client in which plaintiff alleged exposure to asbestos-containing products while performing his duties as a union pipefitter. Mr. Schmitz successfully argued that, under New Jersey law, a landowner has no duty to protect an independent contractor absent evidence that the landowner exercised control over the means and methods of the work. Additionally, he successfully argued that a landowner is not responsible for the negligence of other contractors working in the plaintiff’s vicinity. The win establishes an important precedent for defendants in the asbestos litigation context. Mr. Schmitz was assisted by Christine M. Delaney and Christine M. Emery.
