Biography
Jerry is an experienced trial lawyer who has successfully tried numerous commercial cases to verdict across the country. He has handled cases involving alleged breaches of varied commercial contracts, including distribution agreements, franchise agreements, non-competition agreements, and commercial insurance policies. He regularly handles cases where preliminary injunctive relief is at issue and is often retained specifically to handle such matters.
His experience also includes handling sensitive disputes between owners of closely held businesses, and he has represented family members in litigation against one another when those disputes cannot be amicably resolved. Jerry has also represented employers in virtually every type of unlawful employment discrimination claim.
In addition to his trial work, Jerry has successfully argued before the U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Third Circuit, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, the Supreme Court of the State of New York, Appellate Division, First Judicial Department, and both intermediate appellate courts in Pennsylvania.
From 2007 to 2014 Jerry served as the Senior Vice President, Chief Legal Officer, and Secretary for a multi-billion dollar publicly traded retail corporation. He played an integral part of the management team that took the company public in 2011, when it was ranked the number one initial public offering of the year. Jerry’s experience as a Chief Legal Officer has greatly informed and influenced his litigation practice, and he understands how litigation fits into a broader business agenda.
In his 30 plus years of legal practice, Jerry has earned a reputation as a formidable litigator who never shies away from taking a case to trial when a favorable settlement cannot be obtained. He is humbled by the confidence his clients place in him, and leaves nothing on the table in advancing their interests.
Court Admissions
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
Representative Experience
- Secured a multi-million-dollar arbitration award in favor of a publicly traded Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) in an arbitration concerning its rights to manage an LLC, following breaches of contract by its co-investors, and defended that award from a motion to vacate. The REIT also received a seven-figure award of attorney’s fees that was confirmed by a U.S. district court
- Obtained multi-million-dollar arbitration award in breach of contract action for national athletic apparel and footwear retailer, The Finish Line. Inc.
- Successfully obtained multi-million-dollar jury verdict on behalf of a marketing company in a case involving the breach of and fraudulent inducement into an exclusive distribution agreement governing the rights to a patented dietary product
- Successfully obtained a directed verdict on behalf of eight defendants in a $6 million defamation claim brought by a former executive terminated by the corporate defendant because of a violation of the company’s conflict-of-interest policy
- Obtained a defense verdict and verdict on a counterclaim on behalf of the world’s largest privately held company that was sued on a breach-of-contract claim
- Handled numerous preliminary injunctions on behalf of national and international franchisors seeking to remove delinquent franchisees from their systems
- Represented international franchisor in a multi-million-dollar international franchising arbitration filed by a Mexican franchisee to prevent an alleged encroachment of a protected territory
- Defended and prosecuted dozens of preliminary injunctions involving alleged employee breaches of noncompetition, confidentiality, and non-solicitation agreements
- Successfully obtained substantial verdicts in two bench trials for a consulting firm named one of fastest growing companies in Pittsburgh
- Obtained summary judgment for employers in employment cases brought under Title VII involving claims of gender discrimination, reverse gender discrimination, sexual harassment, and religious discrimination
- Obtained summary judgment for employers in employment cases brought under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act
Education
- J.D. University of Pittsburgh School of Law
Memberships
- Allegheny County Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- Pennsylvania Bar Association
- Pennsylvania Editorial Advisory Board, Law360 (2025)
