Paul Lantieri III

Paul Lantieri III is a partner in the Litigation Department and a member of the Commercial Litigation, White Collar/Investigations, and Securities Litigation Groups. He also is a member of the firm's Hiring Committee. 

Mr. Lantieri focuses his practice on litigating a diverse range of business disputes in federal and state trial and appellate courts, conducting internal investigations, and assisting organizations with the implementation and administration of internal administrative appeal and professional certification processes.

Representative Matters

• Represented a medical certifying board in a 12-day federal jury trial concerning test security; obtained monetary judgment on copyright and contract claims and a defense verdict on counterclaims for tortious interference, defamation, commercial disparagement, and invasion of privacy
• Regularly advises a medical certifying board regarding its certification and internal appeal processes
• Investigated on behalf of an independent board committee allegations that a public company's chief executive officer engaged in insider trading
• Investigated and defended invasion of privacy claims arising from a school district's use of remote monitoring technology in computers used by students 
• Conducted an internal investigation on behalf of the special litigation committee of a public company charged with investigating allegations arising from an electronic data security breach, and prepared a report that led to the dismissal of the shareholder derivative litigation brought against the company's directors and officers
• Represented a stock exchange in various actions in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the Delaware Chancery Court and Supreme Court, and the Pennsylvania state courts challenging transactions pursued by the exchange and various management and board decisions – e.g., McGowan v. Frucher, 481 F. Supp. 2d 405 (E.D. Pa. 2007), aff’d (3d Cir. Aug. 12, 2010) (obtained dismissal of securities fraud class action and affirmance on appeal); PennMont Securities v. Frucher, 586 F.3d 242 (3d Cir. 2009) (obtained denial of motion for preliminary injunction and dismissal of action seeking to enjoin exchange's enforcement of an SEC-sanctioned rule, and obtained affirmance on appeal on grounds that exhaustion of remedies doctrine barred suit); In re Philadelphia Stock Exchange, Inc., 945 A.2d 1123 (Del. 2008) (obtained Delaware Chancery Court and Supreme Court approval of a favorable settlement of breach of fiduciary duty class action) 
• Represented the special litigation committee of a REIT charged with responding to derivative litigation claims against trustees and officers arising from investments devalued by the collapses of the real estate and credit markets, and reached a favorable settlement of federal and state actions after conducting and reporting on an internal investigation
• Obtained ruling that a separate contract requirement of the Pennsylvania School Code is subject to waiver under the Commonwealth's Mandate Waiver Program, Mechanical Contractors Ass’n of E. Pa. v. Dep’t of Educ., 934 A.2d 1262, 594 Pa. 224 (2007)
• Obtained decision approving settlement with significant implications as to the permissible scope of bar orders in partial settlements of securities fraud class actions, PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., Securities Litigation, 404 F. Supp. 2d 421 (W.D. Pa. 2006) 

Pro Bono Experience

Mr. Lantieri recently assisted a nonprofit organization with an overhaul of its governance policies and procedures. He also has advised the People's Emergency Center on various matters, including agreements for the pioneering "digital inclusion program" that provides wireless Internet access to West Philadelphia residents and community-based organizations, and he served as the lead associate on the team that successfully negotiated structural changes to the voting districts in Franklin County, North Carolina, after initiating a lawsuit on behalf of several county residents based on the one-person, one-vote guarantee of the U.S. Constitution.

Recognition & Accomplishments

Recipient, The Legal Intelligencer and Pennsylvania Law Weekly's 2008 "Lawyers on the Fast Track" award, given to select young Pennsylvania lawyers whose achievements have distinguished them among their peers

Recognized by People's Emergency Center for volunteer leadership in connection with pro bono services

Publications

Co-author, "New FTC Guides Address Use of Social Media; Expand Liability for Advertisers, Endorsers," Ballard Spahr Intellectual Property Alert, October 12, 2009

Co-author, "Supreme Court Restricts Reach of Securities Fraud Liability," Ballard Spahr Business Litigation Alert, January 15, 2008

"Advertising–Frequently Asked Questions," Ballard Spahr Intellectual Property publication

Speaking Engagements

Annual Business Lawyers' Institute, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, November 12, 2008

"IP and the Internet: The Story of GROW AND GO, the Fictional Drink of Summer Games," Ballard Spahr CLE For Free, June 5, 2008

"Hey, Knock It Off: Protecting Fashion Designs," University of Delaware, February 15, 2007

Community Activities

LEADERSHIP Philadelphia Core Class of 2007

Board Memberships

John Bartram Association

Harvard Law School (J.D. 2001)

University of Pennsylvania (B.A. and B.A.S. 1998, magna cum laude)

Pennsylvania

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit