What Others Have to Say
From Prior Clients
“Just wanted to take a moment to say thank you. I know a lot of hard work, by all of you, went into the preparation of this case and we wanted you to know that it is greatly appreciated. We worried about many things during that period, but one thing we didn’t worry about was our attorneys. What a fine team you make! You guys are great!”
“I wanted to touch base with everyone again to express my thanks to everyone involved in the USAir 1016 case for the way the case was handled and the way you treated myself and my family. While I realize that there are other law firms that could have tried the case, I don’t believe they could have matched the caring you showed us. I don’t believe we could have found a better firm anywhere. Everyone I came in contact with was as professional, caring and concerned as possible. It was a nice feeling knowing not only did you have a really good law firm working with you, but that you also had a friend. All my thanks.”
“How do we thank you for doing such a tremendous job with the lawsuit against Freeport Memorial Hospital?…The day that check arrived I was so nervous, in fact I was a wreck until we had it safely invested. I am not thanking you just as our attorney, but as a very good friend. You will do well in life because you sincerely have compassion for people and care about them. You can be assured that we will give your name to anyone who needs representation like we did.
“…With all due respect, we hope to avoid circumstances that may warrant your services in the future. At the same time, should matters work out as such, there is a value in knowing we have someone whom we trust and respect to turn to for help.”
“We would like to take this opportunity to express our heartfelt thanks for the supportive service that you have given our family during the past three years. While we wish that we would not have found ourselves in a situation requiring your services, we are grateful for the sensitive way in which you have worked to help us deal with the aftermath of the tragic events surrounding our mother’s death. We hope for the day when there will be no additional need for you to be involved in the area of aviation disasters. Until then, we are confident that you will continue to serve clients in the same professional, yet caring manner in which you have served us. Once again, thank you from the bottom of our hearts.”
From The Bench
“Throughout the three years that Mr. Rapoport represented Jamie Hebert, this court observed his thorough preparation, his strong advocacy and his noteworthy trial skills. Based on this court’s observations, Rapoport was overwhelmingly responsible for the $7.1 million plaintiffs’ verdict. The $5 million loss of consortium verdict for the teenage children was record setting. [. . .] The court had the opportunity to observe Mr. Rapoport personally on a number of occasions, including the damages trial. His skills in selecting and presenting the evidence and his handling of the unique, all-male jury were among the best this court has seen in over 20 years on the bench.”
U.S. District Court Judge Karl S. Forester
June 9, 2011 Order
In re: Air Crash at Lexington, Kentucky, on Aug. 27, 2006, No. 5:06-CV 316 (E.D Ky.).
From September 11 Victims’ Compensation Fund
“Dear Mr. Rapoport:
Thank you for helping in our estimating the costs to the Federal government of the legislation to compensate victims of the terrorist-related crashes on Sept. 11 …. Your considered judgment based upon long experience with recoveries by the surviving relatives of the victims of previous airline crashes was an important part of our deliberations and our discussions with those in the administration involved in implementing the new victims’ compensation fund. Your candor and thoughtfulness were greatly appreciated.”
Sincerely,
Robert P. Murphy
General Counsel
Congressional Budget Office
U.S. Congress
Major Airline Crash Case
“In a major airline crash case I tried, the defense’s primary experts on pilot error were an astronaut who had walked on the moon and the Air Force General who commanded air operations during Operation Desert Storm. In arguing that their opinions were flawed, plaintiff’s lead counsel, David Rapoport, pointed out categories of information that the experts were not given (whether they needed this information was disputed by the defendant) and then turned this on the defendant by saying “How dare this defense team take such heroes and deprive them of the weather information and the training information and then parade them before you with their opinions!” By paying homage to the “heroes” who testified for the other side, while attacking “the defense team” for holding something back, Rapoport skillfully dealt with the expert issue.”
