User:Renhooek/sandbox/Constantine "Dean" Kokkoris

'Constantine "Dean" Kokkoris' Constantine Dean Kokkoris is an American Attorney most known for his contribution in spearheading the lawsuit brought against the manufactures of Agent Orange (Montsano, Dow, Hercules, on behalf of Vietnamese victims.   https://img.nyed.uscourts.gov/files/opinions/amoj-04-cv-400-mdl38.pdf ... Constantine “Dean” Kokkoris is an American Attorney best recognized for his work on behalf of Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange (VAVA) < http://www.vn-agentorange.org/> and for the rights of underpaid workers. Graduate: Baruch College(CUNY) Law School: Brooklyn Law School Law review Current Employment: New York City Bureau of Labor Law Chief

Born and raised in Bayside Queens

Alma Mater: Baruch College Brooklyn Law School President Law Review

His first published article was written during his attendance of Brooklyn Law School and before being admitted to the bar: Copyright (c) 1992 Brooklyn Law School Brooklyn Law Review COMMENT: DeLUCA v. MERRELL DOW PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.: * STATISTICAL SIGNIFICANCE AND THE NOVEL SCIENTIFIC TECHNIQUE. SPRING, 1992 58 Brooklyn L. Rev. 219 Author Constantine Kokkoris
 * 911 F.2d 941 (3d Cir. 1990).

it was on the effects of Benedictin, a drug prescribed to pregnant mothers to help alleviate morning sickness, and its link to birth defects was published and cited in the case against Dow Pharmaceuticals. Inc. This research into the statistical techniques involved in determining cause along with his marriage to his college sweet heart, a Vietnamese born refugee, would serve as his foray into the legal world of Agent Orange and its effects on the Vietnamese people.

“Agent Orange” was a chemical used extensively throughout the Vietnam War in an attempt to defoliate the dense southern Vietnamese jungle to aid US troops in their fight against the Viet Cong / North Vietnamese. Along with agent pink, agent green, agent purple, agent blue, and agent white these powerful “Rainbow Herbicides” were used extensively in Operation Trail Dust, (1962-1971) the name given to the overall herbicidal program in Vietnam. The generic names were given to each agent by the colored stripe that was placed on the 55 gallon drum that the chemical was shipped in. In Operation Ranch Hand alone, it is estimated that 20 million gallons (76,000m3) were sprayed. The principal ingredient in the rainbow herbicides was 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin (TCDD), an extremely toxic dioxin compound. Dioxin, is now considered as one the deadliest chemicals to be invented. Some of the companies involved in the production included: The DOW Chemical Company, Monsanto Chemical Company, Diamond Shamrock, Hercules Incorporated to name a few. In 1965 "a Dow researcher warned in an internal company document that dioxin 'is extremely toxic' but Dow has always publicly claimed it is not".[30] Production continued even though it is argued that the companies were aware of the toxicity of dioxin. The companies argued that they were ordered to produce the chemical by the US government or risked a government takeover that would resume manufacturing.

Dioxins have been linked to birth defects in Vietnam and to cancerous tumors in many of the US military personnel stationed in Vietnam during the war and operations. In 1984 a U.S. veterans class action lawsuit against manufacturers resulted in a settlement hours before a jury was to be selected, resulting in an award of $180 million dollars as compensation to veterans if they dropped all claims against them. At no time had anyone ever filed a claim on behalf of the citizens of Vietnam for their exposure to the chemicals. With the war having ended in 1975, with the Fall of Saigon, the statute of limitations (seven years) would seem long past. In 2002 Dean read a notice posted by the National Lawyers Guild seeking interest in representing Vietnamese people afflicted with Agent Orange. Citing that the US had a 20 year long embargo against Vietnam which prevented any Vietnamese clients from contacting US attorneys, on January 31st, 2004 Constantine “Dean” Kokkoris along with other attorneys, successfully submitted his argument to the US district court eastern district of New York (https://img.nyed.uscourts.gov/files/opinions/amoj-04-cv-400-mdl38.pdf)  on behalf of the Vietnamese Association for Victims of Agent Orange (VAVA).

