Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
Gerhard P. Dietrich
Recognized in Best Lawyers since 2013 Awarded Practice Areas
Biography
Gerhard has more than 30 years of courtroom experience. Today, his practice is focused on the defense of product liability and other complex litigation matters, including mass torts and class actions. He represents manufacturers of appliances, HVAC equipment, roofing materials, truck-trailers, tires, and other products. He also has represented corporate clients in business disputes, commercial and employment litigation, CERCLA actions, and insurance coverage cases.
He tried his first case to a judge in 1985 winning an injunction in a trademark dispute. He tried his first case to conclusion before a jury in 1990 winning a defense verdict. While he still enjoys the excitement of a trial, Gerhard understands most clients do not. He provides sound and honest advice to clients so they have realistic expectations and tries to position cases for early and positive resolutions by thinking several moves ahead. It helps that his opponents recognize his skills and know he can try a case when needed.
Overview
- Penn State Dickinson School of Law, J.D., graduated 1984
- Gettysburg College, BA, cum laude, graduated 1981
- Pennsylvania, 1984
- New Jersey, 1995
- New York, 2010
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
- U.S. District Courts of Pennsylvania (Eastern, Middle)
- U.S. District Court of New Jersey
- U.S. District Court of New York (Southern)
- Pennsylvania - Trial Courts
- Pennsylvania, 1984
- New Jersey, 1995
- New York, 2010
- Penn State Dickinson School of Law, J.D., graduated 1984
- Gettysburg College, BA, cum laude, graduated 1981
- U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
- U.S. District Courts of Pennsylvania (Eastern, Middle)
- U.S. District Court of New Jersey
- U.S. District Court of New York (Southern)
- Pennsylvania - Trial Courts
Client Testimonials
Awards & Focus
Recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2026 for work in:
- Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants
- Product Liability Litigation - Defendants
Additional Areas of Practice:
- Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions - Defendants
- Personal Injury Litigation
- Product Liability Litigation
Awards:
- Martindale-Hubbell AV® Rating
- Selected to Pennsylvania Super Lawyers®
News & Media
Additional Information
- Representative Experience
- Won defense verdict from jury for manufacturer of a gas furnace in a wrongful death and survival action where the decedent was electrocuted while accessing the furnace. Shafer v. Goodman Manufacturing, Pennsylvania Supreme Court Nos. 398 and 399 WAL 2009, December 29, 2009 (denying plaintiff’s petition for allowance of appeal).
- Defeated a motion to remand in a wrongful death action removed on grounds of fraudulent joinder, and subsequently obtained summary judgment after plaintiff’s experts abandoned theories during depositions. Durkin v. Paccar, Inc., 2010 WL 176851 (E.D. Pa. Jan 19, 2010); 2013 WL 2352612 (D.N.J. May 29, 2013).
- Won summary judgment for tire manufacturer based on inadequate evidence that the client manufactured, distributed or sold the tire. Conley v Bridgestone Firestone North American Tire, LLC, Northampton CCP No. C-48-CV-2005-2895, March 11, 2009 (Beltrami).
- Shangy v. InBev: Achieved a major international brewer’s goals of terminating a Pennsylvania wholesaler and extinguishing the wholesaler’s claims to existing and future brand rights.
- Acted as liaison counsel for a group of defendants in the Hormone Therapy Litigation in Philadelphia’s Mass Tort Program.
- Represented clients in class actions seeking medical monitoring, alleging violation of statutes, consumer fraud, and other torts, and involving cigarettes, light cigarettes, tires, retirement communities and power outages. An example is being responsible for drafting one and supervising the drafting of another of eight summary judgment motions filed in a tobacco class action and used, in part, to highlight individual issues leading to decertification. See Barnes v. American Tobacco Co., Inc., 161 F .3d 127 (3rd Cir. 1998); 984 F. Supp. 842 (E.D. Pa. 1997); 816 F. Supp. 369 (E.D. Pa 1993).
- Represented corporate employers in cases alleging breach of employment agreements, discrimination based on age, race and gender, sexual harassment, wage and hour violations, and violation of New Jersey’s Conscientious Employee Protection Act. Recent examples include successfully compelling arbitration and early settlement before a magistrate judge before a complaint was filed.
- Insurance coverage matters include Federated Life Insurance Co. v. Walker, 1997 WL 33264 (E.D. Pa. 1997) (obtained summary judgment voiding disability policy); Solcar Equipment Leasing Corp. v. Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Ass’n Ins. Co., (obtained summary judgment finding that substandard work of contractor not covered as occurrence under policy) 606 A.2d 522 (Pa. Super. 1992)
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