Overview

Peter Bryant is a tenacious, detail-oriented, litigator and trial attorney.  He has been recognized by his clients for his dedication to their cases, his clear evaluation of their goals, and his unwavering commitment to achieving those goals.  In addition to his substantial arbitration and mediation background, Peter has significant trial experience with jury and non-jury matters, viewing each case and client on their individual merits and crafting creative solutions to obtain each client’s unique litigation objectives.

Peter’s practice areas focus on civil and appellate litigation.  He has extensive experience with construction defect matters, complex commercial litigation, defamation claims, and violations of the False Claims Act.

Peter brings this creativity to both negotiation and litigation for the benefit of clients. In his construction defect practice, he has achieved full repair and remediation of defective homes for dozens of homeowners.  Additionally, Peter has been recognized for his appellate work.  In Adams v. Hellings Builders, Inc., Peter persuaded the Superior Court that second-purchasers of residential real estate should be entitled to bring claims against builders for violation of the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law.  In SCF Consulting, LLC v. Barrack, Rodos, & Bacine, Peter was instrumental in convincing the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to overturn prior precedent on equitable grounds, and allow an innocent non-attorney to enforce an unlawful agreement entered into with a sophisticated law firm.

Outside his litigation practice, Peter is involved in the charitable organization, Families for Houston, a 501(c)(3) dedicated to supporting Houston Elementary, a public neighborhood school in Northwest Philadelphia.  Peter was a founding member and former Vice-President of the organization. 

Representative Experience

  • Successfully briefed and argued Adams v. Hellings Construction, Inc., 146 A.3d 795 (Pa. Super. 2016), which established the right of subsequent purchasers of residential real estate to bring direct claims against home builders for violation of Pennsylvania’s Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law.
  • Successfully briefed SCF Consulting v. Barrack, Rodos, and Bacine, 175 A.3d 273 (Pa. 2017), which overturned settled Pennsylvania precedent, and established that an innocent non-attorney may enforce a fee-splitting agreement with an attorney, even where such a fee-splitting agreement violates the Rules of Professional Conduct. This decision places Pennsylvania in the vanguard of state law arising from such disputes.
  • Successfully briefed Fox v. Smith, 263 A.3d 555 (Pa. 2021) which determined that venue in internet defamation cases was properly laid anywhere in which the defamation was heard and understood as applying to the plaintiff. This decision clarified that prior Pennsylvania precedent regarding venue in defamation provided an appropriate framework for analyzing venue even with the advent of technology that allowed for instantaneous and wide-reaching publication of defamatory statements. 
  • Lead counsel for plaintiff in Jefferson v. Carosella et al. Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas, Docket No.:170702774, a construction defect action on behalf of a subsequent purchaser where the jury awarded $289,532.50 against a builder for the repair of substantial defects and the loss of value to the plaintiff’s home.
  • Co-counsel for plaintiff in Gallagher v. Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas, Docket No.:150301835, a defamation action where the jury awarded the plaintiff $508,000 in reputational damages. Successfully briefed and argued affirmance of the jury award in the Superior Court of Pennsylvania.
  • Successfully represented a telecommunications provider at arbitration against a commercial entity for breach of contract, enforcing contractual rights to liquidated damages and attorneys’ fees.
  • Successfully represented dozens of homeowners throughout the Philadelphia region in repairing/remediating construction defects and moisture damage.
  • Regularly represented a multi-million dollar private Philadelphia company in enforcing its trademark throughout the United States.

Professional & Community Activities

Vice President and Founding Member, Families for Houston – 2020-2022

Professional Recognition

Pennsylvania Super Lawyers – Rising Stars 2021

Representative Experience

  • Successfully briefed and argued Adams v. Hellings Construction, Inc., 146 A.3d 795 (Pa. Super. 2016), which established the right of subsequent purchasers of residential real estate to bring direct claims against home builders for violation of Pennsylvania’s Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law.
  • Successfully briefed SCF Consulting v. Barrack, Rodos, and Bacine, 175 A.3d 273 (Pa. 2017), which overturned settled Pennsylvania precedent, and established that an innocent non-attorney may enforce a fee-splitting agreement with an attorney, even where such a fee-splitting agreement violates the Rules of Professional Conduct. This decision places Pennsylvania in the vanguard of state law arising from such disputes.
  • Successfully briefed Fox v. Smith, 263 A.3d 555 (Pa. 2021) which determined that venue in internet defamation cases was properly laid anywhere in which the defamation was heard and understood as applying to the plaintiff. This decision clarified that prior Pennsylvania precedent regarding venue in defamation provided an appropriate framework for analyzing venue even with the advent of technology that allowed for instantaneous and wide-reaching publication of defamatory statements. 
  • Lead counsel for plaintiff in Jefferson v. Carosella et al. Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas, Docket No.:170702774, a construction defect action on behalf of a subsequent purchaser where the jury awarded $289,532.50 against a builder for the repair of substantial defects and the loss of value to the plaintiff’s home.
  • Co-counsel for plaintiff in Gallagher v. Archdiocese of Philadelphia, Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas, Docket No.:150301835, a defamation action where the jury awarded the plaintiff $508,000 in reputational damages. Successfully briefed and argued affirmance of the jury award in the Superior Court of Pennsylvania.
  • Successfully represented a telecommunications provider at arbitration against a commercial entity for breach of contract, enforcing contractual rights to liquidated damages and attorneys’ fees.
  • Successfully represented dozens of homeowners throughout the Philadelphia region in repairing/remediating construction defects and moisture damage.
  • Regularly represented a multi-million dollar private Philadelphia company in enforcing its trademark throughout the United States.