Designated Legal Counsel

Every year, thousands of railroad employees are injured or killed on the job. When this happens, the railroads retain skilled claim agents and attorneys to protect their interests. They put their legal knowledge to work — taking photographs, obtaining statements from witnesses, collecting measurements.

These agents and attorneys work for the railroad, not for you. But as a railroad employee, if you are injured on the job, you have powerful rights under the federal law known as the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA).

In response to railroads hiring skilled claim agents and attorneys to protect their interests, SMART Transportation Division has chosen experienced and successful trial lawyers as its Designated Legal Counsel (DLC) and recommends these lawyers to its members and their families when injured or killed on the job. 

These lawyers are specialists in handling FELA claims and are fully experienced in dealing with trained railroad claim agents and railroad lawyers. Members should seek their counsel and advice at the earliest opportunity if they feel they have a potential FELA case against a railroad. Always remember that the railroad claim agent is just that — an agent for the railroad. A SMART TD Designated Legal Counsel is YOUR agent, and their job is to represent the member. They are on your side. 

And remember, a non-designated lawyer does not have any obligation to your union and is not answerable to SMART Transportation Division.

Our DLCs offer free consultations to SMART TD members. 


The SMART Transportation Division Designated Legal Counsel are listed by the state in which their home office is located. Although there may not be a designated legal counsel office located in each state, many of these attorneys are licensed to practice in states outside of their home state.

ALABAMA

F. Tucker Burge

Burge & Burge, P.C.
Website: www.burge-law.com
2001 Park Place, Ste. 1350
Birmingham, AL 35203
(205) 251-9000
(800) 633-3733
(205) 323-0512 fax
Email: tucker@burge-law.com

James H. Wettermark

Wettermark & Keith, L.L.C.
Website: www.wkfirm.com
100 Grandview Pl., Ste. 530
Birmingham, AL 35243
(205) 933-9500
(877) 715-9300
(205) 977-3431 fax
Email: james@wkfirm.com

Michael D. Blalock

Blalock & Blalock, P.C.
Website: www.blalock.com
1232 Blue Ridge Blvd.
P.O. Box 26365
Hoover, AL 35226
(205) 823-8088
(800) 433-3352
(888) 304-1852 fax
Email: mdb@blalock.com

ARIZONA

Lloyd L. “Chip” Rabb III

Rabb & Rabb, P.L.L.C.
Website: www.1stinjurylaw.com
7442 N. La Cholla Blvd.
Tucson, AZ 85741
(520) 888-6740
(800) 354-3352
(520) 327-0651 fax
Email: lrabb@firstinjurylaw.com

CALIFORNIA

Jay A. Kaplan

Kaplan Law Corporation
Website: www.Kaplanlawcorp.com
1901 Ave. of the Stars, 19th Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90067
(562) 372-0506
(800) 552-7526
Email: jkaplan@kaplanlawcorp.com

Anthony S. Petru

Hildebrand, McLeod & Nelson, LLP
Website: www.hmnlaw.com
5335 College Ave., Suite 5A
Oakland, CA 94618
(510) 451-6732
(800) 689-7066
(800) 447-7500 U.S.
(800) 448-7575 CA only
(510) 465-7023 fax
Email: petru@hmnlaw.com

FLORIDA

Howard A. Spier, Esq.

Rossman, Baumberger, Reboso & Spier P.A.
Website: www.rbrlaw.com
Dadeland Centre One
9155 S. Dadeland Blvd., Ste. 1200
Miami, FL 33156
(305) 373-0708
(800) 775-6511
(305) 577-4370 fax
Email: spier@rbrlaw.com

GEORGIA

Michael J. Warshauer

Warshauer Law Group, P.C.
Website: www.warlawgroup.com
2740 Bert Adams Rd. NW
Atlanta, GA 30339
(404) 892-4900
(888) 879-7300
(404) 307-4682 cell
(404) 892-1020 fax
Email: mjw@warlawgroup.com

ILLINOIS

Daniel J. Downes

Cavanagh Law Group
Website: cavanaghlawgroup.com
161 N. Clark St. Ste 2070
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 425-1900
(800) 624-2121 direct
(312) 953-5839 cell
(312) 425-1904 fax
Email: dan@cavanaghlawgroup.com

