OUR ATTORNEYS

Our 25+ attorneys are at your service.

When a law firm prizes integrity as highly as we do, it attracts attorneys that are not only intensely professional but also straightforward, honest, and as dedicated to their clients as they are to the law.

Click on attorney’s name for full profile:

Philadelphia Office:

Martin Beck

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Of Counsel
Mr. Beck has almost 30 years of experience representing plaintiffs and defendants in civil litigation. As a law student Mr. Beck served the Honorable Charles P. Mirarchi and the Honorable Sandra Mazer Moss in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas’ asbestos litigation program. Mr. Beck went on to work at Philadelphia based law firms practicing in a wide range of areas including commercial subrogation, personal injury defense and mass-tort litigation. For 20 years before starting at McCormick and Priore, Mr. Beck represented individuals and businesses in matters arising from insurance benefit disputes, allegations of insurance bad-faith, ERISA benefit claims, and personal-injury disputes. Mr. Beck has litigated hundreds of cases in state and federal courts and argued before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and the Superior Court of Pennsylvania. He now focuses his practice on complex first-party claims against insurers including insurance bad-faith litigation and uninsured/underinsured motorist claims. Mr. Beck serves as a Judge Pro Tempore in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas and an arbitrator in Philadelphia and Delaware Counties.

Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Supreme Court of New Jersey
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Education:

Widener University, Delaware School of Law, Wilmington, DE 1991 J.D.
University of Maryland, College Park, MD 1988 B.A.

Conrad James Benedetto

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Shareholder
During law school, Mr. Benedetto served as an editor of the Villanova Environmental Law Journal and successfully represented a client seeking asylum before the United States Immigration Court. In addition, Mr. Benedetto interned with the Honorable Rayford A. Means of the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Criminal Trial Division and in the United States of Appeals Third Circuit Mediation Program, and served as President of both the Justinian Society and the International Law Society. Prior to joining McCormick & Priore, Mr. Benedetto was an associate at a commercial litigation boutique in Philadelphia and was a law clerk for the Honorable Lynne A. Sitarski, U.S.M.J., Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Mr. Benedetto currently focuses his practice in the areas of products liability, construction litigation, premises litigation, complex civil and commercial litigation, and general casualty litigation.

Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Supreme Court of New Jersey
United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
Supreme Court of New York, Appellate Division
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York

Associations:

American Bar Association
Pennsylvania Bar Association
New York Bar Association
Justinian Society

Education:

Villanova University School of Law (J.D., 2010)
University of Pennsylvania (B.A. 2001)

Representative Publications:

Comment, “Is the European Laboratory Over-REACH-ing? The Experimentation, Reaction and Product Yielded by the European Union’s Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals,” 21 Vill. Envtl. L.J. 75(2010)

Christopher Mark Burruezo

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Associate
During law school, Mr. Burruezo served as the Assistant Symposium Editor for the University of Maryland Journal of Business and Technology Law. In addition, Mr. Burruezo was a member of the Alternate Dispute Resolution team. Prior to joining McCormick and Priore, Mr. Burruezo served as Law Clerk to the Honorable Robert P. Becker, Jr., J.S.C., in the New Jersey Superior Court, Gloucester County Criminal Division. During his Clerkship, Mr. Burruezo participated in weekly Special Civil Part mediations. Mr. Burruezo currently focuses his practice in the areas of premises liability, construction, coverage and UM/UIM litigation.

Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of New Jersey
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

Education:

University of Maryland School of Law (J.D. 2015)
Alvernia College (B.A. 2005)

Robert J. Cahall

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Senior Shareholder – Executive Committee
While in law school, Mr. Cahall clerked for McCormick & Priore. He also served as the Managing Notes Editor for the Rutgers Journal of Law and Public Policy. Prior to re-joining McCormick & Priore, Mr. Cahall served as the law clerk to the Honorable Richard R. Cooch, Resident Judge of the Superior Court of Delaware in and for New Castle County. Mr. Cahall currently focuses his practice in the areas of bad faith litigation, insurance coverage, complex liability litigation, employment litigation, and general casualty litigation.

Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Supreme Court of New Jersey
Supreme Court of Delaware
United States District Courts for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
Unites States District Court for the District of Delaware
United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Associations:

Delaware State Bar Association
Richard S. Rodney Inn of Court

Education:

Rutgers University School of Law (J.D., 2010, magna cum laude)
Rutgers University (B.A., 2008, summa cum laude).

Representative Publications:

Scott J. Tredwell & Robert J. Cahall, Mohawk Industries, Inc. v. Carpenter and its Implications for Pennsylvania Collateral Order Doctrine Jurisprudence, COUNTERPOINT (Pennsylvania Defense Inst.), Nov. 2010.
Robert J. Cahall, Comment, Local Gun Control Laws After District of Columbia v. Heller: Silver Bullets or Shooting Blanks?, 7 RUTGERS J.L. & PUB. POL’Y 359 (2010).
Scott J. Tredwell & Robert J. Cahall, Civil Litigation Update, PERSONAL INJURY POTPOURRI (Dispute Resolution Inst., Philadelphia, P.A.), Apr. 2010.

Pamela Mayro Cohen

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Of Counsel
Ms. Mayro Cohen has devoted her career in the defense of complex litigation, premises liability, construction, products liability and general litigation. She has handled cases in Pennsylvania State Courts and in Federal Court and she has argued before the Superior Court of Pennsylvania. Prior to attending law school, Ms. Mayro Cohen was a teacher in the Lower Merion School District. During College she was a member of the Political Science Honor Society where she served as its President. Ms. Mayro Cohen joined McCormick & Priore, P.C. in 2015. She currently focuses her practice on complex litigation cases and plaintiff’s personal injury work.

Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
United States Supreme Court
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Associations:

Philadelphia Bar Association

Education:

Villanova University School of Law (J.D., 1987)
University of Pennsylvania (M.S. 1982)
Villanova University (B.A. 1981)

Damali K. Martin

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Associate
During law school, Ms. Martin was a Law and Public Policy Scholar. As a Law & Public Policy Scholar, her research focused on the World Trade Organization’s (WTO), Agreement on Trade Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPs) with a special focus on the needs of Least Developed Countries. (LDC’s). In addition, she interned at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), a prominent patent law firm in Tokyo and the Think Tank and Civil Societies Program at the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to McCormick & Priore, Ms. Martin worked at a prominent anti-trust firm. She focuses her practice on first party insurance, bad faith and coverage litigation.

Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

Education:

Drexel University (B.Sc. 2013)
Temple University, Beasley School of Law (J.D. 2016)

David M. McCormick

DAVID M. McCORMICK
(1945-2017)

Dave’s law practice began in October, 1970, as an Assistant City Solicitor in the Litigation department of the Philadelphia City Solicitor’s Office. Dave left the City Solicitor’s Office in March, 1973, to become an associate, and eventually a partner, in the law firm of Liebert, Short, FitzPatrick & Lavin. While there he became a recognized expert in and frequent lecturer on all aspects of auto insurance law, including liability, coverage and uninsured and underinsured motorist matters, as well as claims alleging bad faith. For over 20 years, he co-authored, with his long-time friend and colleagues, Harris T. Bock, Esquire, an annual publication for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, Uninsured & Underinsured Motorist Law: A Digest of Reported cases in Pennsylvania.

On April 1, 1994, Dave and Philip Priore, Esquire, founded McCormick & Priore, P.C., where he continued his representation of a long list of insurance carriers and their insureds. Throughout his long career, Dave served as a mentor to many, teaching not only the craft of being a lawyer, but the professionalism, ethics and courtesy of his practice, the elements he valued the most. His uncanny intellect was renowned by both his colleagues and clients alike. As one of his longest-tenured clients recently described him, Dave was the “great barrister athlete of his class.”

Philip D. Priore

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Senior Shareholder – Executive Committee

Mr. Priore’s experience and law practice spans several disciplines and two states. Mr. Priore began his law career with Liebert, Short, FitzPatrick & Lavin, P.C., initially developing extensive experience in products liability, insurance coverage and general litigation matters. Thereafter, he and David McCormick, Esquire founded McCormick & Priore, P.C., where he expanded his areas of practice to include employment and construction litigation, with a specialty in complex contractual indemnification and additional insured issues among owners, general contractors and subcontractors. Mr. Priore regularly speaks at continuing legal education seminars on such issues as coverage, products liability law, construction accidents and trial preparation. He has tried multiple cases to verdict in both state and federal courts in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
Supreme Court of New Jersey
New York State Bar
U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Education:

Suffolk University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1983)
Columbia University (B.A., 1980)

Associations:

Philadelphia Bar Association
Pennsylvania Bar Association
Defense Research Institute
Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel
New Jersey Defense Association
Trial Attorneys of America

Representative Publications:

Comment, Admiralty-Shipowner-Limitation of Shipowner’s Negligence Liability Under 905(b) of the LHWCA,” 6 Suffolk Transnat’l L.J. 95 (1981).

Representative Published Opinions:

Longport Ocean Plaza Condo., Inc. v. Robert Cato & Assocs., CIVIL ACTION NO. 00- CV-2231 (Consolidated with 02-CV-1724), UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20215, October 31, 2003, Decided, October 31, 2003, Filed; November 3, 2003, Entered, Reversed by, Remanded by Longport Ocean Plaza Condo., Inc. v. Robert Cato & assocs., Inc., 2005 U.S. App. LEXIS 11170 (3d Cir. Pa., June 14, 2005) (suit against manufacturer involving contribution or indemnification claims against third-party defendants).
Blewitt v. Man Roland, Inc., CIVIL ACTION NO. 00-CV-1887, UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, 168 F. Supp. 2d 466; 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16391; CCH Prod. Liab. Rep. P16,186, October 10, 2001, Filed (summary judgment obtained for transporter/assembler of printing press on basis of no duty owed to plaintiff regarding an alleged dangerous condition).
Bunting v. Ryder Truck Rental, Inc., CIVIL ACTION NO. 96-3683, UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 566, January 14, 1999, Decided, January 15, 1999, Filed (Defendant freight corporation did not act in bad faith and plaintiffs were not prejudiced by defendants’ delay in filing an expert report, so the court did not strike the testimony from one of defendants’ witnesses in plaintiffs’ case).
Corestates Bank, N.A. v. Richards, CIVIL ACTION NO. 95-CV4689, UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 956, January 25, 1996, Decided, January 25, 1996, Filed; January 26, 1996, Entered (A corporation’s motion under Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(c) to dismiss an executor’s action under the decedent’s grandson was not an enumerated beneficiary and therefore did not have the right to bring a cause of action under the Act.)
Berkeyheiser v. A-Plus Investigations, Inc., 936 A.2d 117 (Pa. Super. 2007) (Constitutional right to informational privacy precluded trial court from requiring disclosure of private investigator’s records.)

Representative Presentations:

April 18, 2000 Philadelphia, PA Co-Course Planner Personal Injury Potpourri Current Trends In Products Liability
April 2003 Philadelphia, PA Products Liability Update
November 2004 Concordville, PA Hold Harmless – Contractual Issues
August 2006 Pasadena, CA Joint And Several Liability In Products Liability Cases
April 25, 2007 Philadelphia, PA Contractual Indemnity Issues and Additional Insured Endorsements – What Tangled Webs We Weave
September 11, 2008 New York, NY Auto Insurance Seminar
March 18, 2009 Boston, MA Contractual Indemnity Issues and Additional Insured Endorsements

William H. Resch, Jr.

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Shareholder
Mr. Resch has 25 years of experience as a litigator representing defendants in civil actions. Mr. Resch has worked in a wide range of areas including premises liability, motor vehicle litigation, products liability, construction litigation, insurance coverage, appellate practice and professional liability. Mr. Resch has litigated hundreds of cases in state and federal courts in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and has argued cases before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, the Pennsylvania Superior Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Court. From 1983 to 2009 Mr. Resch practiced with Philadelphia based law firms whose main emphasis was civil defense litigation. Following graduation from college, Mr. Resch taught English and coached football and lacrosse at William Penn Charter School in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Education:

Villanova University, 1984 M.A.
The Dickinson School of Law, Carlisle, PA 1983 J.D.)
Yale University, 1975 B.A.

