Overview

Patrick Northen is the chief operating officer of Dilworth Paxson and a partner in its litigation department, concentrating his practice on commercial and complex civil litigation. He represents both plaintiffs and defendants in business disputes, constitutional law issues, appellate litigation, and a variety of other breaches of contract and commercial tort cases. A skilled legal writer, Pat is frequently asked to represent clients in matters that may require extensive briefing of sophisticated legal or factual issues.

As a general commercial litigator, Pat has represented a diverse group of clients and industries, including public companies, closely-held corporations, partnerships, shareholders, non-profit healthcare institutions, government entities, trusts, and individuals before a wide variety of federal and state trial and appellate courts, as well as in various alternative dispute resolution forums.

Representative Experience

  • William Penn School District v. Pennsylvania Department of Education, et al., 170 A.3d 414 (Pa. 2017) Lead counsel for Speaker of Pennsylvania House of Representatives in defending a constitutional challenge to Commonwealth’s system for funding public education.
  • Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Auth. v. City of Philadelphia, 159 A.3d 443 (Pa. 2017). Lead counsel for SEPTA in obtaining ruling by Pennsylvania Supreme Court that public transportation authority is not subject to the City of Philadelphia’s Fair Practices Ordinance.
  • Government Development Bank of Puerto Rico v. Holt Marine Terminal, Inc., 2011 WL 1135944 (E.D. Pa. 2011). Lead defense counsel in representing group of closely-held corporations against alter ego and related successor liability claims in context of ERISA withdrawal liability, resulting in summary judgment in favor of all clients on $25 million claim.
  • Calesa Associates, LP, et. al. v. American Capital, Ltd., 2018 WL 4026976 (Del. Ch. 2018) and Calesa Associates, LP, et. al. v. American Capital, Ltd., 2016 WL 770251 (Del. Ch. 2016). Co-counsel for shareholders of medical device company in breach of fiduciary duty claim against majority shareholder and controlled directors resulting from merger allegedly entered without fair price or process.
  • Sheeran v. Blyth Shipholding, S.A., 2017 WL 1157847 (D.N.J. 2017). Obtained summary judgment on longshoreman’s personal claim against back-office services provider for marine terminal companies, defeating claim that defendant controlled operations of commonly owed stevedoring company.
  • De Lage Landen Financial Services, Inc. v. Rasa Floors, LP, 792 F. Supp. 2d 812 (E.D. Pa. 2011) and De Lage Landen Financial Services, Inc. v. Rasa Floors, LP, 269 F.R.D. 445 (E.D. Pa. 2010). Defended equipment leasing company in proposed class action relating to fraud, RICO, and consumer protection claims in connection with Power of Zero telecommunications program, resulting in successfully defeating motion for class certification and obtaining summary judgment against lessees on all claims and counterclaims.
  • United States v. Rigas, 605 F.3d 194 (3d Cir. 2010) (en banc). Primary brief author in en banc Third Circuit appeal resulting in dismissal of criminal charges against former executives of public company on double jeopardy grounds.

Other representative matters:

  • Represented shareholders in both pursuing and defending minority shareholder oppression actions.
  • Represented medical practice in obtaining removal of former partner, and preliminary injunction preventing former partner from utilizing practice’s trade secrets in soliciting patients to his new practice.
  • Obtained full defense verdict following a jury trial on behalf of a leasing company in litigation against a third-party investor arising out of syndication of equipment leases.
  • Represented national financial institution in defending various fraud and lender liability actions.
  • Represented major Philadelphia health care institutions in a variety of business litigation, insurance coverage analyses, preliminary injunction proceedings, and internal investigations.

Professional & Community Activities

  • Member, Philadelphia Bar Association

Speeches & Presentations

  • September 2019: “The ‘New’ Pennsylvania Supreme Court: Reflections on the last three-plus years,” presented for Philadelphia Bar Institute, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
  • May 2017: “Litigation War Stories 2,” presented at Equipment Lease Finance Association Legal Forum, St. Pete Beach, Florida.
  • May 2016: “Litigation War Stories,” presented at Equipment Lease Finance Association Legal Forum, San Francisco, California.
  • May 2015: “Friendly Fire and Family Feuds: Internecine Conflicts between and among Leasing Companies, Vendors and/or Manufacturers,” presented at Equipment Lease Finance Association Legal Forum, Nashville, Tennessee.
  • May 2013: “Offense for Defense: Addressing Programmatic Failures,” presented at the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association Legal Forum, Charleston, South Carolina.
  • May 2011: “Millions in Defense, Not a Penny in Tribute: Defending the Commercial Fraud Case.” Presented at the Equipment Lease Finance Association Legal Forum, Scottsdale, Arizona.
  • November 2010: “Not One Penny in Tribute,” Legal Intelligencer CLE presentation, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Representative Experience

  • William Penn School District v. Pennsylvania Department of Education, et al., 170 A.3d 414 (Pa. 2017) Lead counsel for Speaker of Pennsylvania House of Representatives in defending a constitutional challenge to Commonwealth’s system for funding public education.
  • Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Auth. v. City of Philadelphia, 159 A.3d 443 (Pa. 2017). Lead counsel for SEPTA in obtaining ruling by Pennsylvania Supreme Court that public transportation authority is not subject to the City of Philadelphia’s Fair Practices Ordinance.
  • Government Development Bank of Puerto Rico v. Holt Marine Terminal, Inc., 2011 WL 1135944 (E.D. Pa. 2011). Lead defense counsel in representing group of closely-held corporations against alter ego and related successor liability claims in context of ERISA withdrawal liability, resulting in summary judgment in favor of all clients on $25 million claim.
  • Calesa Associates, LP, et. al. v. American Capital, Ltd., 2018 WL 4026976 (Del. Ch. 2018) and Calesa Associates, LP, et. al. v. American Capital, Ltd., 2016 WL 770251 (Del. Ch. 2016). Co-counsel for shareholders of medical device company in breach of fiduciary duty claim against majority shareholder and controlled directors resulting from merger allegedly entered without fair price or process.
  • Sheeran v. Blyth Shipholding, S.A., 2017 WL 1157847 (D.N.J. 2017). Obtained summary judgment on longshoreman’s personal claim against back-office services provider for marine terminal companies, defeating claim that defendant controlled operations of commonly owed stevedoring company.
  • De Lage Landen Financial Services, Inc. v. Rasa Floors, LP, 792 F. Supp. 2d 812 (E.D. Pa. 2011) and De Lage Landen Financial Services, Inc. v. Rasa Floors, LP, 269 F.R.D. 445 (E.D. Pa. 2010). Defended equipment leasing company in proposed class action relating to fraud, RICO, and consumer protection claims in connection with Power of Zero telecommunications program, resulting in successfully defeating motion for class certification and obtaining summary judgment against lessees on all claims and counterclaims.
  • United States v. Rigas, 605 F.3d 194 (3d Cir. 2010) (en banc). Primary brief author in en banc Third Circuit appeal resulting in dismissal of criminal charges against former executives of public company on double jeopardy grounds.

Other representative matters:

  • Represented shareholders in both pursuing and defending minority shareholder oppression actions.
  • Represented medical practice in obtaining removal of former partner, and preliminary injunction preventing former partner from utilizing practice’s trade secrets in soliciting patients to his new practice.
  • Obtained full defense verdict following a jury trial on behalf of a leasing company in litigation against a third-party investor arising out of syndication of equipment leases.
  • Represented national financial institution in defending various fraud and lender liability actions.
  • Represented major Philadelphia health care institutions in a variety of business litigation, insurance coverage analyses, preliminary injunction proceedings, and internal investigations.