Listeria Class Action

The South African Food Safety Team

Richard Spoor

Richard Spoor is a South African activist and human rights attorney based in White River Mpumalanga who has more than 25 years of experience in complex litigation. A pioneer throughout the past 20 years in the fight for workers’ rights and safety, Spoor has become what The American Lawyer called the “bête noir” of the South Africa Mining Industry because of his unwavering commitment to holding mining companies accountable for their alleged ill treatment of workers, who are some of the country’s most underprivileged citizens.

Spoor is a graduate of the University of Cape Town. He served his articles of clerkship with human rights lawyer Priscilla Jana in 1985 before joining labour law firm Cheadle Thompson and Haysom, where he became a partner. During this time, he represented people and organizations engaged in the struggle against apartheid. With the advent of democracy in 1994, he moved to White River Mpumalanga.

Spoor focuses on the field of occupational health and safety. He has represented workers and trade unions in enquiries into some of the country’s worst industrial disasters in the chemical, construction, industrial and mining sectors. Over the last couple of decades, he has negotiated a number of pioneering settlements between employers and workers, or their dependents, in relation to occupational injuries and disease following major mining and industrial accidents and occupational disease epidemics.

Among Spoor’s most notable settlements were those achieved on behalf of asbestos miners with Gencor and the Swiss multinational Eternit. These settlements led to the creation of the Asbestos Relief Trust and the Kgalagadi Relief Trust, both of which have, to date, paid more than R320 million in benefits to thousands of sick mine workers or their dependents suffering as a result of asbestos exposure.

Spoor’s practice additionally embraces the fields of land reform and land/environmental rights, with special reference to the impact of mining on indigenous communities.

Thamsanqa Malusi

"Thamsanqa Malusi is an admitted Attorney at Richard Spoor Inc. Thamsanqa holds a bachelor of social sciences degree, majoring in legal studies and political science, and an LLB degree both from the University of Cape Town. Thamsanqa’s areas of focus are Mining, Land Restitution, Occupational Health and Safety and general commercial and public interest litigation. 

Thamsanqa has extensive experience assisting mine hosting communities and communities who are beneficiaries of land restitution to design structures in terms of which they manage community assets in a transparent and accountable manner for the benefit of community members.

Thamsanqa has conducted various accident inquiries in terms of the Mine Health and Safety Act representing members of the Association of Mineworkers and Construction Union.

Thamsanqa is one of the lawyers at Richard Spoor Inc., involved in the gold mine class action litigation that is spearheaded by Richard Spoor Inc., and Motley Rice LLC. Thamsanqa is currently putting together a class action on behalf of Coal Workers that contracted Coal Workers Pneumoconiosis.

Thamsanqa is involved in various NPOs on a volunteer and advisory basis" 

George Kahn

George Ivor Butela Kahn graduated from Rhodes University Law School in 2010, having been awarded the Rob & Trish Midgely Law Award for outstanding contributions. He has been litigating ever since, completing his articles at the Grahamstown litigation firm of Neville, Borman and Botha, and then joining the Richard Spoor Inc Attorneys in 2013 to assist with complex litigation related to industrial medical conditions.

In addition to his legal qualifications, Mr Kahn holds degrees in the Humanities (Rhodes) and the Sciences (UCT), where he would have pursued a career in Neuroscience and Medicine had he not discovered his love of the Law and its possibility to assist many more people. He therefore holds several additional specialisations outside of Law, including several majors in the field of Molecular Biology. Combined with his majors in Philosophy, Psychology and Political studies, amongst others, he is detailed and analytical in his approach. 

Kahn has been on record in numerous successful cases that are today important precedents that shaped South African law in terms of complex litigation, class actions and industrial issues that affect people’s health. 

William Marler and Marler Clark attorneys are serving only as consultants in this litigation and are not licensed to practice law in South Africa.

