Lawyers For The People

John F. Scarzafava

John F. Scarzafava

1947-2014

Education

  • St. Mary's University School of Law, San Antonio, Texas
    • J.D. - 1975
    • Honors: Who's Who in American College and Universities (Law Student Division)
    • Honors: Recipient of Delta Theta Phi Scholarship Award
    • Honors: Moot Court Champion
  • St. Bonaventure University
    • B.A. - 1972
    • Honors: cum laude

Classes & Seminars

  • Multiple Lectures, Syracuse University College of Law 2009, 2010
  • Coach, Syracuse University College of Law, Mock Trial Team 2009-2010 ( Eastern Regional Champions)
  • Instructor, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, National College of Advocacy, 1979-1980, 1983-1984
  • Speaker, 51st Melvin Belli Seminar, 1994
  • The Association of Trial Lawyers of America National Convention, 1986
  • New York State Bar Association, 1989, 1995

Published Works

  • "New York Motor Vehicle Accidents", James Publishing Company, Sept. 1999
  • "Auto Product Liability: Defective Door Latch", 36 Am. Jur. Trials 339, 1988
  • "A Safe Place to Work: Actions under F.E.L.A.", 17 Trial Lawyers Quarterly 62, 1986
  • Co-Author: "Comparative Causation in Product Liability Actions- No Need to interject Contributing Negligence," 45 Texas Bar Journal, January, 1982 (Awarded Texas Bar Foundation Journal Finalist Award for Literacy Excellence)
  • "The Positional Risk Doctrine," 6 St. Mary's Law Journal
  • "Contributory Negligence in a strict Liability Case: The Ghost Still Walks," 15 Trial Lawyers forum 29, 1980
  • "Rights of Public Employees, The Leopagator Syndrome," ATLA National Convention Manual 1980
  • "An Analysis of Products Liability Defense in the Aftermath of Hopkins," 9 St. Mary's Law Journal, 1977
  • "The Supreme Court of Texas Clarifies the Applicable Defenses in Products Liability," 40 Texas Bar Journal, September 1977

Bar Admissions

  • Texas, 1975
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 5th Circuit, 1975
  • U.S. District Court Western District of Texas, 1977
  • U.S. Supreme Court, 1979
  • New York, 1981
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of New York, 1981
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit, 1984
  • U.S. District Court Southern District of New York, 1986

Honors

  • Elected to The Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers
  • Elected to The Best Lawyers in America
  • Texas Bar Foundation Award for Literary Excellence
  • Profiled in New York Magazine (July 2005) as one of New York's Best Lawyers
  • Million Dollar Advocates Forum
  • AV Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell (Highest Rating by Martindale-Hubbell)
  • American Board of Trial Advocates
  • Elected to New York Super Lawyers
  • Admitted by Special Invitation to American Trial Lawyers (Top 100 Trial Lawyers, N.Y.)
  • Admitted to the Order of the Barristers
  • Member of the Executive Committee New York State Bar Association Trial Lawyers
  • America's Most Honored Professionals

Representative Cases

  • Denny v. Ford Motor C., 87 NY2d 248 (1995); 79 F. 3d 12 (2nd Cir 1996)
  • Gonzales v. Caterpillar Tractor Co., 22 Tex. SupJ. 23 (1978)
  • Schicker v. General Motors Corporation, 57JUD.DIST.CT., San Antonio, TX