Mr. Merenstein's practice focuses primarily on appellate litigation in state and federal courts. He has handled appeals in many of the federal courts of appeals and the Supreme Court of the United States, as well as numerous state appellate courts, including those in California, Florida, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Maine and Pennsylvania. He also has extensive experience in state and federal trial courts, particularly in briefing and arguing various pre-trial issues and post-trial matters. Mr. Merenstein is an adjunct professor of appellate advocacy at The Earle Mack School of Law at Drexel University, where he has taught since 2007. Before entering the legal profession, Mr. Merenstein worked for almost a decade in the labor relations field. Mr. Merenstein is chair of the Firm's Pro Bono Committee. Areas of Experience Representative Appellate Practice Mr. Merenstein's appellate matters include the following: · Federal court appeals involving class actions, antitrust statutes, securities laws, RICO, labor and employment matters, trademark infringement, product disparagement, bankruptcy law, import regulation, and contract disputes; · State court appeals involving products liability, trusts and estates, partnership disputes, banking law, defamation, fraud, legal malpractice, juror misconduct, separation of powers, real estate law, public utility regulation, free speech and free exercise of religion, and intervention rights of non-parties · Pro bono matters involving homicide charges, prisoner civil rights, alien asylum applications, death penalty appeals, freedom of religion and habeas corpus petitions; and · An extraordinary King's Bench Petition to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court that led to that court's dismissal of the only challenge to the successful Barnes Foundation petition to amend its bylaws to permit a move of its gallery to Philadelphia. Representative Trial Experience Mr. Merenstein's non-appellate matters include the following: · Serving as court-appointed Special Master in pharmaceutical multidistrict litigation in federal court and assisting prior special master on discovery and settlement issues; · Acting as co-lead counsel in jury trial involving commercial lease dispute; · A leading role in a two-week jury trial in a lender's liability suit, with particular responsibility for the parties' damages experts; · Major responsibility for the Barnes Foundation's petition to amend its bylaws, including extensive pre-trial briefing and discovery, two separate bench trials and post-trial proceedings; · Second chair at two first-degree murder trials; and · Briefing and arguing numerous pre-trial and post-trial dispositive motions. Community Activities · Upper Dublin School District Budget and Finance Task Force, 2010-present · Upper Dublin Township Historic Preservation Committee, 2002-2005 · Upper Dublin School District Gifted Education Review Committee, 2007-2008 · Or Hadash Reconstructionist Synagogue Board of Directors, 2002-2005 · Upper Dublin School District Educational Advisory Committee, 2000-2005 Clerkships · Edward R. Becker, Chief Judge, United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, 1998-1999 Professional Affiliations · American Bar Association, member · American Law Institute, member · Bar Association for the Third Federal Circuit, member · Pennsylvania Bar Association (and its Appellate Advocacy Committee), member · Philadelphia Bar Association (and its Appellate Courts Committee), member · Philadelphia Bar Association, Commission on Judicial Selection and Retention, investigator · On-line columnist for appellate issues for The Legal Intelligencer Blog. Other Distinctions · Recipient, Earl G. Harrison Pro Bono Award, 2008 · Listed in The Best Lawyers in America for appellate law, 2008-2012 · Two time recipient of a Burton Award for Legal Achievement, in 2007 for co-authoring "Interim Issues Requiring Appellate Review-Pennsylvania's Collateral Order Doctrine," and again in 2009 for co-authoring "Charities and the Orphans' Court." · Honors from HIAS & Council, a public-interest immigration advocacy organization, in recognition of outstanding pro bono work on an asylum case, 2005 · Recognized as a 'Pennsylvania Super Lawyer' in the area of appellate law, 2009-2011 · Recognized among 'Pennsylvania Rising Stars' by Super Lawyers in the area of appellate law, 2005, 2006, 2007 · Winner of the University of Pennsylvania Law School's prestigious Keedy Cup moot court competition, 1998 · Graduation awards from the University of Pennsylvania Law School for best constitutional law paper, best civil procedure paper, and most significant contribution to the Law Review, 1998 News 11/23/2011, Schnader Appellate Team Obtains Significant Victory In Trust Case For Wells Fargo 11/10/2011, Schnader Successfully Represents The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board In An Appeal Of Their Decision To Revoke The Foxwoods Gaming License 09/14/2011, Schnader Attorneys Achieve Victory For General Electric In Important Asbestos Appeal 09/01/2011, Thirty Schnader Attorneys Recognized As "The Best Lawyers In America" For 2012 08/17/2011, Schnader Obtains A Dismissal In A Matter For Covanta Holding Corp. 05/27/2011, Super Lawyers Recognizes Many Schnader Attorneys In 2011 03/21/2011, Eleven From Schnader Are Members Of The American Law Institute 11/30/2010, The Schnader Team Representing William Barnes Featured In Several Articles Detailing His Request For Parole 08/04/2010, Thirty-Two Schnader Attorneys