Before I became a lawyer, I spent years sitting down with people who had been diagnosed with mesothelioma and helping them understand how they may have been exposed to asbestos. I saw firsthand what these families were going through. That experience is ultimately what led me to law school, and it continues to shape the way I approach every client and every case today.”
John W. Stevenson is a member of Weitz & Luxenberg’s experienced team of litigators handling mesothelioma and asbestos lawsuits. Mr. Stevenson focuses primarily on talc products that are contaminated with asbestos.
Mr. Stevenson joins our skilled team of attorneys dedicated to working on behalf of people harmed by asbestos exposure across the country. So far, we have achieved more than $8.5 billion in verdicts and settlements on their behalf.
“I am excited to be part of Weitz & Luxenberg. I’ve been handling asbestos and mesothelioma cases for a number of years, and I am thrilled to be given the opportunity to continue that work here. Weitz & Luxenberg is first rate when it comes to asbestos exposure litigation. To be part of this effort is an honor,” Mr. Stevenson says.
From Investigator to Attorney
For Mr. Stevenson, representing people with mesothelioma is work he has been drawn to throughout his legal career.
“I’m proud to be part of Weitz & Luxenberg because this is a firm with the experience and resources to make a meaningful difference for people facing an incredibly difficult diagnosis,” Mr. Stevenson says. “Our clients deserve attorneys who will listen to them, understand their story, and do everything possible to pursue justice on their behalf.”
Mr. Stevenson’s path to becoming an attorney began unexpectedly. After studying journalism and political science at Rutgers University, he began working as an investigator at a law firm in 2015. There, he met with people who had developed mesothelioma and worked to identify the products and circumstances that may have exposed them to asbestos. That experience changed the direction of his career.
“I was meeting directly with clients and hearing their stories,” Mr. Stevenson recalls. “My job was to listen carefully, ask questions, and help them recall things that may have occurred decades earlier. I came to understand how important that investigative work could be to a family searching for answers.”
Mr. Stevenson continued working full time while attending law school part time. Throughout those years, he remained involved with clients whose mesothelioma was linked to asbestos-contaminated talc. The investigative skills he developed during that period remain central to his work as an attorney today.
“Mesothelioma has a long latency period, so identifying the source of someone’s exposure can require going back through many years of a person’s life,” he explains. “Sometimes the answer is connected to an occupation or workplace. Other times, it may be an everyday product someone used for years without ever having reason to believe it could be dangerous. Understanding that history starts with listening to the client.”
A Personal Connection to Talc Products
Mr. Stevenson’s work involving asbestos-contaminated talc also has a personal resonance. His grandmother was a devoted user of Shower-to-Shower body powder, and he still remembers its distinctive smell from childhood.
“That memory has stayed with me,” he says. “These were ordinary products that people incorporated into their daily routines and trusted enough to use around their families. My grandmother was one of those people. It gives me a personal understanding of why our clients want answers and accountability.”
That perspective is particularly meaningful as Mr. Stevenson represents people whose mesothelioma may be connected to products they began using decades ago.
“For many clients, there was no reason to think twice about using these products,” he says. “They were familiar. They were part of everyday life. Some were used by parents on their children, and those children grew up and continued using them with their own families.”
Helping Clients Find Answers
Mr. Stevenson has seen the profile of mesothelioma clients evolve over the course of his career. Historically, mesothelioma was associated with occupational asbestos exposure among construction, manufacturing, and shipbuilding workers. Cases involving asbestos-contaminated talc, however, brought Mr. Stevenson into contact with a broader range of clients, including younger people and women.
“Regardless of how someone was exposed, a mesothelioma diagnosis changes a family’s life,” Mr. Stevenson says. “Our role is to help clients understand what may have happened, guide them through the legal process, and pursue accountability from those responsible.”
That combination of investigation and advocacy is what continues to draw him to the work. “I started doing this before I was an attorney, and the people I met along the way are a large part of why I became one,” he says. “Now I have the opportunity to take what I learned as an investigator and use it as an advocate. I want my clients to know that their story matters, that we’re going to listen, and that we’re going to work hard on their behalf.”
Legal Background
Mr. Stevenson is licensed to practice law in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and the U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey. He earned his J.D. from Rutgers School of Law in Newark, New Jersey. He achieved his B.A. in journalism and political science from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey.
On the Personal Side
Outside the office, Mr. Stevenson enjoys spending time with his wife and two cats. He’s also an avid runner and cyclist, as well as a musician who plays in a band.
