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.

  • 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.