News

Read the Report: Grand Jury Findings Released Outlining Sex Abuse Across Pa.

Nate Robson | August 14, 2018

The release of the report has been closely watched as the attorney general and several of those named in the report fought over whether it could be made public.

News

Saul Ewing Conflict Case Refiled in Illinois State Court

Lizzy McLellan | August 14, 2018

Ex-client Farva Jafri claims a partner at the firm referred a case against her to his own father.

People in the News—Lamb McErlane—Aug. 14, 2018

Victoria Hudgins | August 14, 2018

Lamb McErlane attorney Darren Smith is scheduled to present on a panel regarding lobbying regulations at the state and local level for the Bucks County Bar Association on Wednesday.

PLW People in the News—Aug. 14, 2018—Dilworth Paxson

Victoria Hudgins | August 14, 2018

Dilworth Paxson’s Renardo "Rick" Hicks, a partner in the firm’s Harrisburg office, was chosen to serve on the Middle District Judicial Selection Advisory Committee.

News

Reed Smith Says Tech Summer Associate Program Will Return Next Year

Meghan Tribe | August 13, 2018

After a successful launch, the firm said it's already seeing some "exciting" resumes for next year's legal technology summer associate program.

Commentary

9th Circ. Reconsiders the Propriety of Counting a Dead Judge’s Deciding Vote

Howard J. Bashman| August 13, 2018

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit Judge Stephen Reinhardt died suddenly and unexpectedly earlier this year on March 29. Since then, the Ninth Circuit has issued two appellate rulings in which Reinhardt provided the decisive vote in favor of the outcome of those appeals.

Pa. Federal Judge Says Insureds Can Bring UTPCPL Claims Against Insurers

Steven A. Meyerowitz| August 13, 2018

This story is reprinted with permission from FC&S Legal, the industry’s only comprehensive digital resource designed for insurance coverage law…

Commentary

Firefighting Foam to Blame for Widespread Water Contamination

Joshua Cohan| August 13, 2018

Municipalities and individuals living near military bases are discovering that their water supplies have been contaminated by use of firefighting foam that contains chemicals causing life-threatening illnesses.

Sheriff's Sale Notices

The Legal Intelligencer| August 13, 2018

The Sheriff's Sale mortgage foreclosure notices for the September 11, 2018, sale, along with the August tax sales, are now available.

People in the News—Aug. 13, 2018—Katherman Briggs & Greenberg

Victoria Hudgins | August 13, 2018

Katherman Briggs & Greenberg personal injury and wrongful death attorney Evan Kline presented at the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Solo & Small Firm Section Conference in Bedford.

Commentary

Proposed Ohio Bill Would Force Teachers to Out Transgender Teens

Angela D. Giampolo| August 10, 2018

The state of Ohio’s House of Representatives is considering legislation that forces educators, therapists, and social workers to out transgender minors to their parents or face fourth-degree felony charges.

Commentary

Proposed Changes to Endangered Species Act Regulations

Kenneth J. Warren| August 10, 2018

On July 25, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service published several proposed amendments to its regulations implementing the Endangered Species Act. Some of these changes, if adopted, would make it easier for public and private projects to proceed notwithstanding the risks they pose to endangered and threatened species.

News

Law Firms Looking to Game the New Tax Law? Think Again

Meredith Hobbs | August 10, 2018

Licensing spinoffs? Partnerships of associates? The IRS and Treasury Department anticipated how law firms might try to take advantage of Trump's tax reforms—and said no way.

News

Pennsylvania Among States Vowing to Fight Car Fuel Rules

The Associated Press| August 10, 2018

State prosecutors from California to Massachusetts blasted the Trump administration for proposing weaker auto fuel-efficiency standards they said would imperil clean air and increase greenhouse gases.

People in the News—Aug. 10, 2018—Williams Family Law

Victoria Hudgins | August 10, 2018

Shauna L. Quigley joined Williams Family Law as an associate.

News

Capitol Report

Victoria Hudgins | August 09, 2018

Following is a listing of executive and legislative action for the week of Aug. 6. Members of the state House of Representatives are scheduled to go back to work on Sept. 12. Pennsylvania senators are set to return to session on Sept. 24.

