Renowned Class-Action Lawyer Stanley Chesley Passes Away at 89
Stanley Chesley, a trailblazer in class-action lawsuits known for taking on big tobacco and the makers of defective breast implants, has died at 89. His son, Richard Chesley, confirmed that Chesley passed away on Sunday at a care facility in Cincinnati, though the cause of death was not disclosed.
Chesley gained national attention after securing a $50 million settlement for the victims of a 1975 electrical fire at the Beverly Hills Supper Club in Kentucky, which claimed 165 lives. Notably, he pursued legal action not only against the nightclub but also against the aluminum electrical wire manufacturers, a novel legal strategy at the time.
As one of the most influential trial attorneys in the United States, Chesley played a significant role in the $206 billion tobacco settlement in 1998 and successfully litigated against the Catholic Church regarding allegations of sexual abuse.
Known as the “master of disaster,” Chesley’s aggressive and effective legal strategies led to victories in cases involving plane crashes, fires, and other calamities. Over a career spanning five decades, he represented clients, including families affected by the 1988 Pan Am flight terrorist attack over Lockerbie, Scotland, Cold War nuclear plant workers, and women impacted by Dow Corning silicone breast implants.
“The bigger they are, the harder they fall,” Chesley remarked in a 2010 interview with the University of Cincinnati’s magazine. “I don’t deal from a position of fear.”
Beyond his legal career, Chesley was a noted philanthropist, supporting civic, educational, and Jewish organizations, and was an active fundraiser for political figures like Bill and Hillary Rodham Clinton.
However, his career faced challenges during ethics investigations related to a 2001 settlement over the fen-phen diet pill case. The Kentucky Supreme Court disbarred him in March 2013, determining he had charged excessive fees. Although never criminally charged, Chesley consistently denied any wrongdoing.
Kentucky Chief Justice John D. Minton commented on the disbarment, stating, “While the good reputation he has enjoyed and his generosity serve to exacerbate the tragedy of his fall, they cannot atone for the serious misconduct he has committed in connection with this matter.” Chesley avoided disbarment in Ohio by retiring, with his wife, U.S. District Judge Susan J. Dlott, witnessing his affidavit.
Chesley, the son of Jewish Ukrainian immigrants, was raised in Cincinnati and initially worked as a shoe salesperson to fund his law education. He began practicing law in 1960, gradually building a reputation before uniting plaintiffs to take on manufacturers involved in the aftermath of the Beverly Hills Supper Club fire.
Reflecting on his career, Chesley expressed satisfaction with his contributions to safety reforms, saying in 2010, “Because of Beverly Hills, we have safer standards. I feel good about that.”
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