“My clients are not big companies—I represent regular people and my work has always been motivated by a need to help them.”
Larry Bendesky
Larry Bendesky is one of Pennsylvania’s most respected and accomplished trial lawyers. Despite his decades of complex litigation practice, his workstyle remains very hands-on.
- $101,000,000A global settlement worth more than $101 million has been reached in the ...Read Story
- $27,000,000Larry Bendesky, Adam J. Pantano and Javier Puga obtained a $27M settlement ...Read Story
- $24,000,000Larry Bendesky, Robert Zimmerman, and Scott Fellmeth secured a $24 million ...Read Story
- $23,000,000Larry Bendesky, Adam Pantano and Jordan Howell secured a $23 million ...Read Story
- $14,000,000A man whose skull was crushed while he was doing roofing work at a local ...Read Story
- $18,500,000A worker was severely injured in a gas station explosion that also killed ...Read Story
- $13,000,000A crane operator who lost one leg and suffered serious injuries to the ...Read Story
- $12,000,000A roofer who was paralyzed from the neck down after a 40-foot fall will be ...Read Story
Larry Bendesky is the Managing Shareholder of Saltz Mongeluzzi Bendesky. He has handled more than 250 catastrophic injury and accident cases resulting in verdicts or settlements that have exceeded $1 million, and numerous cases over $10 million, including a $101 million settlement for the collapse of the Tropicana Hotel’s parking garage in Atlantic City. The Tropicana case was the largest settlement of a construction case in U.S. history.
Practice Areas
Larry’s cases have focused primarily on construction accidents and product liability claims, but his experience spans a wide range of incidents, including building collapses, elevator and escalator failures, industrial equipment design defects, roadway design cases, motor vehicle accidents, and consumer product defects. Catastrophic accident cases are complicated, involve tens of thousands of documents, and dozens of fact and expert witnesses. Over his 30-year legal career, Larry has brought a relentless approach to his cases and has made a significant difference in the lives of thousands of clients.
He has been named to the Pennsylvania Super Lawyer list every year it has been awarded and has been named to the Top 100 Philadelphia and Top 100 Pennsylvania Super Lawyer lists since 2015. Larry has been listed among the Best Lawyers® in America each of the past 10 years and was named to the 2026 Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers Guide.
Larry has lectured more than 140 times, teaching other lawyers about cross-examination, evidence, depositions, construction law, and product liability. After graduating with the Faculty Award as the best lawyer in his Masters in Trial Advocacy (LL.M.) class at Temple University Beasley School of Law, Larry has become an Adjunct Professor in the LL.M. Program and has been the Director of its Experts and Depositions Program. Larry currently teaches a course at Temple Law School entitled “Handling Cases in the Real World.”
Larry has always been drawn to the struggle individuals face when they do battle with big companies and their large law firms. Larry not only fights for his injured clients, but also helps those who cannot afford a lawyer for their legal problems, as he is active on the Board of Directors of Philadelphia Community Legal Services and Philadelphia Legal Assistance. Larry’s leadership is not limited to the firm and legal aid. He served as President of the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers’ Association from 2017-2018 and has been on its Board of Governors since 2008. He is also on the Board of Governors of the state trial lawyers’ association, PAJ, and is on the Board of Directors of the national trial lawyers’ association, AAJ, as Pennsylvania’s Delegate. He is on the Board of Directors of the Committee of 70 and was the President of the Temple American Inn of Court, a group of prominent lawyers and judges. Larry also served at the request of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court as a member of its Appellate Rules Committee from 2008 – 2014. Larry has also been a leader in his community, serving as a coach, Commissioner, and President of Lower Merion Little League.
Larry has received numerous awards in his career, including the Milton Rosenberg Award from the Pennsylvania Association for Justice for his devotion to injured victims, qualities of leadership, and service; the Benjamin Levy Award from the Louis D. Brandeis Law Society, for his sustained commitment to serving the legal and broader community; and the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers’ President’s Award for leadership and dedication to injured victims. He is a Fellow of the prestigious International Academy of Trial Lawyers, a select group of prominent lawyers from around the world. He has also been inducted into the Philadelphia Legends of Labor Hall of Fame.
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Larry Bendesky handled hundreds catastrophic injury and accident cases resulting in verdicts or settlements that exceeded $1 million.
Larry Bendesky handled hundreds catastrophic injury and accident cases resulting in verdicts or settlements that exceeded $1 million, and multiple cases over $10 million, including a $101 million settlement for the collapse of the Tropicana Hotel’s parking garage in Atlantic City. At the time, the Tropicana case was the largest settlement of a construction case in U.S. history.
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Camper drowned when counselors took away her floatation device.
