Max Mitchell
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Chief PA litigation reporter for @TheLegalIntel & @lawdotcom. Break news, analyze and investigate. Helplessly lost without spellcheck.
Articles by Max Mitchell
Top Dog Law Wants 500 Attorneys and a Presence in the Courtroom
James Helm, CEO of TopDog Law. Courtesy photo Chances are you've seen the billboards and the giant bus ads, you've watched the Tiktok skits and you've heard the barks coming through your radio. Soon you might also be seeing Top Dog Law sitting across the aisle from you at your local courthouse.
NJ Legal Awards 2026: Attorney of the Year, Law Firm of the Year Announced
CJ Griffin of Pashman Stein Walder Hayden. Courtesy photo.. The Law Journal announced its 2026 winners for Attorney of the Year and Law Firm of the Year at the New Jersey Legal Awards on Thursday night. Pashman Stein Walder Hayden attorney CJ Griffin took home the Attorney of the Year Award, and Kelley Drye & Warren won Law Firm of the Year.
CJ Griffin: Championing Transparency in Challenging Times
CJ Griffin of Pashman Stein Walder Hayden. Courtesy photo.. Many attorneys spend their first few years in the field looking for a practice they can specialize in. For CJ Griffin, the search didn't last long. The first Open Public Records Act case Griffin handled ended up going all the way to the state Supreme Court.
Your Opinion Matters: Take the Annual NJ Managing Partner Survey
Business Growth Partners It's that time of year again! Time for managing partners across New Jersey to fill out our Managing Partner Survey, which we use to get a deeper understanding of what's happening in our shared legal community. Like previous years, the survey asks firm leaders a range of questions related to all of the most important issues law firms have faced over the last year—from AI priorities, staffing and real estate, to raises, mergers and returned-to-office policies.
As Dupixent Litigation Grows, Parties Seek Consolidation in NJ State Court
Sanofi-Aventis at 55 Corporate Drive in Bridgewater, NJ. As the litigation linking the injectable anti-inflammatory medicine Dupixent to cancer is beginning to grow, parties are seeking consolidation and coordination of the cases. Law firms representing the drug makers Sanofi-Aventis and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals as well as a dozen plaintiffs, have filed a joint request to New Jersey court leaders asking that the Dupixent burgeoning litigation be consolidated into a multicounty litigation.
Joining Szaferman, Former Appellate Division Chief Judge Sumners Reflects on the Bench
Judge Thomas W. Sumners Jr., New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Division. Courtesy photo Before he took the bench in 2008, retired Chief Judge of the Appellate Division Thomas Sumners had been in preliminary talks to possibly merge his firm with Lawrenceville-based Szaferman, Lakind, Blumstein & Blader. Now, after nearly 20 years as a judge, he's planning on joining the 37-lawyer firm in November. "I've known them for 30-plus years," he said.
NJ Elevates New Solicitor General as Feigenbaum Moves to Jenner & Block
Jeremy Feigenbaum (L) former solicitor general of New Jersey and Sundeep Iyer (R) solicitor general of New Jersey. Credits: New Jersey Office of Attorney General As New Jersey's first solicitor general becomes a partner at a Big Law firm, the state's attorney general has elevated an office veteran to now become the state's chief appellate advocate.
NJ Elevates New Solicitor General as Feigenbaum Moves to Jenner & Block
NewsCivil Appeals Jeremy Feigenbaum built out the Solicitor General Office to a team of 15 lawyers and advocated for the state in high-stakes appellate courts, including the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, the state Supreme Court and three times before the U.S. Supreme Court. 4 minute read September 28, 2026 at 04:46 PM Jeremy Feigenbaum (L) former solicitor general of New Jersey and Sundeep Iyer (R) solicitor general of New Jersey.
Will the EDPa. Investigate Krasner? We Won't Know for a While
FILE - Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner speaks with members of the media during a news conference in Philadelphia on Oct. 13, 2022. Pennsylvania's state Senate voted Wednesday, Jan. 11, 2023, to postpone a trial seeking to remove Krasner on the heels of a court ruling that said the impeachment articles don't meet the constitutionally required standard.
