Jay Jalenak is a formidable and recognized advocate who vigorously defends single- and multi-plaintiff high-stakes environmental, personal injury, and occupational exposure claims – often valued into the tens of millions of dollars at stake. He serves as both lead and local litigation counsel to major businesses in Louisiana and across the country faced with serious, complex state and federal court litigation, including class actions and mass torts.
As a top-tier litigator, Jay focuses on realizing the most favorable outcome imaginable – in or out of court. As a Martindale Hubble AV-rated attorney, Jay brings impressive litigation prowess and tactical negotiation and settlement skills to the defense of major class actions, mass toxic torts, and individual asbestos and chemical exposure claims. Given his more than three decades of hard-earned defense experience, Jay knows how to successfully navigate, manage, supervise, and favorably resolve litigation dockets that can involve thousands of claims and class participants.
At the core of Jay’s litigation abilities is a commitment to conserving client resources at every turn. Jay is valued by everyone around him for his realistic assessment of each client’s case strengths and weaknesses and specific tolerance for risk – a testament to his advocacy skill and a quality that has earned him the trust that brings clients back again and again.
Jay continues to prove his dexterity, effectiveness, and proficiency in defending difficult, single- and multiparty and multi-state and multi-district claims involving industrial and petrochemical facilities and warranties, asbestos, and premise and product liability litigation. He provides comprehensive solutions and actionable paths to resolution for businesses faced with hardline litigation that is often unique and multi-faceted in terms of legal acuity and technological know-how.
- Management and supervision of a docket of 1,000+ claims of asbestos exposure and injury
- Obtained summary judgment dismissal of 6,000+ claims in a toxic tort release class action (approximately 97% of remaining class claimants)
- Successfully defended a wrongful death claims involving nitrogen asphyxiation in confirmed spaces
- Successfully defended claims of Reactive Airways Dysfunction Syndrome (RADS) from alleged toxic exposure
- Represented a major chemical manufacturer in class action/mass tort toxic release claims
- Ongoing representation of major recreational products manufacturers regarding warranty claims, dealer disputes, and issues before the state regulatory agency
- Successfully defended and obtained dismissal of proposed nationwide class action warranty claim
- Successfully defended and obtained dismissal of antitrust and RICO claims
- Successfully defended claims of "wrongful inducement" against an area casino
- Served as local defense counsel in a complex securities litigation action and in the defense of officers and directors in associated claims of misrepresentation and violations of Blue Sky Laws
- Successfully defended claims of fire alarm defect
- LSU Law Center, J.D., 1990
- Hampden-Sydney College, B.A., 1987
- Louisiana
- Greater Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Class of 2001
- Member; Past President and Secretary, Board of Directors; Chairman, Bench Bar Conference Committee and Legal Directory Committee; Pro Bono Project Volunteer; Double Century Club Member, Baton Rouge Bar Association
- Member, Litigation Section, American Bar Association
- Member and Chair, Litigation Committee, Louisiana State Bar Association
- Member, American Bar Association
- Invited Member, Louisiana Association of Defense Counsel
- Invited Member, Wex S. Malone American Inn of Court
- Alumni Board, Baton Rouge Area Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program
- Secretary, Board of Directors, Southeast Legal Services Corporation
- Ethics, Louisiana Bankers Association Bank Counsel Conference, December 2015
- Ethics, Louisiana Association of Corporate Counsel, September 26, 2014
- Louisiana Class Actions, Southern University Law Center (Civil Pre-Trial Procedure), February 2012
- Ethics, IPT Income Tax Symposium/IPT Advanced Sales Tax Academy, Arlington, Virginia, November 2012
- Ethics, ABA Tax Section/IPT Joint Meeting, March 20, 2012
- Ethics, Loyola Law School CLE, December 10, 2011
- Ethics, Louisiana Association of Corporate Counsel, September 24, 2010
- Louisiana and Federal Civil Procedure, Baton Rouge Bar Association Bench Bar Conference, March 27, 2010
- Louisiana and Federal Civil Procedure, Louisiana City Attorneys Association, March 27, 2010
- Summary of Louisiana Marine/Recreational Product Warranty Laws for Members' Section of the website of the National Marine Manufacturers Association
- Professionalism, Bench Bar Conference, 2000
- Ethics, Bench Bar Conference, April 2001
- Ethics, Wex Malone American Inn of Court, March 2002; Bench Bar Conference, April 2002; Baton Rouge Young Lawyers Section CLE, July 2002, Ascension Parish Bar Association, December 2002
- Professionalism, Louisiana State University Law Center CLE, September 2002, November 2002
- Professionalism, Bench Bar Conference, 2003, Baton Rouge Young Lawyers Section CLE, July 2003, Wex Malone American Inn of Court, August 2003
- Ethics, Southwest Louisiana Bar Association, December 2006
- Professionalism, Bench Bar Conference, April 2007; Baton Rouge Young Lawyers Section CLE, July 2007, Baton Rouge Bar Association, December 2007
- Ethics, Annual Meeting of the Louisiana Bar Association Tax Section and Louisiana Department of Revenue, 2009
- "Lone Pine Orders in Class Action, Mass Tort and Products Liability Litigation, Bringing and Defending Pre-Trial Motions Regarding Exposure, Causation and Damages, On-Line Webinar CLE, 2010
- AV-rated, Martindale-Hubbell
- "David A. Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Pro Bono Award," Louisiana State Bar Foundation, 2015
- "Judge Joseph Keogh Memorial Award," Baton Rouge Bar Association, 2001
- Greater Baton Rouge Chamber of Commerce Leadership Class, 2001
- Forty Under 40, Baton Rouge Business Report, 2000
- "Michelle Pitard Wynne Professionalism Award," Louisiana State Bar Association, 1999
- President, Capital City Kiwanis Club
- Vice President, Congregation B'nai Israel Synagogue
- Board Chair and Board of Directors, Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge
- Past Member, Executive Steering Committee, Fest for All
- Board Member, Garden District Civic Association
- Member, Advisory Committee, YMCA Week Without Violence
- Member, Community Partnership Division Planning Council, Capital Area United Way
- Chair, Developing Children and Youth Committee, Capital Area United Way
- Member, Board of Directors, Jewish Federation of Greater Baton Rouge
- Chairman, 1995 Holocaust Memorial Service and Lecture