News

Phila. Wants Wells Fargo to Turn Over Audits in Discrimination Row

Max Mitchell | August 09, 2018

The motion to compel says Wells Fargo is improperly "filtering" documents requested by the city and refusing to turn over any audits that do not specifically deal with both mortgage lending in Philadelphia and discrimination.

News

Mexican National Given Bond Hearing After Waiting 2 Years in County Lockup

P.J. D'Annunzio | August 09, 2018

A federal judge has ruled that a Mexican national who was taken into custody for deportation and kept in a cell for nearly two years is entitled to a bond hearing.

News

3rd Circuit Won't Let JPMorgan Avoid FINRA Arbitration Based on Forum Selection Clause

Charles Toutant | August 09, 2018

The Third Circuit has ruled that JPMorgan & Co. can't use a forum selection clause to avoid its obligation as a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority to arbitrate all claims brought against it by a client.

Defendant in Rear-End Collision Not Liable for Injuries

VerdictSearch| August 09, 2018

On Sept. 11, 2014, plaintiff Hassania Firoud, 53, a retail employee, was driving a minivan on Frankford Avenue, in Northeast Philadelphia. After she became stopped in traffic at Robbins Street, she was rear-ended by a sport-utility vehicle.

Jury Awards $850,000 Over Age Bias Claims

VerdictSearch| August 09, 2018

On April 1, 2014, plaintiff Ruth Briggs, 59, an executive assistant, was terminated from her job at Temple University.

Commentary

Harness the Power of the Integration Clause to Protect Your Business

Andrew J. DeFalco| August 09, 2018

Most business owners have seen “entire agreement” or “integration” clauses in contracts with employees, vendors, purchasers of their products and services, and joint venture partners. To many, it is boilerplate jargon that sounds strange and has little practical meaning.

Commentary

Potential New Tools to Sue for a Faster Cleanup

David G. Mandelbaum| August 09, 2018

Soil or groundwater cleanups can take a long time. When one person conducts the cleanup and another has an interest in its completion, the two can disagree over the pace of the project. That is typically a three-party issue involving the regulator—for example, the Environmental Protection Agency or the Department of Environmental Protection.

News

Insurance Policy’s Forum Selection Clause Did Not Require Remand to State Court, Judge Rules

Steven A. Meyerowitz| August 09, 2018

A federal district court in Pennsylvania has denied an insured’s motion to remand his action for underinsured motorist benefits against his insurance carrier to state court, rejecting the insured’s contention that remand was required because the insurer had waived its right to remove under the insurance policy’s forum selection clause.

Commentary

Ruling Provides Guidance on How to Address 'Actual Damages' Under RESDL

Alan Nochumson| August 09, 2018

In Phelps, for the first time, the Superior Court also outlined how courts in Pennsylvania should calculate “actual damages” under RESDL.

News

Pa. High Court's 'Roverano' Ruling Likely to Reshape Strict Liability Litigation

Max Mitchell | August 09, 2018

Attorneys agree the asbestos case will impact strict liability litigation broadly, and said the question regarding whether juries should consider settlements with bankrupt entities could have broader implications.

Ethics Forum: Questions and Answers on Professional Responsibility

Samuel C. Stretton| August 09, 2018

I am about to be sued and I don’t have legal malpractice insurance. Will I have any problems because I don’t have malpractice insurance?

News

Employers Can't Dodge Medical Payments With Revised Agreement, Court Rules

Lizzy McLellan | August 09, 2018

Cabinet Transport Inc. had refused to pay over $6,600 to Armour Pharmacy for an employee's medicine.

News

Sands Casino Denied Access to Social Media Accounts in Slip-and-Fall Case

P.J. D'Annunzio | August 09, 2018

"In the Facebook posts and in the portion of Mrs. Allen's deposition relied upon by defendant in support of their motion, there is nothing to suggest the unreliability of Mrs. Allen's claims with respect to the nature and scope of her injury, as none of the activities referenced show or suggest the strenuous use of her right shoulder," Judge Craig Dally said.

