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. His representative clients include universities, sports and entertainment facilities, large retailers, insurance companies, product manufacturers and distributors, multi-national corporations, and commercial landowners.

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• Defense verdict in Dram Shop liability state court 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.
• Jury 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.
• Arbitration award in binding UIM matter involving municipal employee resulting in award significantly below projected exposure and all settlement demands.
• Defense verdict in binding arbitration on behalf of a client who struck a pedestrian in the roadway while traveling at 45 mph, 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 upon pleadings established proper entity was a non-party and shielded from liability due to workers compensation immunity. 
• Achieved dismissal by motion at the pleading stage in a dram shop claim involving claims of punitive damages and catastrophic injuries having successfully challenged basis for client’s joinder in the case and prematurity of indemnity claim.
• Dismissal by summary judgment and declaratory judgment in 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 over opposition of other parties in litigation stemming from slip-and-fall in parking area allegedly controlled by client.
• Obtained favorable settlements and results in both state and federal forums on behalf of numerous bars, clubs and “after hours” locations sued for alleged over-service of patrons, improper procedures, assaults, and lack of security.
• Obtained several favorable rulings narrowing scope of liquor liability exposure in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
• Jury 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 client after several day trial.
• Arbitration award in binding UIM matter involving municipal employee resulting in award significantly below projected exposure and all settlement demands.

• 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)