Michael A. Iaconelli

Michael brings a broad range of experience and talent to his litigation, corporate and individual counseling practice, with an emphasis on shareholder divorce and corporate governance disputes, trade secret and non-compete matters, real estate and construction disputes, franchise law and a variety of business-related matters. He also serves as private legal counsel to numerous high net worth individuals and professional athletes, coaches and agents throughout the country, advising them on a variety of corporate and industry related business-litigation matters.

Michael’s experience and skills have been developed through his representation of clients in a variety of complex matters involving business disputes among partnerships, closely held corporations and family-owned businesses. To achieve the best result for his clients, he has oftentimes utilized a multi-disciplined approach employing a wide range of outcome-based methods, including negotiation, mediation, arbitration and litigation. This “result-oriented” approach has enabled Michael to resolve matters for his clients in the most favorable and cost-effective manner possible.

Michael’s services include:

• shareholder divorce/minority oppression actions
• counseling professional athletes, coaches, agents and high net worth individuals
• litigating Consumer Fraud & Consumer Protection Law claims
• corporate counseling for business owners
• real estate and construction litigation
• litigating trade secret, non-compete and related employment matters
• alternative dispute resolution

Michael served as the Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable Samuel G. DeSimone, A.J.S.C., Superior Court of New Jersey, and Judicial Extern to the Honorable Theodore Alexander McKee, U.S.C.J., and United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He has extensive experience trying cases and negotiating resolutions of complex matters throughout the state and federal courts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Florida, New York, California and Delaware. Coupled with his involvement in litigating numerous commercial and securities-related matters before self-regulatory agencies across the country, Michael has been able to achieve dynamic and client-driven results for his clients both inside, and outside, of the courtroom for more than two decades.

Mentioned, “Agent Says He Beat Rival’s $2.3M NFL Poaching Claims,” Law360, April 27, 2020

Author, “Alert – New Jersey Announces Shutdown of All Non-Essential Retail Businesses,” March 21, 2020

Author, “New Jersey’s Consumer Protection Laws Govern COVID-19; Retail “Sellers Beware”,” March 17, 2020

Mentioned, “Memorabilia Sellers Dodge NFL Agent’s Poaching Claims,” Law360, September 9, 2019

Presenter, The Structure and Use of Confidentiality Provisions in Real Estate Contracts, accredited CLE presentation, April 15, 2015

• Recently trying to verdict, and on appeal, two consolidated actions in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas involving a commercial property owner’s claim to ownership of our client’s $70 million property via theories alleging adverse possession, boundary by consent and abandonment
• Successfully represented NFL and NBA players in a variety of business and real estate litigation matters involving claims for tortious interference, breach of contract, and related common law claims
• Provided counsel and litigation alternatives to a high net worth client and investor in a closely held entity in connection with the company’s redemption of the client’s minority interest in various privately owned companies valued in excess of $300 million
• Served as co-counsel in obtaining a multi-million dollar settlement in a civil action arising from violations of the Pennsylvania Uniform Fraudulent Transfer Act, and brought by a nationally based general contracting firm against one of Philadelphia’s preeminent real estate developers, and its largest commercial tenant, in connection with the construction of a high-rise office tower, parking garage, retail shopping center and attached luxury hotel
• Successfully litigated a minority investor’s shareholder oppression matter in New Jersey State Court alleging oppression and breach of fiduciary duty, and secured a seven figure immediately prior to the commencement of trial
• Successfully litigated a consolidated shareholder oppression matter on behalf of a limited liability company member in New Jersey Chancery Court in which the managing member was ousted, a fiscal agent appointed, and our client was awarded monetary damages and statutory remedies pursuant to the New Jersey Limited Liability Company Act
• Successfully defended a $34 million breach of contract claim brought by a minority member of a Pennsylvania limited liability company that owned a permitted landfill in Western Pennsylvania against the company’s board of directors and majority members alleging claims for breach of fiduciary duty, shareholder oppression and common law fraud
• Successfully defended a $3 million claim brought against a private wealth advisor by a former FINRA broker-dealer, and obtained a seven figure recovery via counterclaims against the broker-dealer for securities violations
• Successfully defended a Fortune 500 manufacturer of hardwood flooring in multiple actions venued in New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey state court alleging breach of contract, breach of warranty, and violation of state consumer protection laws
• Successfully represented a regionally based industrial coatings firm in an action brought by its competitor seeking injunctive relief and punitive damages arising from alleged violations of a high level employee’s restrictive covenant
• Successfully litigated a complex breach of contract claim on behalf of a high-tech manufacturer of state-of-the-art robotics involving automation projects against a multi-national pharmaceutical company that utilized the client’s robotics in its research laboratories
• Successfully represented numerous general contractors and sub-contractors in actions involving alleged construction defects and performance related claims between owners, municipalities, third parties, sureties and insurance companies