Louis A. DePaul
Member
Overview
Lou DePaul concentrates his practice on business litigation. His practice and experience covers a broad range of business litigation, including complex commercial litigation, class action litigation, products liability litigation, real estate litigation, intellectual property litigation, bankruptcy litigation, and employment disputes. Lou has litigated cases in state, federal, bankruptcy, and appellate courts in multiple jurisdictions and his experience extends to commercial arbitrations and mediation.
Representative Matters
- Successfully defended a Fortune 500 company from claims for breach of contract in excess of $20 million; after three years of litigation, international corporate plaintiff dismissed the case with prejudice on the eve of trial.
- Was an integral part of a trial team that obtained an award in excess of $9 million after four weeks of hearings in a complex commercial arbitration on behalf of investors attempting to develop an emerging energy technology.
- Regularly represents energy companies in cases involving alleged violations of the Telephone Consumer Protection Act.
- Has extensive experience defending officers, directors and corporations in shareholder derivative actions.
- Currently acts as national counsel for commercial litigation matters for a leading provider of brand solutions, memorialization products, and industrial technologies.
- Successfully defended an international seafood manufacturer in a nationwide class action concerning claims of alleged mislabeling (case was settled on favorable terms).
- Regularly represents residential builders and developers in matters involving land use, development, zoning, and commercial litigation.
- Successfully defended various online hotel booking agencies in statewide class action concerning the payment of hotel occupancy taxes.
- Successfully defended international oilfield services provider regarding multi-million dollar disputes arising out of a well explosion that occurred in a Utica Shale well.
Professional Affiliations
- Fellow, Allegheny County Bar Foundation
- Allegheny County Bar Association
Community Involvement
- From 2005 to the present, Lou has served as a mentor and teaching assistant for Carnegie Mellon University’s Tepper School of Business Senior Management Game Class
- Pittsburgh Vintage Grand Prix Association, Secretary, Board of Directors
- Moot Court Judge, Carnegie Mellon Moot Court Competition
Awards and Recognition:
- Selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2023 and 2024 for Litigation, Real Estate
- Named a Rising Star by Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Magazine from 2010 – 2018
- Member of the firm’s Associates Committee from 2015 to the present
News and Insights
Publications
- “Forum Non Conveniens is Now More Difficult to Assert in Pennsylvania,” Eckert Seamans’ Legal Update, October 17, 2023.
- “Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Recognizes Cause of Action for “Aiding and Abetting Fraud”” Eckert Seamans’ Legal Update, February 2023.
- “Courts Clash Over Application of the Discovery Rule to Breach of Contract Claims,” The Legal Intelligencer, October 2019.
- “New Clarity On Expert Testimony in Pa. State Courts,” Law 360, August 2019.
- “INSIGHT: Third Circuit Continues to Rein in Runaway TCPA Claims,” co-author, Bloomberg Law, July 3, 2018.
- “TCPA Alert: Third Circuit Continues to Rein in Runaway TCPA Claims,” Eckert Seamans’ Legal Update, June 27, 2018.
- “VoIP Services May Fall Beyond TCPA’s Scope,” Law360, March 2018.
- “Beware: Inspecting Goods May Waive Implied Warranty Protections,” co-authored for LJN’s Equipment Leasing Newsletter, May 2017.
- “Examining Pennsylvania’s doctrine of unconscionability,” co-authored for PA Business Quarterly, January 2017.
- “Pa. Courts Address ‘Unconscionability’ in Business Contracts,” co-authored for The Legal Intelligencer, July 2016.
Media Coverage
- “What To Watch As High Court Tackles Robocall Ban’s Scope,” Law360, December 2020.
- “TCPA Rulings Give Cos. Liability Shield, But No Knockout,” Law360, July 2018.
Speaking Engagements
- “Metadata: Everything You Don’t Know (But Should),” National Business Institute, October 19, 2023.
- “Rules and Resources You Need to Know,” “Obtaining Computer, Email, and Internet Evidence,” and “Cameras, Wearable Tech, GPS Devices, and More: Real-World Tips,” co-presented at the National Business Institute’s Obtaining Evidence From Electronic Devices in Pennsylvania webinar program, March 4, 2022.
- “Pleadings & Motions: Civil Practice Tips & Examples,” National Business Institute, December 29, 2020.
- “The Pennsylvania Dead Man’s Rule” co-presented to the Pennsylvania Conference of State Trial Judges at their Mid-Annual Meeting, February 2019.
- “Autonomous Vehicles: Legal Issues to Consider,” co-presenter, Eckert Seamans’ Continuing Legal Education Seminar, August 2018.