Recognized As "Best Lawyers In America" For 2011 06/29/2010, Schnader Lawyers Win Before The Third Circuit In Case Involving Judicial Pay Raises In Pennsylvania 06/03/2010, Jeffrey Letwin And H. Lee Schwartzberg To Co-Chair Schnader's Business Services Department 05/28/2010, Schnader Successfully Obtains Complete Acquittal On Murder Charges Against William J. Barnes 02/01/2010, Schnader Delivers Significant Victory For The State Bar Of California 01/01/2010, Super Lawyers Recognizes Many Schnader Attorneys In 2010 08/27/2009, Schnader Achieves An Important Victory For A Firm Client In A Landmark Trusts & Estates Case 08/24/2009, Schnader Appellate Team Obtains A Groundbreaking Decision In Pennsylvania Trust Law 05/27/2009, Many Schnader Attorneys Honored As 2009 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers 05/04/2009, Schnader's Cornblatt And Merenstein To Receive A 2009 Burton Award 03/31/2009, Merenstein Offers Insight On "Judicial Notice" And Information Found On The Internet 10/23/2008, Schnader's Merenstein Elected To The American Law Institute 09/29/2008, Twenty-Eight From Schnader In Best Lawyers In America 2009 08/21/2008, Schnader Honors Bruce P. Merenstein And Judith F. Olson With Harrison Awards 02/13/2008, In Russia, Judge Lewis Speaks On U.S. Human Rights 01/11/2008, Twelve Schnader Attorneys Honored As 2007 'Pennsylvania Rising Stars' 11/26/2007, Schnader Well-Represented In Bar Association Of The Third Federal Circuit 09/18/2007, Many Schnader Attorneys Are 2007 Super Lawyers, 2008 Best Lawyers 09/18/2007, Merenstein Appointed To Drexel Law Faculty 09/18/2007, Twenty-Four From Schnader In Best Lawyers In America 2008 06/04/2007, Merenstein, Solano Honored With 2007 Burton Awards 05/09/2007, Schnader Attorneys Involved With New Third Circuit Appellate Practice Manual 12/08/2006, Twelve Schnader Attorneys Named Pennsylvania Rising Stars 10/01/2006, Merenstein, Solano Review Lessons From Barnes Case 06/19/2006, Schnader Lawyers Fight Abuse Of Legal Process 04/25/2006, Schnader Secures New Trial For Man On Death Row Almost 20 Years 03/31/2006, Merenstein Appointed To Philadelphia Bar's Investigative Division 03/31/2006, Merenstein Judges Legal Writing Competition 03/22/2006, Merenstein, Solano Write On Appellate Law 01/03/2006, Schnader Names Three New Partners 12/09/2005, Five Schnader Attorneys Honored As Pennsylvania Rising Stars 10/20/2005, Schnader Attorneys Honored For Outstanding Pro Bono Work 02/10/2005, Bruce P. Merenstein Noted As Young Lawyer Who Played Key Role In Barnes Foundation Matter Articles 12/01/2011, "Pennsylvania Supreme Court Parts Ways With U.S. Supreme Court On Collateral Order Appeals" 11/30/2011, "Superior Court Adopts Broad Protections For Attorney-Expert Communications" 07/20/2011, "Pulling The Curtain Back On Appellate Fact-Finding" 05/19/2011, "Right Time, Wrong Place" 04/22/2011, "Secondary Authority Revisited" 04/15/2011, "Good Secondary Authority And Bad Secondary Authority" 04/11/2011, "The Hearsay Trojan Horse: Out-Of-Court Statements Offered To Demonstrate A 'Course Of Conduct'" 02/07/2011, "In Search Of Fairminded Jurists" 01/31/2011, "PA Supreme Court Requires Litigants To Raise Futile Arguments" 06/23/2010, "Circuit Precedent? What Circuit Precedent?" 06/07/2010, "When Eight Is Not Enough" 01/12/2010, "A Brief Brouhaha" 01/05/2010, "A Holiday Gift For Appellate Procedure Wonks" 09/16/2009, "When 60 Percent Is Not A Majority" 09/01/2009, "Chief Justice Ralph J. Cappy's Death Penalty Dissents: The Importance Of Statutory Authority And Procedural Protections" 07/21/2009, "Ships Passing In The Night" 07/16/2009, "Superior Court Says It's OK To Rely On Defective Online Dockets" 07/06/2009, "More Quibbling Over Precedent" 06/30/2009, "Prevailing Parties Do Not Have To Appeal After All" 03/31/2009, "The Infallible Internet?" 11/04/2008, "Is Appellate Jurisdiction Always Jurisdictional?" 10/08/2008, "Certificates Of Merit: Where Good Intentions Can Be Excusable Neglect (Sometimes)" 09/05/2008, "Premature Notices Of Appeal" 08/25/2008, "There's Wrong And Then There's Really, Really Wrong" 08/01/2008, "Charities And The Orphans' Court" 06/27/2008, "Manufacturing Mootness" 06/13/2008, "Clarification Needed Of Amendments To Rule 1925" 06/11/2008, "High Court Quibbles Over Definition Of 'Proceeds'" 10/01/2006, "Interim Issues Requiring Appellate Review-Pennsylvania's Collateral Order Doctrine: Lessons From The Barnes Foundation Case And The 30 Years Of Jurisprudence Preceding It" 05/05/1999, "More Proposals To Amend Rule 68: Time To Sink The Ship Once And For All" 05/05/1997, "Last Bastion Of School Sponsored Prayer? Invocations At Public School Board Meetings" Books 08/01/2010, Third Circuit Appellate Practice Manual (Second Edition) 04/01/2007, Persons Who May Take Or Participate In An Appeal Alerts 07/27/2011, Florida Supreme Court Deepens Split Of Authority On Meaning Of Federal Limitation Of Liability For Aircraft Owners And Lessors 09/01/2008, Recent Third Circuit Decision Contributes To Confusion Regarding Premature Notices Of Appeal 06/01/2008, Perfected Security Interests Vs. Writs Of Garnishment Newsletters 09/13/2011, Pro Bono Newsletter Summer 2011 08/03/2010, Pro Bono Newsletter Summer 2010 04/01/2007, Schnader Appeals 08/01/2005, Issues And Trends In New Jersey Law 08/01/2005, Pro Bono Newsletter 05/01/2005, Pro Bono Newsletter Speaking Engagements 03/05/2011, Schnader Attorneys Speak At The Second "Colonial Frontier" Legal Writing Conference 10/12/2010, CLE Session: Advanced Issues In Civil Practice - Judicial Review |