Associations:

Pennsylvania Bar Association
Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel

Representative Publications:

The Blizzard’s Backlash: A Symposium on Issues Confronting Pennsylvania and New Jersey Property Owners, Defense Digest, March, 1996 Clearing The Air On Pollution Exclusion: Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s Decision In Madison Construction Co v. Harleysville Mutual Ins. Co., Defense Digest, Dec., 1999

Representative Published Opinions:

Government Employees Insurance Co. v. Benton, 859 F.2d 1147 (3rd Cir. 1988).
Alvarino v. Allstate Ins., 537 A.2d 18 (Pa. Super. 1988)
Bradley v. General Insurance Company, 778 A.2d 707 (Pa. Super. 2001)

HONORS AND AWARDS:

AV Peer Review Rating by LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell

Glen Shikunov

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During law school, Mr. Shikunov served as an editor of the University of Pittsburgh Journal of Law & Commerce and was a member of the Mock Trial team. He was also the head coach of the University of Pittsburgh undergraduate Mock Trial team. In addition, Mr. Shikunov served as a law clerk at multiple Pittsburgh based litigation firms, working on matters involving general litigation, employment law and property tax assessment issues. Prior to joining McCormick & Priore, Mr. Shikunov was an Assistant District Attorney at the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office where he handled both felony and misdemeanor level cases up to and through trial. Mr. Shikunov currently focuses his practice in the areas of premises liability, automobile and bad faith insurance litigation.

Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Supreme Court of New Jersey
Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Education:

University of Pittsburgh School of Law (J.D., 2013)
Loyola University Chicago (B.A. 2010)

Associations:

American Bar Association
Pennsylvania Bar Association

Harry A. Short, Jr

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Of Counsel
Mr. Short’s law practiced began in 1955. In 1962 he and former colleagues of Judge John McDevitt’s office formed their own firm, eventually forming the firm of Liebert, Short & Hirshland. He has tried over 300 cases to jury verdict throughout his career concentrating in products liability litigation. His clients have included Sears, Roebuck & Co., Chrysler Corporation, General Electric, Mitsubishi, Suzuki Corporation and Otis Elevator.

Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
U.S. Supreme Court

Associations:

Defense Research Institute
Philadelphia Bar Association
Trial Attorneys of America
Federation of Insurance and Corporate Counsel (1978-2002)

Education:

Villanova University, 1984 M.A.
University of Pennsylvania School of Law (J.D., 1955)
Villanova University (B.S., 1952)

Elizabeth Smith

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Associate
During law school, Ms. Smith was a member of the Business Law Society and Women’s Law Caucus. Ms. Smith was also a recipient of the Rubin Public Honor Society. In addition, Ms. Smith served as a legal intern at Subaru of America, Inc., and the Pennsylvania Innocence Project. Prior to joining McCormick & Priore, Ms. Smith worked at a prominent regional family law firm, where she gained extensive litigation experience. Ms. Smith currently focuses her practice in areas of premises liability, automobile accidents and construction related litigation.

Bar Admissions:

Pennsylvania Supreme Court
New Jersey Supreme Court
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

Associations

American Bar Association

Education:

Temple University (B.A. 2012)
Temple University, Beasley School of Law (J.D. 2015)

Scott J. Tredwell

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Senior Shareholder – Executive Committee
Mr. Tredwell started his career as the Chief Administrative Law Clerk to the Honorable John T.J. Kelly Jr. in the Superior Court of Pennsylvania. Thereafter, for nearly three decades, he has specialized in claims brought by or against insurance carriers directly. His practice focuses primarily on bad faith, coverage and first party claims. He has represented insurers in class actions in numerous jurisdictions, including Florida, North Carolina, Texas, West Virginia, Connecticut, Utah and Washington. He has testified as an expert witness and written and lectured frequently on various topics regarding bad faith and related claims by and against insurance carriers. For nearly fifteen years, Mr. Tredwell has served as the editor of a periodic publication Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Law: A digest of Reported Cases in Pennsylvania. He has regular been appointed to serve as a Judge Pro Tempore, and as a neutral arbitrator and mediator in various matters involving insurance law.

Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Supreme Court of New Jersey
New York State Bar
U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania

Associations:

Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel
Defense Research Institute
Pennsylvania Defense Institute
Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel

Education:

Villanova University School of Law (J.D., 1989)
Syracuse University (B.A., Political Science, 1986)

Matthew S. Zabel

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Shareholder
Mr. Zabel has a broad range of litigation experience in complex civil litigation, premises liability, construction accidents, products liability, motor vehicle accidents, insurance coverage, and breach of contract. He also regularly serves as an arbitrator in civil cases in Philadelphia County. Mr. Zabel’s previous legal practice for national law firms has involved reinsurance litigation, complex insurance contractual disputes, and political law. While in law school, Mr. Zabel was a law clerk for the Public Defender’s Office.

Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
District of Columbia
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Associations:

New Jersey Defense Association
Pennsylvania Bar Association
Philadelphia Bar Association

Education:

George Washington University School of Law (J.D., cum laude 2005)
Pennsylvania State University (B.A., summa cum laude, 2002)

Kathryn Luchansky

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Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
District of Columbia
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Associations:

New Jersey Defense Association
Pennsylvania Bar Association
Philadelphia Bar Association

Education:

George Washington University School of Law (J.D., cum laude 2005)
Pennsylvania State University (B.A., summa cum laude, 2002)

Test User

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Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Supreme Court of New Jersey
United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
Supreme Court of New York, Appellate Division
United States District Court for the Southern District of New York
United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York

Associations:

American Bar Association
Pennsylvania Bar Association
New York Bar Association
Justinian Society

Education:

Villanova University School of Law (J.D., 2010)
University of Pennsylvania (B.A. 2001)

Representative Publications:

Plymouth Meeting Office:

H. Joseph Byron, III

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Shareholder
Mr. Byron was a Law Clerk for the Honorable Joseph L. McGlynn, Jr., U.S. District Court Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania from 1984 to 1985. Since then, he has specialized in insurance coverage and defense litigation, including construction, construction defect and contractual indemnity, premises liability, motor vehicle litigation, and employment litigation. He has tried numerous cases to verdict in both Pennsylvania state and federal courts and in private arbitration forums. He has also served as a defense arbitrator for State Farm, Allstate, and Travelers in UM/UIM actions. Mr. Byron is bilingual, with Spanish as his second language.

Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania

Associations:

Pennsylvania Bar Association
Philadelphia Defense Institute
Montgomery County Bar Association

Education:

Loyola University School of Law, New Orleans (J.D., 1984)
University of Scranton (B.S., Law Enforcement, 1981)

Representative Publications:

Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Law in Pennsylvania (National Business Institute 2002,2003)

Representative Presentations:

Mr. Byron has spoken at numerous continuing legal education seminars on such issues as auto law, first party benefits, and uninsured/underinsured motorist litigation.

James D. Cella

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Shareholder
From 1990-1992, Mr. Cella served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable John T.J. Kelly, Jr., in the Superior Court of Pennsylvania. Since then, he has devoted his career to civil defense litigation. Mr. Cella has participated in lectures and seminars on various topics including MIST defense, premises liability, uninsured and underinsured arbitrations and coverage issues. His current practice areas include automobile related litigation, premises liability and insurance coverage.

Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
U.S. Supreme Court

Associations:

Philadelphia Bar Association
Pennsylvania Bar Association
Defense Research Institute
Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association
Pennsylvania Defense Institute

Education:

Widener University School of Law (J.D., 1990)
Temple University (B.A., 1985)

Representative Publications:

Nationwide Mutual Fire Insurance Company v. Quinn, 138 Fed. Appx. 339; 2005 U.S. App. LEXIS 10501 (2005).
Foremost Insurance Company v. Erickson, 2007 U.S. LEXIS 58017 (2007).
First Oak Brook Corporation Syndicate v. Ultimate Sports Bar, Inc., 1996 U.S. LEXIS 5408 (1996).
Sheehan v. Nationwide Insurance Company, 2001 Pa. Super. 193; 779 A.2d 582 (2001).
Scheidly v. Travelers Insurance Company, 2001 U.S. LEXIS 24114 (2001).

Peter R. Kulp

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Of Counsel
Mr. Kulp has dedicated his career in the defense of Complex Litigation, First Party and Bad Faith Litigation. He has handled cases in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey State Courts and in the Federal Court. Mr. Kulp focuses his practice in the areas of Bad Faith, First Party, and Complex Litigation.

Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Supreme Court of New Jersey
US District Court – Eastern District of Pennsylvania
US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Education:

Temple University, James E. Beasley School of Law (J.D. 2006)
West Chester University of Pennsylvania (B.A. 1998)

Stephen M. McManus

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Senior Shareholder – Executive Committee
Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. McManus was a chemical engineer specializing in the control system design for the operation of water, wastewater and hazardous waste treatment facilities. With respect to this work, Mr. McManus originally worked for Metcalf & Eddy in Boston and, later, for Leeds & Northrup in North Wales, PA. After graduating from Delaware Law School in 1986, Mr. McManus’ legal work has included a wide range of products liability, toxic torts, environmental actions, and construction litigation, including the insurance coverage issues that relate thereto. Mr. McManus has been involved in a myriad of mass tort litigation, including class actions, federal court MDL cases and other cases involving dozens of plaintiffs. These cases have involved claims pertaining to PCB’, latex gloves, Norplant birth control devices, the use of phentermine in the Fen-Phen litigation, and various claims of injuries and property damage resulting from landfills and the release of chemicals into the soil and water. Presently, Mr. McManus concentrates his practice in the areas of premises liability (Dram Shop, security) to construction accidents and alleged construction defects to various products liability matters. Mr. McManus also defends matters involving Errors and Omissions, medical, nursing home and home healthcare liability, engineer and architect liability, insurance agents/brokers liability, insurance coverage analysis and associated declaratory judgment actions. He currently serves as the Managing Partner of the firm’s Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania office.

Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
U.S. District for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Supreme Court of New Jersey
U.S. District for the District of New Jersey
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
Court of Appeals of Maryland

Associations:

Defense Research Institute

Education:

Delaware Law School (J.D., 1986)
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (B.S., Chemical Engineering, 1979)

Presentations:

Mr. McManus regularly presents various topics for PBI, NBI and clients on such topics as case management and case preparation, contractual indemnification and additional insured issues, insurance coverage, premises liability issues, and trial strategies and preparation.

Representative Published Opinions:

In Re Paoli R.R. Yard PCB Litig., No. 99-1692, UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT, 221 F.3d 449; 2000 U.S. App. LEXIS 19138; 47 Fed. R. Serv.3d (Callaghan) 985, April, 2000, Argued, August 10, 2000, Filed, As Amended September 15, 2000. (It was an abuse of discretion to impose joint and several liability on a minority group of toxic tort plaintiffs whose claims were merely responsible for a small share of defendants’ expenses.)
Brown v. SEPTA (In Re Paoli R.R. Yard PCB Litig.), No. 95-2098, UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT, 113 F.3d 444; 1997 U.S. App. LEXIS 10823; 47 Fed. R. Evid. Serv. (Callaghan) 302; 44 ERC (BNA)1611; 27 ELR 20941, September 16, 1996, Argued, May 12, 1997, Filed (In a toxic tort case, plaintiffs were properly required to prove that they were exposed to toxic substances at a level greater than that ordinarily encountered in everyday life to be successful on their medical monitoring claims.)
Airco Industrial Gases, Inc. Div. of BOC Group, Inc. v. Teamsters Health Welfare Pensions Fund, No. 87-3642, UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT, 850 F.2d 1028; 1988 U.S. App. LEXIS 8994; 11 Fed. R. Serv. 3d (Callaghan) 830; 9 Employee Benefits Cas. (BNA) 2305, March 1, 1988, Argued, June 30, 1988, Filed (A retirement fund admitted a refund policy, but, in the absence of specific statute, interest and attorneys’ fees were properly denied as contrary to the policy underlying the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.)
Lie v. Dara, CIVIL ACTION NO. 01-3167, UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8788, May 15, 2002, Decided (In a personal injury case, defendants’ summary judgment motion was denied in part and granted. The federal claims could go forward since the state workers’ compensation act did not apply. Two supplemental claims survived against two defendants.)
Nestor v. Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 559 Pa. 8,789 A.2d 107 (1999). (In a medical malpractice case, plaintiff claimed emotional distress and fear of cancer regarding the loss of biopsies by the hospital.)

