News from 2023
Reed Smith ESG co-chair Jennifer Smokelin named one of Pittsburgh’s ‘20 People to Know in Law’
Reed Smith partner Jennifer Smokelin has been named by the Pittsburgh Business Times one of the ‘20 People to Know in Law’ for 2023.
Judge allows one final amendment of class action suit over Fabrazyme prescription drug shortage
PITTSBURGH – A federal judge has granted a final opportunity to amend a class action complaint, for plaintiffs who claimed significant harm was sustained on behalf of themselves and/or their loved ones, based on a shortage of a pharmaceutical drug named Fabrazyme that began in 2009 and lasted until 2012.
Chester County Prison inmate's suicide leads to wrongful death lawsuit against corrections and medical entities
PHILADELPHIA – The daughter of a man who died by suicide at Chester County Prison two years ago, alleges that corrections and medical officials failed to prevent both his death and the death of other inmates at the facility.
African national who alleged Temple University discriminated against him during job search settles claims
PHILADELPHIA – An African national who alleged that Temple University’s College of Science and Technology did not hire him for a technical support manager position due to his racial origin and whose representatives allegedly made discriminatory remarks to him, has settled his case.
Chambersburg Area School District defendants refute family's claims they failed to protect daughter from teacher's molestation
HARRISBURG – Chambersburg Area School District defendants have denied charges that they failed to enact and enforce procedures for the protection of their students, after a local woman alleged she was sexually molested by her then-high school chemistry teacher over a six-month time period in 2021 and 2022.
While Pa. Superior Court remands $19M pool injury suit to trial court, it indicates it would uphold the verdict amount
HARRISBURG – The Superior Court of Pennsylvania recently indicated it would look to uphold a $19 million jury verdict in favor of a quadriplegic man who sustained his injuries in the pool of the defendant homeowners, with the case only being remanded to the trial court for further proceedings as to an error of evidence consideration.
Falling for Ethics: An Ethics Roundup for Business Lawyers on October 17, 2023
Thomas Wilkinson and Deborah Winokur will present “Falling for Ethics: An Ethics Roundup for Business Lawyers” at the Pennsylvania Bar Institute 2023 Business Law Institute.
AG Henry Announces $1 Million Settlement with Rutter’s After Data Breach Exposed Pennsylvanians’ Private Info
Attorney General Michelle Henry announced a settlement with York-based convenience store chain, Rutter’s, regarding cybersecurity attacks that exposed information from more than a million customer payment cards.
Suit: Companies investigated for safety violations failed to prevent contractor's 30-foot fall
PHILADELPHIA – A Philadelphia man was severely injured on a construction in Coatesville, new litigation says, because the companies failed to provide adequate fall protection for him and other contractors, despite being the target of federal investigations on that very point.
Lancaster County law enforcement authorities defend last spring's raids of vape products shops
ALLENTOWN – Lancaster County, its district attorney and police officers assert they did not conduct warrantless raids of businesses selling vaping products last April, raids which those proprietors contend were illegal and contradictory to state laws currently on the books.
Giant Eagle shopper argues supermarket's negligence did cause him to fall through store floor
PITTSBURGH – A local man has reiterated that negligence on the part of a Giant Eagle supermarket in Export led him to fall through an exposed section of the store flooring during a shopping trip.
N.J. couple reiterate Pa. resort's walkway dropoff led wheelchair-bound husband to fall off
PITTSBURGH – A New Jersey couple insists that a resort’s uneven drop-off between a cement walkway and a pebbled path led to the husband-plaintiff falling off his motorized wheelchair and seriously injuring himself in the process.
Ex-Cabrini University prof sacked for alleged anti-Semitic tweets, retains three claims in subsequent lawsuit
PHILADELPHIA – A former Cabrini University professor and Palestinian-American, who was fired from his role at the school after two Jewish civic groups reported tweets of his that they believed were anti-Semitic, has seen his some of claims dodge a dismissal motion.
Former AstraZeneca executive says company ignored his request for religious exemption from COVID vax
PHILADELPHIA – A Pennsylvania man alleges he was fired from his role as a senior executive with pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, because he refused to take the COVID-19 vaccine and was denied an exemption for religious reasons.
Estate of man sued over 2021 double murder-suicide sees case dropped
PITTSBURGH – Family members of the victims of a double homicide committed by the victims’ own son more than two years ago recently discontinued their wrongful death lawsuit against the killer’s estate.
Couple who believes healthcare group leaked raw sewage into their home obtain arbitration
PITTSBURGH – A couple who alleged that a local healthcare group flooded their basement with raw sewage and later motioned to transfer the case to the arbitration process, have seen the presiding judge honor their request.
Philly woman insists that Lansdowne seafood restaurant's negligence caused her injuries
MEDIA – A Philadelphia woman maintains that a Lansdowne seafood restaurant negligently allowed a sidewalk outside its premises to deteriorate and fall into disrepair, which caused her to fall and become seriously injured during a visit almost two years ago.
Cozen O’Connor Named to America’s Most Loved Workplaces Again
Cozen O’Connor is proud to announce it has again been named to Newsweek’s 2023 list of America’s Most Loved Workplaces.
Though mom alleges venomous snake bit her son, child's father denies there were snakes on the premises
SCRANTON – The mother of a New York boy alleges that two years ago, the minor child’s father negligently allowed him to be near and hold a venomous snake, which proceeded to then bite the young boy – but the boy's father denies that there were any snakes on his property at the time of the alleged incident.
Class action suit alleges boat manufacturer of violating Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act
PITTSBURGH – A class action lawsuit claims that a manufacturer of sailboats and powerboats has violated the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act, through preventing third-party professionals from performing maintenance operations on their boats, such as those purchased by the plaintiffs, without voiding the owners’ respective warranties.