Joseph J. McHale

Partner-in-Charge, Malvern

jmchale@stradley.com

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Joseph McHale

Overview

Joe McHale is a nationally recognized trial attorney, the partner-in-charge of Stradley Ronon’s 28-lawyer Malvern, Pennsylvania, office, and the leader of the firm’s products liability & mass tort defense and life sciences practice groups. An experienced litigator, he has tried close to 60 cases to verdict. Joe is also a registered pharmacist, which gives him a unique perspective and insight into the life sciences industry.

Joe’s experience as a trial attorney involves representing human services agencies, pharmaceutical companies, manufacturers, pharmacists, physicians, nurses, hospitals, health systems, pharmacy benefits managers and businesses. His work varies from trials in federal and state courts to private arbitrations to appearances before state agencies. His experience covers medical malpractice, health care claims, products liability issues, commercial claims, personal injury claims and insurance matters. He is also counsel to a group of health system risk managers. In addition to his busy trial practice, Joe served as an adjunct faculty member at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, where he taught Pharmacy Law for more than 25 years.

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Results

Representative Matters

  • represented the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary with a redevelopment project in Stone Harbor, New Jersey
  • serves as lead counsel in defense of class action and mass tort lawsuits facing a juvenile justice facility which includes claims of abuse, harassment and institutional misconduct
  • defended a car sharing agency in a products liability claim; while his co-defendant suffered a $16 million plus verdict, Joe obtained a defense verdict for his client
  • obtained a defense verdict in a premises liability claim against a school in a matter where the plaintiff suffered debilitating injuries to her hand and demanded over $1 million to settle the matter
  • defended a religious institution in a variety of different matters that resulted in numerous defense verdicts 
  • defended numerous medical malpractice claims for health systems and practitioners

  • as trial co-counsel, obtained a defense verdict for a large pharmaceutical manufacturing company in the first phenylpropanolamine (PPA) case tried in Pennsylvania

  • defended a high school basketball coach against a student who claimed she was “mentally abused” by him; a defense verdict was returned after trial
  • obtained dismissal for a local hospice at trial against claims from a volunteer who was severely injured after falling off a ladder while working at the hospice
  • defended a crane operator and distributor in a case where a worker was severely injured when a crane dropped two tons of steel on him; a defense verdict was returned in less than one hour
  • defended a governmental agency in a number of cases of first impression involving the Social Security Act as it relates to reimbursement rates paid to pharmacists, which included obtaining favorable judgments for the agency at the trial and appellate stages
  • obtained a defense verdict for the largest manufacturer of spiral staircases in the United States in a products liability matter
  • defended a construction company in a products liability/negligence action that resulted in a defense verdict, despite the plaintiff’s demand in excess of $3 million

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Credentials

Bar Admissions
  • Pennsylvania
  • New York
Court Admissions
  • U.S. Supreme Court
  • Pennsylvania Supreme Court
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
  • U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
Education
  • J.D., magna cum laude, Widener University School of Law
  • M.S., Saint Joseph's University
  • B.S., Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science
Memberships

  • Adjunct Assistant Professor of Pharmacy, University of the Sciences in Philadelphia
  • Chairman of Board, Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation
  • Past President and current Board Member, Eagles Fly for Leukemia
  • Fellow, American Society for Pharmacy Law
  • International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC)
  • American Bar Association, Health Law, Antitrust and Products Liability Litigation Sections
  • Defense Research Institute
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association

News

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Speaking Engagements

  • Presenter, “Physical and Sexual Abuse Litigation in PA – From the Plaintiff and the Defendant,” Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association
  • Presenter, “Updates in Pharmacy Law,” University of the Sciences’ Philadelphia College of Pharmacy’s 38th Annual Symposium on Advances in Pharmacy Practice
  • Panelist, “Pharmacy Malpractice,” Developments in Pharmacy Law Seminar
  • Presenter, “Pharmacy Law Update” Delaware Valley Society of Hospital Pharmacists
  • Presenter, “How Pharmacy Law Impacts You and Your Patients – Real-World Cases and Consequences,” Pharmacy Learning Network Conference
  • Presenter, “Pharmacy Law Update” University of the Sciences, Philadelphia
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Recognitions

  • Pennsylvania Super Lawyers
  • The Best Lawyers in America
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In The Community

Joe serves as chairman of The Bryn Mawr Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation board and is a board member of Eagles Fly for Leukemia.
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