Philip D. Priore

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Senior Shareholder – Executive Committee

Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
Supreme Court of New Jersey
New York State Bar
U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Education:

Suffolk University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1983)
Columbia University (B.A., 1980)

Associations:

Philadelphia Bar Association
Pennsylvania Bar Association
Defense Research Institute
Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel
New Jersey Defense Association
Trial Attorneys of America

Representative Publications:

Comment, Admiralty-Shipowner-Limitation of Shipowner’s Negligence Liability Under 905(b) of the LHWCA,” 6 Suffolk Transnat’l L.J. 95 (1981).

Representative Published Opinions:

Longport Ocean Plaza Condo., Inc. v. Robert Cato & Assocs., CIVIL ACTION NO. 00- CV-2231 (Consolidated with 02-CV-1724), UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20215, October 31, 2003, Decided, October 31, 2003, Filed; November 3, 2003, Entered, Reversed by, Remanded by Longport Ocean Plaza Condo., Inc. v. Robert Cato & assocs., Inc., 2005 U.S. App. LEXIS 11170 (3d Cir. Pa., June 14, 2005) (suit against manufacturer involving contribution or indemnification claims against third-party defendants).
Blewitt v. Man Roland, Inc., CIVIL ACTION NO. 00-CV-1887, UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, 168 F. Supp. 2d 466; 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16391; CCH Prod. Liab. Rep. P16,186, October 10, 2001, Filed (summary judgment obtained for transporter/assembler of printing press on basis of no duty owed to plaintiff regarding an alleged dangerous condition).
Bunting v. Ryder Truck Rental, Inc., CIVIL ACTION NO. 96-3683, UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 566, January 14, 1999, Decided, January 15, 1999, Filed (Defendant freight corporation did not act in bad faith and plaintiffs were not prejudiced by defendants’ delay in filing an expert report, so the court did not strike the testimony from one of defendants’ witnesses in plaintiffs’ case).
Corestates Bank, N.A. v. Richards, CIVIL ACTION NO. 95-CV4689, UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 956, January 25, 1996, Decided, January 25, 1996, Filed; January 26, 1996, Entered (A corporation’s motion under Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(c) to dismiss an executor’s action under the decedent’s grandson was not an enumerated beneficiary and therefore did not have the right to bring a cause of action under the Act.)
Berkeyheiser v. A-Plus Investigations, Inc., 936 A.2d 117 (Pa. Super. 2007) (Constitutional right to informational privacy precluded trial court from requiring disclosure of private investigator’s records.)

Representative Presentations:

April 18, 2000 Philadelphia, PA Co-Course Planner Personal Injury Potpourri Current Trends In Products Liability
April 2003 Philadelphia, PA Products Liability Update
November 2004 Concordville, PA Hold Harmless – Contractual Issues
August 2006 Pasadena, CA Joint And Several Liability In Products Liability Cases
April 25, 2007 Philadelphia, PA Contractual Indemnity Issues and Additional Insured Endorsements – What Tangled Webs We Weave
September 11, 2008 New York, NY Auto Insurance Seminar
March 18, 2009 Boston, MA Contractual Indemnity Issues and Additional Insured Endorsements

Steven A. Riley

tel (215) 664-4004
fax (215) 664-4005

send email

Associate
Mr. Riley has a broad range of litigation experience, having handled toxic tort, product liability, construction, breach of contract, auto liability, UM/UIM, premises liability, professional liability and insurance coverage cases, among others, since he began practice in 1985. He has represented clients in Pennsylvania state trial and appellate courts, New Jersey state courts and in Federal courts of the Eastern District and Middle District of Pennsylvania. Mr. Riley has also arbitrated cases in state, UM/UIM and private arbitration forums. Mr. Riley is located in the firm’s Plymouth Meeting office handling cases throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Supreme Court of New Jersey
Washington, D.C. Court of Appeals
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court for District of New Jersey
United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Associations:

Pennsylvania Bar Association
Chester County Bar Association

Education:

Villanova University School of Law (J.D., 1985)
George Mason University (B.S., Economics, 1982)

New Jersey Office:

Robin Sammer Behn

tel (609) 716-9550
fax (609) 716-8140
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Associate
Ms. Behn joined the firm in 2017, with extensive experience in insurance defense litigation. Her experience spans a broad spectrum of cases including premise liability, product liability, professional negligence, construction litigation, employment law and worker’s compensation. Her niche is tort litigation defending national retailers, supermarkets, and municipalities. Throughout her career, Ms. Behn has litigated a broad range of matters involving complex expert discovery issues. She also participated in mediations on high exposure cases. She is admitted to the New Jersey bar. Ms. Behn also volunteered as a foreclosure mediator and now assists families with special needs students in securing their Individualized Education Plans.

Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of New Jersey
US District Court of New Jersey

Associations: 

New Jersey Bar Association

Education:

Seton Hall University School of Law, JD 1999
William Paterson College, BA 1996

Kristen Gaffey

tel (609) 716-9550
fax (609) 716-8140
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Associate

While in law school, Ms. Gaffey was a member of the nationally-ranked moot court team. She served as a Teaching Assistant for Legal Writing I, Legal Writing II, and Criminal Procedure. Ms. Gaffey also clerked for the Criminal Division of the Staff Attorney’s Office for 4th Judicial Circuit in Jacksonville, Florida, and she also interned for the United States Attorney’s Office and the Public Defender’s Office.

After graduation, Ms. Gaffey joined the faculty at the Charlotte School of Law, where she taught Bar Exam Studies, Professional Responsibility, Negotiable Instruments, and other subject matters. Ms. Gaffey also counseled and advised students regarding academic performance as a member of the Bar Passage and Academic Success Departments. When Ms. Gaffey returned home to New Jersey, she joined the Criminal Law and Personal Injury departments at a prominent central Jersey law firm, where she assisted clients who were charged with murder, aggravated sexual assault, fraud, and weapon and drug offenses along with DWI and traffic matters. Ms.Gaffey also worked alongside clients, and the families of clients, who suffered serious personal injuries from motor vehicle accidents and premises liability matters.

