Steven B. BarrettSteven Barrett is a Principal of the firm and member of its Litigation Department since 1992. Steve has counseled and represented corporations and individuals on a wide range of matters spanning complex commercial, land use, real estate, and personal injury litigation. With his significant and notable jury verdicts, Steve enjoys a well-deserved reputation as a premier trial attorney throughout Southeastern Pennsylvania. He has successfully tried many complex cases in Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, Lehigh, Northampton, Berks and Delaware Counties. Since 2003, Steve has obtained settlements and verdicts for victims of professional negligence totaling in excess of twelve million dollars. His commercial litigation experience includes the representation of corporate clients involving corporate trade secrets, unfair business practices, commercial financing, and issues involving licenses, copyrights, and trademarks. Steve has extensive experience with real estate litigation, representing developers, builders and real-estate brokers involving AIA contracts, mechanic's liens, listing agreements, agreements of sale, escrow agreements and partnership agreements. In the land use area, Steve has extensive experience with Pennsylvania's Municipalities Planning Code litigating on behalf of and against townships and municipalities. Through the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Steve currently serves by appointment as a Disciplinary Hearing Committee member considering issues of misconduct within the legal profession. Steve formerly served on the Board of Directors of the Montgomery Bar Association, and is a past president of its Young Lawyers Division. Steve currently serves as Chair of the firm's marketing committee and mentors associates in the practice of law and business development. A graduate of the University of Michigan, (B.A. 1987), Steve received his law degree from Temple University (J.D. 1992)
Recent Representative Cases:
Commercial Litigation
* Represented a developer who had been paying off a 25-year construction loan for twenty years when the client realized that the bank was calculating the total pay-off with a higher interest rate, or $500,000 more than originally agreed. The bank wanted either payment of the $500,000 or additional payments of $5,000 per month for an additional 15 years. Steve brought suit against the bank and, after trial, the court ruled that the bank was wrong with Steve's clients being relieved to pay any additional money.
* Successfully defended a corporate client that was sued by a company claiming that the client stole trade secrets and business away from the company, costing the company in excess of $2.5 Million in lost profits and the value of the company. After the company's preliminary injunction was denied by the court, the case proceeded to be tried before a twelve person jury. The jury reached a verdict, finding completely in favor of Steve's client.
Real Estate
* Represented a nationally recognized builder that sued a sewer authority for the reduction of fees under a Pennsylvania statute that had yet to be interpreted by the courts of PA. Steve brought the first case in PA with interpretation of the statute being of first impression. After trial and exhaustive briefing of the legal issues, the court found in the builder's favor, saving the client hundreds of thousands of dollars. With the success and notoriety of the case, Steve has attracted many developers, challenging the fee schedule of sewer authorities under the same statute. Steve has not lost a single case, recovering millions of dollars on behalf of his clients.
* In Federal Court, Steve successfully defended against a lawsuit claiming ownership of property by reason of adverse possession, which is a doctrine of real estate rarely employed in declaring ownership of property in the absence of legal title. After a week-long trial, the federal judge found in favor of Steve's client.
Land Use
* In a recent case, Steve represented a developer who had to bring a mandamus action against Skippack Township, located in Montgomery County, for failing to approve the developer's preliminary plans for a residential project consisting of over 300 units and valued at over five million dollars. Steve was able to prove through extensive discovery that the township had acted in bad faith in denying the developer's application. After commencement of trial, and upon the insistence of the trial judge who was completely persuaded by Steve's presentation of evidence, the township settled, agreeing to grant preliminary and final plan approval and to waive certain fees amounting to a savings of $150,000.
Personal-Injury Litigation
* Tried medical malpractice case in which client was discharged from emergency room of Wilkes-Barre Hospital while demonstrating signs of suffering imminent stroke. Steve obtained an award of $750,000.
* Obtained a $1.7 million jury verdict in Philadelphia for the family of a deceased man who died from asbestos-related esophageal cancer.
* Obtained a $1.5 million jury verdict in Philadelphia for the family of a deceased man who died from asbestos-related asbestosis.
* Obtained a $5 million jury verdict in Philadelphia for a gentleman suffering from asbestosis.
Speeches/Publications:
Lecturer for Pennsylvania Association for Justice. Topics include Closed Head Injuries, Pennsylvania's Automobile Insurance Law and Ethical Considerations of Lawyers to Produce Expert Witness Reports.
Lecturer, People's Law School of the Montgomery County Bar Association on How to find an attorney and the attorney-client relationship.
Contributing columnist to El Sol newspaper on consumer protection issues ranging from at-will employment status to consumer fraud.
Professional and Civic Memberships:
- Montgomery Bar Association
- Board of Directors, 2001-2003
- President, Young Lawyers' Division, 1998
- District Coordinator, Statewide Mock Trial Competition, 1998 - 1999
- Pennsylvania Association for Justice
- Member, 1993-Present
- Pennsylvania Bar Association, member, 1993-Present
- Latino Leadership Alliance of Bucks County, Non-Profit
Personal Interests:
Proficient in Spanish, annually runs in Philadelphia's 10 mile Broad Street Run, and makes pancakes from scratch for his family almost every weekend.
