Attorneys
Jeffrey F. Manzella Shareholder
Contact
- .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
- T: 610-408-2058
- F: 610-854-4359
Education
- Rutgers College (B.A., 1993)
- Rutgers School of Law - Newark (J.D., 1996)
Practice Focus
- Restrictive Covenants and Trade Secrets
- Employment Litigation - Employers
- Employment Litigation - Individuals
- Employment Counseling - Employers
- Employment Counseling - Individuals
- Employment and Related Agreements
Admitted to Practice
- New Jersey, 1997
- US District Court, District of New Jersey, 1997
- New York, 1997
- US District Court, Southern District of New York, 1998
- US District Court, Eastern District of New York, 1998
- Pennsylvania, 2007
- US District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 2007
Jeffrey F. Manzella has approximately 15 years experience in employment, commercial, and product liability litigation. His current practice focuses on the area of employment law, specializing in post-employment litigation and arbitration of restrictive covenants, trade secrets, employment agreements, and discrimination, defamation, and wage and hour claims. He also has experience with conducting internal company investigations and performing litigation-sensitive employee exit interviews. In addition, he has first chair arbitration and mediation experience and has taken and defended hundreds of fact and expert depositions.
Before joining Rubin Fortunato, Mr. Manzella worked as an Associate at Chadbourne & Parke LLP in New York where he litigated cases related to various employment and complex commercial law issues. He then worked as a Counsel at Dechert LLP in New York and Philadelphia gaining extensive trial and appellate experience in a wide range of mass tort and product liability cases filed in state and federal courts. He spent more than a year on trial in perhaps the largest product liability class action ever to proceed to a jury verdict, ultimately resulting in a victory for his client. He has also worked with expert witnesses and senior company executives to prepare them for deposition and trial testimony.
Awards and Honors
- Symposium Editor - Rutgers Law Review
Practice Highlights
- Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. v. Ziencik, FINRA Dispute Resolution Arbitration No. 08-04247 (Pittsburgh, PA 2010): First chair of multi-day arbitration hearing resulting in an award in favor of Merrill Lynch for the full amount owed on a promissory note, all interest, all costs, and all attorneys' fees. Counterclaims against Merrill Lynch denied and dismissed with prejudice.
- Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. v. Nelson, No. 3:10-cv-00397-AC (D. OR. 2010): Successfully argued in federal court for a Temporary Restraining Order against a departed financial advisor.
- Bradley v. BusinessOne Technologies, Inc., No. 10-01356 (State of Michigan Circuit Court 2010): Obtained a full dismissal of claims brought by a former employee for alleged unpaid commissions.
- Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith Inc. v. Nilsen, FINRA Dispute Resolution Arbitration No. 09-06009 (CA. 2010): Obtained an arbitration judgment for the full amount owed on an outstanding promissory note, plus interest.
- Roller & Watts v. Wyeth, (Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas 2006): Trial team member in the first fen-phen heart valve surgery case to go to trial, resulting in a favorable settlement on the eve of closing arguments.
- Engle, et al. v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., et al. (Miami-Dade Florida Circuit Court, 1998-2000): Trial team member spending over a year on trial in perhaps the largest product liability class action ever to proceed to a jury verdict, ultimately resulting in a victory for the client.
News, Events, and Publications of Interest
- Listed in Securities Awards Monthly, Vol. 2010, No. 12 "Award Highlights/Awards of $500,000 and Over" Segment for Merrill Lynch v. Bredenburg, FINRA #10-03358, where $672,200 was awarded in favor of Merrill Lynch on a promissory note matter.