In this country, it’s relatively easy for companies to bring products to market — too easy, in many cases. Roundup is a perfect example. A product that unsafe should never have been approved for sale. Until we have stronger regulations in place, firms like Weitz & Luxenberg play a critical role in protecting the public. We’re here to fill in the gaps — fighting for justice and compensation for people who’ve been harmed by corporations.”
Emma Dietz is an associate attorney at Weitz & Luxenberg. She officially joined our Environmental, Toxic Tort & Consumer Protection group in 2024. She focuses her practice on holding polluters and negligent corporations accountable for the harm they cause to individuals, communities, and the environment.
Ms. Dietz and her colleagues represent clients in several high-impact environmental cases, including litigation involving Roundup weed killer and the BioLab chemical plant fire. She also plays a key role in consumer protection cases, such as the firm’s ongoing action against Grand Design and Winnebago for manufacturing RVs with defective frames.
“I love working at Weitz & Luxenberg,” Ms. Dietz says. “It’s an incredibly supportive culture. Everyone here is driven by the same mission — getting the best results for our clients.”
Ms. Dietz arrived here and hit the ground running. Since joining the firm, she has taken on an active role in litigation — defending depositions, writing briefs, working with experts, and preparing cases for trial.
Helping Clients and Our Environment
“I’ve always known that I wanted to be an advocate for our environment. And I especially appreciate the human element of our work here at Weitz and Luxenberg,” Ms. Dietz says. “Every person deserves access to clean air, safe water, and a healthy environment. For me, the best way to work toward this goal was by joining a law firm dedicated to plaintiffs’ side environmental litigation.”
Ms. Dietz is passionate about holding corporations accountable — not only to secure justice for those harmed, but also to send a clear message. “When companies pollute our communities, we want them to know: We’re watching. And we’re going to make sure you answer for it.”
Using Science to Win Cases
Before pursuing law, Ms. Dietz originally planned to become a scientist. Her strong foundation in the sciences — combined with her passion for public outreach developed during her time as a community organizer — makes her uniquely skilled at translating complex technical issues into accessible and persuasive language.
“I see myself as a bridge,” she explains, “between what the scientific data is telling us and the people who are affected by it — whether that’s community members and clients, or jurors and judges.”
Ms. Dietz’s path to Weitz & Luxenberg included hands-on experience at several leading environmental organizations. She has worked at the Environmental Protection Bureau in the New York State Attorney General’s Office, Earthjustice, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), and Environment America.
Fighting for Hoosick Falls
Prior to joining Weitz & Luxenberg as an attorney, Ms. Dietz worked as a paralegal in Weitz & Luxenberg’s environmental unit. She first came on board in 2019, just in time to support the firm’s groundbreaking work on the Hoosick Falls water contamination case. [Residents in this New York town faced a public health crisis after industrial waste contaminated their drinking water with PFOA — a toxic chemical linked to serious illness.
Weitz & Luxenberg went after several offending companies — and most ultimately agreed to settle. Towards this end, Ms. Dietz assisted in preparing for depositions, worked with plaintiffs’ experts, reviewed critical documents, counseled clients, and participated in settlement proceedings.
Ultimately, the firm resolved over 2,300 claims and secured a $65 million settlement for Hoosick Falls on behalf of affected residents and business owners.
Now, as an attorney, Ms. Dietz is working to take the final defendant to trial. “We believe the evidence supporting our case is strong,” Ms. Dietz says. “And when Weitz & Luxenberg believes in a case, we don’t give up. We fight until justice is won.”
Getting Her Legal Education
Ms. Dietz is licensed to practice law in New York. She earned her J.D. from the New York University School of Law in NYC and graduated cum laude. She earned her B.S. in environmental science from Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, and graduated magna cum laude.
On the Personal Side
Outside the office, Ms. Dietz enjoys hiking with her fiancé and her dog, exploring lakes in upstate New York, cooking new vegetarian recipes, and singing.