News

Ex-Morgan Stanley Lawyer Alleges Retaliation After Raising Corruption Concerns

C. Ryan Barber | August 09, 2018

U.S. labor judge confronts "unsettled" litigation-funding issue in whistleblower Christopher Garvey's case against the investment bank. Morgan Stanley contends Garvey, who was based in Hong Kong, voluntarily resigned.

Commentary

With Subrogation, It's the Injured Worker Left Paying the Price

Maureen “Morty” Cassidy| August 09, 2018

As plaintiff lawyers, we are familiar with the plight of the innocent victim following an injury. We regularly have conversations where an injured individual is forced to remortgage a home or sell property for financial support.

Commentary

Pa. Supreme Court to Decide Retroactivity of 'Birchfield v. North Dakota'

Anthony L. Ciuca| August 09, 2018

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court granted allocatur in Commonwealth v. Hays, 2018 Pa. Super. Unpub. LEXIS 176 (Jan. 19, 2018), on July 24, to decide the following: Should Birchfield v. North Dakota, 136 S. Ct. 2160 (2016), apply to all cases not yet final when the decision was rendered?

News

Ex-Congressman Fattah's Bribery Convictions Overturned, Eligible for Retrial

P.J. D'Annunzio | August 09, 2018

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit held Thursday that Fattah and wealthy friend Herbert Vederman should have a second chance on multiple bribery-related counts of the indictment against them, which allege a scheme involving Fattah trying to secure an ambassadorship for Vederman, among other things.

People in the News—Aug. 9, 2018—Raynes Lawn Hehmeyer

Victoria Hudgins | August 09, 2018

Raynes Lawn Hehmeyer partner Charles P. “Chuck” Hehmeyer spoke at the international metabolic conference in Minneapolis.

News

Municipal Judge's Jailing of Defendant Over Unpaid $239 Fine Yields $180,000 Settlement

Charles Toutant | August 09, 2018

A civil rights suit over a municipal judge's jailing of an indigent defendant for nonpayment of a $239 fine, a case that helped lead to the mounting calls for municipal court reform in New Jersey, has been resolved by a $180,000 settlement, according to records obtained by the Law Journal.

Analysis

Boutique Lesson for Big Law Firms: Rip Off the Tech Band-Aid

Lizzy McLellan | August 08, 2018

When it comes to the upside of painful technological upgrades, established firms could learn a thing or two from their own spinoffs.

Filing Fanatics

Arbitration Denied in Harassment Case Against Pfizer

P.J. D'Annunzio | August 08, 2018

A federal judge has denied Pfizer's request to arbitrate a sexual harassment-related employment lawsuit against the drugmaker. U.S. District Judge…

News

Student Expelled on Sex Assault Charge Can't Sue Rider as 'Doe,' Judge Says

Charles Toutant | August 08, 2018

The plaintiff's fear of social stigma fails to outweigh the general interest in favor of open judicial proceedings, U.S. Magistrate Judge Tonianne Bongiovanni ruled. And a statement to the media by Doe's lawyer in connection with the case also weighs against granting permission to proceed anonymously, she added.

Analysis

A Big Four-Branded New Law Competitor Could Be a ‘Safe Disruptor’

Roy Strom | August 08, 2018

Ernst & Young is the first of the Big Four to acquire a managed services firm. What happens next?

News

Immigration Judges' Union Files Grievance Over Phila. Judge Removal

Max Mitchell | August 08, 2018

Judge A. Ashley Tabaddor, who filed the grievance with the DOJ's Executive Office of Immigration Review, says the "decisional independence of immigration judges is under siege."

Commentary

'Janus v. AFSCME'—Top 5 Takeaways From Supreme Court Decision

Michael V. Puppio Jr.| August 08, 2018

On June 27, the U.S. Supreme Court overruled more than 40 years of established precedent by handing down a decision in favor of nonunion member public employees.

People in the News—Aug. 8, 2018—Fox Rothschild

Victoria Hudgins | August 08, 2018

Fox Rothschild hosted a panel discussion sponsored by the Building Industry Association of Philadelphia on July 31.

News

Gregory Harvey, 'Dean' of Election Law, Dies at 81

Max Mitchell | August 07, 2018

"He was equal parts brilliant, hysterically funny, intellectually rigorous, wholly gregarious," according to one of his Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads colleagues.