Excerpt from a publication by United States District Court Judge Joseph Anderson, Jr., from the District of South Carolina, who presided over the USAir Flight 1016 case. Anderson J., The Lost Art: An Advocates Guide to Effective Closing Argument. Ch. 2, p. 41 (1999)
From the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee
“Your honor, this is probably the closet you are going to see us again as a Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee and I want to say a couple of things in the record if you will allow me on behalf of the committee […] While we did our fair share of the work, and there was plenty to go around, we would like to state in the record of a particular expression of appreciation from the plaintiff’s side of this case must go to David Rapoport and Jim Orr.
We have acknowledged that by naming David Rapoport as lead counsel, by a unanimous vote as a committee, and by naming Jim Orr as liaison counsel. And, again, while we all did plenty of work, nobody contributed in the way those two fellows contributed to bring the plaintiffs’ side of this case to the adjudication that we have had.”
Lawrence E. Richter, Jr., Esq.
The Richter Firm, P.A.
Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina
Member of plaintiff’s Steering Committee Flight 1016, addressing the court on the Record after return of a successful verdict
From a Juror
“Dear Mr. Rapoport:
I wanted to write to you to let you know what a great job you did representing all families and crash victims of Flight 1016. You are to be truly commended […] I truly enjoyed watching you battle it out with Mr. Dombroff (all the while maintaining your composure) and seeing how much compassion you obviously feel for your clients. Thank you for such an educational experience. I hope our paths will cross again.”
Sincerely,
Maranda H. Stokes, Juror
In re Air Crash at Charlotte
North Carolina on July 2, 1994
MDL Docket No. 1041
Trial Jan. — March, 1997
United States District Court
Judge Joseph Anderson, Jr., presiding
From Referring Lawyers
“A very close friend of mine was killed in an airplane accident involving USAir at La Guardia Airport in New York City. His wife engaged me to handle the estate and to help her locate appropriate legal counsel to represent her in her case against USAir. I identified more than eight candidate law firms. One was Mr. Rapoport’s. We were immediately impressed with David Rapoport for several reasons.
We engaged David Rapoport and he was involved heavily in the litigation over the next three years, including taking the case to trial against a multi-million dollar settlement offer. We were very impressed with the job David did for us, in and out of the court. The resulting judgment against USAir still stands as the largest dollar value wrongful death judgment in Ohio’s history. It was almost double the airline’s best pretrial offer.”
Michael L. Stark, Esq.
Stark & Knoll, Akron, Ohio
“I represent business interests of a family that lost a loved one in the Swissair Flight 111 tragedy. Following that accident, I was asked by the family to seek appropriate legal counsel to assist in the representation of their interests as a result of the accident. Obviously, I took that responsibility very seriously and made every effort to properly consider the various attorneys and firms in the United States with the requisite expertise. In the process of my search, I contacted David Rapoport, a trial attorney in Chicago with considerable experience in airline crash cases. Ultimately, David was selected to represent the family with respect to this matter. Since that time I have had the opportunity to work very closely with David and I am exceptionally pleased with our working relationship and David’s expertise and energy as it relates to this case.”
Theodore C. Beckett, III, Esq.
Beckett & Hensley, L.C.
Kansas City, Missouri
In re Swissair Flight 111
Attorney referral
Dear David
“Not only was I very impressed by the quality of your work (and the work of your team), I sincerely do hope that our paths shall cross again. The friendship is forever.”
With my warm regards to you and your family,
Eric Alves de Souza, Esq.
Alves de Souza Houman Collart
Attorneys at Law
Geneva, Switzerland
Swiss counsel involved in
Swissair Flight 111 case
Dear David:
“I enjoyed collaborating on the McCormick case. You and Paul Richter did an outstanding job for Bob’s family and I know they are all very grateful.”
Very truly yours,
James A. Rapp
Hutmacher & Rapp, P.C.
Quincy, Illinois
In re Air Evac EMS Helicopter
Death on Jan. 22, 2001
