Overview

Ira practices nationally representing clients in complex litigation matters. He has decades of experience in litigating complex, multiparty actions for individuals, businesses, and government agencies on both the plaintiffs’ and defendants’ sides. His class action experience spans a variety of substantive areas, including antitrust, securities, and consumer matters. He also represents clients in matters involving obligations under leases for gas in the Marcellus Shale region, corporate governance disputes, and partnership and shareholder disputes. In addition, Ira represents government agencies in matters under state and federal law. As an appellate advocate, Ira has argued cutting-edge issues in federal and state appellate courts.

Representative Experience

  • Served as liaison counsel for the lead plaintiff in Koch v. Healthcare Services Group, Inc. (E.D. Pa.), which resulted in a settlement of $16.8 million for a class of investors.
  • Served as co-counsel for four Pennsylvania government funds in litigation arising from the funds’ purchases of AOL and Time Warner securities. The litigation resulted in a $23 million settlement for the funds.
  • Served as counsel to a government pension fund in In re IndyMac Mortgage Backed Securities Litigation (S.D. NY), which settled for $364 million.
  • Served as co-lead counsel in the class action matter, In re KLA Tencor Securities Litigation (N.D. Cal.), obtaining a $65 million settlement for the class of securities purchasers.
  • Served as co-lead counsel for plaintiffs in litigating claims relating to corporate governance and mergers and acquisitions in Lucas v. Hill, (D. NJ), which involved  Commerce Bank and TD Bank’s acquisition of Commerce.
  • Served as co-lead counsel for the plaintiffs in the class action matter, In re Pillar Point Partners Patent and Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 1202 (D. Ariz.), a multidistrict litigation involving antitrust claims asserted against manufacturers of excimer lasers used in vision correction procedures. The litigation resulted in a $50 million settlement on behalf of a class of direct purchasers.
  • Served as co-lead counsel for the plaintiffs in the class action matter, In re Pressure Sensitive Labelstock Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 1556 (M.D. Pa.), which resulted in settlements totaling over $46 million for the class in multidistrict litigation involving allegations of market allocation, output restriction, and price fixing.
  • Served as co-lead counsel and a member of the trial team in an action against the major domestic airlines, see In re Airline Ticket Commission Antitrust Litigation, 898 F. Supp. 685 (D. Minn. 1995), which resulted in an $86 million settlement for travel agency owners
  • Served as counsel in a class action brought on behalf of direct purchasers of private label tape, alleging monopolization of the tape market in, In Meijer, Inc. v. 3M (E.D. Pa.). The litigation resulted in a $28.8 million settlement for the class.
  • Served as lead trial counsel for the Philadelphia District Attorney, winning a judgment by nonsuit after the close of the plaintiffs’ case, in litigation challenging the policies and procedures used to comply with constitutional obligations.
  • Served as counsel for landowners who asserted claims for unpaid royalties in bankruptcy proceedings in the Southern District of Texas. As appellate counsel, Mr. Richards obtained a decision from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit limiting the scope of bankruptcy court jurisdiction and rejecting two class action settlements that would have released landowners’ rights to pursue post-bankruptcy claims against the debtor.
  • Served as lead counsel for the plaintiffs in a class action brought on behalf of Pennsylvania insurance customers who did not receive a state-mandated 10% discount for passive anti-theft devices in Boyle v. Progressive Specialty Insurance Company (E.D. Pa.). The litigation resulted in a $2 million settlement for the class.
  • Served as outside counsel in a municipal procurement investigation, which resulted in the vendor paying a substantial fine.
  • Represented the co-owner of a general partner in a dispute over the efforts of the other co-owner to force a sale of the single, significant asset of the partnership, defeating an effort by the other co-owner to obtain an injunction to force a sale.
  • Represented a Montgomery County municipality in a dispute over the development and condemnation of a condominium project, obtaining a substantial trial judgment against the developer and negotiating an agreement with public and private entities to repurpose the project to benefit the community.
  • Represented a government agency in defending a dispute alleging a de facto condemnation of property and in connection with proceedings to value the property following a de jure condemnation.