Leadership Turmoil Spurred NJ US Attorney Losses, Former AUSAs Say
Credit: Dewi/Adobe Stock This is the second installment in a two-part series looking into the attrition the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey saw during 2025. Read the first installment here. By early summer 2025, President Donald Trump's former lawyer Alina Habba had been overseeing the U.S. Attorney's Office in New Jersey for about four months.
Leadership Turmoil Spurred NJ US Attorney Losses, Former AUSAs Say
Law.com CompassLaw.com RadarVerdict SearchScholar .China Law & PracticeLegal Dictionary Click to enter your existing username and password or create a new account. Click to purchase an individual user subscription with your credit card. Related information Topics NewsWhite Collar Crime Former assistant U.S. attorneys pointed to the Department of Justice's decision to fire First Deputy Desiree Grace as a turning point for the office.
The NJ US Attorney's Office Lost 50 Lawyers Last Year, Records Show
Credit: iNCuteCraffic/Adobe Stock As the leadership of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of New Jersey yo-yoed from Washington, D.C.-connected attorneys, to a veteran prosecutor and back to lawyers close to the Trump administration, attorneys in the office faced a growing morale problem and a staffing shortage. The turbulence would eventually lead to a mass exodus of lawyers that several former assistant U.S. attorneys say will take a long time to rebuild.
Backed By Lamb McErlane, Norcross Files $100M Suit Against Inquirer Over Dropped Prosecution
George Norcross listens during his arraignment at Mercer County Criminal Courthouse in Trenton, New Jersey, U.S., July 9, 2024. Photo: Hannah Beier for The New York Times/Pool South Jersey power-broker George Norcross has sued The Philadelphia Inquirer over allegations that notes from one of its editors was funneled to New Jersey state prosecutors in an attempt to "weaponize" law enforcement against him.
Backed By Lamb McErlane, Norcross Files $100M Suit Against Inquirer Over Dropped Prosecution
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Announcing the 2026 Winners and Finalists for the New England Legal Awards
The Connecticut Legal Awards event held at the Aqua Turf Club on May 11, 2022. Photo: Gary Lewis We're pleased to announce the shortlist for the fourth annual New England Legal Awards, recognizing attorneys and firms from Connecticut, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island. This group of honorees and finalists will be celebrated at a gala on Oct. 8 in Boston.
Judge Blasts Firm Trying to Kick Him Off Phila. Zantac Litigation
Judge Joshua Roberts of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. Courtesy photo A Pennsylvania judge says that a large Chicago-based plaintiffs firm has "effectively ground" the city's Zantac mass tort to a halt through a handful of recusal motions and related appeals.
Pa. Supreme Court Removes Insurance Hurdle for Sex Trafficking Survivors Seeking Coverage Stemming From Abuse
Credit: AdobeStock The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has rejected efforts by insurance carriers to block hotels from receiving coverage if they are sued over allegations that they turned a blind eye to sex trafficking. In a unanimous ruling Tuesday in Samsung Fire and Marine v. RI Settlement Trust, the justices said the fact that the state criminalizes sex trafficking does not mean that hotels that profited from the conduct should be barred from seeking coverage for ensuing lawsuits.
Dechert's Michael McGinley Finds Success With US Supreme Court Tripleheader
Michael McGinley of Dechert. Courtesy photo Whether you're appearing before a local court in Pennsylvania or the highest court in the land, according to Dechert's Michael McGinley, the preparation is basically the same. McGinley, a Philadelphia-based appellate attorney and complex litigation practice leader, who is a finalist for Law.com's 2026 Pennsylvania Attorney of the Year, would know. Last year, he appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court three times.
Defense Win in Phila.'s First Talc Trial Stands as Appellate Court Rejects Challenges
Photo: Raihana Asral/Shutterstock.com The Philadelphia judge who oversaw that state's first talc trial correctly told jurors to disregard key testimony linking Johnson & Johnson's product to ovarian cancer, a state appellate court has ruled in rejecting an effort to overturn the defense win. On Thursday, the state Superior Court rejected a handful of challenges to J&J's 2021 win in Kleiner v. Johnson & Johnson.
