Founding Partner · Director of Legal Services
Rod De Llano
Princeton graduate. 30+ years of mesothelioma litigation. The operational architect behind one of America's most recognized asbestos law firms.
Education & Early Career
Born and raised in Laredo, Texas, Rod De Llano earned his Bachelor's degree in Economics from Princeton University — one of only eight Ivy League institutions in the United States. He then earned his Juris Doctor with honors from the University of Texas School of Law, one of the nation's top-ranked law schools.
Before entering the legal profession full-time, De Llano managed an international import/export business — experience that gave him a deep understanding of cross-border commerce, corporate structures, and the complex supply chains that characterize the asbestos industry. He then practiced in the general litigation section of a large international law firm, handling complex commercial disputes.
In 1993, De Llano was admitted to the State Bar of Texas. He would go on to focus his practice on representing individuals harmed by corporate negligence — particularly workers exposed to asbestos in industrial settings. His combination of Ivy League education, international business experience, and litigation expertise made him uniquely suited to the complex, multi-jurisdictional nature of mesothelioma cases.
Education
Princeton University
B.A. Economics
University of Texas School of Law
J.D. with Honors — 1993
Bar Admissions
Practice Areas
Co-Founding Danziger & De Llano
Building the Operational Backbone (1999–Present)
In 1999, Rod De Llano co-founded what would become Danziger & De Llano, LLP with Paul Danziger. While Danziger and Mike Weiss were pursuing the landmark antitrust case against Becton Dickinson and the GPO cartel, De Llano was building the firm's infrastructure — the operational backbone that allowed a small Houston firm to take on some of the largest corporations in healthcare.
That same partnership model defines the firm today. As Director of Legal Services, De Llano oversees case strategy and legal operations across all 50 states, ensuring each mesothelioma client receives the focused attention their case demands. The firm has recovered over $2 billion for clients — a testament to the operational excellence De Llano built from the ground up.
"The story told in Puncture is the founding story of Danziger & De Llano. The tenacity that won a $100 million settlement against Becton Dickinson is the same tenacity we bring to every asbestos case."
— The firm's founding principle
Three Decades of Mesothelioma Advocacy
Nationwide Representation in All 50 States
With over 30 years of experience, Rod De Llano has dedicated his career to representing victims of asbestos exposure and mesothelioma nationwide. His expertise spans the full spectrum of complex litigation — product liability, whistleblower cases, antitrust matters, class actions, and intellectual property disputes.
The same pattern of corporate concealment that drove the needle safety case is the pattern De Llano confronts daily in asbestos litigation: multinational companies that knew their products were killing workers and chose profits over lives for decades. His background in international business gives him a unique understanding of the complex corporate structures and supply chains that asbestos defendants use to shield themselves from accountability.
Under De Llano's legal direction, the firm represents mesothelioma victims from every walk of life — Navy veterans exposed on ships, industrial workers in refineries and power plants, construction workers, and even family members exposed through take-home asbestos on a loved one's clothing. The firm has handled over 30,000 cases, securing compensation through both civil litigation and asbestos trust fund claims.
Awards & Recognition
Professional Associations
The Connection to Puncture
The Founding Story of the Firm
The story told in Puncture (2011) is the founding story of Danziger & De Llano. When Paul Danziger and Mike Weiss took on the needle safety case in 1998, Rod De Llano was building the firm's infrastructure — the operational backbone that allowed a small Houston firm to sustain a years-long federal antitrust battle against corporations with revenues exceeding $4.5 billion.
Today, that same partnership drives the firm's mesothelioma practice: Paul leads client relationships and case development while Rod directs legal strategy and operations. The tenacity that won a $100 million settlement against Becton Dickinson is the same tenacity they bring to every asbestos case — fighting for workers and families harmed by decades of corporate negligence.
$2B+
Recovered for clients
30+
Years of experience
50
States represented
Diagnosed with Mesothelioma?
If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with mesothelioma, Rod De Llano and the attorneys at Danziger & De Llano offer free, confidential case evaluations nationwide. The same firm that took on Becton Dickinson is ready to fight for you.