Rhode Island

Ben Crump

Tallahassee, FL

Listed amongst the Most Influential People of 2021 by TIME100, Ebony Magazine’s Power 100 Most Influential African Americans, The National Trial Lawyers Top 100 Lawyers, and the 2014 NNPA Newsmaker of the Year, Attorney Ben Crump is referred to as Black America’s Attorney General. Through a steadfast dedication to justice and service, renowned civil rights and personal injury attorney Benjamin Crump has established himself as one of the nation’s foremost lawyers and advocates for social justice. His legal acumen has ensured that those marginalized in American society are protected by their nation’s contract with its constituency. He is the founder and principal owner of Ben Crump Law. Crump’s tireless advocacy has led to legislation preventing excessive force and developing implicit bias training and policies. He has represented families in several high-profile civil rights cases including Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, and Stephon Clark. He also represented victims in the Holtzclaw Oklahoma City Police rape case and worked on the Robbie Tolan excessive police force case. More recently, he represented the families of Ahmaud Arbery, Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, the residents of Flint, Michigan, who were affected by the poisoned water of the Flint River, as well as the family of Henrietta Lacks in a landmark reparations case. Crump has helped reach historic settlements and verdicts for families that have faced injustices, including a $411 million verdict for Duane Washington, a $641 million settlement for Flint, Michigan, a $27 million settlement for George Floyd's family, a $12 million settlement for Breonna Taylor's family, and over $200 million in banking while Black cases. Crump is the President of the National Civil Rights Trial Lawyers Association and previously served as President of the National Bar Association. He was the first African-American to chair the Florida State University College of Law Board of Directors and is the founder and director of the Benjamin Crump Social Justice Institute. In 2023, the College of Law at St. Thomas University in Miami, Florida, became the Benjamin L. Crump College of Law. He has been recognized with the NAACP Thurgood Marshall Award, the SCLC Martin Luther King Servant Leader Award, the American Association for Justice Johnnie Cochran Award, and the Alpha Kappa Alpha Eleanor Roosevelt Medallion for Service. He hosted legal docudramas and served as executive producer and writer for a documentary. He is a frequent contributor to MSNBC, CNN, and USA Today. Crump’s book, published in October 2019, Open Season: Legalized Genocide of Colored People, reflects on the landmark cases he has battled, and how discrimination in the courthouse devastates real families and communities. Crump graduated from Florida State University and received his law degree from FSU College of Law. He is married to Dr. Genae Angelique Crump.

John G. Simon

St. Louis, MO

John G. Simon’s work as Managing Partner at the firm has resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars for past clients. Well-respected in his field, John’s career includes several published works, frequent community involvement, and the role of adjunct professor at Saint Louis University School of Law. During more than three decades of practicing law, John Simon has built a remarkable record of courtroom victories and incredible settlements for thousands of clients - oftentimes when the odds are not in his favor. The National Law Journal named the firm he founded in 2001 as one of the “winningest firms” in the U.S. In 20 recent months alone, John’s firm achieved four nine-figure verdicts totaling nearly $2 billion. The firm now has more than 50 dedicated professionals, with a focus on plaintiff’s litigation including personal injury, product liability, medical malpractice, business litigation and class action cases. John’s approach is simple: The client always comes first and prepare every case as if it’s headed to trial. These principles have driven unparalleled success in the courtroom including record setting verdicts in multiple states. It has also inspired meaningful change across multiple industries and has helped Simon Law become known as the firm where cases become causes. John’s verdicts have held some of the largest corporations in the world accountable for their misconduct and shined a national spotlight on critical, often ignored industry safety issues. That’s what John means when he says his firm is where cases become causes. John’s honors and awards reveal what John’s clients already know - he stands among the best litigators in the United States.

Jonathan Schochor

Baltimore, MD

Jonathan Schochor is a founding partner and chairman at Schochor, Staton, Goldberg & Cardea, P.A. He has practiced law continuously since 1971, focusing on medical negligence cases for 48 years. He has recovered over a billion dollars for clients and has been involved in thousands of medical malpractice cases. He spearheaded the Levy Class Action settlement for $190 million and led the Almaraz case, establishing a new legal precedent for HIV disclosure by healthcare providers. He is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University (1968) and American University School of Law (1971). He is a frequent lecturer and mentor, and supports charitable organizations.

Brian J. McKeen

Detroit, MI

Brian McKeen began practicing law in 1982. During his career, he has become a powerful advocate for his clients and one of the foremost medical malpractice attorneys in Michigan. He has tried cases throughout the United States. He currently sits on the executive boards of the Michigan Association for Justice (MAJ) and the American Association for Justice (AAJ). Mr. McKeen formerly served as chair of the AAJ Professional Negligence Section, Medical Negligence Exchange Group and Birth Trauma Litigation Group (BTLG). Since 2001, McKeen & Associates has generated the year's top verdict in Michigan four times, including securing the state's largest medical malpractice verdict on record in 2001, when a jury rendered a verdict award of $55 million in the case of Hall v Henry Ford Health System. McKeen & Associates also topped all Michigan verdict awards in 2002, with an award of $22.5 million in the case of Blazo v McLaren Regional Medical Center, et al; in 2006 with an award of $16 million in the case of Lowe v Henry Ford Health System; and in 2007, with an award of $35 million in the case of Oppenheim v Aeneas C. Guiney. Mr. McKeen was recently inducted to The Inner Circle of Advocates and named Top Attorneys in Michigan as published by The New York Times in September 2012.

Richard Turbin

Honolulu, HI

Richard Turbin, an attorney in Honolulu for over 37 years, was born in New York City, graduated from Cornell University, Magna Cum Laude, and Harvard Law School where he served as Editor and Author of the Harvard Civil Rights Law Review. Since entering private practice in 1975, Mr. Turbin has concentrated in personal injury, medical malpractice and insurance claim cases. Richard Turbin was elected the 2005 President of the Hawaii State Bar Association. He was also elected to the prestigious position of Chair of the Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section (TTIPS) of the American Bar Association from 1999-2000. With 40,000 members TTIPS is the largest organization of personal injury and insurance lawyers in the world. He also served as Chair of the International Committee of that organization. He was elected to the Hawaii Academy of Plaintiffs Attorneys and was a founder and President of the Consumer Lawyers of Hawaii. Mr. Turbin's commitment to Hawaii's community is demonstrated by the appointment by the Governor of Hawaii as the Vice Chair of the East West Center; as Chairman of the Waialae-Kahala Neighborhood Board, a Civil Rights Commissioner, Chairman of the Professional Liability Insurance Committee of the Hawaii State Bar Association, President of the Bishop Street Exchange Club, and the legal counsel for the Hawaii Jaycees, the Interscholastic League of Hawaii, and the Hawaii High School Athletic Association. Richard Turbin was honored by the American Bar Association's Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section in being awarded the prestigious "Pursuit of Justice Award" in 2006 and Temple Emanuel's "Justice Award" in 2005 and Player of the Year for the Hawaii Harlequin Rugby Football Club, as well as the Girl Scout Council of Hawaii for support of their programs.

Bartholomew J. Dalton

Wilmington, DE

Mr. Dalton holds the largest verdict in both medical malpractice and automobile accident litigation in Delaware’s history. He is also the Past President of the American College of Trial Lawyers.