Joel M. Ferdinand
Co-Chairman | Litigation
joel.ferdinand@pierferd.com
+1.404.640.6952 cell
+1.770.759.2254 office
Atlanta | London | New York | Philadelphia | Princeton
About
Mr. Ferdinand is a business trial lawyer, handling sophisticated business disputes. He regularly appears in federal and state courts throughout the country. Large companies, family owned businesses, and business executives seek out his experience, which brings an assertive and practical, results-oriented approach, to help resolve their personal and professional issues. Mr. Ferdinand aggressively pursues client interests in court and the boardroom.
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Among others, Mr. Ferdinand’s experience includes, appellate litigation; bankruptcy adversary proceedings; bid protests, debarments, and appeals; breach of contract and Uniform Commercial Code claims; broker disputes; commercial landlord-tenant actions, including commercial evictions; condominium association litigation; consumer fraud and deceptive trade practices act claims; corporate governance; directors’ and officers’ claims; ethics and professional liability; health law; injunctions; insurance issues; lien claims, including commercial and residential construction liens; planning board actions; post-judgment collection; restrictive covenants; shareholder and partnership disputes; and shareholder derivative claims.
Mr. Ferdinand’s recent accomplishments have included: successfully represented multiple law firm clients in defeating malpractice claims on motions to dismiss; successfully represented a client in $400,000,000 merger agreement and acquisition; successfully represented commercial landlord in breach of lease action resulting in over an $8,000,000 settlement, which included a $1,325,000 lump sum payment and lease guarantee; successfully represented former officers and directors of a number of companies in bankruptcy adversary proceedings, defeating claims of over $22,000,000; successfully represented a Fortune 1000 company in numerous breach of contract and consumer fraud claims; successfully represented a Fortune 500 company in administrative claims brought by the Department of Environmental Protection; successfully represented health care insureds in claims based on excessive and unreasonable charges; successfully represented officers and directors of a cooperative condominium association in the defense of a class action; successfully represented a number of employers in Laidlow claims, in which employees claimed their employers acted intentionally or with substantial certainty to cause injury to avoid the Workers’ Compensation bar.
Before Pierson Ferdinand, Mr. Ferdinand was a Managing Partner at FisherBroyles, LLP. Before that, Mr. Ferdinand was a senior associate of Fox Rothschild LLP’s litigation department in the practice areas of Attorneys and Law Firms, Construction, Directors and Officers Liability and Corporate Governance Disputes, Environmental, Health Law, Insurance, Litigation, and Zoning and Land Use. Mr. Ferdinand was included in a list of SJ Magazine’s Top Attorneys, August 2011. During law school, Mr. Ferdinand was the Editor-in-Chief of The Rutgers Journal of Law & Religion. A merit scholar at Rutgers School of Law at Camden, Mr. Ferdinand was active in the Rutgers Civil Practice Clinic providing legal assistance to local residents and also represented Rutgers Law on the Trial Advocacy Competition Team. Mr. Ferdinand was also awarded the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association James J. Manderino Award for Trial Advocacy.
Practices
Commercial Litigation
Environmental, Health, and Safety
Health and Pharmacy Law
Insurance
Appellate
Civil Pretrial and Trial Services
Litigation and Risk Management
Professional and Management Liability
TCPA Defense
Construction and Design Professional
Products Liability Litigation and Counseling
Trade Secrets and Restrictive Covenants
Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility
Admissions
Georgia
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
Pennsylvania
Texas
Washington, D.C.
U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit
United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
U.S. Court of International Trade
Georgia Court of Appeals
3rd Circuit Court of Appeals
11th Circuit Court of Appeals
The United States Supreme Court
England & Wales, Registered Foreign Lawyer
Education
J.D., with high honors, Rutgers University School of Law at Camden
B.A., with honors, Rutgers College
Eagleton Institute of Politics, Undergraduate Associate
Memberships
Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, Rising Star (2020)
New Jersey Super Lawyers, Rising Star (2020)
New Jersey Super Lawyers, Rising Star (2019)
Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, Rising Star (2019)
New Jersey Super Lawyers, Rising Star (2018)
Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, Rising Star (2018)
Experience
FisherBroyles, LLP
Fox Rothschild LLP
Senior Vice President, General Counsel, and Secretary for Physiotherapy Associates (former)
In the News
Michael Pierson and Joel Ferdinand join Chris Batz on Episode 34 of The Future Is Bright Podcast YouTube | Apple Podcasts, March 13, 2024
Virtual is the New Law Firm Reality, Law Practice, (May/June 2019)
Insurer, Project Co. Battle Over JFK Sewage Leak Coverage; Law 360 (July 21, 2016)
$400,000,000 Merger Agreement with Publicly-Traded Company (March 4, 2016)
Embattled Georgia adoptions agency closing; The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (June 27, 2014)
Georgia Adoption Agency Closing After Suspension, Associated Press (June 27, 2014)
Atlanta Adoption Agency Closes After Charges of Violations in Congo, Reuters (June 28, 2014)
Residents Discuss Operations at USANA Gun Club in Pittsgrove; NJ.com March 28, 2013
USANA Gun Club Continues to Seek Township Approval; NJ.com February 28, 2013
Trenton Courthouse Project Canceled by Major Tony Mack to Cost City; Trenton Times February 2, 2013
Trenton to Pay Westside Plaza Owner $1.3 Million Over Canceled Courthouse Project; nj.com November 21, 2012
New Suit Filed Over Junked Court Project; The Times of Trenton September 18, 2012
Trenton Again Sued For Rent Over Court Lease Default; Law360 August 10, 2012
Judge Orders City of Trenton To Pay $684,000 for Breach of Contract for Courthouse Construction; Times of Trenton March 23, 2012
Developer Wins Judgment Against Trenton Over Westside Plaza Courthouse Development; Times of Trenton February 20, 2012
Pittsgrove Residents Waiting for Hearing on USANA Gun Club Issues; Today’s Sunbeam November 5, 2011
Hearing About USANA Gun Club in Pittsgrove Gets Under Way; Second Meeting Scheduled for October; Today’s Sunbeam August 25, 2011
USANA Hearing at Pittsgrove Planning Board Scheduled; Elmer Times August 4, 2011
Meeting Between Pittsgrove Township and USANA Gun Club Postponed Due to Seating Limitations; Today’s Sunbeam June 16, 2011
Issues at Pittsgrove Township’s USANA Gun Club Subject of Planning Board Review; Today’s Sunbeam June 12, 2011
Presentations
Presenter; The Changing Face of the Practice of Law: What Litigators Need to Know About, ABA Annual Meeting, August 4, 2016, Palace Hotel, San Francisco, CA.