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Over its history, the firm’s attorneys have tried or settled many cases that have had a significant impact not only for the firm’s clients, but also for the community.

The firm’s attorneys have obtained verdicts and settlements in excess of $125 million. This list is not exhaustive but merely illustrative of instances where the firm was able to assist in obtaining justice for its clients.

Below are some of the cases that have shaped the history of the firm:

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  • $44.9 million verdict – Breach of Contract / Fraud (J. Archinaco)

    Originally estimated as a three month assignment, the complex case involving self-dealing at a dealership in Southern California spanned over seven years. Counsel lived, over the course of the first several years, in various hotels in Southern California, traveling back to Pittsburgh between trial sessions. Over one million documents were analyzed and reviewed. Through that process, massive and repeated electronic and paper document destruction was established against the defendants. Credibility findings were also issued against one of the defendants for not being forthcoming about the document destruction. Over $500,000 in monetary discovery sanctions were issued as well. The trial established that the defendants had, through self-dealing, caused their companies to become insolvent resulting in massive loan defaults. Although the defendants attempted to assert lender liability claims, those claims were successfully defended. The ultimate result was a judgment of $44.9 million for the client.

  • $32.8 million verdict – Medical Malpractice (J. Archinaco)

    Our infant client was rendered a quadriplegic as the result of medical malpractice when dangerous heart decelerations were not reported promptly to the ob/gyn in-house at the hospital. The case has been written about extensively and generated national publicity. The verdict was recently named, by The National Law Journal, the #1 Verdict in Pennsylvania and the #17 verdict nationally for 2014. Defendants' appeal was denied, and the verdict was affirmed.

  • $12.8 million verdict – Alter Ego / Self Dealing (J. Archinaco)

    The defendants attempted to use various corporate entities to manipulate their assets and avoid their liabilities. At stake in the case was whether or not the client could recover damages caused by the defendants from the “common enterprise” as opposed to the individual corporate entities that had incurred the debt. Had the “common enterprise” not been proven, the client could have been left empty handed without the ability to recover the judgment. The case was ultimately proven through a trail of documents and testimony. The defendants’ scheme failed and the end result was a verdict of $12.8 million for the client collectible against all of the target defendants.

  • $12 million verdict – Defamation / Fraud / Intentional Interference with Contract (J. Archinaco)

    A rising star in the securities industry, the client’s odyssey began in 2003 when he was one of several blamed for a massive fraud at a well known Wall Street company. The client was publicly vilified. His Form U5, a document filed in the securities industry, was blackened with the tag of “fraud”. The client’s career was destroyed and his life upended. The defendants had three prominent, large law firms involved in their defense. Ultimately, through the review of over 1 million documents and an arbitration proceeding with forty-two hearing sessions over six months, the client was fully vindicated. It was proved that the firm protected high level executives and used lower level executives as “scapegoats”. The client’s Form U5 was expunged. The verdict itself was rendered, not only against the securities firm, but also against its CEO.

    The client was awarded $10 million in compensatory and $2 million in punitive damages which are designed to deter the firm from engaging in similar conduct in the future. The verdict amount was paid one week later and is the largest single-Claimant collected verdict in FINRA history. The client now heads his own successful securities based company. The defendant CEO of the defendant Wall Street firm abruptly retired from his company eight months after the verdict.

  • $10 million settlement – Product Liability (J. Archinaco)

    The client suffered permanent injuries from a defective drug. A settlement was reached for the client that will ensure that the client has the proper medical care and treatment over the remainder of his life as well as the ability to leave a substantial estate for his family, changing their lives permanently.

  • $6 million verdict– Fraud / Hidden Assets (J. Archinaco)

    The defendants entered into a settlement agreement with our client agreeing to pay a portion of a prior judgement. As part of the settlement agreement, the defendants were required to disclose their assets. If they were not honest in their disclosures, our client would be permitted to pursue the remainder of the judgement against those undisclosed assets. Thereafter, considerable discovery was engaged in, including numerous depositions, subpoenas and the review of thousands of documents. It was established that the target defendants did not disclose ownership of a complex series of corporate entities. Instead, they had created a labyrinth-type ownership structure in relatives and in-laws designed to evade the settlement agreement and disclosure of the ownership interest. A two-phase trial first established liability and ownership of the hidden assets with the second phase liquidating damages. Included was an award of over $1.4 million in attorneys’ fees for our client.

  • $3 million settlement + employment agreement — Employment contract (J. Archinaco)

    We were able to successfully negotiate an entertainment executive’s employment contract that included a signing bonus, guaranteed salary for five years and significant stock options. We also negotiated a very limited “for cause” termination provision.

  • $1.7 million settlement – Product Liability (J. Archinaco)

    We were able to successfully negotiate a settlement to compensate our clients for harm stemming from a defective product.

  • $1.5 million settlement – Employment / Sex Discrimination (J. Archinaco)

    We were able to successfully negotiate a settlement in a case where our client was sexually harassed by another executive.

  • $1.5 million settlement – Medical Malpractice (J. Archinaco)

    We were able to successfully negotiate a settlement in a case where our client had a missed cancer diagnosis.

  • $1.1 million settlement – Securities / Unsuitability (J. Archinaco)

    We were able to successfully negotiate a settlement for our clients who suffered financial losses from unsuitable investment recommendations.

  • $1 million settlement – Wrongful Death (J. Archinaco)

    We successfully obtained a settlement in the death of an unborn child.

