The practice at Duane Morris LLP is known for assisting businesses and individuals at every level of the cannabis supply chain with corporate, transactional and regulatory mandates, litigation and cannabis-related tax, real estate and IP matters. The group’s varied client roster often features state-licensed marijuana and hemp cultivators, processors, distributors and dispensaries, as well as businesses that render services to the cannabis industry. The department is co-directed by a trio of experienced partners. Philadelphia-based Seth Goldberg, lauded as a “lawyer’s lawyer with a steady hand,” advises industry players and investors on regulatory and business matters pertaining to their legal cannabis activities. Over in Las Vegas, corporate specialist Tracy Gallegos handles M&A, entity formation, corporate governance and restructuring. In New Jersey, Paul Josephson focuses his practice on constitutional and regulatory litigation. Additional names to note include Los Angeles-based Justin Santarosa and New York-based Michael Schwamm, who focus on corporate work involving the cannabis sector.

Seth Goldberg and Michael Schwamm are both named as a “Leading Lawyer” in this area.

Practice heads: Tracy Gallegos, Seth Goldberg and Paul Josephson

Other key lawyers: Justin Santarosa and Michael Schwamm

Testimonials

• “Duane Morris’ cannabis practice is simply the best in the country. They have the most thorough knowledge of our ever-changing industry and its regulatory landscape. Michael Schwamm―outstanding legal expertise and willingness to understand our individual business needs and react and provide the best and most appropriate legal counsel at the time.”
• “What makes Duane Morris unique among peer firms is the entrepreneurial spirit of the cannabis practice, backed up by extensive institutional knowledge and experience of business. They created laws, regulations and precedents that govern and protect the cannabis industry today and advised businesses how to operate within them.”
• “The passion and commitment of Duane Morris’ lawyers to serve businesses and entrepreneurs is evident, and the firm has acted as a pathfinder through a constellation of state laws and regulation―many of which the firm’s cannabis practice has helped shape.”

Duane Morris LLP’s extensive trial expertise spans a broad range of complex disputes, with emphasis on commercial litigation, franchise litigation, product liability, patent litigation, software litigation and disputes emanating out of the construction sector. Philadelphia-based product liability trial lawyer Sharon Caffrey jointly chairs the practice group together with San Francisco partner Stephen Sutro, who handles commercial litigation in addition to acting in white-collar criminal matters. Wayne Mack is a further key contact and handles antitrust and competition litigation from the firm’s Philadelphia office.

Practice heads: Sharon Caffrey and Stephen Sutro

Other key lawyers: Wayne Mack, James Steigerwald and Courtney L. Baird

The group at Duane Morris LLP is routinely instructed by universities, proprietary colleges, vocational schools, pre-K-12 institutions and edtech companies for its broad education expertise. The provision of compliance counsel with federal, state and accrediting body regulations and standards applicable to postsecondary institutions is a core pillar of the practice. In addition, the education regulatory team is equipped to advise on regulatory matters affecting colleges, universities and schools, namely federal and state licensing laws, policies and procedures. A group of four partners share leadership of the team. Based in San Diego, Anthony Guida is noted for his provision of “solid guidance and perspective” and focuses on pre-K-12, postsecondary, edtech and corporate training education; alongside him, Edward Cramp represents higher education institutions in litigation. In Washington, D.C., and Chicago, respectively, Katherine Brodie and Lisa Scruggs both boast broad advisory and contentious practices.

Practice heads: Anthony Guida, Katherine Brodie, Edward Cramp and Lisa Scruggs

Other key lawyers: Jennifer DeMay and Joshua Summers

Testimonials

• “Depth of team. Wherever I may need expertise, they’ve got someone readily available with the appropriate specialization. Their out-of-office network with various higher ed governing bodies and influencers is also highly valuable.”
• “Anthony Guida consistently provides solid guidance and perspective on whatever education-related matters I bring to him; I have complete trust in his counsel. He’s also invaluable for keeping me abreast of developments in higher education. I’ve also had great experiences with Jennifer DeMay and Joshua Summers.”

Primarily based in Philadelphia, Duane Morris LLP’s broad offering is praised by clients for its “unmatched” knowledge of healthcare law. Gregory Brodek divides his time between Boston and Maine, often acting for hospitals and physicians in disputes with payors and federal agencies. Practice head Erin Duffy is noted for her broad regulatory knowledge, advising healthcare systems on transactional mandates and HIPAA regulations. Atlanta’s Kirk Domescik is a corporate healthcare expert who handles an array of M&A and private equity mandates. Jonathan Swichar heads up the firm’s pharmacy litigation practice, often assisting with investigations by state pharmacy boards, while David Loder advises both for-profit and nonprofit healthcare organizations on hospital governments and managed care arrangements. Sean Zabaneh is a seasoned litigator who acts in corporate governance and antitrust disputes.

