Professionals
Anthony J. Laura
Of Counsel
When domestic and multinational companies encounter a dispute in their daily operations, whether it involves a contract with vendors, dealings with the consuming public, or management of their workforce, Anthony Laura is one of their fiercest advocates. Anthony guides his clients through pre-litigation resolution or, if that’s not feasible, through the adversarial litigation process.
Over his 35 years in practice, Anthony has developed a particular focus on representing financial services companies in consumer class action litigation, counseling and representing management in all types of employee relations matters, and dealing with product liability matters for companies in the chemical and medical device industries. He also represents clients in the consumer-facing technology industry.
Clients benefit from Anthony’s extensive trial experience. He has tried nearly 30 cases with more than two dozen jury trials. Knowing in detail how a trial proceeds, including evidentiary issues, jury sensitivities, and the stress inherent in the process, Anthony can effectively gauge the strength of a client’s case and how it may play out at trial, helping to shape the course of the matter and an early resolution, if warranted.
In addition, Anthony’s recent work as Chief Legal Officer of an international metals and mining company gives him particular insight into a client’s needs and expectations, including how to effectively price legal services and add value to the general counsel suite.
For more than 15 years, by appointment of the New Jersey Supreme Court, Anthony has served as a member of the District Ethics Committee, where he investigates and, if merited, prosecutes grievances against attorneys who have violated the New Jersey Rules of Professional Conduct. He also currently serves as a Trustee and Treasurer of the Amanda Rose Laura Foundation, which funds both necessary and innovative co- and extra-curricular programs for students in underserved communities.
Prior to working with Colella Zefutie, Anthony was a partner in the New Jersey offices of several national and international law firms, where he focused on financial services and commercial litigation, employment law, government response and investigations, litigation and dispute resolution, toxic torts, and products liability matters.
Recognition
- The Best Lawyers in America©*, in Litigation – Labor and Employment (2018 to 2022)
- Martindale-Hubbell*, “AV Preeminent” Peer Review Rating
*No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey. See Award Methodology.
- Selected Matters
- Publications & Speaking
- Defended the leading U.S. provider of in-flight Internet services against putative class action claims in the Eastern District of New York. The claims centered on the company’s monthly subscription plan, pursuant to which customers are afforded access to the Internet on all flights equipped with the client’s devices and agree to have their credit cards charged each month. Alleging that the client did not sufficiently apprise customers of the recurring nature of the charge, the plaintiffs sought nearly $24 million in restitution and damages. After extensive trial court and appellate proceedings, including threshold issues on the enforceability of online arbitration clauses, the parties reached a non-cash “coupon” settlement which was, after three hearings and expert testimony, approved by the court.
- Represented one of the nation’s 15 largest mortgage servicers in the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency’s mandated exhaustive review of the client’s mortgage servicing and foreclosure practices following the mortgage crisis of 2008. Anthony opened the lines of communication with the bureau, and organized and supervised the legal aspects of the forensic evaluation of tens of thousands of mortgage files to determine the legality and efficacy of the company’s conduct. The client’s ultimate assessment of liability was the second lowest among the 15 banks under investigation.
- Defended a large regional health care system based in New Jersey that was sued for terminating a 10-year contract for first-call ambulance services, with potential damages of $8 million. Anthony determined to take the case to trial rather than accept seven-figure settlement demands. After a week-long jury trial, he obtained a defense verdict rejecting the $8 million claim. As a result, the case reset the structure of first-call ambulance services throughout the client’s health care network.
- Defended a large financial services company, along with a collection of the nation’s other largest banking institutions, against a putative class action suit claiming that those defendant banks had conspired to fraudulently inflate the “prime rate” in violation of antitrust laws. Anthony and his team obtained dismissal of the complaint, which was affirmed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. As to these prime rate claims, the dismissal resulted in the client avoiding the kind of scrutiny and pecuniary liability that befell the banking industry roughly 10 years later in the LIBOR rate-fixing cases.
- Defended one of the world’s leading chemical companies named in thousands of asbestos lawsuits throughout the country. As part of a national defense strategy, Anthony focused on the unique physical and chemical characteristics of the asbestos mined by the client, and its resulting lack of human toxicity. He followed the science, developed a favorable theme, and continued to press it. The client was able to avoid the bankruptcy fate of many of its asbestos co-defendants.
- Assisted in the defense of the City of New York and roughly 150 contractors against thousands of personal injury claims resulting from the rescue, recovery and debris removal activities in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. In addition to his involvement in depositions and numerous court submissions up until the global settlement reached in early 2013, Anthony led a team focused on cutting edge issues relating to jury research and potential juror response to threshold issues in the litigations.
- Appeals Court Divided On Bad Faith Under Illinois Trade Secrets Act
September 15, 2016 - Are Courts Still Willing to “Blue Pencil” Overbroad Restrictive Covenants to Make Them Enforceable?
April 25, 2016 - Restrictive Covenants: Do Yours Meet a Changing Landscape?
April 20, 2016 - Jurisdiction to Pursue Non-Compete Claims in the Age of Remote Employees
March 17, 2016
Education
- Yale University (B.A., 1983)
- Fordham University School of Law (J.D., 1986)
Bar Admission
- New Jersey
- New York
- Supreme Court of the United States
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
- U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Michigan
Memberships
- American Bar Association
- Hispanic National Bar Association
- New Jersey State Bar Association, Product Liability and Toxic Tort Section (Chair, 1999-2001)
- New Jersey Supreme Court Appointment to District Ethics Committee
- Runnells Specialized Hospital Foundation, Former Trustee
- United Way of Summit/New Providence/Berkeley Heights, Budget Review Committee (Chair, 2004-2007)
