STEVEN J. FRAM is the Chairman of Archer & Greiner’s forty-five attorney Commercial Litigation Practice Group. He is a trial lawyer whose practice focuses on complex business disputes, including matters arising from the purchase and sale of businesses and business assets; disputes over corporate governance and shareholder rights; claims alleging breach of fiduciary duty, fraud and violation of the federal and state RICO statutes; disputes involving benefit plans and ERISA; claims of unfair competition, misappropriation of trade secrets and violation of the antitrust laws; and technology ownership and performance.

Mr. Fram was recognized as a New Jersey “Super Lawyer” in Business Litigation by Law & Politics magazine in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009, and as a “Super Lawyer" for the Corporate Counsel Edition of Law & Politics magazine for 2008 and 2009. The “Super Lawyer” designation is awarded to approximately five percent of attorneys based upon a process of peer nominations and independent research and review.

Mr. Fram has also received an AV peer rating from Martindale - Hubbell.

Mr. Fram has tried numerous contested matters in the federal and state courts and before arbitration panels and has extensive experience in all aspects of pre-trial, trial and appellate work. Some of the more notable matters handled by Mr. Fram within the last several years include:

• The representation of a major health care provider in the defense of class action claims alleging that it had unlawfully accumulated over $500 million in excess surpluses;
• The representation of a major oil distributor in connection with administrative demands for information and damage claims brought by governmental agencies arising out of the environmental remediation of two of the largest refinery sites in New Jersey;
• The successful defense, in a two-week jury trial, of the subsidiary of one of the country’s largest property and casualty insurance companies against claims for approximately $2 million in damages arising for a failed real estate transaction;
• The successful representation of a software developer in a three-week commercial arbitration proceeding arising from the installation of an multi-million dollar, enterprise-wide software system at a major insurance company;
• The successful defense, as the result of a thirteen-week non-jury trial, of the majority shareholders of a major New Jersey company against claims of minority shareholder “oppression.”

Mr. Fram has been lead trial or appellate counsel in numerous cases that have resulted in published opinions, including a number of matters in which he has successfully represented businesses or individuals in seeking damages for fraud or violation of the federal and New Jersey RICO statutes, an area in which he has developed particular expertise. A number of the published decisions in his cases have established new law.

Mr. Fram is a member of the Litigation, Business, Law and Antitrust Sections of the American Bar Association, a member of the New Jersey State Bar Association, and a member of the Camden County Bar Association. He is the former Chair of the New Jersey State Bar Association Computer and Internet Law Committee (1997-99) and in 1999 was awarded a Legislative Recognition Award by the New Jersey State Bar Association for his work in connection with proposed Year 2000 legislation.

Mr. Fram is a frequent lecturer on litigation, ethics and technology law issues to other lawyers and to business and professional groups. His recent speaking engagements include presentations sponsored by the Practicing Law Institute, the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education, the National Business Institute and the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants.