Jeffrey P. Goodman

Jeff is a trial lawyer who focuses on complex and high-profile cases around the globe.  Most recently Jeff led the litigation on behalf of the victims of the Surfside Condo Collapse in Miami Florida, which killed 98 people.   Jeff, along with an excellent team of lawyers from Miami, was able to resolve the case for approximately $1.2 Billion in less than one year after the tragedy. 

Additionally, Jeff leads the charge on behalf of the victims of the Grenfell Tower Fire in London in litigation pending in the United States and is on the front lines of the fight for victims of high-profile boating disaster in California. Jeff is also taking on meatpacking plants throughout the United States for their failures to provide adequate safety protections during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jeff is based out of SMB’s Philadelphia office; however, his unique cross-border litigation experience leads Jeff to routinely represent clients throughout the United States and internationally.

To date, Jeff has helped recover more than $3 Billion for victims in mass casualty events and individual tragedies. 

As an advocate, Jeff is aggressive, fearless and relentless. Jeff is known for his creativity in the courtroom. Outside of trial, Jeff is renowned for his unique ability to navigate the strategic complexities of mass litigation that involves often hundreds of victims.

Jeff handles cases against insurance companies, product manufacturers, rail operators, the maritime industry, trucking companies, construction companies, educational institutions and other businesses that harm victims. Jeff is regularly called upon for his ability to prove complicated issues of economic loss to ensure maximum recovery for his clients. Throughout his career, Jeff has played a lead role in litigating high profile national disasters including:

• $1,200,000,000 settlement on behalf of the victims of the June 24, 2021 Surfside Condo Collapse in Florida in which 98 people died.   This is the largest settlement of a mass disaster in American History. 
• $265,000,000 settlement was reached in the May 2015 Amtrak Train No. 188 derailment in which 8 people died and over 200 were injured. This was the largest settlement of a railroad accident in American History. 
• $227,000,000 settlement reached after winning trial on liability for 19 plaintiffs—including the loved ones of the seven that died in the June 5, 2013.
• $150,000,000+ settlement in connection with a major transportation disaster. Case details are not yet available for publication.
• $70,000,000 settlement for a woman whose children and husband died in a transportation disaster. 
• $48,000,000 confidential settlement in connection with a factory explosion.
• $17,000,000 settlement was reached during the middle of trial on behalf of two Hungarian students drowned and twelve others were injured when the Duck Boat on which they were riding was run over by a barge.
• $16,500,000 settlement against a Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Center related to the death of a client under their care. 

In addition to these mass disasters, Jeff has fought for compensation to help individual victims who have suffered catastrophic injuries and the families of those who have lost loved ones. His work on these cases has led to over 100 settlements or verdicts in excess of $1 Million.

Jeff is regularly called on for his knowledge and experience beyond the Philadelphia area and has obtained multi-million-dollar settlements and verdicts for clients in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Florida, West Virginia and the Virgin Islands. Jeff has been routinely recognized by his appears for his outstanding trial achievements, including being names as a Rising Star by SuperLawyers, a Lawyer on the Fast Track by the American Legal Media, and the Top 40 Under 40 by the National Trial Lawyers.

In 2016, Jeff became the youngest partner in the SMB’s history.