Pa. Firm Owner Suspended for Advertising Attorney With Lapsed Law License
Credit: everything possible/Shutterstock.com The owner of a divorce mediation firm will have her law license temporarily suspended after she practiced law while retired and advertised an attorney with a lapsed law license both on her firm's website and in social media. On Monday, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court agreed to suspend Keila Gilbert for six months on consent.
3rd Circuit Revives Session Replay Suits Against Bass Pro Shops, Offering Roadmap for Standing
Bass Pro Shops store in Arundel Mills Mall in Maryland, July 10, 2014. Photo by Jenna Greene/Law.com Emerging litigation over companies' use of session replay technology to track customers' online movements has gotten a lukewarm reception from the courts. But a recent ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit has given plaintiffs a roadmap to successfully overcoming challenges over standing.
3rd Circuit Revives Session Replay Suits Against Bass Pro Shops, Offering Roadmap for Standing
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Pa. Justices Reject Rite Aid's Push to Escape Liability for Attack That Occurred Blocks From Store Premises
Rite Aid pharmacy in New Jersey. Photo: Diego M. Radzinschi/ALM Rite Aid and its security contractor were unable to convince the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to consider arguments that the companies shouldn't be held liable for the attack of a customer that did not occur on store premises, but rather blocks away. On Tuesday, the high court denied allocatur in Borth v. Alpha Century Security.
The Legal Intelligencer and Law.com Announces 2026 Pennsylvania Legal Awards Shortlist
Credit: focal point/Shutterstock.com The Legal Intelligencer and Law.com are pleased to announce the 2026 Pennsylvania Legal Awards winners and finalists. We are delighted to highlight the great work and achievements across the full breadth of the legal communities in Pennsylvania and Delaware. The winners in finalist categories will be announced at an awards dinner set for June 11, 2026, at the Hilton at Penn's Landing in Philadelphia.
NJ Fed Bench Appoints New US Attorney
Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Courthouse, Newark, NJ, USA. Credit: Carptrash via Wikimedia Commons The U.S. Court for the District of New Jersey has appointed a new leader to oversee the state's embattled U.S. Attorney's Office. On Monday, the court issued a one-line order appointing Robert Frazer as the new U.S. Attorney. As of late last year, Frazer was a senior trial counsel for the office's Organized Crime and Gangs Unit.
Phila. Judge Temporarily Suspended Following Arrest
The Philadelphia Family Court judge who was arrested earlier this week following a physical altercation involving his wife and daughter has been temporarily suspended from the bench. Thursday afternoon, the Pennsylvania Court of Judicial Discipline ordered Judge Michael Fanning be immediately suspended without pay. The state's Judicial Conduct Board had filed a petition Wednesday seeking that the judge, who has been on the court since 2014, be suspended following his arrest earlier this week.
Pa.'s Lit Funding Disclosure Proposal Goes Further Than Most, May Spark Courtroom Spats, Observers Say
Credit: Alex/Adobe Stock The debate about disclosing third-party funding agreements is nothing new. Over the past few years, courts have been adopting rules requiring parties to disclose the existence of third-party litigation funding contracts.
Here Are the Am Law 200 Firms That Added the Most Attorneys in Illinois
Design by Chelsey Fredlund/LAW.COM; Credits: Adobe Stock: SH Design; Bilbo Baggins Illinois saw 235 lateral moves into Am Law 200 firms during the year ending Sept. 30, 2025. With Honigman leading the pack, the firms below brought on a total of 91 laterals during that time period, meaning the ten firms below accounted for nearly 38%% of the lateral traffic at Am Law 200 firms in Illinois. The data was compiled for The American Lawyer's 2026 Laterals Report.
Here Are the Am Law 200 Firms That Added the Most Attorneys in Illinois
Search Input Law.com CompassLaw.com RadarVerdict SearchScholar .China Law & PracticeLegal Dictionary Click to enter your existing username and password or create a new account. Click to purchase an individual user subscription with your credit card. Related information Law Firms/Representation Topics Law Firm Hiring The data was compiled for The American Lawyer's 2026 Laterals Report.