Ms. Gaffey currently focuses her practice in the areas of automobile accidents, premises liability, and construction related litigation.

Prior to her legal career, Ms. Gaffey was a member of the sports departmentat WAER Radio, broadcasting Syracuse University men’s basketball, football and lacrosse games. She also worked for NBC at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, and in the Athletic Communications and Athletic Compliance departments at St. John’s University.

Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of New Jersey
United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
North Carolina State Bar

Associations: 

New Jersey State Bar Association
Phi Delta Phi Legal Fraternity

Education:

Florida Coastal School of Law (J.D., 2010)
Saint John’s University (M.A., History, 2007)
Syracuse University, (B.A., cum laude, Broadcast Journalism & History, 2005)

Stephen M. McManus

tel (609) 716-9550
fax (609) 716-8140
send email

Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
U.S. District for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
Supreme Court of New Jersey
U.S. District for the District of New Jersey
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
Court of Appeals of Maryland

Associations:

Defense Research Institute

Education:

Delaware Law School (J.D., 1986)
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (B.S., Chemical Engineering, 1979)

Presentations:

Mr. McManus regularly presents various topics for PBI, NBI and clients on such topics as case management and case preparation, contractual indemnification and additional insured issues, insurance coverage, premises liability issues, and trial strategies and preparation.

Representative Published Opinions:

In Re Paoli R.R. Yard PCB Litig., No. 99-1692, UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT, 221 F.3d 449; 2000 U.S. App. LEXIS 19138; 47 Fed. R. Serv.3d (Callaghan) 985, April, 2000, Argued, August 10, 2000, Filed, As Amended September 15, 2000. (It was an abuse of discretion to impose joint and several liability on a minority group of toxic tort plaintiffs whose claims were merely responsible for a small share of defendants’ expenses.)
Brown v. SEPTA (In Re Paoli R.R. Yard PCB Litig.), No. 95-2098, UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT, 113 F.3d 444; 1997 U.S. App. LEXIS 10823; 47 Fed. R. Evid. Serv. (Callaghan) 302; 44 ERC (BNA)1611; 27 ELR 20941, September 16, 1996, Argued, May 12, 1997, Filed (In a toxic tort case, plaintiffs were properly required to prove that they were exposed to toxic substances at a level greater than that ordinarily encountered in everyday life to be successful on their medical monitoring claims.)
Airco Industrial Gases, Inc. Div. of BOC Group, Inc. v. Teamsters Health Welfare Pensions Fund, No. 87-3642, UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE THIRD CIRCUIT, 850 F.2d 1028; 1988 U.S. App. LEXIS 8994; 11 Fed. R. Serv. 3d (Callaghan) 830; 9 Employee Benefits Cas. (BNA) 2305, March 1, 1988, Argued, June 30, 1988, Filed (A retirement fund admitted a refund policy, but, in the absence of specific statute, interest and attorneys’ fees were properly denied as contrary to the policy underlying the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974.)
Lie v. Dara, CIVIL ACTION NO. 01-3167, UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, 2002 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8788, May 15, 2002, Decided (In a personal injury case, defendants’ summary judgment motion was denied in part and granted. The federal claims could go forward since the state workers’ compensation act did not apply. Two supplemental claims survived against two defendants.)
Nestor v. Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 559 Pa. 8,789 A.2d 107 (1999). (In a medical malpractice case, plaintiff claimed emotional distress and fear of cancer regarding the loss of biopsies by the hospital.)

Keith Platt

tel (609) 716-9550
fax (609) 716-8140
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Associate

Mr. Platt began his legal career as Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Lawrence R. Jones, J.S.C. of the Superior Court of New Jersey in Ocean County, New Jersey. Thereafter, he has engaged in litigation practice, exclusively on the defense side. Through his practice, Mr. Platt has worked in the areas of personal injury, automotive, civil rights, medical malpractice, employment and defense of public entities throughout New Jersey. In his practice, Mr. Platt has represented health care providers, hospitals, nursing homes, retail establishments, contractors, small businesses, property owners and various public officials and agencies of state, county and municipal governments in New Jersey. Mr. Platt has also helped various joint insurance funds, as well as state, county and municipal governments, manage their self-insurance programs.

Prior to his legal career, Mr. Platt served as a Corrections Officer in Atlantic County, New Jersey and served honorably in the United States Navy.

Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of New Jersey
United States District Court for District of New Jersey

Associations:

New Jersey State Bar Associations
Mercer County Bar Association
Robbinsville-Hamilton Rotary Club

Education:

Widener University School of Law (J.D. 2009)
Stockton University (B.A., Political Science, 2006)

Philip D. Priore

tel (609) 716-9550
fax (609) 716-8140
send email

Senior Shareholder – Executive Committee

Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
Supreme Court of New Jersey
New York State Bar
U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Education:

Suffolk University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1983)
Columbia University (B.A., 1980)

Associations:

Philadelphia Bar Association
Pennsylvania Bar Association
Defense Research Institute
Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel
New Jersey Defense Association
Trial Attorneys of America

Representative Publications:

Comment, Admiralty-Shipowner-Limitation of Shipowner’s Negligence Liability Under 905(b) of the LHWCA,” 6 Suffolk Transnat’l L.J. 95 (1981).

Representative Published Opinions:

Longport Ocean Plaza Condo., Inc. v. Robert Cato & Assocs., CIVIL ACTION NO. 00- CV-2231 (Consolidated with 02-CV-1724), UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20215, October 31, 2003, Decided, October 31, 2003, Filed; November 3, 2003, Entered, Reversed by, Remanded by Longport Ocean Plaza Condo., Inc. v. Robert Cato & assocs., Inc., 2005 U.S. App. LEXIS 11170 (3d Cir. Pa., June 14, 2005) (suit against manufacturer involving contribution or indemnification claims against third-party defendants).
Blewitt v. Man Roland, Inc., CIVIL ACTION NO. 00-CV-1887, UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, 168 F. Supp. 2d 466; 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16391; CCH Prod. Liab. Rep. P16,186, October 10, 2001, Filed (summary judgment obtained for transporter/assembler of printing press on basis of no duty owed to plaintiff regarding an alleged dangerous condition).
Bunting v. Ryder Truck Rental, Inc., CIVIL ACTION NO. 96-3683, UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 566, January 14, 1999, Decided, January 15, 1999, Filed (Defendant freight corporation did not act in bad faith and plaintiffs were not prejudiced by defendants’ delay in filing an expert report, so the court did not strike the testimony from one of defendants’ witnesses in plaintiffs’ case).
Corestates Bank, N.A. v. Richards, CIVIL ACTION NO. 95-CV4689, UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 956, January 25, 1996, Decided, January 25, 1996, Filed; January 26, 1996, Entered (A corporation’s motion under Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(c) to dismiss an executor’s action under the decedent’s grandson was not an enumerated beneficiary and therefore did not have the right to bring a cause of action under the Act.)
Berkeyheiser v. A-Plus Investigations, Inc., 936 A.2d 117 (Pa. Super. 2007) (Constitutional right to informational privacy precluded trial court from requiring disclosure of private investigator’s records.)

Representative Presentations:

April 18, 2000 Philadelphia, PA Co-Course Planner Personal Injury Potpourri Current Trends In Products Liability
April 2003 Philadelphia, PA Products Liability Update
November 2004 Concordville, PA Hold Harmless – Contractual Issues
August 2006 Pasadena, CA Joint And Several Liability In Products Liability Cases
April 25, 2007 Philadelphia, PA Contractual Indemnity Issues and Additional Insured Endorsements – What Tangled Webs We Weave
September 11, 2008 New York, NY Auto Insurance Seminar
March 18, 2009 Boston, MA Contractual Indemnity Issues and Additional Insured Endorsements

David A. Semple

tel (609) 716-9550
fax (609) 716-8140
send email

Shareholder
Mr. Semple has devoted his entire legal career to the defense of personal injury claims. His significant experience includes a wide array of insurance defense matters, focusing on motor vehicle, PIP, premises liability, products liability, hospitality law, employment law and construction site accidents. While at the University of Maryland, Mr. Semple interned for The Washington D.C. Public Defender Service and The Honorable David Gray Ross of the Seventh Judicial Circuit of Maryland. During law school he interned for The Honorable Dennis M. Cavanaugh of the United States District Court, District of New Jersey. He serves as the Managing Partner of the Firm’s Princeton New Jersey office.

Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of New Jersey
U.S. District Court of New Jersey
Third Circuit Court of Appeals

Associations:

New Jersey State Bar Association
New Jersey Defense Association
Claims and Litigation Management Alliance

Education:

Seton Hall University School of Law (J.D., 1996)
University of Maryland (B.A., 1992)

Scott J. Tredwell

tel (215) 972-0161
fax (215) 972-5580
send email

Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Supreme Court of New Jersey
New York State Bar
U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania

Associations:

Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel
Defense Research Institute
Pennsylvania Defense Institute
Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel

Education:

Villanova University School of Law (J.D., 1989)
Syracuse University (B.A., Political Science, 1986)

New York Office:

Conrad James Benedetto

tel (212) 364.5160
fax (917) 368.8005
send email

Shareholder
During law school, Mr. Benedetto served as an editor of the Villanova Environmental Law Journal and successfully represented a client seeking asylum before the United States Immigration Court. In addition, Mr. Benedetto interned with the Honorable Rayford A. Means of the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Criminal Trial Division and in the United States of Appeals Third Circuit Mediation Program, and served as President of both the Justinian Society and the International Law Society. Prior to joining McCormick & Priore, Mr. Benedetto was an associate at a commercial litigation boutique in Philadelphia and was a law clerk for the Honorable Lynne A. Sitarski, U.S.M.J., Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Mr. Benedetto currently focuses his practice in the areas of premises liability, product liability, construction, automobile and insurance litigation.

Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Supreme Court of New Jersey
United States Court for the District of New Jersey
Supreme Court of New York, Appellate Division

Associations:

American Bar Association
Pennsylvania Bar Association
New York Bar Association
Justinian Society

Education:

Villanova University School of Law (J.D., 2010)
University of Pennsylvania (B.A. 2001)

Representative Publications:

Steven R. Gustavson

tel (212) 364-5160
fax (917) 368.8005
send email

Shareholder
Mr. Gustavson is a trial lawyer with extensive, nationwide experience in all phases of complex civil litigation including numerous jury and bench trials. After initial experience as a prosecutor, he has compiled a winning record as a civil litigator in public and in private practice, while advising and counseling a broad range of clients including individuals, public entities, Fortune 500 corporations and start-up companies. Mr. Gustavson’s litigation experience has encompassed a variety of civil litigation, including responsibility for defense of insureds and self-insureds, premises liability (slip and falls, sexual abuse, fire causation, shootings/criminal acts, NYC Code issues), construction site damages to persons and property (including NY Labor Law issues), products liability, civil rights suits, and extensive involvement with commercial disputes and all manner of intellectual property rights. In addition he has argued successfully before state and federal appellate courts and administrative fora.

Bar Admissions:

New York State Bar
District of Columbia Bar
State Bar of California
United States Courts of Appeals for the Second, Ninth, and Federal Circuits
United States District Courts for the Southern, Northern and Eastern Districts of New York; the Southern and Central Districts of California; the Eastern District of Michigan; and the Northern District of Illinois

Associations:

Service as the Chairman and Co-Chair of the Trademark Law and Practice Committee of the New York Intellectual Property Law Association
Serves yearly as a Judge in the International Trademark Association (INTA) Saul Lefkowitz Moot Court Competition
Presenter and panelist at seminars for the Practising Law Institute, INTA, and the William C.Conner (IP) Inn of Court

Education:

Boston University School of Law (J.D., 1983)
Columbia University (B.A., 1979)

Trials:

Successful jury and bench verdicts have included: Citigroup v. City Holding Company; Almar Sales Co., Inc. v. Lanard Toys, Inc.; Underwriters at Lloyd’s of London v. City of San Diego; MasterCard International Inc. v. First National Bank of Omaha; Reebok International v. Melville Corp.; Banff Ltd., v. Express, Ltd.; and Masco Corp. of Indiana (Delta Faucet) v. Price Pfister, Inc.

