Prominent Delaware Litigator Francis G.X. Pileggi Joins Eckert Seamans in Wilmington

WILMINGTON, Del., May 2, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Eckert Seamans Cherin and Mellott, LLC, a full-service national law firm, today announced that Francis G.X. Pileggi, a leading Delaware attorney and law blogger, has joined the firm as Member-in Charge of the Wilmington office.  Mr. Pileggi, who previously served as the founding partner of Fox Rothschild's Wilmington office, practices primarily in the areas of corporate and commercial litigation.  

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Mr. Pileggi's litigation practice emphasizes representation in high-stakes disputes of corporations, stockholders, members of boards of directors, members and managers of LLCs, and those with managerial or ownership interests in other forms of entities. He has extensive experience in matters involving fiduciary duties and corporate governance as well as summary proceedings under the Delaware General Corporation Law.  Mr. Pileggi is also a certified mediator for the Delaware Court of Chancery and the Delaware Superior Court as well as the Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware.

"We are delighted to have Francis join the firm and look forward to his contributions," said Timothy P. Ryan, Eckert Seamans' CEO. "His exceptional background in complex commercial litigation with a specialty in 'bet the company' litigation, as well as significant corporate governance knowledge and experience, will considerably enhance and expand these key areas of practice for us in Delaware and firm-wide."

Added Christopher R. Opalinski, Chair of Eckert Seamans' Litigation Division, "Francis has unique perspective into the Delaware Court of Chancery, the country's preeminent forum for corporation litigation.  Delaware legal trends typically provide a glimpse of what is to come in Corporate America, and his insight will help our clients remain poised to interpret and prepare for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead as the financial markets continue to recover."

Mr. Pileggi joins Eckert Seamans' team of 185-plus litigators and over 300 attorneys firmwide, who represent plaintiffs and defendants across the spectrum of business and other disputes, from highly complex cases in such technical areas as shareholder disputes, class actions, product liability, pharmaceutical  litigation, intellectual property, securities and employment, to commercial contract disputes.

"Eckert Seamans is known throughout the state, and the Northeast, for its leading work in corporate and commercial litigation, and that makes the firm a natural fit for my practice," said Mr. Pileggi. "This move provides me with a strong base from which to expand my practice and serve the clients in many states."

A frequent author and speaker, Mr. Pileggi is also a popular blogger.  He created and maintains the "Delaware Corporate and Commercial Litigation Blog" at  www.delawarelitigation.com – which summarizes recent Delaware court decisions of import about corporate and commercial law, primarily from the Delaware Court of Chancery and Delaware Supreme Court.  The blog has been selected as a Top Blog by LexisNexis, named one of LexisNexis' Top 25 Business Law Blogs of 2010 and lauded as one of the Top 100 Most Popular Blawgs of All Time by Justia.com.  In turn, Mr. Pileggi has been described as "a brand name in Delaware corporate litigation," referred to as the "dean of Delaware law bloggers," and the Delaware Corporate and Commercial Litigation Blog is considered "the premier online resource for coverage of the Delaware Chancery Court."  He is also a guest contributor to The Harvard Law School Corporate Governance Blog.

He has been recognized as  one of the top lawyers in Delaware by Delaware Today magazine, and selected for inclusion in the "2010 People to Watch" Directorship 100 list by Directorship Magazine as an influential individual in corporate governance.   Mr. Pileggi serves on the Editorial Board of The Bencher, the national publication of The American Inns of Court.  He is a former member of the Executive Committee and a former assistant treasurer of the Delaware State Bar Association, as well as a former member of the Steering Committee for the Superior Court Trial Practice Forum. In addition, Mr. Pileggi is a former member of the Board of Governors of the Delaware Trial Lawyers Association, the former Editor for the Newsletter of the ABA Business Law Section's Business and Corporate Litigation Committee, and former co-chair of the Ethics Subcommittee of the ABA Litigation Section's Business and Commercial Litigation Committee.  He was asked to write the Foreword to the Second Edition of The Lawyer's Business Valuation Handbook, by Dr. Shannon Pratt.

Mr. Pileggi also uses his skills as a trial attorney and his corporate background to provide legal counsel and advice to the construction industry. A member of the Delaware Contractors Association, he has spoken before this and other trade groups.

Among his many other efforts in the community, Mr. Pileggi serves on the Board of Trustees of Neumann University in Aston, Pennsylvania, and notably in 2005, was named by the Prime Minister of Italy as a Cavaliere. Also in 2005, he was appointed by the Governor of Kentucky as a Kentucky Colonel. Mr. Pileggi is a member of the National Italian American Foundation, Legatus International and the Order of Malta.

Mr. Pileggi earned his J.D. from the Widener University School of Law and his undergraduate degree from St. Joseph's University.

About Eckert Seamans

Eckert Seamans has over 335 attorneys located in eleven offices throughout the United States including Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Southpointe and West Chester, Pennsylvania; Boston, Massachusetts, Washington, D.C., Richmond, Virginia; Wilmington, Delaware; Charleston, West Virginia; and White Plains, New York.  The firm provides a broad range of legal services in the areas of litigation, including mass tort and products liability litigation, corporate and business law, intellectual property law, labor and employment relations, aviation law, bankruptcy and creditors' rights, employee benefits, environmental law, construction law, municipal finance, real estate, tax and estate law, trucking and transportation law.  Eckert Seamans' practice reflects virtually every industry and segment of the country's business and social fabric. Clients include Fortune 500 companies, financial institutions, newspapers and other media, hotels, health care organizations, airlines and railroads. The firm also represents a number of federal, state, and local governmental and educational entities. For more information, please visit www.eckertseamans.com.

Contacts:
Kate Cromie, Eckert Seamans
Voice: 412/566-2066
Email: [email protected]

Rege Sabol, FSC Marketing Communications
Voice: 412/471-3700
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Eckert Seamans Cherin and Mellott, LLC

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