Paul Lantieri III

Partner He / Him / His

Philadelphia

Tel 215.864.8279
Fax 215.864.8999

Paul Lantieri III is General Counsel of the firm.

In addition to advising the firm and its lawyers – and other law firms – on matters of professional responsibility and legal ethics, Paul maintains a diverse counseling and litigation practice. He has a particular focus on advising self-regulatory organizations in the securities and medical certification spheres. Paul is regularly called on to help those organizations develop and implement, and manage risks associated with, self-regulatory rules, policies, and procedures, and to defend them in related litigation and regulatory proceedings.

Services

Experience

Representative Matters

Regularly advises a medical certifying board regarding its certification, disciplinary, and internal appeal processes, its policies and procedures, and in related litigation
Obtained a favorable settlement for a pharmaceutical company in Lanham Act false advertising litigation brought against a competitor
Represented Nasdaq in litigation, regulatory, and government enforcement matters arising from the Facebook IPO; obtained an injunction against an exchange member seeking to assert substantial claims for Facebook IPO trading losses against Nasdaq in arbitration, and a partial dismissal of class claims brought by Facebook investors

Advised an energy company in internal and regulatory investigations concerning a pipeline release Defended a law firm against claims of ethical violations
Represented a broker-dealer in government investigations and litigation concerning compliance issues with the trading of Treasury securities
Obtained dismissal on a motion to dismiss securities fraud claims against Nasdaq arising from an allegedly fraudulent options trading scheme
Represented a medical certifying board in a 12-day federal jury trial concerning exam security; obtained monetary judgment on copyright and contract claims, a defense verdict on counterclaims for tortious interference, defamation, commercial disparagement, and invasion of privacy, and affirmance of those decisions on appeal
Represented the Lower Merion School District in an internal investigation relating to the district's use of remote monitoring technology in laptops issued to students, and defended federal and state invasion of privacy and civil rights claims in related civil litigation
Represented a bank and a retailer in professional malpractice cases
Conducted an internal investigation on behalf of the special litigation committee of a public company charged with investigating allegations arising from an electronic data security breach involving thousands of credit card numbers, and prepared a report that led to the dismissal of shareholder derivative litigation brought against the company's directors and officers
Represented the special litigation committee of a REIT charged with responding to derivative litigation claims against trustees and officers arising from investments devalued by the collapses of the real estate and credit markets, and reached a favorable settlement of federal and state actions after conducting and reporting on an internal investigation
Investigated on behalf of an independent board committee allegations that a public company's chief executive officer engaged in insider trading
Successfully defended a stock exchange in various actions challenging transactions pursued by the exchange and other management and board decisions - e.g., McGowan v. Frucher, 481 F. Supp. 2d 405 (E.D. Pa. 2007), aff’d (3d Cir. Aug. 12, 2010) (obtained dismissal of securities fraud class action and affirmance on appeal); PennMont Securities v. Frucher, 586 F.3d 242 (3d Cir. 2009) (obtained denial of motion for preliminary injunction and dismissal of action seeking to enjoin exchange's enforcement of an SEC-sanctioned rule, and obtained affirmance on appeal on grounds that exhaustion of remedies doctrine barred suit); In re Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Inc., 945 A.2d 1123 (Del. 2008) (obtained Delaware Chancery Court and Supreme Court approval of a favorable settlement of breach of fiduciary duty class action)
Obtained ruling that a separate contract requirement of the Pennsylvania School Code is subject to waiver under the Commonwealth's Mandate Waiver Program, Mechanical Contractors Ass’n of E. Pa. v. Dep’t of Educ., 934 A.2d 1262, 594 Pa. 224 (2007)
Obtained decision approving settlement with significant implications as to the permissible scope of bar orders in partial settlements of securities fraud class actions, PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., Securities Litigation, 404 F. Supp. 2d 421 (W.D. Pa. 2006)

Professional Highlights

Pro Bono Experience

Paul recently represented a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting literacy among young adults who read below grade level in intellectual property litigation and successfully negotiated a resolution that ensured the organization retained its content. Among other things, Paul also assisted a nonprofit organization with an overhaul of its governance policies and procedures. He has worked on a number of matters with the Pennsylvania Innocence Project, which seeks exoneration for the wrongfully convicted. In addition, with a team from the firm, Paul successfully negotiated structural changes to the voting districts in a North Carolina county after initiating a lawsuit on behalf of several county residents based on the one-person, one-vote guarantee of the U.S. Constitution.

Recognition & Accomplishments

Benchmark Litigation, "Future Star," 2018-2025; Under 40 Hot List, 2016

Recipient, The Legal Intelligencer and Pennsylvania Law Weekly's 2008 "Lawyers on the Fast Track" award, given to select young Pennsylvania lawyers whose achievements have distinguished them among their peers

Recognized by People's Emergency Center for volunteer leadership in connection with pro bono services

Speaking Engagements

"The Art of the Deposition," Dealing with Difficult Witnesses and Opposing Counsel, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, November 17-18, 2016

"The Art of the Deposition," Expert Witnesses, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, June 4-5, 2015

Annual Business Lawyers' Institute, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, November 12, 2008

"IP and the Internet: The Story of GROW AND GO, the Fictional Drink of Summer Games," Ballard Spahr CLE For Free, June 5, 2008

"Hey, Knock It Off: Protecting Fashion Designs," University of Delaware, February 15, 2007

Board Memberships & Community Service

Director and former officer, John Bartram Association

President, North Ardmore Civic Association

LEADERSHIP Philadelphia Core Class of 2007

Related Insights

Credentials

Education

Harvard Law School (J.D. 2001)

University of Pennsylvania (B.A. and B.A.S. 1998, magna cum laude)

Admissions

Pennsylvania

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit