PRACTICE AREAS

Eckert Seamans offers comprehensive litigation services for every phase of client activities.  The Litigation Department's approximately 120 trial attorneys serve clients across the U.S. and abroad.  The firm's objective is the best possible result for the client at a reasonable cost through negotiation, alternative dispute resolution, dispositive motion, or trial.  The firm routinely works with clients to formulate and comply with litigation budgets and, in fact, pioneered computerized document management, an invaluable tool for organizing the massive number of documents generated in major litigation, helping to reduce the costs of litigation.  Effective use of trained paralegal and support staff, computer services and other technology also lowers litigation costs.

Commercial Law

The firm's litigation strength stems from its ability to handle a full range of business and commercial litigation needs.  Firm attorneys routinely provide litigation advice from the inception of a dispute through trials and, if necessary appeals.  The firm represents clients in state and federal courts at all levels, regulatory proceedings, grand jury proceedings, arbitrations and alternative dispute resolution proceedings.  The firm's attorneys have broad experience in complex, multifaceted civil litigation, including contract actions and matters arising under the UCC.  The firm's extensive experience includes class action and derivative shareholder litigation, franchising disputes, insurance coverage and defense litigation, and intellectual property actions.

Securities Litigation

The strength of the Securities Litigation Group lies in the broad litigation experience of its members in the securities area as well as corporate, tax, employee benefits, labor and antitrust matters.  Attorneys in the group have served as lead counsel in all forms of complex securities litigation, including matters arising under the state and federal securities laws.  They have represented financial institutions, Fortune 500 companies, pension funds and brokerage houses, underwriters, accountants, mutual funds, insurance companies and publicly traded as well as privately held companies of all sizes and industries.

Personal Injury

Throughout its offices, the firm handles a variety of personal injury matters, frequently involving complex cases with multiple parties.  The firm represents insurance carriers in a variety of cases, ranging from premises liability, wrongful death, medical malpractice, legal malpractice, employment torts (including sexual harassment and sexual abuse), among other areas. 

 Litigation Involving Governmental Agencies

Firm attorneys have represented a variety of clients in actions involving governmental agencies.  The firm has represented health and educational institutions, industry associations, and other groups in administrative law litigation before federal and state agencies and in state and federal court.  The firm has also represented a wide variety of clients in actions brought by governmental agencies in areas such as consumer protection and licensing of health care and educational facilities.  In a landmark decision decided by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court in 1997, Eckert Seamans lawyers successfully argued that a state human service agency should be put into partial judicial receivership because of improprieties and misconduct relating to a licensee.

Product Liability

The steady increase in product liability and toxic tort claims over the past decade represents serious financial exposure for corporate clients.  Eckert Seamans has substantial experience in defending product liability and toxic tort suits, in addition to counseling corporate clients on preventing claims and minimizing product hazard exposure.  The firm has served as lead counsel in both national and regional defense of product liability cases and toxic tort cases and has coordinated the defense for cases tried in numerous locations across the U.S.  Eckert Seamans is nationally and internationally recognized as an expert in coordinating the defense of multi-district litigation.  Eckert Seamans attorneys organize and conduct pleading response, document control, discovery, witness preparation and trial in an effective, consistent and cost-effective manner that provides the best defense for companies facing multiple products or toxic tort lawsuits.

Patent Law and Intellectual Property

Eckert Seamans is also nationally recognized for its technical experience and success in the litigation of patent and other intellectual property claims on behalf of both plaintiffs and defendants.  In addition to its trial and appellate expertise in this area, the firm has served as lead counsel in several landmark cases argued before the Supreme Court of the United States.  In addition to patent claims, the firm routinely litigates trademark, publicity, advertising copyright, trade secret and unfair competition claims.

Construction Law

The firm represents developers, owners, design professionals, contractors and subcontractors in the public and private sectors in all aspects of construction law.  The firm's construction law attorneys have substantial experience in mediation, trials and arbitration.  They are equally prepared to vigorously defend and prosecute clients' claims.  Firm attorneys have handled a wide variety of claims including claims for delay acceleration, loss of productivity, default, termination, extra work, defective specifications, differing site conditions and bid protests.

Creditors' Rights

The firm has extensive experience in handling bankruptcy proceedings, security interests, foreclosures, collections and enforcement of judgments, as well as other litigation matters in creditor/debtor relationships.

White Collar Criminal Defense

The firm's white collar criminal defense practice represents clients throughout the U.S. and abroad in investigations by state and federal grand juries and administrative agencies and in criminal enforcement proceedings, trials and related complex civil litigation matters.  The firm also advises clients on internal corporate audits and investigations relating to their business practices.  Firm attorneys have had substantial experience and success in the informal resolution of investigations without formal criminal action through presentations to various prosecutors and investigators demonstrating that criminal charges were unwarranted.

Energy Law

As counsel to one of the world's leading nuclear energy and technology companies, the firm has broad-based experience in all aspects of nuclear energy law and related litigation.

Appellate Practice

The firm's extensive appellate practice has encompassed appeals at all levels of state and federal courts and administrative tribunals.  The appellate practice group operates within the Litigation Department, but it is interdepartmental in composition, with active representatives from the labor, creditors' rights and intellectual property law practice areas.

In addition to the above, Eckert Seamans offers comprehensive litigation services in environmental, labor, and virtually all business areas.  By pooling the strengths of the litigation attorneys in other disciplines, the firm works to help clients prevent unnecessary litigation where possible and pursue complete and satisfactory results in court where litigation is unavoidable.

Practice Areas:
   Alternative Dispute Resolution
   Appellate
   Complex Class Action Litigation
   Construction
   Intellectual Property Litigation
   Mass Tort Litigation
   Product Liability
   Professional Liability
   Securities Litigation
   Technology Litigation