Robert E. Harrington III

Dunn Harrington LLC
Website: www.dhinjurylaw.com
22 W. Washington St., Ste. 1500
Chicago, IL 60602
(773) 704-7088
(312) 548-7221
(855) 500-FELA (3352)
(312) 548-7223 fax
Email: reh@dhinjurylaw.com

F. Daniel Petro

Petro & Harrington, LLC
Website: www.petroharrington.com
150 S. Wacker Dr., Ste. 2400
Chicago, IL 60606
(312) 332-9596
(800) 472-5729
Email: fdpetro@petroharrington.com

Benjamin P. Tobin

Pratt & Tobin, P.C.
Website: www.prattandtobin.com
150 S. Bellwood Dr.
P.O. Box 179
East Alton, IL 62024
(618) 259-8011
(800) 851-5562 or (877) 851-5562
(618) 259-6793 fax
Email: btobin@prattandtobin.com

James L. Farina

Hoey & Farina, P.C.
Website: www.hoeyfarina.com
20 South Clark, Ste. 1710
Chicago, IL 60603
(312) 939-1212
(888) 425-1212
(312) 229-7570 direct
(312) 925-0028 cell
(312) 939-7842 fax
Email: farinafam@aol.com

John P. Kujawski

Kujawski & Associates
Website: https://kujawskiassociates.com
1331 Park Plaza Dr., Ste. 2
O’Fallon, IL 62269
(618) 622-3600
(618) 622-3700 (fax)
Email: twyatt@kujawskiassociates.com

Michael C. Terranova

Cogan & Power, P.C.
Website: www.coganpower.com
1 East Upper Wacker Dr., 38th floor
Chicago, IL 60601
(312) 685-8432
(312) 477-2530 direct
(312) 477-2501 fax
Email: mterranova@coganpower.com

LOUISIANA

Carisa G. Oden

Poolson | Oden Injury Lawyers
Website: www.poolsonoden.com
One Lakeway
3900 N. Causeway Blvd, Ste. 680
Metairie, LA 70002
Office: 504-766-2200
Fax: 504-766-2070
Toll free: 833-505-2122
Email: carisa@poolsonoden.com

Ben Saunders

Davis, Saunders & Miller, PLC
Website: www.davissaunders.com
450 N. Causeway Blvd, Ste. D
Mandeville, LA 70448
(985) 612-3070
(800) 321-7815
(985) 612-3072 fax
Email: benbsaunders@aol.com

MARYLAND

P. Matthew Darby

Darby Law Group, LLC
Website: https://www.facebook.com/mattdarbylawgroup
201 International Circle, Ste. 200
Hunt Valley, MD 21030
(833) 601-7245
Email: matt@darby-lawgroup.com

MASSACHUSETTS

Robert T. Naumes

Naumes Law Group
Website: www.naumeslaw.com
2 Granite Ave., Ste. 425
Milton, MA 02186
(617) 227-8444
(844) 826-8445
(617) 227-1270 fax
Email: robert@naumeslaw.com

MINNESOTA

Fredric Bremseth

Bremseth Law Firm PC
Website: www.bremseth.com
601 Carlson Parkway, Ste. 1050
Minnetonka, MN 55305
(952) 475-2800
(800) 545-3733
(952) 475-3879 (fax)
Email: fbremseth@bremseth.com

Michael F. Tello

Bolt Hoffer Boyd Law Firm
Website: www.bolthofferboydlawfirm.com
2150 Third Avenue North, Ste. 350
Anoka, MN 55303
(763) 406-7000
(763) 208-3607 fax
Email: michael.tello@bolthoffer.com

Cortney S. LeNeave

Hunegs, LeNeave & Kvas
Website: www.hlklaw.com
1000 Twelve Oaks Center Dr., Ste. 101
Wayzata, MN 55391-4707
(612) 339-4511
(800) 328-4340
(612) 339-5150 fax
Email: cleneave@hlklaw.com

MISSOURI

Gene C. Napier

Hunegs, LeNeave & Kvas
Website: www.hlklaw.com
1712 Main St., Ste. 266
Kansas City, MO 64108
or
12200 Catalina
Leawood, KS 66209
(913) 484-3884
(913) 451-0941
Email: gnapier1947@yahoo.com

Jerome J. Schlichter

Schlichter, Bogard & Denton, L.L.P.
Website: www.uselaws.com
100 S. Fourth St., Ste. 1200
St. Louis, MO 63102
(314) 621-6115
(800) 873-5297
(314) 621-7151 fax
Email: jschlichter@uselaws.com

OHIO

Andrew J. Thompson, Esq.

