Jeff is a first-chair trial attorney whose practice involves an array of civil matters. Jeff has served as first-chair trial counsel in over 100 jury trials, bench trials and arbitrations. He excels in presenting evidence, no matter how complex, in a manner that easily understood by all. Since 1991, Jeff has successfully defended local school districts, municipal and state employees in case brought under the Civil Rights Act in areas of police administration, corrections, education law, and social services. While representing the City of Philadelphia and SEPTA, Jeff developed over 30 years of experience defending claims brought under the Pennsylvania Political Subdivision Tort Claims Act and the Pennsylvania Sovereign Immunity Act. Jeff has extensive experience in the presentation and defense of catastrophic injury claims involving gunshot wounds, suicide, school violence, physical and sexual abuse of children in foster care, and catastrophic motor vehicle accidents.
Jeff also represents individuals and companies in matters regarding complex commercial claims, corporate and regulatory compliance, labor disputes, employment contracts, non-compete agreements, professional malpractice, and white collar defense. Jeff teams up with Archer’s Intellectual Property Group as trial counsel in matters involving claims brought under the Lanham Act. In business disputes, Jeff uses his trial experience and network of consultants to develop business valuations and lost profit claims and defenses.
Known for building focused and persuasive arguments for his clients, Jeff has implemented winning strategies on his litigation matters. More recently, Jeff secured a $25 million-dollar judgement for a financial services company on a breach of contract claim against a multi-billion dollar company. He has also been an integral part of the litigation contingent for a multi-disciplinary team of Archer lawyers working to protect the U.S.-based financial interests of a foreign national client.
Jeff has appeared and argued significant cases before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals on issues involving Qualified Immunity, Substantive Due Process, Interstate Compacts, and Bivens claims. Jeff’s work has resulted in precedential reported opinions on Fourth and Fourteenth Amendment jurisprudence.
As a member of Archer’s practice group dedicated to eDiscovery litigation and document management practices, Jeff has extensive experience managing electronic discovery in complex state and federal matters. He effectively and efficiently implements solutions concerning general document management focused on the individual business needs of his clients. He advises clients through problems and disputes affecting their business or personal matters, providing assistance on data preservation, data collection, storage, electronic and hardcopy document review and production, and assistance with and management of high-visibility independent investigations, internal investigations, third party subpoenas, and civil litigation.
Representative Experience
- Worked in conjunction with Family Planning Council and Women’s Law Project to successfully defend First and Fourteenth Amendment challenge by parents seeking to prohibit local government from supplying emergency contraception to minors without parental consent. Anspach v. City of Philadelphia.
- Successfully resolved Class Action Suit alleging failure to provide appropriate medical treatment to arrestees with Diabetes. Worked in conjunction with the American Diabetes Association, City of Philadelphia and Prison Health Services, Inc. to develop national and best practice protocols, procedures and training video for providing appropriate medical treatment to arrestees and inmates with Diabetes. Rosen v. City of Philadelphia.
- Successfully defended and tried to jury verdict, First Amendment retaliation case, brought by former Deputy Police Commissioner, alleging unlawful employment action by John Street, former Mayor for the City of Philadelphia. Mitchell v. Mayor Street.
- Successfully resolved Class Action Suit alleging unconstitutional conditions of confinement due to triple-celling in the City of Philadelphia of Prison System. Williams et al. v. City of Philadelphia et al.
- Successfully defended and tried to jury verdict, a Fourteenth Amendment Equal Protection claim alleging unequal treatment of women who were victims of sexual assault in City of Philadelphia. Case was brought by family of former University of Pennsylvania Wharton Graduate Student who was raped and murdered by serial rapist, Troy Graves. The Estate of Shannon Schieber v. City of Philadelphia et al.
- Obtained summary judgment in favor of School District of Philadelphia in civil rights case brought by female student who was allegedly sexually assaulted by several male students. Brown v. School District of Philadelphia.
- Obtained favorable evidentiary ruling that an administrative hearing officer’s finding that a school district’s failure to provide a free appropriate education (FAPE) was not binding in subsequent civil case seeking compensatory damages under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Chambers v. School District of Philadelphia.
- Defended a high-speed police pursuit case brought under Civil Rights Act. The police pursuit resulted in the death and catastrophic injuries to several motorists and passengers that were struck by a fleeing suspect traveling northbound in the southbound lanes of I-95. Jeff obtained a jury verdict in favor of the pursuing police officer and a directed verdict in favor of the City of Philadelphia on the municipal liability claim. On appeal, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court affirmed the jury verdict. Thomas et al. v. City of Philadelphia, et al.
Professional and Community Involvement
- The Brith Sholom Foundation
- Board Member, The Bucks County Foodshed Alliance
Articles and Presentations
- How to Get Your Social Media, Email and Text Evidence Admitted (and Keep Theirs Out) (December 2017)
- Lecturer, Police Liability, Lorman Education Services (April 2012)
- Guest Lecturer, “Current Issues in Constitutional Law,” Rutgers Law School (2011, 2012)
- Lecturer, “First Amendment Law,” Bensalem Police Department (April 2010)
- Guest Lecturer, “Current Legal Issues in Policing,” Philadelphia Police Academy and Advanced Training Bureau
- Guest Lecturer, “Civil Rights Litigation-Section 1983 Claims,” Rutgers School of Law