Steven J. Sharp Public Service Award
Four years ago, in the early morning of June 24, this tragic condominium collapse killed 98 people. It was one of the deadliest structural engineering failures in history.
The AAJ members who worked on these cases on behalf of victims and survivors poured all their energy into uncovering every detail, following the leads that would reveal all the responsible entities. Ultimately, within one year, their efforts helped the families of victims whose lives were devastated by this horrific tragedy.
And the Florida legislature passed new laws to better protect residents. Now, any residential complex 30 years or older must be inspected for structural integrity and then, every 10 years thereafter. If the structure is within 3 miles of the coast, the inspection must be done once it is 25 years of age, and every 10 years thereafter. If there is evidence of deterioration, repairs must be completed within a year.
The Champlain Towers South was 40 years old and going through what was, at the time, the required 40-year recertification process when it collapsed.
These trial lawyers and their clients have made a difference.
AAJ Members of the Court-Appointed Plaintiffs' Counsel for the Champlain Towers South Condominium Collapse of 2021:
Lea P. Bucciero
Rachel Wagner Furst
Jeffrey P. Goodman
Stuart Z. Grossman
Ricardo M. Martinez-Cid
William F. "Chip" Merlin, Jr.
Curtis B. Miner
Robert J. Mongeluzzi
Adam M. Moskowitz
Judd G. Rosen
John Scarola
Bradford R. Sohn
Harley S. Tropin
About the Award
The Steven J. Sharp Public Service Award recognizes plaintiffs and the attorneys of plaintiffs whose cases help tell the story of the American civil justice system.
This award is named for Steven J. Sharp of Richland, Oregon, a brave man who lost both arms at the age of 17 because of a defective tractor hay baler. The tractor manufacturer knew one person had been mangled, and another decapitated, by this defectively designed product. Yet, company executives did nothing, even though a small seventy cent part would have fixed the problem.
What happened to Steven shouldn’t happen to anyone else. But if it does, they should have a chance to seek justice too.
At the time of Steven’s case, legislation was pending that would have barred him from taking his case against the manufacturer to court. He spoke out to show lawmakers how legislation to limit access to the courts would deprive people like him of justice. Steven’s case had a positive effect on Capitol Hill and ultimately helped convince President Clinton to veto this unfair legislation.
Past Recipients
2024:Plaintiff Executive Committee of the National Prescription Opiate Litigation
2022: Koskoff Koskoff & Bieder, PC and the families of Sandy Hook
2021: Deepak Gupta
2019: Google Employees/Forced Arbitration: Tanuja Gupta, Christopher Schmidt, Emanuel Schorsch, Obasi Shaw, and Vicki Tardif
2018: Atttorney John C. Manly and Jeanette Antolin, Jamie Dantzscher, Mattie Larson, Kaylee Lorincz, Sterling Riethman, and Jordyn Wieber
2017: Gretchen Carlson and Nancy Erika Smith
2016: Susan Vento
2015: C. Richard Newsome, Corey Burdick, and Kaylee Burdick
2014: Lance Cooper, Ken Melton, and Beth Melton
2013: Benjamin Crump and Daryl D. Parks
2012: Michael Johnson and Gladys Mensing
2010: Jeremy Warriner and Attorneys Larry Coben and Keith D. Jones
2009: Diana Levine and Attorneys Richard Rubin and David Frederick
2008: Manny Vega and Attorneys Jeff Anderson and Ray Boucher
2007: Brent Coon and Eva Rowe
2006: Louise Bell, Carol Ernst, and Attorney Carlene Rhodes Lewis
2005: Brandon Maxfield and Attorney Richard Ruggieri
2004: Kay Bergonzi and Attorneys Mike Abourezk, Richard Friedman, Peter Kahana, and Michael White
2003: Shawna and Vernon Gardner and Attorneys Gregory Eisland and Glenn Johnson
2002: Laura Rose
2001: Ford/Firestone Attorneys
2000: Robyn Santitoro
2000: Elizabeth Kuniholm
1998: Linda McCathern and Attorney Jeff Foote
1998: Thomas Self and Attorneys Brian Monaghan and Sherry Bahrambeygui