News

DC Circuit Says Prosecutor Discipline Records Fair Game in FOIA Suit

Scott Flaherty | August 07, 2018

Siding in part with a convicted fraudster's Freedom of Information Act request, the D.C. Circuit found that the Justice Department's internal disciplinary office can't invoke a blanket exemption for "law enforcement" records.

News

Mental Health Records at Issue in St. Joe's Assault Case

Lizzy McLellan | August 07, 2018

Alleged sexual assault victim Jane Roe said a request for her mental health records "smacks of victim blaming."

News

Class Certified in Case Against Phone Provider for NJ Jails and Prisons

P.J. D'Annunzio | August 07, 2018

A suit claiming that the private company contracted to provide phone services at nearly every New Jersey correctional facility charges improperly inflated rates has been granted class action status.

News

Debt Buyers Are Debt Collectors Too, Third Circuit Says

P.J. D'Annunzio | August 07, 2018

Judge Thomas Ambro opened the court's opinion in the spirit of the character Wimpy from the Popeye cartoon: "Many would gladly pay Tuesday for a hamburger today. Of course, not all of those who fall into debt make payments timely, and debt collection has become a professional trade."

News

Pa. Justices to Consider Application of Fair Share Act in Strict Liability Cases

Max Mitchell | August 07, 2018

The justices agreed to consider whether the state Superior Court last year misinterpreted the Fair Share Act by holding that judges should not simply divide the damages equally among all the defendants.

Commentary

'Similarly Situated' Analysis Warrants Summary Judgment

Sid Steinberg| August 07, 2018

The analysis of whether employees are “similarly situated” often determines the success or failure of an employer’s defense to a claim of discrimination. The analysis should extend beyond superficial similarities in order to determine whether an employee can establish that his claim is viable.

People in the News—Aug. 7, 2018—Hill Wallack

Victoria Hudgins | August 07, 2018

Hill Wallack added Joanna R. Dombrowski to its firm.

PLW People in the News—Aug. 7, 2018—Burns White

Victoria Hudgins | August 07, 2018

Burns White partner Mary-Jo Rebelo started her three-year term on the judiciary committee of the Allegheny County Bar Association.

News

Conning US Lawyers Out of $23M Yields 18-Year Prison Sentence

P.J. D'Annunzio | August 06, 2018

A Canadian man accused of stealing some $23 million from more than 100 lawyers, including some in Pennsylvania, has been sentenced to 18 years in a federal prison, the U.S. Attorney's Office in Harrisburg announced Monday.

News

Montgomery McCracken Launches IP Department With Buchanan Attorneys

Lizzy McLellan | August 06, 2018

With its latest lateral move, Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads has also added a practice area and a head of diversity and inclusion efforts.

News

Hospice Counselor, Claiming Mental Health Leave Prompted Firing, Has Case Thrown Out

P.J. D'Annunzio | August 06, 2018

"The plaintiff’s testimony reflects that she never complained to anyone at Celtic about alleged disability discrimination or retaliation, nor did she complain about interference or retaliation," U.S. District Judge Malachy Mannion said.

Commentary

What Has the SEC Been Up To? A Roundup of Recent Regulatory Developments

Katayun I. Jaffari and Mehrnaz (Naz) Jalali| August 06, 2018

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has been staying busy recently with final rule-making and proposed regulatory changes. Below is a roundup of some of these recent developments.

News

Villanova Promotes From Within for New General Counsel

Dan Clark | August 06, 2018

It's getting closer to back-to-school time both for Villanova's students and its newly minted GC, E. Michael Zubey.

News

White House Policy Aide Is Cozen O'Connor's Latest Lobbying Hire

Ryan Lovelace | August 06, 2018

As Cozen O'Connor Pubic Strategies continues to grow, Alexandra Campau is completing a D.C. rite of passage: a full revolution through Washington's revolving door.

Construction Law

The Legal Intelligencer| August 06, 2018

In the Legal's Construction Law supplement, read about changes to the American Institute of Architects’ standard forms, the GDPR and how it will affect construction companies and CASPA changes.

