CHICAGO, January 2, 2026―Duane Morris partner Gerald L. Maatman, Jr. has been selected as a 2026 Lawdragon Hall of Fame recipient. Now in its 11th edition, the Lawdragon Hall of Fame honors individuals whose work has made a lasting impact well beyond a single case or matter, with recipients chosen at the end of each year.
Gerald L. Maatman Jr., chair of Duane Morris’ Class Action Defense Group, has nearly four decades’ experience of practicing law and has defended some of the most significant bet-the-company cases ever filed against corporate America. Maatman has represented companies, executive teams and boards across the country in class action litigation, ranging in size from thousands to hundreds of thousands of claims by employees. Among his accomplishments, he defended and defeated the largest systemic enforcement action ever brought in the history of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the first attorney general prosecution of a Wall Street company for workplace discrimination and harassment, and the largest wage-and-hour class and collective actions ever brought in Florida and New York. While he is known to be a fierce litigator, he also helps his clients anticipate large-scale litigation risks before they happen to prevent issues that could turn into litigation. Maatman pioneered the process of conducting employment-practices audits to assist employers in structuring effective and practical personnel policies and protocols. Profiled in The Wall Street Journal, these audits are designed to minimize the incidence of employment-related class action litigation and to maximize management discretion and workplace productivity. He has served as a legal commentator on PBS, NPR, MSNBC, CNBC and U.S. talk radio, and his comments have appeared in such publications as The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, Business Insurance, USA Today, Fortune and Forbes. He is also an accomplished author of seven books on employment-related topics. Wiley & Sons is publishing his eighth book in January 2026 entitled The Employment Law Manual – A Practical Guide for Business Owners, Managers, and Executives.
About Duane Morris
Duane Morris LLP provides innovative solutions to today’s multifaceted legal and business challenges through the collegial and collaborative culture of its more than 900 attorneys in offices across the United States and internationally. The firm represents a broad array of clients, spanning all major practices and industries. Duane Morris has been recognized by BTI Consulting as both a client service leader and a highly recommended law firm.