Citing Shifting Precedent on Remote Work, NJ Fed Court Kicks Discrimination Case to New Venue
Remote Learning Video Conference Business Call Online. Credit: Andrey Popov/Adobe Stock A New Jersey-based remote worker should have her age and disability discrimination lawsuit moved to North Carolina, a federal judge has ruled, wading into evolving case law regarding where employment suits brought by remote workers should be venued.
Here Are the Am Law 200 Firms That Added the Most NJ Attorneys
Search Input Law.com CompassLaw.com RadarVerdict SearchScholar .China Law & PracticeLegal Dictionary Click to enter your existing username and password or create a new account. Click to purchase an individual user subscription with your credit card. Related information Law Firms/Representation Topics Law Firm Hiring The data was compiled for The American Lawyer's 2026 Laterals Report.
Here Are the Am Law 200 Firms That Added the Most NJ Attorneys Last Year
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Here Are the Am Law 200 Firms That Added the Most Pa. Attorneys Last Year
Design by Chelsey Fredlund/LAW.COM; Credits: Adobe Stock: SH Design; Bilbo Baggins Pennsylvania saw 83 lateral moves into Am Law 200 firms during the year ending Sept. 30, 2025. With Goldberg Segalla leading the pack, the firms below brought on a total of 55 laterals during that time period, meaning the ten firms below accounted for 66% of the lateral traffic at Am Law 200 firms in Pennsylvania. The data was compiled for The American Lawyer's 2026 Laterals Report.
Pa. Supreme Court Drops Study Requirement From Med Mal Venue Rule Change
Credit: Juan/Adobe Stock The Pennsylvania Supreme Court has amended the venue rules to remove language requiring a study be conducted into the effects of controversial changes that took place in 2022 to remove restrictions on where medical negligence cases can be filed.
Pa. Firms Boosted Bottom Lines, But Merger Interest Wanes, Managing Partner Survey Says
Credit: metamorworks/Adobe Stock Despite increased competitions from new Big Law entrants into the Pennsylvania market, law firms in the Keystone state did more than hold their own, with more than double the percentage of leaders reporting net profit growth at the end of this year compared with last year. That growth however might not be enough to move the needle when it comes to merger interest and bringing on young talent.
Litigation, Restructuring Trumped Uncertainty to Boost Law Firm Growth, NJ Managing Partner Survey Says
ChartLitigation When it came to questions about growth and financial figures, New Jersey leaders widely reported a stronger 2025 compared with the previous year. 6 minute readDecember 29, 2025 at 09:00 AM Credit: Hifzhan Graphics/Adobe Stock Hot litigation and restructuring markets helped New Jersey law firms see strong growth in 2025, despite uncertainty that has muddled the overall market.
Litigation, Restructuring Trumped Uncertainty to Boost Law Firm Growth, NJ Managing Partner Survey Says
Credit: Hifzhan Graphics/Adobe Stock Hot litigation and restructuring markets helped New Jersey law firms see strong growth in 2025, despite uncertainty that has muddled the overall market. But, that doesn't mean law firm leaders are eager to take part in the merger frenzy currently underway in the legal market.
Deadline Extended: The Legal Intelligencer's Pennsylvania Legal Awards 2026 Original
Each year, The Legal Intelligencer’s Pennsylvania Legal Awards honor law firms and attorneys who have made a significant, positive impact on the legal profession in Pennsylvania and Delaware. Submissions for our 2026 awards are now open and the deadline for submitting has been extended to March 9, 2026. This year’s Pennsylvania Legal Awards honorees will be recognized in special editorial sections and awards ceremony on June 11.
Largest Law Firms: New Jersey and Firmwide Attorney Count
Credit: iridescentstreet/Adobe Stock The Garden State legal market saw a modest headcount increase this year, marking a departure from last year, where New Jersey's legal landscape shrunk slightly. There are a total of 5,436 attorneys at the offices of the 101 law firms listed below. That's an additional 85 lawyer on top of the 5,351 working here last year, which was a decrease of 15 lawyers from the year before.
Largest Law Firms: Firm Leadership and Practice Areas
ChartLaw Firm Management Over the past few years, law firms have increasingly been interested in capturing the financial services market, and the Garden State is not immune to that trend. 42 minute readDecember 09, 2025 at 09:00 AM Credit: fotofabrikaAdobe Stock Firms in New Jersey are continuing to offer the full gamut of services, but a closer review of the practice areas shows firms have been eager to jump and expand services in a number of hot practice areas.
