Mr. Kochman is a member of the firm. He practices in the Insurance Litigation & Product Liability Defense and Mass Torts & Industry Wide Litigation Practice Groups. Mr. Kochman’s practice focuses primarily on representing corporations as national, regional, local and trial counsel in all phases of complex product liability litigation through trial. He has been involved in the defense of a wide variety of product litigation, including automobiles, exercise and recreational equipment, heavy industrial equipment, pharmaceuticals, and toxic torts, including asbestos. He has also defended corporations in class actions, multi district litigation and state wide consolidations. Mr. Kochman has extensive deposition experience including preparation and defense of corporate executives, scientific, medical and technical experts.
Mr. Kochman has received an AV rating in Martindale-Hubbell, its highest accolade for both legal ability and general ethical standards. Prior to joining Harris Beach, Mr. Kochman practiced with a large New York City law firm where his experience included representing a company as national counsel in the “Fen Phen” litigation. He also represented a major Japanese international manufacturing client as Northeast Regional Discovery Coordinator responsible for preparation of discovery responses and mass document production.
Representative cases include:
Woodward v. AO Smith Water Products, et al. (New York State Supreme Court, 2007): Obtained dismissal for industrial pump manufacturer, Blackmer, in product liability case.
Gizzi v. Albany International, et al. (New York State Supreme Court, 2007): Successful defense of textile manufacturer resulting in dismissal of product liability case.
Valley v. OPW Fueling Components, et al. (New York State Supreme Court, 2006): Successfully represented commercial fuel component supplier, OPW Fueling Components, in product liability case.
Gesa v. United Rentals, Inc. (New York State Supreme Court, 2006): Successful defense of United Rentals regarding negligence and product liability claims asserted as to distributor of construction equipment.
Morales v. Conceptions S.N. Vena, Inc. (New Jersey Superior Court, 2005): Successful defense of Canadian manufacturer of construction cement mixer equipment regarding allegations of defective design and inadequate warnings.
Blumm v. Trane (New Jersey Superior Court, 2005): Successful defense of commercial air chiller manufacturer in product liability action for property damage.
Alvarez, Duckworth, Gehler, et al. v. Bryant Electric, Division of Hubell, Inc. (New York State Supreme Court, 2004): Obtained summary judgment on behalf of industrial heater manufacturer in product liability case resulting in plaintiff dismissing entire cluster of over 150 cases based upon same theory.
Nereida Alvarez, et al. v. General Electric, et al. (New York State Supreme Court, 2004): Co-counsel defending General Electric regarding toxic tort product liability claims related to subway propulsion system.
Boyce v. America Honda Motor Co. (New York State Supreme Court, 2001): Represented Honda regarding automotive crash worthiness and defective seatbelt allegations asserted on behalf of deceased infant.
Powchik v. Cybex (New York State Supreme Court, 2001): Successfully defended exercise equipment manufacturer as to claims for allegedly defective equipment.
Wahl v. America Honda Motor Co., et al. (New York State Supreme Court, 1999): Co-trial counsel on behalf of Honda obtaining defense verdict after four-week trial in all terrain vehicle case.
Drattel v. Toyota Motor Corp. (New York State Supreme Court, 1997): Co-counsel for Japanese automotive manufacturer, Toyota, defending against plaintiff’s crashworthiness and no airbag claims.
Steidl v. Harley-Davidson (U. S. District Court, EDNY, 1997): Pre-trial and co-trial counsel representing Harley-Davidson resulting in defense verdict in motorcycle crashworthiness litigation.
Clarke v. Agency Rent-A-Car (New York State Supreme Court, 1996): Trial counsel for Agency Rent-A-Car in automotive litigation resulting in defense verdict obtained in Bronx County, New York.
Curtis Mayfield v. Coca-Cola, et al. (U. S. District Court, EDNY, 1995): Counsel representing theatrical lighting distributor defending product liability claims brought by the well-known entertainer regarding his accident, which rendered him quadriplegic.
Education
JD, 1985, Emory University School of Law
BA, 1981, magna cum laude, Tufts University
Admissions to Practice
New York State Bar
New Jersey State Bar
United States District Court
Southern District of New York
Eastern District of New York
District of New Jersey
Professional & Community Activities
Mr. Kochman is chair of the Biomechanics and Injury Causation Specialized Litigation Group of the Defense Research Institute (DRI). He is the immediate past co chair of DRI's Recreational Products Specialized Litigation Group. Mr. Kochman serves on the Steering Committee of the Products Liability Committee. He has published numerous articles and lectured extensively in the products liability field regarding admissibility of expert testimony, crashworthiness in automotive litigation, establishing defenses such as assumption of the risk and open and obvious dangers, rebutting failure to warn claims, and legal ethics. Mr. Kochman published the article, “Why, When and How to Use Testimony,” in the November 2006 edition of DRI’s For The Defense. In March 2007, Mr. Kochman spoke on the topic, “How to Litigate a Products Case: The Fundamentals,” for a New York State Bar Association CLE program. He is on the Editorial Board for DRI’s Daubert Compendium 2002 and authored a chapter of the Compendium entitled “What is the Known or Potential Rate of Error.” Mr. Kochman is a member of the Board of Directors of the Berkeley Carroll School in Brooklyn, New York, and serves on the Development Committee and Major Gifts Subcommittee. He also serves as Brooklyn Chair of the Tufts Alumni Admissions Program.
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