Jump To Navigation

Attorney Profiles

Christopher E. Dougherty 
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Shareholder; Assistant Director - Professional Liability Department; Chair, Transactional Litigation Practice Group
phone (215) 575-2733
fax (215) 575-0856
email cedougherty@mdwcg.com

Chris presently serves as the firm's Assistant Director of the Professional Liability Department, with responsibility for 11 practice groups and approximately 150 attorneys throughout the firm. Chris also serves as the Chair of the Philadelphia Professional Liability Practice Group, as well as the Chair of the Delaware/Pennsylvania County Professional Liability Practice Groups. Since joining Marshall Dennehey in 1991, Chris has developed an extensive practice in defense of a wide range of litigation areas including professional liability, construction litigation, and general liability.

Additionally, Chris has defended cases involving automotive crashworthiness protection and cases involving motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles, powered equipment, palletizing equipment, medical-surgical products, electrical appliances, smoke detectors, industrial equipment, personal protection devices, and more.

Chris graduated, with honors, from the United States Naval Academy in 1978 and received his J.D. from Stetson University College of Law in 1985, graduating magna cum laude.

From 1978 to 1991, Chris served in the United States Marine Corps on active duty. From 1991 to 2004, he served in the United States Marine Corps Reserve and retired in the grade of Colonel. During this time, among other responsibilities, Chris served as Navy-Marine Corps Trial Judiciary Military Judge.

Significant Representative Cases

  • Defended auto manufacturer in a wrongful death case wherein Plaintiff claimed airbag sensing system was defective. Defense verdict at trial.

  • Defended manufacturer of pepper spray in federal court in a product liability/police excessive force suit for wrongful death. Motion for summary judgment obtained.

  • Defended suit against an attorney wherein it was alleged the attorney improperly prosecuted the underlying action resulting in no recovery. Proved at trial that client attorney's tactical decisions were sound and judicious and underlying result not attributable to attorney neglect.

  • Defended suburban Philadelphia Economic Area Development Corporation in a breach of contract suit brought by land developer to recover $15 million in lost economic opportunities. Tried to verdict with $18,000 recovery only.

  • Defending for 17 years now the manufacturer, designer, and distributor of automobiles, ATVs, motorcycles, and varied powered equipment in wrongful death, personal injury, and breach of warranty actions.

  • Defended manufacturer of carbon monoxide detector in wrongful death suit. Settled for nuisance value.

  • Defended construction manager of major Philadelphia construction project at which worker fell off ladder to concrete two floors below. Settlement made with no money paid by our client.

  • Coordinate pleadings and discovery for manufacturer of medical-surgical devices in national litigation.

  • Defended national refiner of petroleum products in construction and breach of contracts claims and suits.
    • Year Joined Organization:
    1991
    Areas of Practice:
    Products Liability
    Construction Litigation
    Professional Liability
    E & O Litigation
    Bar Admissions:
    Florida, 1986
    Pennsylvania, 1988
    U.S. District Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania
    Education:
    Stetson University College of Law, St. Petersburg, Florida, 1985
    J.D.
    Honors: Magna Cum Laude


    United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, 1978
    B.S., With Honors


    Published Works:
    Acura Integra Coupe Is Not Intended For Truckin', Pennsylvania Law Weekly, August, 1999


    Acura Integra Coupe Is Not Intended For Truckin', Defense Digest, Vol. 5, No. 1, 1999


    Hold Onto Your Defense Evidence If You Want To Move For A Non-Suit, Defense Digest, Vol. 5, No. 6, 1999


    Plaintiff's Conduct May Be Admissible In A Products Liability Suit-It Depends On What You Call It, Originally published in Winter, 2002 Edition of Civil Litigation Update & reprinted in PBA Civil, Litigation Section Newsletter Winter, 2002


    Pennsylvania Superior Court Limits Use Of Frye When Seeking To Exclude Expert Scientific Evidence, Defense Digest, 2004


    Shifting Indemnity to Sub-Contractor For Negligence Of Owner Or General Contractor: Perry/Ruzzi Doctrine Is Alive And Well In Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Defense Institute, January, 2006


    Representative Cases:
    Smith v. Honda, 846 F.Supp. 1217 (M.D. Pa. 1994)
    Weiner v. Honda, 718 A.2d 305 (Pa. Super. 1998)
    Price v. Brown, 680 A.2d 1149 (Pa. 1996)
    Kukowski v. Homesburg S.C., 739 A.2d 597 (Pa. Super. 1999)
    Classes/Seminars Taught:
    Instructor, Trial Evidence, Coastal Carolina College, 1987


    Presented, "Product Liability Defenses", Insurance Institute of Philadelphia, 1998


    Chairman, MDWCG Trial Advocacy Program, 2003 - Present


    Honors and Awards:
    Abraham Levine Award (Highest GPA after first year in law school)


    Five American Jurisprudence Awards at Stetson


    American Bar Association Young Military Lawyer's Award, Toronto, Canada, 1988


    Two Meritorious Service Medals for Legal Achievement (1988, 1991)


    Legion of Merit, 2005


    AV Peer Review Rating by LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell


    Pennsylvania Super Lawyer, 2007, 2009


    Professional Associations and Memberships:
    American Bar Association


    Defense Research Institute


    Florida Bar Association


    International Association of Defense Counsel


    Pennsylvania Bar Association


    Pennsylvania Defense Institute


    Philadelphia Bar Association


    Past Employment Positions:
    U.S. Marine Corps (active duty), 1978 - 1991


    U.S. Marine Corps, Air Support Control Officer, 1979 - 1982


    U.S. Marine Corps, Judge Advocate, 1985 - 1991


    U.S. Marine Corps, Navy Marine Corps Trial Judiciary, Military Judge, 1997 - 2002

    FirmSite® by FindLaw, a Thomson Reuters business.

    ATTORNEY ADVERTISING pursuant to New York RPC 7.1Disclaimer | Site Map

    Please read the following disclaimer:

    Thank you for your interest in our firm. The information contained on this Website contains statements, videos and other content about the type and quality of services offered by Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman & Goggin, as well as past results and testimonials about the firm. This information has not been reviewed nor approved by the Florida Bar.

    Please acknowledge that you have read the above disclaimer by clicking on one of the two links below.

    YES I have read and understand the above statements. I am interested in learning more about Marshall, Dennehey, Warner, Coleman & Goggin. NO I do not want to view the information.