Photo Credit: CBS3 Eye Witness NewsOn that September day, Cami was one of 14 campers taken to the lake, where a camp director and two counselors under the age of 18 were present to supervise the group…”Cami Grinnell was a precious child who deserved to live a long and bountiful life. Camp personnel and park staff failed her miserably, to the point where she was denied use of the very flotation device – inflatable arm floats – that had any chance of saving her life.” – Larry Bendesky
Honors & Awards
- Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers Guide (2026)
- Justice Michael A. Musmanno Award (2025)
- Benjamin Levy Award, Louis D. Brandeis Law Society (2024)
- Philadelphia Legends of Labor Hall of Fame (2024)
- President’s Award, Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association (2019, 2025)
- Named to the Top 100: Pennsylvania Super Lawyers List (2015-2025)
- Named to the Top 100: Philadelphia Super Lawyers List (2015-2025)
- Named to Pennsylvania Super Lawyers (2004-2025)
- The Best Lawyers in America® – Personal Injury Litigation (2009-2025)
- The Best Lawyers in America® – Product Liability Litigation (2019-2025)
- Milton D. Rosenberg Award, Pennsylvania Association for Justice (2023)
- Faculty Award, Outstanding Lawyer, Temple University Beasley School of Law (2000-2001)
The awards and accolades displayed on this website were issued to the attorneys, or the entire law firm, by the respective providers of these honors. No aspect of these advertisements have been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.
Admissions
- New Jersey
- Pennsylvania
- United States District Court of New Jersey
- United States District Court of the Eastern District Pennsylvania
- United States District Court of the Middle District of Pennsylvania
- United States District Court of the Western District of Pennsylvania
Education
- Temple University Beasley School of Law, LL.M., Trial Advocacy, with honors, 2002
- Delaware School of Law of Widener University, J.D., 1987
- Pennsylvania State University, B.A., with honors, 1984
Professional Organizations
- Committee of 70, Board Member (2019-Present)
- American Association of Justice
- Leaders Members Forum (2012-Present)
- President’s Club (2019-Present)
- Pennsylvania Delegate, Board of Governors (2018-Present)
- International Academy of Trial Lawyers, Fellow (2024-Present)
- Temple University Beasley School of Law
- Adjunct Law Professor
- Co-Director, Experts and Deposition Program
- Judge Pro Tempore, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas
- Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association, Member (2008-Present)
- President, (2017-2018)
- President-Elect (2016-2017)
- Vice President (2015-2016)
- Pennsylvania Association for Justice, Board of Governors (2007-Present)
- Philadelphia Community Legal Services, Board of Directors (2016-Present)
- Co-Chair, 2017 Bar Campaign
- Temple American Inn of Court, Board of Directors (2004-2020)
- President (2009-2010)
- Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, Member, Appellate Rules Committee (2008-2014)
- Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, Hearing Committee Chairman (2002-2003)
- Lower Merion Township Little League
- Board of Directors (2004-2006)
- President (2007-2009)
Lectures and Seminars
- Depositions Lecture, Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association CLE (October 22, 2024)
- Experts Lecture to Temple LLM Students (October 10, 2024)
- “Handling Cases in the Real World,” Adjunct Professor, Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law (January – April, 2024)
- “Evidence through the Movies” with Judge Bernstein (March 4, 2024)
- “Evidence through the Movies” with Judge Bernstein (October 31, 2023)
- Experts Lecture to Temple LLM Students (September 27, 2023)
- “Litigating Cases in the Real World,” Adjunct Professor, Penn State (February – March, 2023)
- “Evidence through the Movies” with Judge Bernstein (February 28, 2023)
- Judge Bernstein’s Class Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law (February 21, 2023)
- Penn State Law (w/Jordan Howell) (January 6, 2023)
- “Creatively Handling Deposition Issues,” Keynote Speaker, Annual PI Practicum CLE Speaker (October 27, 2022)
- Opening Statements Lecture at Judge Lazarus’ Trial Advocacy Class, Temple University Beasley School of Law (October 26, 2022)
- Pennsylvania Association of Justice Presentation, “Depositions” (July 23, 2022)
- Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association Luncheon Lecture, “Depositions” (April 13, 2022)
- “Litigating Cases in the Real World,” Adjunct Professor, Penn State Law (March – April, 2022)
- Guest Lecturer at Mark Bernstein’s Litigation Class Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law, (February 17, 2022)
- Guest Speaker at Sam Pond’s Temple Law Class (October 26, 2021)
