John R. Felice

Full Profile

John Felice has built his practice around representing manufacturers, distributors, businesses, premises owners and their insurers in a variety of toxic exposure cases, including asbestos, talc, chemical exposure (including, but not limited to, PCB, PCE, TCE), lead, mold and paint. John serves as national coordinating counsel for a major automotive parts retailer and is charged with developing, implementing, and managing the litigation against that retailer throughout the US. He also represents manufacturers of motor homes, aircraft, motor vehicles, heavy, industrial and manufacturing equipment, consumer products, and construction and safety equipment, in cases involving personal injury claims. John’s experience includes representing premises owners in slip and fall, negligent security and fire cause and origin cases and he represents individuals and business entities in claims involving sexual molestation, sexual assault and sexual harassment.

In addition to his tort litigation practice, John has vast experience representing insurers, insurance claim administrators, and other stakeholders in connection with complex insurance coverage matters involving toxic tort, asbestos, fidelity, bad faith, products liability, general liability, professional liability, directors’ and officers’ liability, sexual abuse and other claims. He represents insurers in connection with bad faith and unfair claim practice matters, including claims of statutory violations, failure to respond reasonably and promptly to demands for coverage, refusal to defend or pay claims without reasonable investigation or basis, failure to affirm or deny coverage within a reasonable time and failure to effectuate prompt, fair and equitable settlements when liability has become reasonably clear.

Admissions

• Massachusetts
• Connecticut
• New Hampshire
• Rhode Island
• Maine
• US District Courts for the Districts of Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island
• US Court of Appeals for the First Circuit

Education

• J.D., cum laude, Suffolk University Law, 1999
• B.A., cum laude, Fairfield University, 1996
• St. John’s Preparatory School, 1992

Memberships

• International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC)
• Massachusetts Bar Association
• Defense Research Institute (DRI)
• Massachusetts Asbestos Litigation Defense Executive Committee
• American Bar Association
  • Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section
• Massachusetts Defense Lawyers Association
  • Past President
  • Member, Past Presidents’ Advisory Committee
• The Claims and Litigation Management (CLM) Alliance
  • Board of Directors, Massachusetts Chapter

Experience

• Obtained dismissal of lawsuit against property owner on grounds that, absent a special relationship,  property owner has no duty to control another person’s conduct to prevent that person from causing harm to a third party.
• Obtained summary judgment for manufacturer of ice melt product in case alleging that chemicals in ice melt were the cause of Plaintiff’s permanent loss of smell and taste.
• Obtained dismissal of lawsuit against manufacturer of railcars based upon pre-emption of plaintiff’s state law claims under Locomotive Inspection Act and Safety Appliance Act.
• Obtained summary judgment for distributor of general line laboratory supplies in case alleging that laboratory products were the cause of Plaintiff’s mesothelioma.
• Obtained dismissal of lawsuit alleging asbestos-related injury was caused by release of asbestos from factories into the ambient air near plaintiff’s residence.
• Obtained summary judgment for manufacturer of roofing cement in case alleging that building construction materials were the cause of Plaintiff’s mesothelioma.
• Obtained dismissal of lawsuit alleging defamation, conspiracy and fraudulent transfer of assets.
• Attained favorable settlement on behalf of property owner in case alleging wrongful death caused by fire in condominium building.
• Obtained a defense verdict, after a three week jury trial, on behalf of the alleged successor-in-interest to a manufacturer of asbestos-containing products installed aboard U.S. Navy ships.
• Attained favorable settlement on behalf of disaster restoration company in case alleging take-home exposure to asbestos through the clothing and person of a former employee.
• Attained favorable settlement for general contractor in case alleging brain injury caused by exposure to toxic chemicals used by a subcontractor retained by the general contractor.
• Attained favorable settlement for boiler manufacturer during trial for claims that asbestos-containing components of heating products were the cause of Plaintiff’s mesothelioma.
• Attained favorable settlement for water and sewer contractor in case alleging wrongful death caused by toxic exposure to mold that resulted from repeated sewage backups.
• Successfully negotiated dismissal of claim against log home manufacturer alleging improper preservation of logs prior to sale.
• Obtained summary judgment for insurer who asserted the right to control the defense of insured where the defense was offered without reservation of rights.