Robert J. Balch

Robert J. Balch is a Principal and Vice-Chair of the firm's Casualty Litigation Department and Chair of the firm's Liquor Liability Practice Group. He litigates matters which involve complex issues and catastrophic injuries and damages. A specialist in commercial transportation, products liability, liquor/hospitality/special event and premises liability, his representative clients include product manufacturers, servicers and distributors in the fire, alarm and life safety, vehicle, medical device and consumer product industries; large retailers; taverns, bars, social clubs and restaurants; and commercial landowners and management companies. 

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• Defense verdict in Dram Shop liability action on behalf of country club sued for alleged over-service of a patron, who after leaving the premises, struck two individuals, resulting in dual fatalities. Pre-trial settlement demand was in the mid-seven figures and punitive damages were at issue.
• Defense verdict in consumer fraud action in State of New Jersey involving alleged “upselling” and fraudulent dealing.
• Defense verdict in products liability matter involving forklift manufacturer arising out of workplace accident at a national chain distribution center which resulted in near amputation. 
• Verdict in favor of corporate client on breach of contract action, resulting in repayment of all requested compensatory damages, attorneys’ fees, and costs incurred by the client after several day trial.
• Defense verdict in binding arbitration on behalf of a client who struck a pedestrian in the roadway, resulting in catastrophic injuries. There was a policy limit settlement demand prior to the parties agreeing to submit to binding arbitration.  
• Dismissal of premises liability matter involving the collapse of a sliding glass door, resulting in severe neck injuries to the plaintiff, after aggressive early motion practice established client was shielded from liability due to statutory immunity. 
• Dismissal from several hundred-thousand-dollar water loss incidents after establishing fire safety clients' compliance with applicable standards and alternative causes of the loss. 
• Dismissal by motion at the pleading stage in a dram shop claim involving claims of punitive damages and catastrophic injuries having successfully challenged the basis for client’s joinder in the case and prematurity of indemnity claim.
• Dismissal by summary judgment and declaratory judgment in a forklift injury case in which client was awarded repayment of all attorneys’ fees and indemnity from a defendant joined to the case by Mr. Balch’s client.
• Successfully defended products liability suit involving alleged defective electric heater, achieving a nominal settlement and securing repayment of the settlement amount and all costs and attorneys’ fees from co-defendant through prosecution of cross-claim.
• Dismissal of police department and officer from federal civil rights action after aggressive motion practice and without need for costly discovery.
• Dismissal by summary judgment on behalf of commercial tenant in New Jersey over opposition of other parties in litigation stemming from slip-and-fall in parking area allegedly controlled by client.
• Obtained several favorable rulings narrowing scope of liquor liability exposure in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

• Gutierrez v. Officine Meccaniche Giovanni Cerutti, SpA, et al., 2014 WL 6969579 (E.D. Pa., December 9, 2014) (dismissal of Italian product manufacturer based on lack of personal jurisdiction in catastrophic personal injury case brought by Pennsylvania citizen)
• Diskin v. Ajax Tocco Magathermic, et al., (Northampton County, PA, Oct. 10, 2013) (dismissal of Swiss product manufacturer based on lack of personal jurisdiction in multi-plaintiff catastrophic personal injury case)

• Co-Presenter, "Dram Shop Liability Defense and Risk Management: Avoiding a Liability Hangover," Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association (PR&LA) Webinar (August 21, 2019)
• Co-Presenter, "Pennsylvania Dram Shop Defense: Avoiding a Risk and Liability Hangover," Lancaster Chamber of Commerce, Lancaster, PA (May 25, 2017)
• Panelist,  "The Injury Evaluation Process - What's New?," Verisk Insurance Solution's Claims Summit 2016, Jersey City, NJ (September 28, 2016) 
• Co-Presenter, "Pennsylvania Dram Shop Defense: Avoiding a Risk and Liability Hangover," PR&LA Meeting, Allentown, PA (April 12, 2016)
• Co-Presenter, "Managing a Catastrophic Loss: From Accident Response Through Litigation," Continuing Education Seminar Co-Sponsored by Dallas-Fort Worth Chapter of RIMS, Dallas, TX (June 11, 2015)
• Presenter, "Is It Safe to Look? Issues and Strategies for Being an Ethical Social Media 'Peeping Tom'," CLE program hosted by the Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel (PADC), Philadelphia, PA (May 20, 2014)