An accomplished attorney and national expert in food safety, William (Bill) Marler has become the most prominent foodborne illness lawyer in America and a major force in food policy in the U.S. and around the world.  Marler Clark, The Food Safety Law Firm, has represented thousands of individuals in claims against food companies whose contaminated products have caused life altering injury and even death. 

Bill began litigating foodborne illness cases in 1993, when he represented Brianne Kiner, the most seriously injured survivor of the historic Jack in the Box E. coli O157:H7 outbreak, in her landmark $15.6 million settlement with the company.  The 2011 book, Poisoned: The True Story of the Deadly E. coli Outbreak that Changed the Way Americans Eat, by best-selling author Jeff Benedict, chronicles the Jack in the Box outbreak and the rise of Bill Marler as a food safety attorney. 

For the last 25 years, Bill has represented victims of nearly every large foodborne illness outbreak in the United States, filing lawsuits against such companies as Cargill, Chili’s, Chi-Chi’s, Chipotle, ConAgra, Dole, Excel, Golden Corral, KFC, McDonald’s, Odwalla, Peanut Corporation of America, Sheetz, Sizzler, Supervalu, Taco Bell and Wendy’s. Through his work, he has secured over $600,000,000 for victims of E. coli, Salmonella, and other foodborne illnesses.

Among the most notable cases he has litigated, Bill counts those of nineteen-year-old dancer Stephanie Smith, who was sickened by an E. coli-contaminated hamburger that left her brain damaged and paralyzed, and Linda Rivera, a fifty-seven-year-old mother of six from Nevada, who was hospitalized for over 2 years after she was stricken with what her doctor described as “the most severe multi-organ [bowel, kidney, brain, lung, gall bladder, and pancreas] case of E. coli mediated HUS I have seen in my extensive experience.”

New York Times reporter Michael Moss won a Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of Smith’s case, which was settled by Cargill in 2010 for an amount “to care for her throughout her life.” Linda’s story hit the front page of the Washington Post and became Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid’s touchstone for successfully moving forward the Food Safety Modernization Act in 2010.

Mr. Marler can be reached at bmarler@marlerclark.com and 1-800-884-9840

More Than an Attorney

Bill Marler’s advocacy for a safer food supply includes petitioning the United States Department of Agriculture to better regulate pathogenic E. coli, working with nonprofit food safety and foodborne illness victims’ organizations, and helping spur the passage of the 2010-2011 FDA Food Safety Modernization Act.  His work has led to invitations to address local, national, and international gatherings on food safety, including testimony before the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce.  

At little or no cost to event organizers, Bill travels widely and frequently to speak to food industry groups, fair associations, and public health groups about the litigation of claims resulting from outbreaks of pathogenic bacteria and viruses and the issues surrounding it.  He gives frequent donations to industry groups for the promotion of improved food safety, and has established numerous collegiate science scholarships across the nation. 

He is a frequent writer on topics related to foodborne illness.  Bill’s articles include “Separating the Chaff from the Wheat: How to Determine the Strength of a Foodborne Illness Claim”, “Food Claims and Litigation”, “How to Keep Your Focus on Food Safety”, and “How to Document a Food Poisoning Case” (co-authored with David Babcock). He is the publisher of the online news site, Food Safety News and his award winning blog, www.marlerblog.com is avidly read by the food safety and legal communities. He is a frequent media guest on food safety issues and has been profiled in numerous publications, including the ABC News, New York Times, The New Yorker, and The Wall Street Journal.

In 2010 Bill was awarded the NSF Food Safety Leadership Award for Education and in 2008 earned the Outstanding Lawyer Award by the King County Bar Association.  He also received the Public Justice Award from the Washington State Trial Lawyers Association. 

Bill graduated from the Seattle University School of Law in 1987, and in 1998 was the Law School’s “Lawyer in Residence.”  In 2011, he was given Seattle University’s Professional Achievement Award. 