- Experts Lecture to Temple LLM Students (October 6, 2021)
- Guest Speaker at Sam Pond’s Temple Law (October 27, 2020)
- Experts Lecture to Temple LLM Students (October 8, 2020)
- “Litigating Cases in the Real World,” Adjunct Professor, Penn State (March – April, 2020)
- Guest Speaker at Jerry Lehocky’s Drexel Law Class (March 3, 2020)
- Opening Statements Lecture at Judge Lazarus’ Trial Advocacy Class Temple Law (February 26, 2020)
- Guest Speaker at Sam Pond’s Temple Law Class (October 15, 2019)
- Experts Lecture to Temple LLM Students (September 21, 2019)
- “The Art of Simplifying the Complex Case,” PBI, (September 18, 2019)
- Depositions Lecture to Temple LLM Students (August 29, 2019)
- Opening Statements Lecture at Judge Lazarus’ Trial Advocacy Class Temple Law (March 13, 2019)
- “Demonstrative Evidence for Trial Lawyers” with Judge Bernstein, Drexel School of Law (March 6, 2019)
- Experts Lecture to Temple LLM Students (September 13, 2018)
- “Evidence for Trial Lawyers” with Judge Bernstein, PBI, Philadelphia, PA (June 6, 2018)
- “Top 10 in America: Tricks and Traps of Depositions,” NJAJ Educational Foundation Inc.’s Personal Injury, Atlantic City, NJ (May 11, 2018)
- Cross Examination Lecture with Judge Bernstein – Part III – Advanced Program, PBI, Philadelphia, PA (January 10, 2018)
- Cross Examination Lecture with Judge Bernstein – Intermediate Program, PBI, Philadelphia, PA (December 19, 2017)
- Cross Examination Lecture with Judge Bernstein – Part I – “My First Cross Examination”, PBI, Philadelphia, PA (November 8, 2017)
- Experts Lecture to Temple LLM Students (September 7, 2017)
- “Video Compilation of Expert Testimony”, SEAK Expert Witness Course, Clearwater, FL (May 7, 2017)
- “Trial Skills and Cross Examination with Judge Bernstein”, PBI, Pittsburgh, PA (March 29, 2017)
- “Trial Skills and Cross Examination with Judge Bernstein”, PBI, Philadelphia, PA (February 28, 2017)
- “The Catastrophic Injury Case: Quadriplegia, Paraplegia and Spinal Injury Cases”, PBI, Philadelphia, PA (February 17, 2017)
- University of Pennsylvania Undergraduate Program, Drexel Law School, Philadelphia, PA (December 8, 2016)
- “Practical Approaches to Consumer Product Claims,” Personal Injury Practicum Seminar, Philadelphia, PA (November 1, 2016)
- “2016 Hot Topics for Civil Litigators,” New Brunswick, NJ (September 24, 2016)
- “High Stakes Mediations: A Look Behind the Curtain,” Bench Bar Conference, Atlantic City, NJ (September 23, 2016)
- Experts Lecture to Temple LLM Students (September 8, 2016)
- “Trending Technology – In and Out of the Courtroom”, The Legal Intelligencer’s Litigation Summit, Philadelphia, PA (April 6, 2016)
- Bucks County Civil Litigation CLE Presentation, Doylestown, PA (March 9, 2016)
- “The Art of Being a Paralegal”, The Philadelphia Association of Paralegals’ Education Conference, Philadelphia, PA (October 23, 2015)
- “Product Liability in PA,” Bench Bar Conference, Atlantic City, NJ (October 16, 2015)
- Experts Lecture to Temple LLM Students (September 10, 2015)
- Cross Examination and Depositions Lecture to Temple LLM Students (September 3, 2015)
- “A Day on Trial:A Roadmap for Trying the Workplace Injury Case,” New Brunswick, NJ (July 8, 2015)
- “Cross Examination of Expert Witnesses,” Pennsylvania Defense Institute, Bethlehem, PA (June 18, 2015)
- “Construction Site Accidents,” NASP, Blue Bell, PA (April 9, 2015)
- “Cross Examining the Expert Witness,” Berks County Bar Presentation (April 7, 2015)
- “Cross Examining the Expert Witness,” Commercial Litigation Institute (March 18, 2015)
- Cross Examination Lecture to Temple LLM Students (September 11, 2014)
- Cross Examination Lecture to Temple LLM Students (September 19, 2013)
- “A Litigation Primer for Paralegals”, The Philadelphia Association of Paralegals’ Education Conference, Philadelphia, PA (November 8, 2013)
- “Powerful and Persuasive Tactics and Techniques and Using Depositions in the Opening Statement – Expanding the Horizon”, Orlando, FL (February 20, 2013)
- Workplace Accident Seminar, Rutgers Law Center, New Brunswick, NJ (April 6, 2013)
- Cross Examination Lecture to Temple LLM Students (November 17, 2012)
- Cross Examination Lecture to Temple LLM Students (November 19, 2011)
- Cross Examination and Evidence, Bucks County Bar Association (June 8, 2011)
- Defense Association CLE, North Hills Country Club (June 7, 2011)
- Cross Examination Seminar, Fort Washington, PA ( April 30, 2011)
- “Entertaining” Evidence- Cross Examination for the 21st Century,” Mechanicsburg, PA (December 15, 2010)
- “Entertaining” Evidence- Cross Examination for the 21st Century,” Philadelphia, PA (December 9, 2010)
- Cross Examination Lecture to Temple LLM Students (November 19, 2010)
- Cross Examination Lecture to Temple LLM Students (November 11, 2010)
- “Entertaining Evidence- Cross Examination for the 21st Century,” Media, PA (November 10, 2010)