His argument was heard before Judge Jack Weinstein who at a pre hearing conference in his courtroom, attended by          of the US Justice Department spoke to the named defendants including:  The DOW  Chemical Company; Monsanto Chemical Company, Pharmacia Corp, Hercules Inc., Occidental Chemical Corp, Ultramar Diamond Shamrock Corp., Maxus Energy Corp; Thompson Hayward Chemical Company, Harcros Chemicals Inc., Uniroyal Inc, Uniroyal Chemical Inc UNIROYAL CHEMICAL HOLDING COMPANY; : UNIROYAL CHEMICAL ACQUISITION : CORPORATION; C.D.U. HOLDING, INC.; DIAMOND : SHAMROCK AGRICULTURAL CHEMICALS, INC.; : DIAMOND SHAMROCK CHEMICALS; DIAMOND : SHAMROCK CHEMICALS COMPANY; DIAMOND : SHAMROCK CORPORATION; DIAMOND : SHAMROCK REFINING AND MARKETING : COMPANY; OCCIDENTAL ELECTROCHEMICALS : CORPORATION; DIAMOND ALKALI COMPANY; : ANSUL, INCORPORATED; HOOKER CHEMICAL : CORPORATION; HOOKER CHEMICAL FAR EAST : CORPORATION; HOOKER CHEMICALS & PLASTICS : CORP.; HOFFMAN-TAFF CHEMICALS, INC. : CHEMICAL LAND HOLDINGS, INC.; T-H : AGRICULTURE & NUTRITION COMPANY, INC.; : THOMPSON CHEMICAL CORPORATION; : RIVERDALE CHEMICAL COMPANY; ELEMENTIS : CHEMICALS INC.; UNITED STATES RUBBER : COMPANY, INC.; SYNTEX AGRIBUSINESS INC.; : SYNTEX LABORATORIES, INC. Speaking directly to the defendant’s lawyers, Judge Weinstein conveyed that he would not accept the “Nuremberg” necessity defense where the companies would claim that they acted on behalf of the US government’s orders. On March 10, 2005 Judge Weinstein ruled in favor of the defendants citing among other things, that there was a strong relationship between the US government and the defense contractors, and that the plaintiffs did not prove that their injuries were a result of exposure to what he ruled as the “herbicide” agent orange, not a toxin. He did however state that the VAVA is a legitimate organization and that it was possible to sue corporations for violations of international law. http://www.ffrd.org/Lawsuit/AO%20decision%20analysis.htm. On June 18, 2007 the appeal was taken to the Second Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhatten. Judge Weinstein’s ruling to dismiss was upheld. http://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-2nd-circuit/1177917.html

The VAVA took appealed their case to the US Supreme Court. On march 2, 2009 the Supreme court denied their appeal.

Through his work on the Agent Orange case Dean has become a leading authority on the case and has appeared in the documentary Last Ghost of War http://gardnerdocgroup.com/lastghostofwar/.

He has been quoted in many articles and reports on Agent Orange and its effects:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/28/nyregion/28orange.html?_r=0

http://www.jstor.org/discover/10.1525/vs.2013.8.3.125?sid=21106246746913&uid=3739832&uid=3739256&uid=70&uid=2129&uid=2&uid=4 http://www.abc.net.au/worldtoday/content/2005/s1313393.htm

http://www.counterpunch.org/2010/05/28/agent-orange-and-the-third-generation/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/vietnam/1488898/Agent-Orange-victims-furious-as-court-denies-them-compensation.html

Since then Constantine has worked for The New York City Comptroller’s Office under William Thomson, John Liu, and now Scott Stringer. He has risen to the position of Chief of the Bureau of Labor Law where he has fought for the rights of the common laborer, and to uncover much fraud and corruption in the building trade of NYC and its contracts.

http://www.capitalnewyork.com/article/politics/2012/04/5624160/announcing-settlement-immigrant-workers-john-liu-tells-reporters-hi

http://www.local3.com/?q=node/5205

http://www.timesledger.com/stories/2012/15/wagefraud_wt_2012_04_12_q.html

http://laborpress.org/sectors/building-trades/123-building-trades-workers-win-settlement

http://www.queensda.org/newpressreleases/2009/march/bar_aar_electrical_03_23_2009_plea.pdf

http://usanewsonline.com/2013/06/liu-hails-victory-on-prevailing-wage/