Ahmed J. Kassim is a Member in the Sills Cummis & Gross Litigation Department. Mr. Kassim is a skilled trial lawyer and appellate advocate who handles high-stakes product liability and complex commercial disputes in courts around the country. Mr. Kassim represents some of the world’s best-known companies across an array of industries, including pharmaceuticals, medical devices, consumer products, telecommunications, insurance, banking, and retail. Clients value his ability to zealously advocate for them throughout the entire litigation process. He partners with clients to devise a litigation strategy that aligns with their business objectives.

In his product liability practice, Mr. Kassim has a proven track record of successfully defending manufacturers in difficult jurisdictions. A former chemical engineer, Mr. Kassim leverages his technical background to help his clients navigate complex scientific and medical issues and craft fact-based defenses built on science. He has extensive practice in multidistrict litigation and state coordinated proceedings and is regularly engaged as regional counsel, working closely with clients and national counsel on defense strategy and early resolution of claims.

Mr. Kassim also represents clients at both trial and on appeal in their most important commercial litigation matters. He recently served as one of the trial counsel in a breach of contract case in federal court that resulted in a unanimous $7.1 million jury verdict in favor of his client. He has also represented clients in high-stakes matters before state and federal appellate courts, including the New Jersey Supreme Court and Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Mr. Kassim maintains an active pro bono practice that includes criminal, asylum, and constitutional cases.

Outside of the Firm, Mr. Kassim is actively engaged in professional and bar organizations. He currently serves on the Editorial Board of the American Bar Association’s Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Law Journal. He is a member of the Federal Bar Council American Inn of Court. Mr. Kassim attended the International Association of Defense Counsel’s Trial Academy, one of the oldest and most respected trial advocacy programs.

Early in his legal career, Mr. Kassim was a Law Clerk to the Honorable Ann G. McCormick, J.S.C. in the Superior Court of New Jersey, Law Division.

Practices

  • Litigation
  • Class Action Litigation
  • Product Liability

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Representative Matters

    • Successfully opposed petition for certification to Supreme Court of New Jersey following the Appellate Division’s affirmance of summary judgment for client.
    • Obtained a $7.1 million verdict for client following a one-week federal jury trial involving a breach of contract claim. (See “Walmart Owes Hand Sanitizer Vendor $7.2M, Jury Says,” Law360)
    • Representing pharmaceutical manufacturer of prescription proton pump inhibitor in a federal multidistrict litigation involving numerous individual product liability claims.
    • Successfully obtained pre-answer dismissal in federal  court of a putative nationwide consumer protection class action alleging the client’s coffee label was deceptive.
    • Successfully obtained a pre-answer dismissal in state court for a global insurer in a complex environmental coverage case where the insured sought more than $15 million in claims related to the remediation of contaminated land.
    • Served as regional counsel for various manufacturing and consumer product companies in New York and New Jersey asbestos litigation.
    • Defended cosmetics retail chain in premises and general liability matters.
    • Assisted in the defense of a global pharmaceutical company in mass tort litigation involving prescription medication resulting in several defense verdicts.
    • Assisted in the defense of a global medical device company in mass tort litigation involving surgical implants.

Court Admissions

  • U.S. District Court, District of New Jersey
  • U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District of New York
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Eighth Circuit

Newsroom

In the News

Presentations

Publications

Rankings and Recognition

  • Selected for inclusion in:
  • The Best Lawyers in America®* 2025, Commercial Litigation
  • Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America* 2024, Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
  • New York Metro Super Lawyers®* 2023-2024, Class Action/Mass Torts: Defense; Civil Litigation; Appellate
  • New York Metro Super Lawyers®* "Rising Stars" 2018-2019, Class Action/Mass Torts
  • New Jersey Super Lawyers®* "Rising Stars" 2019, Class Action/Mass Torts

* See Award Methodology. No aspect of this advertisement has been approved by the Supreme Court of New Jersey.

Affiliations

  • Member, American Bar Association

    Editorial Board, Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Law Journal
    Member, Appellate Advocacy Committee

  • Member, Federal Bar Council

  • Barrister, Federal Bar Council American Inn of Court

  • Member, New York State Bar Association

  • Board of Trustees, Newark School of the Arts


Education

  • J.D., Rutgers Law School
  • B.S., University of Rochester

Bar Admissions

  • New Jersey
  • New York