Attorney Profiles
Keith D. Heinold Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| Shareholder; Chair, Products Liability Practice Group | |
| phone | (215) 575-2640 |
| fax | (215) 575-0856 |
| kdheinold@mdwcg.com | |
As the Chair of the firm's Products Liability Practice Group, Keith coordinates and oversees product litigation throughout the firm's 18 offices. His experience is a valuable asset in coordinating this practice area.
A trial attorney since 1979, Keith has defended hundreds of cases in state and federal courts in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and elsewhere. His experience includes all aspects of motor vehicle design and manufacture, appliances and consumer electronics, residential and industrial fires, marine products, motors and power generating and distribution equipment, manufacturing equipment and many others. He previously was the national coordinating counsel for a manufacturer of computerized drive systems for industrial equipment.
Keith also represents our clients in class action litigation across a broad spectrum of issues which include consumer, automotive and marine products, construction cases, electronic billing and telecommunications.
Since 1995, Keith has served as the senior attorney responsible for all product litigation against Chrysler LLC in Pennsylvania, representing Chrysler in nearly every federal and state court. Keith has represented General Electric Company on numerous cases involving consumer and industrial products, including power generating and distribution equipment, drive systems, appliances, consumer electronics, and steel and paper mill equipment. Keith also has represented General Electric Company on medical device cases involving x-ray equipment, shields, monitoring devices, and ultrasonic cleaning equipment.
Significant Representative Matters
Crashworthiness cases, including side-impact protection
Alleged defects in seatbelt restraint systems
Alleged defects in steering systems
Alleged defects in braking systems
Alleged defect in hood support system
- Year Joined Organization:
- 1993
- Bar Admissions:
- Pennsylvania, 1979
- New Jersey, 1987
- U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court Middle District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court Western District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court District of New Jersey
- Education:
- Villanova University School of Law, Villanova, Pennsylvania,
1979
J.D.
Honors: Cum Laude
Law Review: Villanova Law Review, 1977-1978, Associate Editor, 1978-1979 - University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware,
1975
B.A., With Honors
Major: Economics
- Published Works:
- Crashworthiness - Simple in Theory, Complex in Application, DRI In-House Defense Quarterly, Winter, 2008
- Products Liability Defenses, A State-by-State Compendium, DRI, Editor, Pennsylvania Chapter, 2007
- Products Liability Defenses, A State-by-State Compendium, DRI, Editor, Pennsylvania Chapter, 2004
- When Relevant Evidence No Longer Exists, January 23, 1995, Pennsylvania Law Weekly, 18 PLW 119
- Future Battlegrounds in Spoliation, January 30, 1995, Pennsylvania Law Weekly, 18 PLW 153
- Spoliation Ball Bounces Back Up for Defendants, April 6, 1999, The Legal Intelligencer
- Classes/Seminars Taught:
- Products Liability, AAMGA University Weekend, Phoenix, AZ, August 2007
- Releases and Settlements, Insurance Society of Philadelphia, January 2001
- Use of Spoliation Claims in Products Liability Cases, Philadelphia Bar Association, April 1997
- Spoliation, Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association, November 1997
- Spoliation of Evidence in Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, December 1996
- Spoliation of Evidence in Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, December 1996
- Honors and Awards:
- Pennsylvania Super Lawyer, 2005 - 2010
- AV Peer Review Rating by LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell
- Professional Associations and Memberships:
- Defense Research Institute
- Pennsylvania Bar Association
- Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel, Executive Committee, 2002 - 2008
- Philadelphia Bar Association, Judge Pro Tempore, Court of Common Pleas, Philadelphia County
- Product Liability Advisory Council, Sustaining Member
- Trial Attorneys of America









