Twenty-five years after the September 11 attacks, the nation pauses to remember the nearly 3,000 lives lost and to honor the first responders, survivors, and families who continue to carry the physical, emotional, and financial toll of that day. For much of the 9/11 community, the effects of that day are not history. They are an ongoing reality of illness, loss, and recovery that persists today.
As a New York-based firm, Napoli Shkolnik felt the impact of September 11 firsthand, and our long-standing commitment to those affected by the attacks was deeply shaped by our late Founding Partner Paul J. Napoli, who became deeply involved in representing those exposed to the toxic conditions at Ground Zero.
Paul’s Work on Behalf of 9/11 Victims
Paul was appointed Co-Plaintiffs’ Liaison Counsel in the World Trade Center Disaster Litigation, representing more than 11,000 first responders. The action ultimately resulted in more than $800 million in aggregate recovery for those exposed to toxins.
Paul recognized that many 9/11-related illnesses would not emerge immediately and advocated for extending the statute of limitations for workers’ compensation claims, so that individuals who developed symptoms years after exposure would not be unfairly prevented from seeking relief.
His advocacy also extended to the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, which ultimately established the programs that provide health care and compensation to members of the 9/11 community. Paul was among the prominent New York advocates who pushed for the legislation, which was signed into law in 2011.
Paul’s commitment to the 9/11 community did not end with litigation or legislation. He later served as a Board Member of the National September 11 Memorial & Museum, helping preserve the memory and legacy of the people whose interests he had spent years fighting to protect.
A Legacy That Continues
The men and women who ran toward the towers on September 11 who searched the rubble, and who breathed in the dust that settled over Lower Manhattan are still living with what that day cost them. Some are no longer here to mark this anniversary at all.
Napoli Shkolnik’s work, and Paul’s in particular, is about making sure that the people who bravely sacrificed themselves to save others and are not forgotten and get the justice they deserve.
As the 9/11 community continues to face new diagnoses and new losses a quarter century later, that commitment carries forward: to keep advocating, keep remembering, and keep faith with everyone still living in the shadow of that day.
Learn more about our continued efforts here.