Partners

James L. Ferraro along with Michael V. Kelley were the founding partners of Kelley & Ferraro, LLP which represent over 30,000 asbestos victims. Mr. Ferraro practices in the areas of product liability, wrongful death, personal injury, and medical malpractice. He has specialized in asbestos and mass tort litigation for close to twenty years. He has successfully tried many cases that resulted in multi-million dollar jury verdicts. In 1995, Mr. Ferraro received the largest compensatory award in the state of Florida for a mesothelioma case. In 1997, Mr. Ferraro also had the highest compensatory jury verdict ever in the nation for a non-malignant asbestos case. Mr. Ferraro has negotiated settlements on behalf of tens of thousands of clients in his years of practice. His negotiated settlements are close to a billion dollars.

Mr. Ferraro was one of ten national finalists for Trial Lawyer of the Year in 1997 for trying the first case successfully prosecuted against a chemical company for causing a birth defect. Mr. Ferraro proved that a pregnant woman’s exposure to the fungicide, Benlate, caused her child to be born without eyes and held DuPont accountable in Castillo vs. E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company and Pine Island Farms. The trial was covered in its entirety on Court TV and received worldwide attention. Seven years after trial, the Supreme Court of Florida affirmed the trial court verdict.

Mr. Ferraro received a Masters degree in Accounting in 1979 and became a Certified Public Accountant in 1980; he also taught accounting at the University of Miami in 1982. He is a member of the Ohio, New York, Florida, and Massachusetts Bars; the American Bar Association; the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants; the Association of Trial Lawyers of America; the Academy of Florida Trial Lawyers; the Trial Lawyers for Public Justice; and the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.

Mr. Ferraro is also the founding shareholder of The Ferraro Law Firm in Miami, Florida. He is the majority owner of the Cleveland Gladiators of the Arena Football League. He is also a Trustee of The William J. Clinton Presidential Foundation; a member of the Board of Directors of The Buoniconti Fund to Cure Paralysis, Inc.; a member of the Honorary Board of The Children’s Home Society of Florida Foundation, Inc.; a member of the National Leadership Committee of the National Italian American Sports Hall of Fame; and a member of the Advisory Board of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida. He was inducted into the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem Knights of Malta in 1999 and he was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor in 2001. Mr. Ferraro has three children - James, Andrew, and Alexis.

Email:jlf@ferrarolaw.com

Gallucci joined Kelley & Ferraro in 1997 as an Associate and became a partner in 2001. He was graduated from St. Edward High School in 1988, Miami University with a BA in 1992, and the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law in 1996, where he was managing editor of the Law and Health Journal. Gallucci is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, the American Association for Justice, the Ohio Association for Justice, the Ohio State Bar Association, and the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association. Gallucci has successfully litigated numerous cases and has obtained multi-million dollar settlements and awards in favor of his clients. A $4.5 million award he obtained for compensatory damages in an asbestos-related wrongful death case was one of the ten largest verdicts in Ohio in 2000. He has been instrumental in negotiating the settlement of tens of thousands of asbestos cases with various national manufacturers. Gallucci is admitted to practice law in the State of Ohio, United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States of America.  Gallucci was named one of Ohio's Super Lawyers of 2005, 2006, and then again in 2007. (see article under News Center)

Practice Areas: Asbestos Litigation, Products Liability, and Toxic Torts

Email: agallucci@kelley-ferraro.com

Wilson joined the firm as an associate in 1999 after practicing law in the Cleveland area for 12 years. Wilson has brought lawsuits against the asbestos and tobacco industries in state, federal and bankruptcy courts. He also serves as legal counsel to other attorneys regarding ethical issues. Wilson was graduated from St. Ignatius High School, Cleveland State University, and the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. Wilson is admitted to practice law in the State of Ohio, the State of New York, and before the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Illinois and the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. He is a member of the American Association for Justice, the Trial Lawyers for Public Justice, the Ohio Trial Lawyers Association, the Ohio State Bar Association and the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association. He was named partner in 2000.

Practice Areas: Asbestos Litigation, Asbestos Bankruptcy, Drug & Pharmaceutical Litigation, Wrongful Death and Probate

Email: twilson@kelley-ferraro.com

Murphy joined Kelley & Ferraro LLP in 1999 after spending three years at Davis & Young LLP defending asbestos cases. He graduated from Gilmour Academy in 1988, Purdue University with a BA in 1992 and from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1995. He serves as Magistrate for Bratenahl and Grand River Courts and has served as Special Prosecutor in Bratenahl. Murphy was named partner in 2004. He is a member of the Ohio State Bar Association, the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, and the Ohio Association of Civil Trial Attorneys. Murphy was named one of Ohio's Super Lawyers of 2005, 2006, and then again in 2007. (see article under News Center)

Practice Areas: Asbestos Litigation, Workers Compensation, Personal Injury, Products Liability/Toxic Tort, & Wrongful Death

Email: jmurphy@kelley-ferraro.com

Acton was graduated from Lake Catholic High School in 1993, the University of Dayton in 1997 with a BA, and in 2000 from the Cleveland State University Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. He is a former law clerk in the Appellate Division of the Cuyahoga County, Ohio Prosecutor’s Office. Acton joined Kelley & Ferraro in 2000. He has extensive experience as a trial lawyer and has tried in excess of sixty jury trials throughout the State of Ohio. Additionally, Acton has handled various appeals in the Ohio Court of Appeals. In 2008, he was recognized by the National Board of Trial Advocacy as a Board Certified Civil Trial Advocate. Acton is admitted to practice law in the State of Ohio, United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit and The Supreme Court of the United States of America. Acton is a member of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association. Acton was named a partner in 2008. Acton was selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers Magazine - 2009 & 2010 Rising Star Edition.

Practice Areas: Asbestos litigation, Workers Compensation; Personal Injury; Products Liability; Toxic Torts; Wrongful Death.

Email: sacton@kelley-ferraro.com