Practice head: Erin Duffy

Other key lawyers: Kirk Domescik, Jonathan Swichar, David Loder, Sean Zabaneh and Gregory Brodek

Testimonials

• “What makes them unique is the breadth of services they offer. They are truly a one-stop shop for us. They also have deep relationships with attorneys throughout state government, which is incredibly beneficial as we navigate the policy and legal landscape. Their knowledge of healthcare law (in Pennsylvania and nationally) is unmatched by firms in Pennsylvania.”
• “Sean Zabaneh has represented us in several litigation matters. I don’t have enough adjectives to do him justice. He is extremely intelligent, articulate, diligent, experienced and responsive. Perhaps most importantly, he provides balanced, insightful advice on complicated litigation matters, which we value enormously.”

Duane Morris LLP’s insurance practice, led by five co-heads, plays a pivotal role in representing insurers’ interests, handling coverage, litigation and a spectrum of corporate, regulatory and transactional challenges. San Francisco-based Max Stern, a seasoned trial and appellate lawyer, specializes in bad faith cases, business torts and diverse commercial litigation. Working alongside Stern in the same city, Brian Kelly brings his wealth of experience to clients through commercial, environmental and insurance matters, leveraging extensive jury and court trial expertise, while Philip Matthews practices in the area of general civil litigation and insurance counseling and litigation with an emphasis on complex cases. From Philadelphia, Richard Cohen leads the emerging companies group, covering a broad range of business entities, while Wendy M. Simkulak, also based in Philadelphia, excels in bankruptcy, corporate reorganization, secured transactions and international commerce. Damon Vocke, situated in New York, focuses on complex insurance and reinsurance matters, class actions, litigation, arbitration and regulatory disputes as a seasoned trial lawyer and business adviser.

Phil Matthews is ranked in the "Hall of Fame" category.

Practice heads: Max H. Stern, Brian Kelly, Richard Cohen, Wendy M. Simkulak and Damon Vocke

Other key lawyers: Philip R. Matthews, Andrew Gordon and Dominica Anderson

Testimonials

• “This firm literally wrote the book―or wrote the insurance policy. The team I work with has drafted numerous insurance policy forms that are used throughout the market. Furthermore, they have litigated many insurance coverage disputes.”
• “What I enjoy is that there is no learning curve with the firm. The attorneys do not need long explanations of the issues at hand. They grasp the issues and provide their services in an effective and efficient manner.”
• “Max Stern is simply the best attorney I have ever worked with. And being a claims attorney for an insurance company, I have worked with hundreds. Max is intelligent, understanding, resourceful and provides excellent advice.”

With technical expertise in a broad range of technologies, the intellectual property group at Duane Morris LLP is particularly strong in handling cases before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. In Atlanta, Woody Jameson chairs the firm’s intellectual property group and handles a wide array of tech cases, while practice division co-chair Matthew Gaudet specializes in patent disputes as well as related commercial and tech litigation. The Boston group includes division co-chair Anthony Fitzpatrick, who routinely handles high-profile patent cases, and Timothy Shannon, who has a broad IP practice. Other notable practitioners are PTAB and inter partes reviews-focused division chair Patrick McPherson in Washington, D.C., IP specialist Bert Greene in Austin and Aleksander Goranin in Philadelphia, who specializes in IP litigation in the software, medical device and life sciences spaces.

Practice heads: Woody Jameson, Anthony Fitzpatrick, Matthew Gaudet and Patrick McPherson

Other key lawyers: Timothy Shannon, Bert Greene and Aleksander Goranin

Testimonials

• “Duane frequently demonstrates expertise in trade secret litigation and has been invaluable in helping us not only protect or position our portfolio offensively, but also consider, prepare for and defend against assertions or claims of infringement.”
• “Aleksander Goranin is always engaged and active in our matters, devotes a significant amount of his time and attention, and clearly understands our business and players in our industry. He’s been a tremendous resource for the company across multiple matters.”

Duane Morris LLP leverages its extensive experience before federal courts, the TTAB and the ITC to handle complex trademark litigation across such sectors as consumer goods, financial services and life sciences. Philadelphia-based Nicole McLaughlin, who fields a considerable workload that incorporates brand management, trademark infringement and counterfeit litigation, and New York-based Mark Lerner, who is adept at managing trademark, trade dress and false advertising litigation. In Philadelphia, Christiane Schuman Campbell leverages her expertise across the fashion, alcohol, pharma and life sciences sectors to advise an extensive array of clients, from startups to established brands, and Tyler Marandola represents clients throughout IP, tech and commercial disputes. In Silicon Valley, Jennifer Lantz is particularly well-versed in trademark litigation before federal courts, while Philadelphia’s Lauren Matturri is routinely engaged by clients for assistance with trademark litigation, infringement investigations and licensing agreements.

Practice heads: Nicole McLaughlin and Mark Lerner

Other key lawyers: Christiane Schuman Campbell, Tyler Marandola, Jennifer Lantz and Lauren Matturri

Duane Morris LLP works in close tandem with its trade, customs, international, tax and corporate groups to provide a full-service to a wide range of multinationals and U.S. corporations. Leading the practice is Lisa Spiegel, a specialist in immigration and nationality law who chairs the immigration practice group from San Francisco. On the East Coast, Denyse Sabagh assists corporate clients with inbound and outbound employment immigration and is recognized for her expertise in business immigration programs and policies out of the Washington, D.C., office, along with New York-based Ted Chiappari, who focuses on acquiring temporary work permits and permanent residence status for foreign employees. Also in New York is Pierre Bonnefil, who is noted for his in-depth knowledge of online commerce, manufacturing and technology industries, whilst Maxine Bayley combines employment-based immigration and naturalization expertise in San Francisco. Alejandra Vargas is another practitioner of note based in New York.

Denyse Sabagh is ranked in the "Hall of Fame" category.

Practice head: Ted Chiappari

Other key lawyers: Denyse Sabagh, Lisa Spiegel, Pierre Bonnefil, Maxine Bayley and Alejandra Vargas

Testimonials

• “Very good attention to clients and excellent legal advice.”
• “Consistent attention to service.”
• “They care about the employees the way our company cares about the employees. They truly have been a godsend to our company, whose immigration department was struggling in the past. The Duane Morris team turned it around in a year to a functioning department, and we are grateful for that.”

Praised for its “understanding of the intersection of business and law,” Duane Morris LLP handles a range of acquisitions and divestitures involving both publicly and privately held companies, with operations spanning the U.S. and abroad. In Chicago, seasoned corporate expert Brian Kerwin heads up the team. Justin Santarosa, who works from the firm’s Los Angeles office, receives plaudits for his transactional work in sectors such as cannabis, consumer products and energy. New York-based Michael Schwamm is described as a “champion and thought leader” for his ability to advise family offices on their corporate acquisitions, while Shelton Vaughan in Houston has a proven track record in a wide range of strategic transactions.

Practice head: Brian Kerwin

Other key lawyers: Justin Santarosa, Michael Schwamm, Shelton Vaughan, Richard Silfen and Michael Hardy

Testimonials

• “Their understanding of the intersection of business and law is key, and having an attorney who is not just an expert in law but also our specific businesses is a key reason why I will be a loyal and happy client of the firm for many more years to come.”
• “Michael Schwamm has repeatedly demonstrated his outstanding understanding of relevant legal considerations as well as our businesses in general and our industries specifically.”
• “I have worked with their M&A teams as well as their trust and estate teams, and both have been excellent.”

Duane Morris LLP’s construction practice services a wide range of public and commercial clients, with a focus on disputes on large-scale projects in the real estate and infrastructure industries. Located in New York, Mark Canizio and Jessica Singh lead the team alongside Chicago-based Jeffrey Hamera and Philadelphia-based Patrick Kearney. Brian Shue and Kenneth Lazaruk are also key contacts in the New York office, who continue to provide full-service construction advisory support to Columbia University. Shue also has experience in drafting and negotiating construction and design agreements, in addition to handling insurance mandates for real estate-sector clients. The team is skilled in representing general contractors in a variety of disputes, as well as acting for assurance providers in infrastructure contract disputes. With a focus on commercial construction and energy work, Miami-based Scott Kravetz assists on residential development disputes.

Brian Shue is ranked in the “Next Generation Partner” category.

Practice heads: Mark Canizio; Jeffrey Hamera; Patrick Kearney; Jessica Singh; Brian Shue

Other key lawyers: Kenneth Lazaruk and Scott Kravetz

Testimonials

• “The team at Duane Morris is strong and provides excellent services. Their work is timely, complete and on point.”
• “Jeffrey Hamera knows construction and construction litigation well. His background as an engineer gives him insights into the construction process.”

Duane Morris LLP’s transactional tax team handles a broad range of matters in the healthcare, private equity, telecoms, management consulting and manufacturing sectors, among others. Stephen DiBonaventura in Philadelphia specializes in federal and corporate taxation, with an emphasis on M&A, dispositions, restructurings and consolidated returns. He leads the group alongside corporate practice head Brian Kerwin in Chicago. Also in Chicago is state and local tax specialist Stanley Kaminski, whose practice covers sale and use, franchise, corporate and individual income tax issues.

Practice heads: Stephen DiBonaventura and Brian Kerwin

Other key lawyers: Stanley Kaminski, Hope Krebs, Thomas Ostrander, David Sussman, Jon Grouf, Thomas Schmuhl, Reshma Shah and Joshua Steinberg

Testimonials

• “The team provides immediate, personal attention to clients and their needs. They give knowledgeable and competent advice and are available whenever needed on a variety of tax topics.”
• “Jon Grouf, Josh Steinberg and Reshma Shah are outstanding legal professionals. They are responsive and dedicated to their clients.”
• “A really practical team with deep technical knowledge to rely on, always looking to understand and focus on clients’ needs. They give exceptional client service and make themselves available, even to international clients.”

Duane Morris LLP acts for both plaintiffs and defendants in securities matters in state and federal courts, inclusion cases arising from IPOs and securities class actions. The firm is currently defending Moody’s Investors Service in a case concerning Federal Home Loan Bank of Boston’s purchase of $5 billion in mortgage-backed securities.