Charles F. Forer is a Member of the firm’s Litigation Division. Mr. Forer concentrates his practice in all aspects of commercial litigation. He also is extensively engaged in all aspects of alternative dispute resolution.
Mr. Forer has had extensive experience, for more than twenty-five years, in representing surety companies in both federal and state courts in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He has defended payment and performance bond claims; prosecuted claims against indemnitors under indemnity agreements; and sought funds from, and defended claims arising out of, interpleaded project-contract funds.
His representative cases include the following:
- Eastern Industries, Inc. v. Atlantic Contracting, Inc., No. 2001-N-425 (C.P. Lehigh, May 12, 2005) (granting surety company’s motion for summary judgment in interpleader action based on the doctrine of equitable subrogation), aff’d, No. 1633 EDA 2005 (Pa. Super. April 28, 2006).
- Universal Bonding Ins. Co. v. William C. Murray Co., Civil Action No. 03-64J (W.D. Pa. July 21, 2004) (granting surety company’s summary judgment motion on indemnity claim; holding that “if [the surety] determined that it was going to pay the claim, no matter what it is, the [indemnitors] would be liable to the [surety] as principal and indemnitor, provided no bad faith or fraud on the part of [the surety] is demonstrated”).
- JLP Construction Co. v. M&M Electrical Ltd., Civil Action No. 90-1840, 1992 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 13701 (E.D. Pa. Sept. 10, 1992) (granting surety company’s motion to dismiss with prejudice payment bond claimant’s lawsuit).
- International Fidelity Ins. Co. v. United Construction, Inc., Civil Action No. 91-2361, 1992 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 6777 (E.D. Pa. May 15, 1992) (granting surety company’s summary judgment motion on claim against indemnitors).
- Kamco Supply Corp. v. Pioneer Construction Co., Civil Action No. 89-5694, 1990 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4272 (E.D. Pa. April 12, 1990) (granting surety company’s motion for reconsideration of order placing case in civil suspense file so as to allow entry of default judgment against indemnitors.)
- United States v. International Fidelity Ins. Co., Civil Action No. 81-1599, 1989 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 14024 (E.D. Pa. Nov. 21, 1989) (entering award in interpleader case in which surety held the disputed funds).
Mr. Forer is the former co-chairperson of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee of the Philadelphia Bar Association, and he was the primary drafter of the Mediation Program Rules of the Fee Dispute Committee of the Philadelphia Bar Association. From 2004 to 2007, he was the co-chairperson of the Fee Dispute Committee of the Philadelphia Bar Association.
He is a commercial arbitrator for the American Arbitration Association. He also is an arbitrator and a mediator for the Fee Disputes Committee of the Philadelphia Bar Association. Further, Mr. Forer is a mediator for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the Commerce Program of the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County. He frequently provides mediation services for Montgomery County Association of Realtors, Inc. and the Greater Philadelphia Association of Realtors. He is a frequent lecturer and writer on all aspects of alternative dispute resolution. He lectures at Villanova Law School on arbitration issues.
Mr. Forer is the President of Main Line Reform Temple in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania. Main Line Reform Temple is one of the largest Reform synagogues in Pennsylvania.
Mr. Forer holds an AV® rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
J.D., University of Pennsylvania Law School, 1980 (Cum Laude)
A.B., Vassar College, 1976 (Cum Laude)
Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Massachusetts; U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania; U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey; U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
