A New York-based law firm that has recovered more than $1 billion for mesothelioma and asbestos victims nationwide is planning to open a Pittsburgh office within the next 12 months, rounding out a statewide Pennsylvania expansion already underway in Philadelphia and Carlisle. Founding partner Joseph Belluck confirmed the Pittsburgh plan on September 14, 2026.
Belluck Law, which launched in 2002 and now operates 10 offices across New York and New England, entered Pennsylvania this year by appointing a statewide managing partner and opening a Philadelphia office, according to WPXI. The firm is also opening an office in Carlisle, with Pittsburgh set to be the final piece of what the station describes as complete Pennsylvania statewide coverage.
Leading that Pennsylvania buildout is Bethann S. Kagan, a mass tort litigator with more than 30 years of experience who was appointed managing partner for the firm's Pennsylvania operations during its initial state launch, according to Belluck Law. Kagan, a Villanova Law graduate who previously chaired the Pennsylvania Association for Justice Mass Torts group, is overseeing the firm's push into Pennsylvania.
A Firm Rebuilt After a Retirement
The firm's Pennsylvania expansion comes on the heels of a significant internal shift. Belluck Law officially rebranded from Belluck & Fox, LLP on January 1, 2025, after co-founding partner Jordan Fox retired following 23 years of co-leadership, per the firm's own announcement. Joseph Belluck and Fox originally founded the practice together in 2002, and since then the firm says it has recovered more than $1 billion in cumulative verdicts and settlements for clients suffering from mesothelioma, asbestos exposure, and other personal injuries.
Alongside the geographic growth, the firm's work also includes other personal-injury matters. The firm also lists Mary Hesdorffer, RN, MSN, as working with it; she has more than 30 years of experience and numerous publications.
Why Western Pennsylvania Is a Target
Pennsylvania's courts have long attracted major personal injury firms because of how much asbestos litigation moves through them. In 2024, Philadelphia ranked fourth nationwide in total asbestos lawsuit filings with 267 new cases, while Allegheny County's docket — covering Pittsburgh — ranked eleventh, according to Mesothelioma.com. Pennsylvania's asbestos dockets are also known to move quickly, often granting trial dates within nine months of filing.
That caseload traces back to the state's industrial history. Pennsylvania ranked third in the nation for mesothelioma deaths between 1999 and 2020, logging 3,488 deaths, according to Motley Rice. Pennsylvania's historical exposure industries include manufacturing and mining.
The push into Pittsburgh also lands amid a broader national uptick in asbestos litigation. Mid-2025 litigation analytics from KCIC showed a 4% year-over-year increase in asbestos lawsuits nationwide and reported that mesothelioma claims accounted for more than half of all mid-2025 asbestos complaints, per KCIC.
A Founder With Deep Regulatory Ties
Joseph Belluck brings his own institutional weight to the expansion as a founding partner, according to the firm's materials.
Belluck Law has not yet detailed a specific site or hiring timeline for its future Pittsburgh location, and it remains to be seen how established Western Pennsylvania plaintiffs' firms and local defense counsel will respond to another major out-of-state player entering the region's trial courts. For now, the firm's stated plan is to complete its Pennsylvania footprint with offices in Carlisle, Philadelphia, and Pittsburgh, giving it statewide reach in a state where asbestos litigation shows no signs of slowing down.
