Attorney Profiles

Armand J. Della Porta Jr. 
Wilmington, Delaware
Shareholder
phone(302) 552-4323
fax(302) 651-7905
emailajdellaporta@mdwcg.com

Armand has considerable experience in the defense of products liability, toxic tort, asbestos personal injury litigation, and general negligence cases. He has tried over 100 cases to verdict in the state and federal courts of Pennsylvania and Delaware.

Armand graduated from Georgetown University in 1977 with a B.A. in Government. He was selected for Phi Beta Kappa and received the Connecticut Medal for Government. He attended Villanova Law School and graduated in 1980. Armand clerked for the Honorable Charles A. Lord of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas from 1980 to 1981.

He joined Krusen Evans and Byrne in 1981, became a partner in 1986 and was later elected to the firm's management committee in 1988. Armand was a founding partner of Kelley Jasons McGuire & Spinelli in 1989 and started its Delaware office in 1990, which he managed until he left the firm in 2005.

Armand is a past President of the Pennsylvania Defense Institute, having served in that capacity  from September 2008 to September 2009. Prior to then, he has served in numerous capacities including chair of Products Liability Committee, Legislative Committee, and Judicial Selection Committee. Armand has also written numerous articles for its quarterly publication, Counterpoint, and has lectured at many CLE and other seminars. He has also been involved in leadership roles with the Defense Counsel of Delaware, and currently serves as its Vice President and representative to the Defense Research Institute.
 
He was selected as a Super Lawyer by Law and Politics and Philadelphia Magazine in 2004 and 2005. He has long been active with his alma mater, St. Joseph's Prep, having served as President of the Alumni Board of Governors, co-chair of its annual fundraiser, The Hawktion, and is currently a member of its Board of Trustees.

Significant Representative Matters:

  • Defended two asbestos clients in claim with demands to each client in excess of $1 million. Our clients initially were represented to be target defendants. After pretrial prep and investigative work, we were able to demonstrate that our clients had significant defenses to plaintiff's claims and were able to settle case for 10% & 20% of original demands, well below what other target defendants paid.

  • Defended target defendant in alleged illegal police pursuit case. Initial demand was $15 million. Successfully tried the case for four weeks in U.S.D.C., M.D. PA. and was able to settle case at that point for 10% of original demand.

  • Successfully tried over 100 asbestos cases to verdict in Pennsylvania and Delaware, many with defense verdicts.
Year Joined Organization:
2005
Areas of Practice:
Defense of Asbestos, Benzene, and Chemical Exposure claims
Defense of Mold Personal Injury matters
Construction Litigation
Automobile and General Negligence Defense
Bar Admissions:
Pennsylvania, 1980
U.S. District Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 1980
U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit, 1985
Delaware, 1990
U.S. District Court District of Delaware, 1990
Maryland, 2005
Education:
Villanova University School of Law, Villanova, Pennsylvania, 1980
J.D.


Georgetown University, 1977
B.A.
Honors: Phi Beta Kappa


Published Works:
Products Liability Update, Counterpoint, 1985 to 1995


Recent Developments in Spoliation, Counterpoint, June, 1999


Parks v. Allied Signal, Inc.: The Admissability of Evidence of Plaintiff's Conduct in 402A Cases, Counterpoint, September, 1997


The Product Line Exception to the Law of Successor Liability, Counterpoint, October, 1993


Whether a Person Suffering Allergic Reactions Can Recover Under Strict Liability - A Review of PA & National Law, Counterpoint, January, 1992


Classes/Seminars Taught:
Significant New Case Law in Asbestos Litigation in Delaware, Harris Martin sponsored seminar, February 2008


Asbestos Litigation in Delaware - Past, Present & Future, National Business Institute, December 2007


Insurance Coverage Issues in Auto Cases, December 2000


CLE Seminars on Products Liability, Pennsylvania Defense Institute & Phila. Assn. of Defense Counsel, June 1999, April 1997, October 1996, January 1995, March 1994, August 1992


Preparing Witnesses for Deposition and Trial, December 1998


Pennsylvania Insurance Law - Bad Faith Claims, September 1994 & 1995


Pennsylvania and Delaware Auto and Bad Faith Law, August 1993


Honors and Awards:
Selected as Super Lawyer in Pennsylvania 2004, 2005


AV Peer Review Rating by LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell


Professional Associations and Memberships:
American Bar Association, 1981 - Present


Pennsylvania Defense Institute, President 2008-09


Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel, 1990 - Present


Philadelphia Bar Association, 1981 - Present


Defense Research Institute, Delaware State Representative, 2010 - Present


Past Employment Positions:
Kelley Jasons McGuire & Spinelli, 1989 - 2005


Krusen Evans and Byrne, 1981 - 1989


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