Professional Recognition

  • Listed in The Best Lawyers in America in the area of Commercial Litigation, 2021-2023
  • Listed in Pennsylvania “Super Lawyers,” 2004-2016, 2019-2020
  • Philadelphia Business Journal “40 Under 40,” 1999

Professional & Community Activities

  • Ira is involved in the community, having served on a variety of boards of organizations devoted to the needs of underserved communities. He served as Chair of the Board of Pathways to Housing PA, which uses a “housing first” model to combat homelessness.
  • Ira is also active in politics and served as chair of Schnader’s Political Action Committee. He is also a certified yoga teacher.

Representative Experience

  • Served as liaison counsel for the lead plaintiff in Koch v. Healthcare Services Group, Inc. (E.D. Pa.), which resulted in a settlement of $16.8 million for a class of investors.
  • Served as co-counsel for four Pennsylvania government funds in litigation arising from the funds’ purchases of AOL and Time Warner securities. The litigation resulted in a $23 million settlement for the funds.
  • Served as counsel to a government pension fund in In re IndyMac Mortgage Backed Securities Litigation (S.D. NY), which settled for $364 million.
  • Served as co-lead counsel in the class action matter, In re KLA Tencor Securities Litigation (N.D. Cal.), obtaining a $65 million settlement for the class of securities purchasers.
  • Served as co-lead counsel for plaintiffs in litigating claims relating to corporate governance and mergers and acquisitions in Lucas v. Hill, (D. NJ), which involved  Commerce Bank and TD Bank’s acquisition of Commerce.
  • Served as co-lead counsel for the plaintiffs in the class action matter, In re Pillar Point Partners Patent and Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 1202 (D. Ariz.), a multidistrict litigation involving antitrust claims asserted against manufacturers of excimer lasers used in vision correction procedures. The litigation resulted in a $50 million settlement on behalf of a class of direct purchasers.
  • Served as co-lead counsel for the plaintiffs in the class action matter, In re Pressure Sensitive Labelstock Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 1556 (M.D. Pa.), which resulted in settlements totaling over $46 million for the class in multidistrict litigation involving allegations of market allocation, output restriction, and price fixing.
  • Served as co-lead counsel and a member of the trial team in an action against the major domestic airlines, see In re Airline Ticket Commission Antitrust Litigation, 898 F. Supp. 685 (D. Minn. 1995), which resulted in an $86 million settlement for travel agency owners
  • Served as counsel in a class action brought on behalf of direct purchasers of private label tape, alleging monopolization of the tape market in, In Meijer, Inc. v. 3M (E.D. Pa.). The litigation resulted in a $28.8 million settlement for the class.
  • Served as lead trial counsel for the Philadelphia District Attorney, winning a judgment by nonsuit after the close of the plaintiffs’ case, in litigation challenging the policies and procedures used to comply with constitutional obligations.
  • Served as counsel for landowners who asserted claims for unpaid royalties in bankruptcy proceedings in the Southern District of Texas. As appellate counsel, Mr. Richards obtained a decision from the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit limiting the scope of bankruptcy court jurisdiction and rejecting two class action settlements that would have released landowners’ rights to pursue post-bankruptcy claims against the debtor.
  • Served as lead counsel for the plaintiffs in a class action brought on behalf of Pennsylvania insurance customers who did not receive a state-mandated 10% discount for passive anti-theft devices in Boyle v. Progressive Specialty Insurance Company (E.D. Pa.). The litigation resulted in a $2 million settlement for the class.
  • Served as outside counsel in a municipal procurement investigation, which resulted in the vendor paying a substantial fine.
  • Represented the co-owner of a general partner in a dispute over the efforts of the other co-owner to force a sale of the single, significant asset of the partnership, defeating an effort by the other co-owner to obtain an injunction to force a sale.
  • Represented a Montgomery County municipality in a dispute over the development and condemnation of a condominium project, obtaining a substantial trial judgment against the developer and negotiating an agreement with public and private entities to repurpose the project to benefit the community.
  • Represented a government agency in defending a dispute alleging a de facto condemnation of property and in connection with proceedings to value the property following a de jure condemnation.

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