Clients engage Erik Anderson when the stakes are high, the scrutiny is intense, and the situation demands disciplined legal judgment. For nearly two decades, Erik has handled complex commercial disputes, government investigations, constitutional litigation, and professional licensing defense—multi-dimensional matters at the intersection of law and government where conventional litigation playbooks fail.
Drawing on years of experience from both senior government positions and private practice, Erik has guided clients as they face threats on legal, professional, political, and reputational fronts. Whether defending executives under federal investigation while protecting professional licenses, resolving high-profile constitutional disputes, or managing commercial litigation posing enterprise risk, he develops strategies that address every angle of exposure.
Governmental and constitutional litigation
When Pennsylvania’s governor sued the General Assembly and later sought King’s Bench review, the legislature turned to Erik. He has represented clients at the intersection of government and law, handling matters involving novel constitutional questions and interbranch conflicts. Erik has defended the Pennsylvania Senate Secretary-Parliamentarian in Commonwealth Court election litigation, represented legislative leaders, including a former Speaker of the House, in First Amendment and employment discrimination cases, and filed amicus briefs in Pennsylvania Supreme Court gaming litigation. When the Pennsylvania Senate prepared to exercise its legislative contempt imprisonment powers for the first time in 50 years, Erik represented the Senate Chief Sergeant-at-Arms in a separation-of-powers dispute raising fundamental questions about legislative authority versus executive privilege.
Erik has represented all three branches of the Pennsylvania government and both political parties in constitutional conflicts, briefing and arguing these matters before state and federal appellate courts. He also represents private parties in constitutionally significant matters, including lobbying firms in skill-game disputes and businesses facing constitutional challenges across multiple practice areas.
Complex commercial litigation
Erik litigates commercial disputes from complaint to verdict across healthcare, automotive, telecommunications, technology, and financial services sectors. His practice encompasses both multi-party national litigation and closely held business disputes.
Fraud and fiduciary duty
Erik prosecutes derivative actions involving breaches of fiduciary duty and misappropriation, represents plaintiffs in national mail fraud schemes, and defends controlling shareholders against allegations of self-dealing. His cases often involve complex valuation disputes, minority oppression claims, and challenges to corporate authority.
Shareholder and partnership disputes
Erik handles business divorces, shareholder oppression cases, and partnership dissolutions. He represents business owners in separation disputes involving operating agreement breaches, buyout provisions, and governance battles.
Contract and commercial disputes
Erik represents companies in breach of contract litigation, pursuing specific performance and damages across vendor agreements, service contracts, and commercial relationships. His clients include telecommunications providers, healthcare systems, construction companies, and software developers.
White collar defense and public corruption
Erik navigates clients through federal grand jury investigations, Department of Justice (DOJ) enforcement proceedings, and criminal prosecutions. He served as trial counsel in a state public corruption prosecution, defended elected officials in a federal grand jury investigation led by Special Prosecutor Jack Smith, and represented state senators, representatives, and cabinet secretaries facing charges related to public corruption, computer crimes, and ethics violations.
He manages regulatory enforcement actions for pharmaceutical companies and defends corporations facing federal investigations, including PPP loan subpoenas. In several confidential matters, his representation led to investigations being closed without charges.
Erik also conducts thorough internal investigations when institutions face allegations of misconduct that threaten their reputation and liability. He uncovered an $800,000 embezzlement scheme through fraudulent vendor relationships at a regional visitors bureau, investigated clergy misconduct for a Roman Catholic Diocese, examined patient abuse allegations for a hospital system, and conducted investigations for municipal departments involving hostile work environment and excessive force claims.
Legal ethics and professional licensure defense
Erik defends attorneys before the Office of Disciplinary Counsel through all phases, from initial inquiry to formal charges, hearings, and appeals. He has represented a state prosecutor facing disciplinary proceedings for alleged Brady violations, defended attorneys against malpractice-related misconduct claims, and represented a state court judge before the Judicial Conduct Board. He handles Dragonetti actions for alleged abuse of process, litigates disqualification motions, and defends law firms against breach of fiduciary duty claims.
Beyond legal ethics, Erik defends physicians, dentists, nurses, and other licensed professionals before the Pennsylvania Department of State when professional credentials and livelihoods are at stake.
Government service and early career
Before entering private practice, Erik spent nearly a decade in government leadership as Deputy Chief Counsel to the Pennsylvania General Assembly and Deputy Attorney General and Agency Counsel for the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General, advising on constitutional law, managing employment litigation, and conducting internal investigations.
Erik launched his private practice career as lead attorney in the Harrisburg office of Myers, Brier & Kelly, LLP, where seasoned trial lawyers mentored him as he built a litigation practice focused on complex commercial disputes, government investigations, and professional liability defense.
