staten island advance.

o.j. lawyer johnnie cochran to represent ferry victim.
johnnie cochran, who rose to fame defending nfl star, to represent amputee victim, 2 others.
11.2003

Paul Esposito, the highest-profile victim of the Oct. 15 ferry crash, has known since the accident that he'd sue the city for damages. Yesterday he hired one of the highest-profile lawyers in the world to help him do it.

Johnnie Cochran, who gained widespread fame by helping to get football star O.J. Simpson acquitted of murder, has taken on Esposito's personal injury case.

Esposito, who was at the front of the boat when the Andrew J. Barberi smashed into a concrete pier, has had to have his legs amputated above the knee. He also suffers from two pelvic fractures, a broken finger and various other minor injuries.

Besides Esposito, 24, of Meiers Corners, The Cochran Firm also represents two other victims of the ferry crash: Aisha Williams, 24, of Richmond, who suffered neck and back injuries, and the family of Louis Robinson, 50, of Elm Park, who died in the accident.

Cochran had followed Esposito's case since the ferry crash, which killed 10 people and injured 72. But it was Esposito's father, Michael, who called The Cochran Firm first.

Yesterday Cochran paid a two-hour visit with Paul Esposito in his room at Staten Island University Hospital, Ocean Breeze, to review the facts of his case and consider a basic plan of action. He estimates the case will take less than three years to resolve.

He assured Esposito that while a team of lawyers would be on the case, he would have significant personal involvement.

Esposito said the meeting gave him "nothing but good vibes. He was real nice, direct and to the point."

Cochran also gave Esposito a signed copy of his book, "A Lawyer's Life," with an inscription that said: "To Paul Esposito: You are an inspiration to all of us. Keep the faith! Johnnie L. Cochran."

"It makes me feel more confident that I'll be taken care of for the rest of my life," Esposito said.

'very high' figure.

While Esposito and his new lawyer have not decided on a ballpark asking price, Derek Sells, an associate at The Cochran Firm, said yesterday that the figure would be "very high."

"We want him to get full compensation for his injuries," Sells said, "and we also want to get to the bottom of why this happened, and give him some peace of mind."

Sells said the New York-based firm would launch its own investigation into the accident and place "pressure on the administration to do all that it can do to promote truth-telling ... At this point, the administration has failed to get all of the information."

Since Esposito has been profiled in the media so often, he and his family have been besieged with offers from lawyers all over the country. Friends slipped him business cards, associates have made recommendations, and many lawyers offered to greatly reduce their fees in order to take on his case.

"Some of them were even willing to do it for free," said an incredulous Esposito from his hospital bed yesterday. "But it's a matter of what kind of quality you're getting."

Cochran's not doing it for free. But details of the financial agreement were not disclosed.

celebrity status.

His popularity after the O.J. Simpson case has elevated Cochran to the level of celebrity, something that is rare for a lawyer.

His firm has an impressive track record. Established in 2000 by a merger, it boasts more than 100 lawyers and at least six cases that were settled for more than $100 million.

In August, it landed a $700 million environmental case settlement, twice as much as the famed Erin Brockovich helped to gain in her firm's suit against Pacific Gas & Electric.

With years of medical difficulty ahead of him, Esposito knows he's in a position to get a settlement that does more than cover his medical costs. He said yesterday that, should he be awarded a significant amount of money, the first thing he'd do would be to pay off his parents' mortgage.

Doctors have also advised Esposito to trade in his tiny car - which he jokes couldn't even fit his legs before - for a sports utility vehicle or minivan. He's got his eye on a Nissan Quest.

"I think we made the right choice," Michael Esposito said yesterday about The Cochran Firm. "He had nothing to do with getting those injuries ... I sought out the best possible legal firm that I thought would offer the best possible future for my son. That's the bottom line."