Commentary

Practitioners Should Be Wary of Arbitration Provisions in Residential Real Estate Transactions

Jennifer M. Horn| August 06, 2018

Arbitration is a streamlined dispute resolution process, with limited discovery, that often leads to the swift and equitable resolution of disputes. Arbitration provisions can also act as a sword and a shield for the corporations that include these provisions in their employment agreements and other contracts.

Commentary

Expansion of Small Business Health Plans: A Good Option With Some Limitations

Vasilios J. Kalogredis| August 06, 2018

On June 19, the Department of Labor (DOL) issued a final rule allowing employers, regardless of size, to offer health insurance through an Association Health Plan (AHP).

People in the News—Aug. 6, 2018—Kleinbard LLC

Victoria Hudgins | August 06, 2018

Jennifer L. Zegel joined Kleinbard LLC as practice leader of the trusts and estates group and a partner in the firm’s business and finance department.

Commentary

What US Construction Companies Need to Know About the GDPR to Avoid Fines

Julie Negovan| August 06, 2018

On May 25, 2018, the European Union (EU) General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) took effect. This law makes significant changes to European data privacy and security requirements for companies dealing with individuals located in the EU (whether they are citizens, immigrants, or visitors at the time their data is collected).

Commentary

How the Miller Act May Help a Subcontractor Avoid the Effect of Subcontract Terms

Fred Jacoby, Ray DeLuca and Jeff Mullen| August 04, 2018

Construction is a risky business. Construction contracting is an exercise in dealing with risks by allocating them among the various project participants. Most construction contracts contain terms and conditions that shift the risk of nonpayment from the owner downstream to the subcontractor.

Commentary

Changes to American Institute of Architects’ Standard Forms Reflect Industry Practice

Michael P. Subak and Kristopher Berr| August 04, 2018

The American Institute of Architects’ (AIA) standard form construction contracts are among the most widely used form agreements in the construction industry.

News

Women Partners, Law Firm Leaders Have Vastly Different Big Law Lives, Study Shows

Roy Strom | August 03, 2018

A new American Bar Association analysis shows that men and women experience life at large law firms vastly differently. The data underscores what the ABA hopes will be the first step toward changing that.

Navigating the Evolving Field of Transgender Rights in Independent Schools (Part I)

Justin G. Weber and Brian H. Callaway| August 03, 2018

Transgender rights are an evolving area of the law, where case law decisions are inconsistent at best. But one thing is clear—failing to proactively develop polices will create uncertainty and require unnecessary time and energy when questions ultimately arise.

News

Pittsburgh Firm's Office Manager, Partner's Son, Sentenced for Embezzlement

Lizzy McLellan | August 03, 2018

Anthony Calaiaro has been sentenced to jail time for taking money from his father's firm.

News

Immigration Lawyers View Judge Removal as 'Chilling Message' From DOJ

Max Mitchell | August 03, 2018

The decision to replace a local immigration judge with a supervising judge from Washington, D.C., was an unusual move, but, according to immigration lawyers in Philadelphia, it fit a pattern that is becoming very clear to both the bench and bar—immigration judges have far less autonomy than they did under previous administrations.

News

Judges' Confirmation Vote Met With Relief, Surprise in Delaware

Tom McParland | August 03, 2018

Colm Connolly and Maryellen Noreika were confirmed this week to serve as judges on Delaware's federal bench, in a sudden move that was expected to bring much-needed relief to a shorthanded district court amid a surge of filings.

News

Majority of Dryer Fire Cases Against Electrolux Tossed From Pa. Federal Court

P.J. D'Annunzio | August 03, 2018

A federal judge has dismissed and moved out of Pennsylvania all but three of 86 lawsuits that Allstate Insurance Co. has filed against appliance-maker Electrolux over clothes dryer fires that ignited across 21 states.

Commentary

How to Step Out of Your Cultural Comfort Zone to Grow Professionally

Sohana S. Barot| August 03, 2018

I am a second-generation Indian-American woman; a daughter of immigrants who have mostly assimilated to the American way of life but still retained much of their cultural upbringing. I grew up quiet, nonconfrontational and soft-spoken.

