Lawyer Profile

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Denis J. Lawler

Archer & Greiner, P.C.

Denis Lawler has spent his entire career trying cases. Most recently, those matters have involved:

  • the defense in arbitration of a supplier who had terminated a long-term supply contract on the grounds of impossibility, resulting in a defense verdict and the award of $1,000,000 in attorneys’ fees under a fee-shifting provision in the contract involved;
  • the defense of a seller of a business against claims of breach of warranties and representations in the sale; the liability phase had been lost by predecessor counsel; in the trial of the damages phase, plaintiff’s $30,000,000 claim based on an economist’s report was thrown out, resulting in a minimal award, which in turn led to a filing by the plaintiffs of new actions in federal court under RICO; and most recently,
  • the defense of corporate fiduciaries in trust matters before Pennsylvania Orphans’ Courts.

Lawyer Bio

Denis Lawler has spent his entire career trying cases. Most recently, those matters have involved:

  • the defense in arbitration of a supplier who had terminated a long-term supply contract on the grounds of impossibility, resulting in a defense verdict and the award of $1,000,000 in attorneys’ fees under a fee-shifting provision in the contract involved;
  • the defense of a seller of a business against claims of breach of warranties and representations in the sale; the liability phase had been lost by predecessor counsel; in the trial of the damages phase, plaintiff’s $30,000,000 claim based on an economist’s report was thrown out, resulting in a minimal award, which in turn led to a filing by the plaintiffs of new actions in federal court under RICO; and most recently,
  • the defense of corporate fiduciaries in trust matters before Pennsylvania Orphans’ Courts.
Read more on firm website

Education:

  • Saint Joseph's University, BA

Bar Admissions:

  • Pennsylvania

Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America for work in:

  • Commercial Litigation
 

Awards:

  • McClanaghan Award, St. Joseph University Law Alumni, November 2004, For outstanding work in the profession and commitment to the University
 

Lawyer Client Comments

Firm Details

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Archer & Greiner, P.C.
http://www.archerlaw.com
 
Headquarters
One Centennial Square
33 East Euclid Avenue
Haddonfield, NJ 08033
(856) 795.2121
8 Office Locations
in 1 Country

United States

United States

Delaware

Delaware

Wilmington, DE

300 Delaware Avenue, Suite 1100

Wilmington, DE 19801

United States

(302) 777.4350

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New Jersey

New Jersey

Flemington, NJ

Building E, Suite 1301

361 Route 31

Flemington, NJ 08822

United States

(908) 788.9700

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Hackensack, NJ

Court Plaza South, West Wing, Suite 353

21 Main Street

Hackensack, NJ 07601-7095

United States

(201) 342.6000

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Princeton, NJ

101 Carnegie Center, Suite 300

Princeton, NJ 08540

United States

(609) 580.3700

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Red Bank, NJ

10 Highway 35

Red Bank, NJ 07701-5902

United States

(732) 268.8000

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New York

New York

New York, NY

630 Third Avenue

New York, NY 10017

United States

(212) 682.4940

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Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA

Three Logan Square

1717 Arch Street, Suite 3500

Philadelphia, PA 19103

United States

(215) 963.3300

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Lawyer Case History

Commonwealth v. Norris

Commonwealth v. Norris, No. 262, Jan. Term, 1974 (C.P. Montg. Co., Pa., Vogel, J.) – defense of first degree murder charge in jury trial

Commonwealth v. Napper

Commonwealth v. Napper, 254 Pa. Super. 54, 385 A.2d 521 (1978) – first case in Pennsylvania to hold that defense counsel could be inadequate for failing to advise his client to accept a proposed plea agreement

ECDC Envtl. L.C. v. United States

ECDC Envtl. L.C. v. United States, 40 Fed. Cl. 236, 1998 U.S. Claim LEXIS 12, 42 Cont. Cas. Fed. (CCH) P77,250 (Ct. of Fed. Cl., Futey, J., Jan. 30, 1998) – $185,000,000 government contract dispute

Night Vision Cases

Night Vision cases – DRS Newco III, Inc., n/k/a Night Vision Systems, Inc., a DRS Technologies Company v. Night Vision Equipment Company  Holdings, Inc., et al., No. 2006-C-3878 (C.P. Lehigh Co., Pa.); Night Vision Systems, LLC v. Night Vision Depot, Inc., et al., Civil Action No. 07-4808; and Night Vision Systems, LLC, DRS Technologies, Inc. v. Night Vision Depot, Inc., et al., Civil Action No. 08-5785 (U.S. Dist. Ct., E.D. Pa.) – defense of multiple related actions in state and federal court; Mr. Lawler entered the case after liability phase had been lost; he convinced trial judge in damages phase to reject economist's testimony, basis for plaintiff's $28 million claim; then convinced trial judge on post-trial motions that he had erred in initially deciding that Mr. Lawler's client had forfeited its right to such payments (approximately $11 million) (2008-2010)

Fabricator v. Supplier

Fabricator v. Supplier under long-term supply agreement (2007). Defense verdict in confidential arbitration of $4.3 million claim; plus positive award in full of $300,000 counterclaim; and award of $1.0 million in attorney's fees and costs as prevailing party.