Patrick Joseph Gallo Jr.

P.J., who has been recognized by his peers as a Top Lawyer in the area of business law and litigation, has successfully handled all aspects of litigation, including arguing successfully on appeal before the Pennsylvania Superior Court.  In addition to business litigation, P.J. concentrates his practice on a broad range of litigation matters, with an emphasis on complex commercial, construction and insurance coverage litigation.  He also regularly counsels clients on business disputes.

Before joining MacElree Harvey, P.J. was a summer associate and law clerk for the Firm.  He also served as the judicial law clerk for the Honorable Mary Alice Brennan of the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas.  In addition, while pursuing his law degree at night, P.J. worked full time as a high school social studies teacher.

During law school, P.J. served on the Executive Board for the Widener Journal of Law, Economics and Race as the Articles Editor.  He also served on the Student Bar Association Executive Board and was a member of both the Trial Advocacy and Moot Court Honor Societies.  In addition, P.J. traveled to Northern Ireland and Ireland to study law at both Queen’s University in Belfast and Independent College in Dublin. He also participated in Widener Law’s Intensive Trial Advocacy Program.

While in law school, P.J. was the recipient of the E. Wallace Chadwick Memorial Scholarship Award and Widener Law’s Merit Scholarship Award, which is given to the top law school students.  P.J. also garnered numerous accolades during his undergraduate studies where he played football for the West Chester University Golden Rams. Some of those accolades include the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties Award, the West Chester University Student-Athlete Award, the PSAC Scholar-Athlete Award, and the NCAA Athletic Director’s Academic Achievement Award.

Practice Areas:

• Commercial Litigation
• Product Liability
• Self-Insured Corporate Defense
• Insurance Coverage
• Employment Law
• Litigation

Recent Representations:

Business and Corporate Litigation:

• Represents business clients ranging from small, closely held businesses to multi-million dollar corporations in disputes involving other companies, officers or directors, employees or customers.
• Successfully represented a leading national builder of high performance modular commercial structures in a breach of contract action asserted against a general contractor.
• Briefed a successful motion to dismiss a claim for indemnity and advancement asserted against a limited liability company.
• Obtained a favorable determination from the Pennsylvania Office of Open Records on behalf of a non-profit corporation involved in a public-private venture following the non-profit corporation’s denial of a Right-to-Know-Law request;
• Successfully represented a non-profit corporation before the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue resulting in the approval of a sales tax exemption for the non-profit corporation after initially being denied the same;
• Successfully represented a large regional limousine company before the Philadelphia Parking Authority in connection with significant fees assessed by the PPA. A favorable settlement was eventually achieved on behalf of the limousine company.
• Successfully represented a regional landscaping company before the U.S. Department of Transportation involving fines assessed by Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, which were subsequently dropped.
• Successfully defended an action asserted by an alleged purchaser of a pool of loans for breaches of three separate promissory notes totaling $93,. During a consolidated trial concerning two of the three promissory notes, the purported noteholder asserted that it acquired the alleged promissory notes from the original lender and produced documents purportedly demonstrating the requisite chain of title necessary to sue as an assignee of a promissory note. Following trial and numerous evidentiary arguments, the Court ruled in favor of P.J.’s client for no amount. This decision prompted the alleged noteholder to unilaterally dismiss the remaining action involving the third promissory note on the eve of trial in that case.

Insurance Coverage:

• Served as co-counsel for a multi-million dollar company in an action asserted against a major international reinsurance company for the recovery of insurance as a third party beneficiary, which resulted in a favorable settlement.
• Obtained a substantial settlement on behalf of an individual initially denied insurance coverage under a Homeowner/Renters Policy.
• Successfully represented an individual denied health insurance coverage for a course of treatment that was medically necessary, which resulted in the reversal of the health insurer’s denial of coverage.
• Represents policyholders involved in complex coverage disputes across various industries and with regard to different policy types.
• Counsels businesses and individuals on insurance coverage issues and disputes.

Construction & Architectural Liability:

• Successfully represented a homeowner in claims against the contractor for defects in the renovation of the homeowner’s kitchen and for violations of the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act and the Unfair Trade Practices, Consumer Protection Act.
• Represents commercial property owners in claims against the contractor and/or architect with respect to issues concerning defects in the design and/or construction of the commercial properties or renovations thereof.
• Represents residential property owners in claims against the contractor and/or architect with respect to issues concerning defects in the design and/or construction of residential homes or renovations thereof.

Products Liability:

• Represents businesses with regard to breach of warranty claims for defects in the design or manufacturing of commercial products purchased by the business.
• Represents businesses with regard to claims involving the Uniform Commercial Code.