Bill is a former board member of the Washington State Trial Lawyers, a member of the board of directors of Bainbridge Youth Services, former President of the Governor-appointed Board of Regents at Washington State University, and a member of the Children’s Hospital Circle of Care.

Bill is married to Julie Marler and has three daughters, Morgan, Olivia, and Sydney.  

EDUCATION

1987 -  J.D. Seattle University School of Law

1982 -  B.A.s Political Science, Economics, English, Washington State University

AWARDS AND DISTINCTIONS

2013 - Seattle University Distinguished Law Graduate Award

2011- Seattle University Professional Achievement Award

2011 to Present - ABA Journal “Blawg 100” Best Legal Blogs

2010 - NSF Food Safety Leadership Award: Innovation in Education

2009 to Present -  Best Lawyers in America

2002 to Present -  Bar Register of Preeminent Attorneys

2008 -  Public Justice Award, Washington State Trial Lawyer’s Association

2008 - Outstanding Lawyer Award, Seattle/King County Bar Association

1998 to Present - “Super Lawyer”, Washington State Attorneys

1998 - 2004 Governor Appointee, Washington State University Board of Regents Chairman

1997 -  Distinguished Achievement Award, WSU College of Liberal Arts

PUBLICATIONS

2011 - Separating the Chaff From the Wheat: The Reality of Proving a Foodborne Illness Case. White Paper June.

2010 - Laywers, Microbiologists, and Safe Food Microbiologist Magazine, Vol 11, No 2, June

2009 - Legal Issues for Food Safety:  What Every Food Professional Should Know Food Safety and Quality Magazine, Volume 5, Issue 3 September

2009 - Serving Up Trouble American Association of Justice Trial Magazine, Vol 45, No 2 February  2007 -  Food Safety and the CEO:(PDF) Keys to Bottom Line Success Food Safety Magazine, October/November.

2005 -  Food Claims and Litigation (PDF) Food Safety In-sight Newsletter by Environ Health Associates, Inc, February

2005 -  Separating the Chaff from the Wheat: How to Determine the Strength of a Foodborne Illness Claim (PDF) Paper presented at Defense Research Institute meeting on Food Liability

2005 -  How to Keep Your Focus on Food Safety Food Safety Magazine, June-July.

2004 -  How to Document a Food Poisoning Case (co-authored with David Babcock) Trial Magazine, November

PROFILES

Poisoned: The True Story of the Deadly E. Coli Outbreak That Changed the Way Americans Eat, By Jeff Benedict

2017 - Seattle Litigator Bill Marler Follows the Food Chain Bloomberg News Cases and Controversies Podcast, Steven Sellers, December 18

2017 – Meet The Attorney Behind The Biggest Food Safety Cases KNKX, Gabriel Spitzer & Kevin Kniestedt, September 30

2017 – This Food Poisoning Expert Revealed The 6 Things He Refuses To Eat HealthyWay, R.J.Wilson, May 18

2016 –  How one Attorney Is Trying to Make Food Safer Civil Beat News, Rui Kaneya, August 22

2016 – This genius lawyer is our best hope against deadly food poisoning Mother Jones, Kiera Butler, May 20

2016 – 7 Things We Learned About Food Safety Oversight From A Foodborne Illness Expert Consumerist, Ashlee Kieler, February 2

2015 – Profile in Obsession: Bill Marler, Naomi Tomky, March 24

2015 – The New Yorker – A Bug in the System The New Yorker, Wil S. Hylton, February 2

2014 – Q&A: Food Safety Lawyer Bill Marler on What Not to Eat The National Law Journal, Jenna Greene, November 3

2012 – Bill Marler, Attorney, Blogger, and Food Safety Advocate, Talks Turkey (Or Spinach, Rather) Miami New Times, Ily Goyanes, November 2

2012 – Bill Marler Interview, Part Two: His Most Difficult Cases and Lobbying Congress Miami New Times, Ily Goyanes, November 14

