Alek Smolij

Senior Associate

  • Alek Smolij
  • Phone: +1 215 979 1589

    Import to Address Book

  • Duane Morris LLP
    30 South 17th Street
    Philadelphia, PA 19103-4196
    USA

Aleksander W. Smolij practices in the area of litigation. Prior to joining the firm, Alek served as law clerk to the Hon. Richard A. Lloret of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Alek has represented clients in high-value disputes across various areas of commercial litigation and white-collar litigation and investigations. His commercial litigation experience includes the defense of shareholder derivative lawsuits and federal class actions. His white-collar experience includes expertise in the investigation and defense of blockchain and crypto enforcement matters brought by United States regulators.

Alek is a 2019 summa cum laude graduate of Temple University Beasley School of Law, where he was a Lead Research Editor for the Temple Law Review and elected to the Order of the Coif, and a graduate of the Pennsylvania State University. While in law school, Alek interned with the Philadelphia Regional Office of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Admissions

  • Pennsylvania

Education

  • Temple University Beasley School of Law, J.D., summa cum laude, 2019
    - Lead Research Editor, Temple Law Review, Vol. 91
    - Order of the Coif
    - TASA Prize for Outstanding Performance in the Field of Evidence
  • The Pennsylvania State University, B.A., 2014

Experience

  • Duane Morris LLP
    - Senior Associate, 2025-present
    - Associate, 2021-2024
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
    - Law Clerk to the Hon. Richard A. Lloret, 2020-2021
  • Potter Anderson & Corroon LLP
    - Associate, 2019-2020

Selected Publications

Representative Matters

  • Member of team that obtained a settlement the client, a developer of unique block chain designed to make crypto tokens accessible to small businesses, found favorable. The SEC filed a lawsuit against the developer as the lead defendant along with 3 co-defendants for securities fraud and the sale of an unregistered offering, seeking over $10 million in disgorgement. The final settlement contained favorable terms for the client, including settling with no admissions on a “neither admit or deny” basis, settling for less than 25% of the amount sought by the SEC, and avoiding a lifetime injunction from selling securities to the U.S.

  • Member of trial team that defeated class certification and then achieved no-liability jury verdict on all counts for amusement park accused of racial discrimination in interactions between park guests and costumed characters.

  • Member of team that obtained favorable settlement for client in putative class action alleging violation of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act in claim brought by plaintiff alleging receipt of numerous unwanted text messages.

  • Obtained dismissals on behalf of client pursuant to doctrine of forum non conveniens for cases improperly filed by plaintiffs in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas.

  • Secured a complete victory in favor of Consolidated Rail Corporation and CSX Transportation, Inc. following a seven-day jury trial in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas. The complaint was filed by a former Conrail and CSX employee who claimed that he developed kidney cancer as a result of alleged workplace exposures to asbestos and diesel exhaust during his thirty-two year railroad career. At trial, the team demonstrated that the plaintiff was never exposed to unsafe levels of either, and that his alleged exposures did not cause his cancer. After over three years of hard-fought litigation, the team secured a finding of zero liability.