Commentary

New Act 27 Changes the Pa. Contractor and Subcontractor Payment Act

Robert R. Watson Jr.| August 03, 2018

The changes signed into law will go into effect on Oct. 10—120 days after it was signed—and further clarify certain aspects of CASPA which were left unanswered in the original legislation, often leading to disputes between parties as they negotiated contracts for a project or proceeded with work once it was underway.

News

Ex-Client of Morgan Lewis Takes Discovery Issue to Superior Court

Lizzy McLellan | August 03, 2018

Towers Watson & Co. is appealing an order from June, in which the court granted in part Morgan Lewis' motion to compel.

Analysis

Law Firms Uneasy as the Big Four Make Their Big Push in Asia

John Kang | Anna Zhang | August 03, 2018

The giant accounting firms are rapidly expanding their legal services offerings in key areas of the world's largest continent. Will they wrest valuable work from global law firms?

News

State Sens. Suggest Fed. Weapon Manufacturing License for 3-D Printing of Guns

Victoria Hudgins | August 03, 2018

A pair of Democratic state senators said they will introduce legislation prohibiting the printing of a 3-D firearm without a federal firearm manufacturing license and they would make 3-D printed firearms subject to the Uniform Firearm Act.

News

Memo: Require ‘Certain’ Elected Officials to Provide Fed. Tax Returns

Victoria Hudgins | August 03, 2018

A member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives proposed requiring candidates for “certain” state and federal offices to submit a federal tax return to the public.

People in the News—Aug. 3, 2018—Hill Wallack

Victoria Hudgins | August 03, 2018

William L. Wilkins joined Hill Wallack as counsel.

News

Avoiding Controversy, Rosenstein Defends Rule of Law in ABA Speech

Roy Strom | August 02, 2018

If he wanted to make a direct statement on the controversy surrounding his position as deputy attorney general, Rod Rosenstein left it for others to insinuate as he offered a general defense of the U.S. rule of law.

News

MDL Panel Sends Shingles Vaccine Lawsuits to Pennsylvania

Amanda Bronstad | August 02, 2018

A federal judicial panel has sent about 100 lawsuits brought over Merck’s shingles vaccine to Pennsylvania.

News

Capitol Report

Michael Riccardi | August 02, 2018

Following is a listing of executive and legislative action for the week of July 30. Members of the state House of Representatives are scheduled to go back to work on Sept. 12. Pennsylvania senators are set to return to session on Sept. 24.

News

Norris McLaughlin Names New Chairman, Makes Other Leadership Moves

Michael Booth | August 02, 2018

Norris McLaughlin & Marcus has elected John Vanarthos, a longtime partner who has served four years on the management committee, as the firm's new chairman, and made changes at other leadership posts.

News

Federal Judge Refuses to Toss Charges Against Former Brady Aide Smukler

P.J. D'Annunzio | August 02, 2018

A federal judge denied a request by Philadelphia political consultant Kenneth Smukler, a former aide to retiring U.S. Congressman Bob Brady, to dismiss the election law-related charges against him involving two alleged schemes.

Expert Opinion

Ethics Forum: Questions and Answers on Professional Responsibility

Samuel C. Stretton| August 02, 2018

There is nothing in the rules that requires a judge to explain every decision. As a relatively new judge, at times litigants—particularly some young…

Commentary

The Demise of Fair Share Fees: 'Janus' and Its Impact

Adam Santucci and Langdon Ramsburg| August 02, 2018

Recently, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a landmark decision, which may ultimately prove to alter the landscape of public sector labor relations and undermine the political clout of public sector labor unions throughout the United States.

Commentary

Measure Twice, Cut Once: Understanding the Construction Workplace Misclassification Act

Susan Nanes| August 02, 2018

Measure twice, cut once. It’s a carpenter’s motto reminding us that it is better to spend a little more effort up front to be certain about what we’re doing than to have to spend time, money, and energy trying to fix a mistake after the fact.

News

After 22 Years of Litigation, Justices to Review Surgeon's Bid to Reinstate Defamation Award

Zack Needles | August 02, 2018

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has agreed to hear an orthopedic surgeon's appeal seeking to reinstate an award in a defamation case that has been ongoing for more than two decades.

Commentary

The 2018 Steel and Aluminum Tariffs—Do Contractors Have Remedies?