  • Confidential Settlement – Sexual Harassment / U5 Defamation (J. Archinaco)

    Our married client was at a company function when the company CEO propositioned her for sex. She rejected his advances. Thereafter, the CEO caused one of his subordinates to inform our client that she was failing in her job by placing her family before the company. When asked what that meant, the subordinate informed our client that she must have a relationship with the CEO when he came to town, and that she should start by sending him email and cards. She again refused. Approximately six months later she was fired under the false claim that she was not achieving her goals, and despite the fact that she had grown her sales territory from just over $200 million in sales to over $570 million. After her termination, the company falsified her U5. During discovery in the case, an anonymous source came forward with a document that the company had hidden that related to the sexual harassment claim. We filed a motion for terminating sanctions. Thereafter, the court held argument on the matter and required the company to submit affidavits and other information. Before the court could rule on the termination sanction motion, the case was amicably resolved.

  • Confidential Settlement – Securities / Unsuitability (J. Archinaco)

    We successfully obtained a confidential settlement for a number of investors who lost a significant portion of their life’s savings when a fraudulent trust company was shut down by the government.

  • $925,000 Verdict – Whistleblower / Wrongful Termination (J. Archinaco)

    Our client complained to her employer about what she believed were prohibited transactions in a 401(k) plan as well as improper sales of annuities. After she complained to superiors, she was retaliated against, culminating in her termination. Our client was in the country on a visa. Her employer interfered with her visa and Green Card application, essentially leading to her removal from the United States. In addition to compensatory damages, the arbitration panel awarded $100,000 in discovery sanctions stemming from classic shenanigans like hiding documents and producing them late at night the day before the next day hearings. The award was paid in full with no appeal being filed. At the time, the verdict was believed to be the largest whistleblower verdict in FINRA history.

  • Confidential Settlement – U5 Defamation / Trade Libel / Intentional Interference with Contract (J. Archinaco)

    After having his U5 blackened by one of Wall Street’s biggest firms with the tag of “fraud” and being claimed to have violated the firm’s practices and procedures, the client lost his career in the securities industry. Further, the false information found its way into various databases that caused the client to be identified as someone that had engaged in theft from a prior employer. The result was that he was being rejected from retail jobs. After the opening statements were given, the defendant agreed to settle the case. Included was not only financial compensation but also an agreement that the client’s Form U5 would be expunged. The client now enjoys a successful career in the executive placement business.

  • $800,000 settlement – Securities / Fraud (J. Archinaco)

    We were able to successfully obtain a settlement in a case where our client was deceived prior to making a substantial investment in a hedge fund.

  • $800,000 settlement – Employment Discrimination (J. Archinaco)

    We were able to obtain a substantial settlement for our client who was subjected to age discrimination. A settlement agreement was reached before our client was forced to file suit.

  • Confidential Settlement – Virtual Property / False Advertising / Fraud (J. Archinaco)

    The first lawsuit of its kind in the United States, the client purchased virtual property from the defendant. The defendant represented that the client owned the virtual property. However, shortly after a dispute arose between the client and the defendant, the defendant simply confiscated the virtual property and did not compensate our client. Suit was filed pursuant to various consumer protection and false advertising statutes. Combating some of the largest firms in the country, a successful settlement was reached the day before the defendant’s CEO and founder was to be deposed. The amount of the settlement is confidential.

  • Confidential Settlement –Hostile Work Environment (J. Archinaco)

    Our client was a long-time entertainment executive. She began to be subjected to an inappropriate and hostile work environment. When she reported the behavior to the company, rather than remedy it, she was retaliated against.

    Over the next several months, the company chipped away at her job responsibilities and subverted her in the work place. Ultimately, she had no choice but to resign. The case settled while it was pending before the EEOC.

  • Confidential Settlement – Unsuitability / Fraud (J. Archinaco)

    Our clients were the unfortunate victims of a company that fraudulently advertised their mutual funds as more conservative than they truly were. Additionally, their investment advisor failed to properly advise them to sell the funds, despite his knowledge that problems had arisen in them. The funds collapsed, resulting in significant damages to our clients. We were able to obtain a confidential settlement, restoring a large portion of our client’s investment savings.

  • Confidential Settlement – Wrongful Termination / Withheld Retirement Benefits / U5 Defamation (J. Archinaco)

    We obtained a successful settlement requiring the defendant to repay confiscated retirement funds after a wrongful termination. In addition, as part of the settlement, the defendant was required to expunge the false language that it had provided in our client’s U5.

  • $100,000+ verdict – Trademark Violations / Permanent Injunction / Attorneys’ Fees – Trademark (J. Archinaco)

    Our client had worked to establish its name for an extended period of time. When a rogue employee caused the company to be sued, he realized that his days were numbered. He left the company shortly before he could be fired. In the process, he copied confidential client records. He began to advertise his new company on the radio, with a nearly identical commercial and sound alike name. The name sounded so identical that our client’s advertising rep was confused by the commercials. We filed for an injunction and sought damages under the Lanham Act as a result of the conduct and violation of our client’s trademarks. The court not only entered judgment against the defendant at the summary judgment phase but also awarded a permanent injunction. The court also deemed the case an “exceptional case” and awarded our client our entire attorneys’ fees.

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The Pennsylvanian
1100 Liberty Avenue, Suite C6
Pittsburgh, PA 15222

Phone: 412.434.0555
Toll Free: 800.553.4448
Fax: 888.563.7549
Email: jarchinaco@archlawgroup.com

   

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