We are proud to share that our founder, Gene Locks, has been recognized with the 2025 National Law Journal Lifetime Achievement Award. For those of us who have worked alongside Gene, this honor reflects not only his extraordinary career but also the vision and values that continue to guide Locks Law Firm today. Over the decades, Gene built a practice that grew to become one of the most respected plaintiffs’ litigation firms in the nation, with offices in Philadelphia, New York, and New Jersey.
Since founding the firm in 1966, Gene has been a pioneer in mass tort litigation. Gene’s early leadership in asbestos litigation set the legal framework of mass tort law. In the 1970s, he and his firm advocated for workers affected by asbestos exposure, achieving significant verdicts and settlements setting national precedent. The asbestos litigation is arguably the most significant and impactful personal injury litigation in US history, and no one did more to establish and shape the litigation than Gene. Today, asbestos litigation remains the largest and longest-running mass tort in history—with Locks Law Firm continuing to be a central figure.
Gene’s role in the Agent Orange class action following the Vietnam War marked another turning point. As a member of the Plaintiffs’ Management Committee and co-lead negotiator, Gene helped reach the largest personal injury class action settlement of its time. His work demonstrated legal acumen and an ability to navigate an emotionally charged, politically sensitive case.
Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, Gene continued to lead complex litigation across a range of mass liability cases. He played pivotal roles in the $3.75 billion Fen-Phen settlement and in bankruptcy reorganizations of major asbestos manufacturers. His strategies shaped enduring models for mass tort settlement structures, many of which remain in use today.
In recent years, Gene served as class counsel in the high-profile NFL Concussion Settlement, representing over 1,500 retired players. His advocacy helped secure a settlement that not only provided financial relief to players but also catalyzed reforms in sports safety protocols and public discourse around head trauma.
Beyond his courtroom achievements, Gene has mentored generations of attorneys and fostered a culture of advocacy and compassion at Locks Law Firm. As Gene transitions into retirement, his legacy at Locks Law Firm is everywhere we look—in the colleagues he trained, the cases that set national precedent, and the clients whose lives were forever changed by his advocacy.
For us, this Lifetime Achievement Award is not the end of his story but a milestone in a career that has shaped who we are as a firm. We are honored to carry forward the vision and values that Gene Locks built into the foundation of our practice nearly 60 years ago.
