Philadelphia personal injury attorney Ezra Wohlgelernter led a three hour symposium entitled “Business and the Tort System: Friends or Foes?” at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania on March 6, 2014.
The event was organized by Professor William S. Laufer, Ph.D. for students in the Wharton Ethics and Legal Studies Doctoral Program, a program that is designed to prepare graduates for careers in university teaching and research at leading business schools, law schools, and other businesses.
Wohlgelernter began the dialogue by explaining why he chose to make a career out of representing people who have been catastrophically injured. He shared stories about successful cases that not only helped ease clients’ suffering, but also helped reform unsafe business practices and create new safety protocols at local hospitals. Wohlgelernter answered questions about how the civil justice system serves as an independent system of checks and balances against corporate malfeasance, tort reform, and whether monetary awards truly make individuals whole after a catastrophic injury or loss.
“These students are the future leaders of the business community,” Wohlgelernter said. “It was our hope that by engaging them in an open and honest forum, we could shine a light on misconceptions about the civil justice system, and identify points of public policy and business ethics upon which all members of society can agree.”
A lawyer with more than 30 years of experience and one of the three founders of Philadelphia-based Feldman Shepherd, Wohlgelernter is a frequent contributor and sought-after speaker for both continuing legal education and community activities. He is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York and has successfully tried complex cases in each jurisdiction. He concentrates his practice on medical negligence, premises liability, motor vehicle and truck litigation and other significant personal injury claims.
About Feldman Shepherd — Feldman Shepherd Wohlgelernter Tanner Weinstock Dodig LLP has handled cases producing some of the largest verdicts and settlements in Pennsylvania. The firm represents plaintiffs in significant personal injury, class action, and other complex civil litigation. Clients include victims of medical malpractice, defective products, unsafe workplaces, motor vehicle accidents, legal malpractice and insurer misconduct.