Commercial Litigation

Litigation can have a significant impact on a company's ability to achieve its business objectives. Dechert helps companies involved in commercial litigation assess their options and make decisions consistent with their goals. With lawyers in London, Paris, Luxembourg, New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and San Francisco, we have the multi-jurisdictional capabilities, experience, skills, and judgment to successfully guide clients through disputes arising around the world.

We represent companies in complex litigation and alternative dispute resolution proceedings across a broad range of industries, including pharmaceuticals, financial services, insurance, consumer products, and communications. We aggressively defend our clients' interests in matters involving claims of breach of contract, consumer fraud and false advertising allegations, corporate governance, and mergers and acquisitions, professional liability and insurance litigation.

Class Actions and MDLs
Our commercial litigation group has defended class actions of nearly every type filed, from product liability and ERISA matters to environmental and securities cases. We have structured multi-tiered class settlements for clients. Our advocacy in landmark cases has resulted in new class action law, and we have particular experience with class certification issues.

We also offer sophisticated, timely advice in multidistrict litigation involving major drug recall, securities, tobacco, and latex matters throughout the United States.

Alternative Dispute Resolution
In assessing our clients' options, we also incorporate our substantial knowledge of alternative dispute resolution. Many of our litigators are accredited mediators. Others are members of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and have significant experience in risk management strategies.

We have an impressive track record of achieving pre-trial settlements for our clients in U.S. federal and state jurisdictions as well as in international dispute resolution proceedings. We have represented clients in arbitration before the ICC, AAA, UNCITRAL, W.I.P.O., and the London Court of International Arbitration Rules.

Effective Case Management
Our litigation teams work closely with clients to ensure that litigation matters are managed efficiently. We carefully match the experience of our partners and associates to each case and provide our teams with new technologies for facilitating communication, research, and document management in large-scale, complex litigation.

Achieving Results
We are dedicated to resolving our clients' business disputes in the most effective and expeditious way possible. Through our extensive trial experience, strong record in ADR, industry knowledge, and advanced information technology systems, we produce winning strategies for our clients - both in and out of the courtroom.

Receiving Recognition
The prowess of our commercial litigation group has been touted by numerous legal referral guides. In 2007, Chambers USA commented that our litigation team handles "the real monster disputes," is "superbly talented," and is "unrivaled in its depth." Chambers also noted that "few firms manage to so successfully combine a strong and imposing trial capability with strategic and advisory competence of the highest caliber." We were also one of only 10 U.S. firms to be singled out for "exemplary, cutting-edge work in civil [litigation] defense" and named to the "Defense Hot List" by The National Law Journal in 2007. In Europe, we are noted as a "first rate across the board" pan-European general litigation team by Chambers Europe -- Europe's Leading Lawyers for Business, 2007.