Jeffrey S. Kanca, General Attorney in New York

Jeffrey S. Kanca has joined Weitz & Luxenberg’s skilled and experienced Mesothelioma and Asbestos Practice Group litigation unit. He brings the fierce tenacity Weitz & Luxenberg seeks in every promising attorney we hire.

Thirty years ago, we founded this firm because we felt compelled to help victims of asbestos exposure and seek justice on their behalf. Like Mr. Kanca, our firm is committed to helping people not in a position otherwise to stand up to giant corporations that put profits first and people last.

Each year, our firm takes on hundreds of new cases of asbestos exposure. We are fortunate to count Mr. Kanca among our dedicated and experienced team of mesothelioma and asbestos litigation attorneys.

Rather than represent some faceless corporation, Mr. Kanca seeks validation in helping others - in fighting and working for the underdog. He has seen what cancer can do in his own family and can relate to the families he represents.

“It’s hard watching a family struggle,” he said, “and I know firsthand how devastating cancer can be. With mesothelioma, which is a horrible, aggressive cancer, ‘time is of the essence.’”

“I believe in fighting for ‘the optimal result’ and striving to see that the family is taken care of. I hope to make an impact on people’s lives and raise awareness about mesothelioma, which is far more prevalent than people might think.”

Unfortunately, Mr. Kanca is right. We have known for more than a century that asbestos exposure can lead to severe lung damage.

You might think this knowledge would change how corporate executives act - that they would do everything reasonable to keep people safe. However, for some, just the opposite is true. When it comes to money, some companies overlook the very real, sometimes tragic, consequences of asbestos exposure.

These single-minded corporate executives may hope to get away with their unconscionable actions, but, as Mr. Kanca says, he and his fellow associates at Weitz & Luxenberg intend to hold them fully accountable and “rectify their wrongs.”

Over the years, Weitz & Luxenberg has made it our mission to help victims of asbestos exposure. To date, we have won billions of dollars in verdicts and settlements in an effort to help families confront the ravages of asbestos-exposure illnesses, and we do not plan to stop anytime soon.

Asbestos is a known carcinogen. Although the damage is not noticeable at first, over decades, fibers of asbestos can build up in the lungs.

Mesothelioma, an aggressive form of cancer, is just one of several diseases specifically tied to asbestos exposure. This disease typically moves quickly, often leaving someone with just months to live.

When a victim of mesothelioma contacts Weitz & Luxenberg, one of our goals is to seek justice and hold the negligent corporation responsible. For families, we hope to establish a legacy that will meet their financial needs.

Mr. Kanca brings to Weitz & Luxenberg the very ideals our firm represents. Before coming to work with us, Mr. Kanca had identified and honed his skills in several areas of law, one of which is mesothelioma and other asbestos-related diseases.

While working as an associate at a prominent asbestos litigation law firm in New York, he handled product liability and negligence cases, including a range of exposure-related personal injury litigation, such as talcum powder. In addition, Mr. Kanca oversaw a large number of civil files from inception through resolution.

Mr. Kanca also worked as an associate attorney at another firm specializing in asbestos-related cases. In addition to managing complex cases, he argued briefs before the civil presiding judge in Bridgeport, Connecticut, as well as the presiding justice for the Rhode Island Superior Court.

At the University of Connecticut Criminal Law Clinic, Mr. Kanca served as a clinic counselor, representing clients who would not have been able to afford representation otherwise.

His passions outside of work include giving back to the community, following the Giants and the Yankees, playing softball, skiing, and cycling. He also loves travel, with Austria rating high on his destination wish list.

Mr. Kanca is licensed to practice law in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and Rhode Island. He is also permitted to practice federal law in Connecticut and Rhode Island.

He earned his J.D. from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 2012 and his B.A. in political science in 2009.