Bio
Joel H. Feigenbaum is a Principal in the firm's Casualty Litigation Department. He defends clients in diverse matters involving general and premises liability, assault/battery, negligent security, product, and automobile liability claims. Mr. Feigenbaum advocates on behalf of Fortune 500 retail chains, educational facilities, franchisors/franchisees, non-profit corporations, restaurants, and hotels/motels. He also represents athletic clubs, youth services organizations, religious groups, supermarkets, commercial transportation companies, public entities, sports leagues, and hospitals, in addition to working with insurers, self-insureds, and third-party administrators in defense of catastrophic injuries, complex liability, and wrongful death cases.
Mr. Feigenbaum is an experienced litigator and manages all facets of cases from inception through trial. He has first-chair trial experience and has successfully defended cases in state and federal courts in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Mr. Feigenbaum’s practice includes providing training and compliance audits for educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, and religious groups on their anti-discrimination, sexual misconduct, and Title IX policies. He is well-versed in enhanced safety measures and preventative policies. Certified by the Association of Title IX Administrators (ATIXA) as a K-12 Civil Rights Investigator, Mr. Feigenbaum investigates claims of childhood abuse, sexual harassment, and discrimination on behalf of public and private schools.
His active litigation practice also includes defending entities such as schools, childcare centers, youth groups, and professional associations in civil lawsuits where sexual torts and misconduct such as assault, battery, and child molestation are alleged. Mr. Feigenbaum is committed to working with clients to devise and implement the most effective defense strategy and aggressively advocates for his clients to achieve the best possible result on even the most sensitive cases.
For five consecutive years, 2020-2024, Mr. Feigenbaum was named by his peers as a "Pennsylvania Super Lawyer Rising Star" in the category of Personal Injury. Additionally, in its 2023, 2024 and 2025 editions, The Best Lawyers in America© named him to its "Ones to Watch" category for Personal Injury Litigation - Defendants and Product Liability Litigation - Defendants. For information about these selections and an overview of common third-party publications, rankings, and list methodologies, click here.
Since 2017, Mr. Feigenbaum has routinely served as a court-certified arbitrator for the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.
Education
-
J.D., Cum Laude, University of Miami School of Law, 2013
Managing Editor, University of Miami National Security & Armed Conflict Law Review,
Editor, University of Miami Clinician -
B.A. in History, Cum Laude, University of Richmond, 2010
President, Phi Alpha Theta National History Honors Society
Bar Memberships
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
Affiliations
- Defense Research Institute
- Philadelphia Bar Association
- Claims Litigation Management Alliance
Training & Certifications
- Certified K-12 Civil Rights Investigator by the Association of Title IX Administrators (ATIXA)
- Certified in Title IX Compliance in K-12 Education by the Association of Title IX Administrators (ATIXA)
- Safe Environment Training: Protecting God's Children, Office for Child and Youth Protection, Archdiocese of Philadelphia
- Safe Environment Training: Mandated Reporting of Suspected Abuse, Office for Child and Youth Protection, Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Representative Jury Trials
- Defense verdict in Philadelphia County on behalf of a trucking company and its tractor-trailer driver in a contested liability motor vehicle accident where the plaintiff claimed significant spinal injuries.
- Defense verdict on behalf of a condominium association and commercial real estate developer in a fifteen-day Chester County premise liability action where a traumatic brain injury was alleged, and the pre-trial settlement demand was $10M.
- Verdict of $5,000 against the end-user in a commercial liftgate failure-product liability action in the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas following a seven-day jury trial where the three manufacturing co-defendants settled-out, but the jury still found them, collectively, 97.5% liable for the plaintiff’s alleged significant spinal injuries where a liftgate arm snapped, causing 1,500 lbs. of material to strike the plaintiff, rendering him unconscious. The pre-trial demand against the end-user was $5M.
- Verdict of less than $100,000 against a nationally recognized pharmacy chain in a negligent security case in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas where the plaintiff claimed assault, battery, intentional infliction of emotional distress, and false imprisonment against the retailer based upon an assault by another customer wielding a firearm. The plaintiff claimed post-traumatic stress disorder, sought punitive damages, and demanded $3M before the six-day trial.
Representative Cases
- Dismissal in child sex abuse case on behalf of a non-profit organization whose staff member was accused of repeatedly intoxicating and then molesting a minor.
- Successfully defended a special needs school where a disabled student was sexually assaulted by an unsupervised peer.
- Favorable binding arbitration award on behalf of a retail client whose customer was stabbed in its parking lot after an altercation among patrons spilled outside of the store.
- Obtained summary judgment in federal court limiting the available damages in a breach of contract action against a prominent retailer to less than $350 where the demand was $1M+.
- Favorable pre-suit settlement on behalf of a childcare program whose staff members were accused of physically assaulting a learning-impaired student.
- Successfully defended a well-known pharmacy chain where a dying tree fell and struck a customer in its parking lot, resulting in brain damage and spinal cord injuries.
- Favorable settlement for a traveling carnival after a guest fell from an amusement ride, resulting in multiple fractures and surgery.
- Obtained summary judgment for a franchisor where a subcontractor sustained a traumatic brain injury after falling from a ladder.
Publications
- "Who's Responsible in Sex Abuse Claims Against Out-of-State Nonprofits?" New Jersey Law Journal (March 29, 2024)
- "Federal Judge Tackles 'Sexual Abuse' Exception to Sovereign Immunity - Twice" The Legal Intelligencer (February 7, 2024)
News & Insights
Education
-
J.D., Cum Laude, University of Miami School of Law, 2013
Managing Editor, University of Miami National Security & Armed Conflict Law Review,
Editor, University of Miami Clinician -
B.A. in History, Cum Laude, University of Richmond, 2010
President, Phi Alpha Theta National History Honors Society
Bar Memberships
- Pennsylvania
- New Jersey
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
Affiliations
- Defense Research Institute
- Philadelphia Bar Association
- Claims Litigation Management Alliance
Training & Certifications
- Certified K-12 Civil Rights Investigator by the Association of Title IX Administrators (ATIXA)
- Certified in Title IX Compliance in K-12 Education by the Association of Title IX Administrators (ATIXA)
- Safe Environment Training: Protecting God's Children, Office for Child and Youth Protection, Archdiocese of Philadelphia
- Safe Environment Training: Mandated Reporting of Suspected Abuse, Office for Child and Youth Protection, Archdiocese of Philadelphia