2012 – Profiles in Public Health Law: Interview with William “Bill” Marler CDC Public Health Law News, July

2012 – Food Safety Lawyer Bill Marler On Sprouts, Raw Milk, and Why “Local” Isn’t Always Safer Blisstree.com, Hanna Brooks Olsen, March 5

2011 – Listeria outbreak draws Seattle lawyer to battle Associated Press, Shannon Dininny, October 9

2011 – Food-Borne Illness Attorney: Top Foods to Avoid ABC News, Neal Karlinsky, September 29

2011 – How to Keep Food Free of Salmonella: Lawsuits The Atlantic, Barry Estabrook, August 31

2011 – More Stomach-Churning Facts about the E. Coli Outbreak New York Times, Mark Bittman, June 8

2011 – Bill Marler: A Personal Injury Attorney and More The Xemplar, Nicole Black, June 1

2011 – Good Food Hero: Bill Marler, Food Safety Attorney Good Food World, Gail Nickel-Kailing, May 23

2011- Poisoned: The True Story of the Deadly E. coli Outbreak that Changed the Way Americans Eat Inspire Books, Jeff Benedict, May 15

2011 – New Book Chronicles Islander Marler’s Work Bainbridge Island Review, Connie Mears, May 13

2010 – Food Safety Lawyer Puts His Money Where Your Mouth Is AOL News, Andrew Schneider, September 29

2009 – Bill Marler: Taking on E.coli, BigAg, Raw Milk, Conspiracy Theorists, and the USDA Simple, Good, and Tasty, Shai Danielson, December 16 

2009 – Food Safety Lawyer’s Wish: Put Me Out of Business Seattle Times, Maureen O’Hagan, November 23

2009 – WSU Discourse on Food Safety, Courtesy Seattle Lawyer Kitsap Sun, Tristan Baurick,  August 29

2009 – Calling for Real Food Safety Reform: Bill Marler for FSIS Civil Eats, David Murphy, June 24

2009 – When Food Sickens, He Heads for Courthouse Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Matt McKinney, June 24

2009 –  Bill Marler, The Food-Safety Litigator Culinate, Miriam Wolf, April

2009 – Food Fight:Bill Marler’s Beef (PDF) Washington Law & Politics, David Volk, May

2009 – Candidate for Top FSIS Job talks E. coli Testing, Irradiation, Education The Meating Place, Ann Bagel Storck, February 6

2009 – Five Minutes with Bill Marler, Well Known Lawyer, Food Safety Activist CattleNetwork, Chuck Jolley, February 5

2009 – Outspoken Food Safety Attorney Wants In The Washington Post, Ed O’Keefe, January 27

2008 –  E. Coli Lawyer Is Busier Than Ever Associated Press, February 4

2007 –  Legally Speaking: The Food Poisoning Lawyer The Southeast Texas Record, John G. Browning, November 20

2007 –  The Nation’s Leading Food-borne Illness Attorney Tells All Washington State Magazine, Hannelore Sudermann, August

2007 – Food Fight Portland Oregonian, Alex Pulaski, March

2006 –  How a Tiny Law Firm Made Hay Out of Tainted Spinach The Wall Street Journal, Heather Won Tesoriero and Peter Lattman, September 27

2001 –  THE INSIDE STORY: How 11 Schoolkids Got $4.75 Million in E. coli Lawsuit MeatingPlace.com, Bryan Salvage, March 7

2001 –  Hammer Time: Preparation Pays When Disputes Escalate to Lawsuits Meat & Poultry Magazine, David Hendee

2001 –  For Seattle Attorney, A Bacterium Brings Riches—and Enemies The Wall Street Journal, Rachel Zimmerman

2001 –  The Bug That Ate The Burger Los Angeles Times, Emily Green, June

1999 –  Courting Publicity, Attorney Makes Safe Food His Business Seattle Post, Maggie Leung, September 7