Complex Commercial Litigation
Global pharmaceutical distribution corporation in national opioid litigation
Plaintiff pursuing federal fraud prosecution referral for misappropriation of opioid settlement funds
Business owner plaintiff in civil fraud action involving national mail fraud scheme
Construction company CEO plaintiff in fraud action for employee and contractor theft
Medical management company majority member defending breach of fiduciary duty claims by minority investors
Automotive dealership in shareholder oppression dispute involving franchise agreement compliance with Ford Motor Company
Regional telecom company in multi-million dollar contract dispute and fraud litigation
Travel company CEO in dispute with a global automobile manufacturer
Residential building company owner in a business dissolution and separation dispute
National debt-relief company defending unfair trade practices claims
Credit union plaintiff in trademark infringement action
Software company defending law firm’s conflict-of-interest and breach of fiduciary duty claims
White Collar Defense and Government Investigations
Elected state official in federal grand jury investigation led by Special Prosecutor Jack Smith
Trial counsel for State Representative in public corruption prosecution
State Cabinet Secretary in federal grand jury investigation
Multiple state legislators in grand jury investigations involving public corruption, computer crimes, and ethics violations
National wine and spirits executive in federal public corruption probe
Automotive dealership group in federal PPP loan investigation and DOJ response
Pharmaceutical companies in DOJ regulatory enforcement actions
Regional visitors bureau internal investigation—uncovered $800,000 embezzlement through fraudulent vendor schemes
Roman Catholic Diocese internal investigation regarding clergy misconduct allegations
Jehovah’s Witness members in Pennsylvania OAG criminal probe into the institution
Regional hospital system internal investigation of provider-patient abuse allegations
Municipal police and fire departments—internal investigations of hostile work environment, excessive force, and discrimination claims
Los Angeles marketing executive in the prosecution of insurance fraud and corrupt organizations
New York real estate developer in a federal grand jury investigation related to a federal audit
Governmental and Constitutional Litigation
Pennsylvania General Assembly against Governor in Commonwealth Court original jurisdiction and King’s Bench Petition to Pennsylvania Supreme Court
Pennsylvania Senate Chief Sergeant-at-Arms in separation-of-powers dispute over legislative contempt imprisonment powers—first invocation in 50 years
Former Speaker of the House and legislative leaders in First Amendment and employment discrimination litigation
Pennsylvania Senate Secretary-Parliamentarian in Commonwealth Court election litigation
City mayor in defamation and Fourteenth Amendment claims
County government in federal First Amendment political speech case
Senate security official in employment discrimination action
Employment Litigation
Employer defending workplace violence litigation involving wrongful death claims
National defense contractor in ADA litigation
Agricultural supplier before NLRB and PHRC in union activity and religious discrimination matters
County government defending multiple employment discrimination claims
Defense of transgender discrimination claim for national retailer
FLSA collective action defense for regional telecommunications company
Legal Ethics and Professional Licensure Defense
State prosecutor before Office of Disciplinary Counsel for alleged Brady violations
State court judge before Judicial Conduct Board
Attorney defending medical malpractice-related disciplinary charges
Prominent attorney in federal obstruction of justice investigation
National law firm defending threatened Dragonetti action arising from antitrust litigation
Physicians, dentists, nurses, and other licensed professionals before Pennsylvania Department of State licensing boards
Widener University School of Law, J.D.
University of Delaware, B.A., political science
Pennsylvania
Legal 500 Elite City Focus – Philadelphia – White Collar Crime, 2026
ACC Central Pennsylvania Chapter 2026 Spring Conference
Attorneys Erik Anderson and Sean Campbell presented at the Association of Corporate Counsel (ACC) Central Pennsylvania Chapter’s Spring Conference on April 2, delivering a CLE program on attorney-client privilege and the risks that arise when the client relationship is not clearly defined. Their presentation, “Who’s Your Client? How David Boies Lost His Client’s Privilege—What In-House […]
Firm news
McNees white collar attorneys among first ranked in Legal 500’s Elite City Focus for Philadelphia
White collar defense attorneys Sarah Hyser-Staub and Erik Anderson have been ranked in Legal 500’s White Collar Crime series of the publication’s Elite City Focus for Philadelphia. Each year, Legal 500 selects leading attorneys and firms by region and practice area to include in its Elite City Focus ranking. Honorees are chosen based on peer […]
Trial attorney and practice leader, representing businesses in high-stakes commercial litigation, including contract disputes, business torts, and pipeline-energy infrastructure matters.
Represents commercial and business clients in complex contract disputes. Advises on shareholder rights, corporate governance, and injunctive relief matters.