Shapero & Roloff Co., L.P.A.
Website: www.shaperoroloff.com
1111 Superior Ave. East, Ste. 1310
Cleveland, OH 44114
(216) 781-1700
(800) 321-9199
(216) 781-1972 fax
Email: athompson@shaperoroloff.com

NEW YORK

Patrick J. Donoghue

Godwin Hurley Donoghue, LLP
Website: www.godwinhurleydonoghue.com
1234 Delaware Ave., Ste. 200
Buffalo, NY 14209
(716) 267-6258
(716) 235-2500 fax

 

Marc Wietzke

Flynn & Wietzke, PC
Website: www.felaattorney.com
1205 Franklin Ave.
Garden City, NY 11530
(516) 877-1234
(516) 877-1177 fax
Email: MWietzke@FELAattorney.com

PENNSYLVANIA

Robert E. Myers

Coffey, Kaye, Myers & Olley
Website: https://ckmo.com
Two Bala Plaza, Ste. 718
Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004-1514
(610) 668-9800
(800) 334-2500
(610) 667-3352 fax
Email: rmyers@ckmo.com

Samuel J. Rosenthal

The Rosenthal Firm
1845 Walnut St., Ste. 2350
Philadelphia, PA 19103
(215) 923-8900
(800) 233-7101
(215) 351-0593 fax
Email: srosenthal@rosenthalfirm.net
Email: ssrosen2@gmail.com

TEXAS

Scotty MacLean

MacLean Law Firm, P.C.
Website: www.macleanfirm.com
4916 Camp Bowie Blvd.
Fort Worth, TX 76107
(817) 529-1000
(888) 474-1011
(817) 900-3897 cell
Email: smaclean@macleanfirm.com

Sara Youngdahl

Coordinator, Designated Legal Counsel
The Youngdahl Law Firm, P.C.
Website: www.youngdahl.com
4203 Montrose Blvd., Ste. 280
Houston, TX 77006
(281) 996-0750
(866) 996-0750
(281) 996-0725 fax
Email: syoungdahl@youngdahl.com

Clint McGuire

Martinez & McGuire, PLLC
Website: www.mmtriallawyers.com
17227 Mercury Dr., Ste. B
Houston, TX 77058
(281) 286-9100
(281) 286-9105 fax
Email: clint@mmtriallawyers.com

Marc A. Zito

Jones Granger, Attorneys at Law
Website: www.jonesgranger.com
10000 Memorial Dr., Ste. 888
P.O. Box 4340
Houston, TX 77210
(713) 668-0230
(800) 231-3359
(713) 956-7139 fax
Email: mzit@jonesgranger.com

VIRGINIA

Willard J. Moody Jr.

The Moody Law Firm
Website: www.moodyrrlaw.com
500 Crawford Street, Ste. 200
P.O. Box 1138
Portsmouth, VA 23704
(757) 393-4093
(800) 368-1033
(757) 397-7257 fax
Email: will@moodyrrlaw.com

WASHINGTON

James K. Vucinovich

Rossi Vucinovich P.C.
Website: www.railroad-injuries.com
1000 Second Ave., Ste. 1780
Seattle, WA 98104
(425) 646-8003
(866) 357-7245
(800) 325-4014
(425) 646-8004 fax
Email: jvucinovich@rvflegal.com

George A. Thornton

Thornton Mostul, P.L.L.C.
Website: www.nwrrlaw.com
1000 2nd Avenue, Ste. 3200
Seattle, WA 98104
(206) 621-0600
(800) 525-3352
(206) 621-6443 fax
Email: gthornton@thorntonmostullaw.com

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