Cardone, Robert Joseph

Mr. Carcione is the son of one of the country's most respected names in consumer advocacy, Joe Carcione, the Green Grocer. Joe Carcione, Sr. was on national television every night of the week instructing the nation's consumers on choosing healthful fruit and produce for 18 years, until his death in 1988. His son, not surprisingly, has practiced only consumer advocacy law his entire career.

Mr. Carcione's law firm, consisting of 14 lawyers and a staff of paralegals and secretaries, devotes 100 percent of its time to consumer advocacy litigation. The firm has a reputation for vigorous advocacy and has more than 70 seven- and eight-figure verdicts and settlements, including punitive damage verdicts going back over 20 years. Mr. Carcione's first punitive damage award was in 1980, when a car dealership which pocketed a customer's $200 rebate was required by a conservative San Mateo County jury to pay back the rebate to the plaintiff, plus $92,000 in punitive damages. Resulting publicity caused the car dealership to close its doors.

Today, the practice specializes in products liability. In addition to automobiles, the firm has had successful results involving such diverse products as snowboards and baby walkers. Indeed, a jury verdict against Century Products and Gerber in 1994 resulted in Mr. Carcione sponsoring legislation brought by Jackie Speier to outlaw the use of those baby walkers in every day care center in California.