Litigation

The Litigation Department has the experience necessary to handle a matter, whether straightforward or complex, in an effective and efficient manner.

Class acton defense

Becker maintains an active civil litigation practice that encompasses the representation of a broad spectrum of clients before state and federal courts throughout the United States, administrative agencies, and in various alternative dispute resolution forums, such as the American Arbitration Association. In addition to general contractual and commercial matters, Litigation Department attorneys handle a wide variety of matters including:

Representing general and health insurance companies in coverage disputes: Learn more
Representing management in employment actions: Learn more
Class action defense: Learn more
Real estate litigation: Learn more
Representing creditors in preference actions and in other bankruptcy court proceedings: Learn more

Chair

Joseph G. Harraka, Esq.

Of Counsel

Erik Derr, Esq.

Associates

Bapineedu Bikkani, Esq.

The Litigation Department has the experience and resources necessary to handle any matter in an effective and cost-efficient manner. Department members are as adept at vindicating a client's rights through the full use of the adversarial process as they are at negotiating beneficial resolutions to disputes without the resort to litigation. In all instances, members of the Litigation Department work diligently with the client to establish the objective of the representation and thereafter, to develop and employ the legal strategy best suited for achieving that objective, at all times keeping in mind.

We appreciate that our in-house colleagues are under pressure to keep outside legal costs down and to work with shrinking legal budgets. And most importantly, we know that all litigation is expensive: not only in terms of legal fees or settlements paid but also in terms of opportunity cost as well as in time, energy and resources. In keeping with these principles, we handle litigation as efficiently as possible, maximize the value of each litigation dollar spent, and add value to the attorney-client relationship beyond sound advice and the highest quality work product. In this regard, we:

Representing general and health insurance companies in coverage disputes.
Defending staffing companies and other corporate entities in cases seeking to pierce the corporate veil and impose liability on parent businesses for subsidiary conduct.
Representing management in employment actions.
Handling construction and contractor related litigation, intellectual property disputes, class action defense, and general contractual and commercial matters.

In addition, the Litigation Department provides litigation support for all of the other departments within the firm.

Class Action Defense

Becker attorneys are experienced in defending a variety of class actions. Recent matters include: Defense of a nationwide company in a wage and hour claim; a nationwide products liability class action involving heavy duty diesel engines: a class action involving consumer fraud related to allegations of contaminated baby products; and ERISA pension suit alleging breach of fiduciary duties by plan administrators and others.