Largest Law Firms: New Jersey and Firmwide Attorney Count
Law.com CompassLaw.com RadarVerdict SearchScholar .China Law & PracticeLegal Dictionary Click to enter your existing username and password or create a new account. Click to purchase an individual user subscription with your credit card. ChartLaw Firm Competition The Garden State legal market saw a modest headcount increase this year, marking a departure from last year, where New Jersey's legal landscape shrunk slightly.
Largest Law Firms: Firm Leadership and Practice Areas
Credit: fotofabrikaAdobe Stock Firms in New Jersey are continuing to offer the full gamut of services, but a closer review of the practice areas shows firms have been eager to jump and expand services in a number of hot practice areas. Litigation remains by far the most popular practice, with 87 firms listing it in this year's chart, but firms are showing a growing interest in other practice areas as well.
Largest Law Firms: Locations, Starting Salary and Clients By Firm
Credit: Song_about_summer/Adobe Stock Corrections in the state's overdeveloped commercial real estate market, plus some general population shifts away from denser urban environments have shifted the real estate market for New Jersey law firms in recent years. The latest numbers reflect that trend, with many of the most law firm dense localities seeing a drop. The largest drop comes from firms reporting Newark offices.
Sherrill's Win Likely Continues Balance on Supreme Court, Legal Challenges to Trump Admin
Rep. Mikie Sherrill, Democratic gubernatorial candidate for New Jersey, during an election night event in East Brunswick, New Jersey, on Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025. Democrats reclaimed political momentum Tuesday with gubernatorial victories in Virginia and New Jersey, early signs that voter unease with the economy in President Donald Trump's second term could give them a path to winning control of Congress next year.
Sherrill's Win Likely Continues Balance on Supreme Court, Legal Challenges to Trump Admin
Click to enter your existing username and password or create a new account. Click to purchase an individual user subscription with your credit card. Related information Law Firms/Representation Topics AnalysisCourt Administration "For those who believe in a bipartisan balance and an independent judiciary, then, this was a good day," said Barry Albin, an associate justice on the state's Supreme Court from 2002 to 2022 who is now with Lowenstein Sandler.
NJ Legal Awards 2025: Attorney of the Year, Law Firm of the Year Announced
Click to enter your existing username and password or create a new account. Click to purchase an individual user subscription with your credit card. Awards The 2025 New Jersey Legal Awards were held at the Westin Governor Morris in Morristown, where dozens of lawyers were recognized for their outstanding work in a range of categories.
Attorney of the Year Finalist: Michael Sirota Tackles Complex Bankruptcies, Boosting Business Statewide
Click to enter your existing username and password or create a new account. Click to purchase an individual user subscription with your credit card. Bankruptcy According to Sirota, maintaining such a highly regarded practice is truly a team effort. 5 minute readOctober 29, 2025 at 09:30 AM Michael Sirota of Cole, Schotz, Meisel, Forman & Leonard. HANDOUT.
NJ Paid More Than $190M to Law Firms in Since 2022. That Number May Grow Following $2B DuPont Settlement
Click to enter your existing username and password or create a new account. Click to purchase an individual user subscription with your credit card. NewsGovernment Contingency work accounted for the largest payouts by far. 6 minute readOctober 22, 2025 at 02:02 PM The New Jersey Statehouse in Trenton, New Jersey.
Your Opinion Matters: Take the Annual Pa. Managing Partner Survey
Vitalii Vodolazskyi/Adobe Stock It's that time of year again! Time for managing partners across Pennsylvania to fill out our Managing Partner Survey, which we've used for decades to get a deeper understanding of what's happening in our shared legal community. Like previous years, the survey asks firm leaders a range of questions related to all of the most important issues law firms have faced over the last year – from staffing and real estate, to raises and returned-to-office policies.
Your Opinion Matters: Take the Annual NJ Managing Partner Survey
Click to enter your existing username and password or create a new account. Click to purchase an individual user subscription with your credit card. Law Firm Management We ask that only law firm managing partners fill out the survey. Also, all responses are CONFIDENTIAL.
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