Philip D. Priore

tel (215) 972-0161
fax (215) 972-5580
send email

Senior Shareholder – Executive Committee
Mr. Priore’s experience and law practice spans several disciplines and two states. Mr. Priore began his law career with Liebert, Short, FitzPatrick & Lavin, P.C., initially developing extensive experience in products liability, insurance coverage and general litigation matters. Thereafter, he and David McCormick, Esquire founded McCormick & Priore, P.C., where he expanded his areas of practice to include employment and construction litigation, with a specialty in complex contractual indemnification and additional insured issues among owners, general contractors and subcontractors. Mr. Priore regularly speaks at continuing legal education seminars on such issues as coverage, products liability law, construction accidents and trial preparation. He has tried multiple cases to verdict in both state and federal courts in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
Supreme Court of New Jersey
U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Education:

Suffolk University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1983)
Columbia University (B.A., 1980)

Associations:

Philadelphia Bar Association
Pennsylvania Bar Association
Defense Research Institute
Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel
New Jersey Defense Association
Trial Attorneys of America

Representative Publications:

Comment, Admiralty-Shipowner-Limitation of Shipowner’s Negligence Liability Under 905(b) of the LHWCA,” 6 Suffolk Transnat’l L.J. 95 (1981).

Representative Published Opinions:

Longport Ocean Plaza Condo., Inc. v. Robert Cato & Assocs., CIVIL ACTION NO. 00- CV-2231 (Consolidated with 02-CV-1724), UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, 2003 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 20215, October 31, 2003, Decided, October 31, 2003, Filed; November 3, 2003, Entered, Reversed by, Remanded by Longport Ocean Plaza Condo., Inc. v. Robert Cato & assocs., Inc., 2005 U.S. App. LEXIS 11170 (3d Cir. Pa., June 14, 2005) (suit against manufacturer involving contribution or indemnification claims against third-party defendants).
Blewitt v. Man Roland, Inc., CIVIL ACTION NO. 00-CV-1887, UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, 168 F. Supp. 2d 466; 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16391; CCH Prod. Liab. Rep. P16,186, October 10, 2001, Filed (summary judgment obtained for transporter/assembler of printing press on basis of no duty owed to plaintiff regarding an alleged dangerous condition).
Bunting v. Ryder Truck Rental, Inc., CIVIL ACTION NO. 96-3683, UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 566, January 14, 1999, Decided, January 15, 1999, Filed (Defendant freight corporation did not act in bad faith and plaintiffs were not prejudiced by defendants’ delay in filing an expert report, so the court did not strike the testimony from one of defendants’ witnesses in plaintiffs’ case).
Corestates Bank, N.A. v. Richards, CIVIL ACTION NO. 95-CV4689, UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 956, January 25, 1996, Decided, January 25, 1996, Filed; January 26, 1996, Entered (A corporation’s motion under Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(c) to dismiss an executor’s action under the decedent’s grandson was not an enumerated beneficiary and therefore did not have the right to bring a cause of action under the Act.)
Berkeyheiser v. A-Plus Investigations, Inc., 936 A.2d 117 (Pa. Super. 2007) (Constitutional right to informational privacy precluded trial court from requiring disclosure of private investigator’s records.)

Representative Presentations:

April 18, 2000 Philadelphia, PA Co-Course Planner Personal Injury Potpourri Current Trends In Products Liability
April 2003 Philadelphia, PA Products Liability Update
November 2004 Concordville, PA Hold Harmless – Contractual Issues
August 2006 Pasadena, CA Joint And Several Liability In Products Liability Cases
April 25, 2007 Philadelphia, PA Contractual Indemnity Issues and Additional Insured Endorsements – What Tangled Webs We Weave
September 11, 2008 New York, NY Auto Insurance Seminar
March 18, 2009 Boston, MA Contractual Indemnity Issues and Additional Insured Endorsements

Michael J. Shields

tel: (212) 364.5160
fax: (917) 368.8005
send email

Associate
Mr. Shields joined the firm in 2019, with experience concentrated in insurance defense litigation. His experience spans a broad spectrum of cases including products liability, construction litigation, premises liability, and workers’ compensation. Throughout his years of practice, Mr. Shields has participated in mediations on high exposure cases. While in law school, Mr. Shields taught contracts and research to first year law students and participated in a legal externship program with a focus in environmental land use. Mr. Shields currently focuses his practice in areas of premises liability, automobile and construction litigation.

Bar Admissions:

New York State Bar

Education:

New York Law School (J.D., 2014)
Long Island University, C.W. Post Campus (M.S., 2010)
Long Island University, C.W. Post Campus (B.A., 2010)

Scott J. Tredwell

tel (215) 972-0161
fax (215) 972-5580
send email

Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Supreme Court of New Jersey
New York State Bar
U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania

Associations:

Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel
Defense Research Institute
Pennsylvania Defense Institute
Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel

Education:

Villanova University School of Law (J.D., 1989)
Syracuse University (B.A., Political Science, 1986)

Delaware Office:

Robert J. Cahall

tel (302) 266-2094
fax (302) 318-1301

send email

Bar Admissions:

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Supreme Court of New Jersey
Supreme Court of Delaware
United States District Courts for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
Unites States District Court for the District of Delaware
United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Associations:

Delaware State Bar Association
Richard S. Rodney Inn of Court

Education:

Rutgers University School of Law (J.D., 2010, magna cum laude)
Rutgers University (B.A., 2008, summa cum laude).

Representative Publications:

Scott J. Tredwell & Robert J. Cahall, Mohawk Industries, Inc. v. Carpenter and its Implications for Pennsylvania Collateral Order Doctrine Jurisprudence, COUNTERPOINT (Pennsylvania Defense Inst.), Nov. 2010.
Robert J. Cahall, Comment, Local Gun Control Laws After District of Columbia v. Heller: Silver Bullets or Shooting Blanks?, 7 RUTGERS J.L. & PUB. POL’Y 359 (2010).
Scott J. Tredwell & Robert J. Cahall, Civil Litigation Update, PERSONAL INJURY POTPOURRI (Dispute Resolution Inst., Philadelphia, P.A.), Apr. 2010.

Our leading defense litigation experts can be found at the following locations: