Stephanie Carfley
Trial attorney and practice leader, representing businesses in high-stakes commercial litigation, including contract disputes, business torts, and pipeline-energy infrastructure matters.
See full profileLitigation
Experienced trial lawyers who have tried scores of cases. We prepare for trial from the start and use that preparation to secure the right result, whether at the negotiating table or in the courtroom.
Our focus
Strategic from the outset. Ready for trial.
Our team of litigators comprises experienced trial lawyers who have tried scores of cases, both jury and non-jury, in state and federal courts. This includes handling complex, high-stakes disputes from inception through trial and appeal, providing strategic advice at every step. We understand that litigation is just a part of a client’s business and that clients have other goals and other matters on which they need to focus.
More than 60 attorneys contribute to our litigation practice. This work includes contract claims, shareholder and ownership disputes, class actions, employment matters, environmental litigation, construction claims, and disputes affecting major infrastructure projects. We regularly litigate in the Courts of Common Pleas, the U.S. District Courts, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, and appellate courts.
While our litigators are at home in the courtroom, we are also skilled at securing favorable results outside of it through creative thinking, negotiation, and alternative dispute resolution procedures such as mediation and arbitration. We pursue and defend injunctions when immediate action is required, preserve issues for appeal, and develop appellate strategies grounded in the record. When the case calls for trial, we are ready.
Our litigation team prides itself on understanding each client’s business objectives, both within the litigation and in a broader sense, so that every strategic decision aligns with the client’s overall goals. Complex disputes often require more than litigation experience. Corporate, regulatory, employment, real estate, or industry-specific questions may shape the case. We bring the appropriate attorneys into the strategy, so the legal arguments remain connected to the business interest at stake.
Trial-ready advocacy
Many disputes are resolved before trial, but the ability to try the case shapes every stage of the proceeding. We prepare with that in mind, building the record and testing the evidence from the outset. While aggressively representing our clients’ positions in court, we actively help them periodically reassess their objectives as a case develops. Our attorneys represent clients in jury and bench trials, evidentiary hearings, emergency proceedings, and appeals.
E-discovery and data management
Electronic information is often central to a dispute. We help clients manage electronically stored information from preservation and collection through review and production. Our approach keeps discovery proportionate to the matter while helping clients meet their legal obligations and limit disruption to the business.
Mediation and arbitration
Mediation and arbitration can provide a more focused path through a dispute, but they still require strong preparation and a clear understanding of the client’s leverage. Sometimes the best outcome is a trial victory, and sometimes it is a settlement. In all cases, our goal is to find the right legal solution for our clients. We represent clients in both forums, pursuing resolution when the terms support their objectives while remaining prepared to proceed in court when they do not.
We handle post-trial motions and appeals in state and federal courts. Our attorneys help preserve issues during litigation and develop an appellate strategy grounded in the record.
We represent automotive dealers in franchise disputes and regulatory proceedings. Our approach considers how the litigation may affect dealership operations and key business relationships.
We defend businesses from the earliest stages of proposed class actions through resolution. Our strategy addresses class certification and the underlying claims while keeping the potential business impact in view.
We pursue claims involving unpaid commercial obligations and loan enforcement. We also defend businesses when collection actions or disputes over negotiable instruments threaten their position.
We represent landlords and tenants in disputes arising from commercial leases. Our work includes lease enforcement and eviction proceedings, as well as claims affecting possession or continued operations.
We represent businesses in disputes involving contracts and commercial relationships. We focus the litigation strategy on the client’s business priorities and the result it needs to achieve.
We defend businesses in claims involving alleged product defects or toxic exposure. Our attorneys manage these matters in state and federal courts, often working with technical experts and extensive evidence.
We represent owners and construction businesses in claims involving payment or project performance. Our attorneys handle these matters through negotiation and arbitration, and, when necessary, litigation.
We represent schools and higher education institutions in disputes affecting their operations. Our work includes matters involving students or employees, as well as claims arising from regulatory obligations.
We advise clients in divorce and custody matters, as well as disputes involving support. We seek practical resolutions while remaining prepared to advocate in court when agreement is not possible.
We represent fiduciaries and beneficiaries in contested estate and trust matters. Our work includes will contests and guardianship proceedings, as well as claims involving fiduciary conduct.
We pursue and defend injunctions when immediate court action is required. Our attorneys assess the available evidence quickly and prepare for expedited proceedings.
We represent policyholders in disputes over whether an insurer must provide coverage. Our work includes claim denials, bad-faith litigation, and actions to enforce policy obligations.
We represent people who have suffered serious injuries because of another party’s negligence. Our attorneys pursue fair compensation and address related insurance issues throughout the claim.
We represent pipeline and energy infrastructure clients in disputes affecting project access or approvals. Our work includes condemnation proceedings, permit challenges, and claims arising during construction.
We defend businesses in litigation arising from data breaches and alleged privacy violations. We also represent clients when the same event leads to regulatory scrutiny.
We represent clients in disputes involving ownership and title, as well as conflicts arising from the use of property. Our attorneys work to protect the client’s interests while limiting disruption to the property or project.
We represent business owners in disputes involving control or fiduciary obligations. Our attorneys handle claims among shareholders and partners, including matters that may affect the company’s future.
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We represent educational institutions and individuals in Title IX matters. Our work includes investigations and hearings, as well as related litigation when a proceeding is challenged.
We pursue and defend claims involving trade secrets and restrictive covenants. Our attorneys help clients protect confidential information and respond when an agreement or business relationship is disputed.
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We defend organizations and individuals in criminal investigations and enforcement matters. Our attorneys also coordinate the response when government scrutiny leads to related civil proceedings.
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