Mason Avrigian Jr. and Jeffrey P. Wallack| August 02, 2018

The Trump administration’s imposition of tariffs on steel and aluminum products entering the United States has been the subject of a great deal of discussion, debate and analysis. Much of the debate focuses on the purpose of the tariffs, their effect on the U.S. economy, and what retaliation other countries may take in response.

News

Is This the Fastest-Growing Firm in Big Law?

Meghan Tribe | August 02, 2018

"I would say within five to seven years, we’re going to replace Quinn Emanuel as the next dominant global litigation firm, no question," said former Quinn Emanuel partner John Pierce, now managing partner of Pierce Bainbridge Beck Price & Hecht.

Commentary

Conversion of the Notice of Temporary Compensation Payable

Christian Petrucci| August 02, 2018

The notice of temporary compensation payable (NTCP) and its use has always been the topic of much debate since its inception.

Man Settles Concussion, Neck Injury Claims for $3.8M

Max Mitchell | August 02, 2018

A man injured when an allegedly unsafe door caused him to collide into a concrete beam on the roof of Aramark Tower has settled his claims with the building owner and management company for nearly $4 million.

Commentary

How Different Is Construction From Online Dating? Not Too Much

Richard J. Slavin| August 02, 2018

With many experienced contractors hard at work with established developers, young developers, therefore, have to evaluate the risk of hiring an inexperienced contractor versus an experienced one who is very busy.

Trucker Said Plaintiff's Improper Attempt to Pass Him Led to Crash

VerdictSearch| August 02, 2018

On April 13, 2015, plaintiff Margaret McMearty, a school-bus driver in her mid-50s, was in a sedan on Route 401/Conestoga Road, heading toward Willing Way, in Malvern.

Commentary

Waiver of Right to Seek Bankruptcy Protection Revisited

Francis J. Lawall and John Henry Schanne II| August 02, 2018

The Bankruptcy Code and accompanying Rules of Procedure attempt to create a nationwide legal framework for administering bankruptcy cases. However, to initially determine whether a corporate entity can seek bankruptcy protection, courts must also consider the state law where it is chartered to determine who possesses the requisite authority to file on a debtor’s behalf.

Commentary

Pa. High Court to Consider Duty to Defend in Alleged Accidental Shooting

Kenneth Portner| August 02, 2018

On July 10, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court granted a petition of allowance of appeal in Erie Insurance Exchange v. Moore, No. 87 WAL 2018, 2018 Pa. LEXIS 3535, a case involving an allegedly accidental shooting.

News

St. Joe's: Student Disciplined for Assault 'Simply Upset With the Result'

Lizzy McLellan | August 02, 2018

St. Joe’s argued that its investigation, conducted by a lawyer from Cozen O’Connor, was fair and unbiased.

People in the News—Aug. 2, 2018—Curtin & Heefner

Victoria Hudgins | August 02, 2018

Curtin & Heefner’s Michael Maguire will be joining Bonnie Stein as co-chair of the firm’s property damage insurance litigation section.

Commentary

Cellphone Tracking, Privacy and Tech: Losing Focus on the Fourth Amendment (Part 2)

Leonard Deutchman| August 02, 2018

Editor's note: This is the second in a two-part series. In last week's column, I discussed Carpenter v. United States, No. 16-402 (S.Ct. June 22,…

News

Federal Judge's Ruling May Help Insureds Keep Coverage Complaints in State Court

Steven A. Meyerowitz| August 01, 2018

A federal district court in Pennsylvania has issued a decision that may serve as a roadmap for insureds and their attorneys interested in having their coverage cases heard in a Pennsylvania state court rather than having them removed by insurers to federal court.

News

Morgan Lewis Welcomes Aboard Wilmer Corporate Duo

Xiumei Dong | August 01, 2018

Eric Hwang and Christopher Rose, who have twice previously made lateral moves together, now have their third move to Morgan, Lewis & Bockius in Los Angeles and the Bay Area.

News

Krasner Announces $1M Grant to 'Bridge' Gap With Homicide Victims

Max Mitchell | August 01, 2018

The program largely entails coordinating available services within the city, and having people who have also lost a family member due to a homicide act as the first point of contact with the families of recent homicide victims to help them navigate those services.