Danielle Banks devotes a significant amount of her practice to defending businesses, universities and governmental entities against employment discrimination claims, including claims brought under Title VII, Section 1981, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act. She also defends governmental entities against Section 1983 claims. Additionally, Danielle represents businesses in housing and mortgage discrimination claims, represents defendants in asbestos litigation and handles matters on behalf of religious entities.
Danielle’s practice is centered primarily in federal court, though she takes matters to trial in state court as well. She has participated in appellate oral arguments before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, the Superior Court of Pennsylvania and the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania. Danielle is a seasoned trial lawyer who successfully litigates matters to victory through summary judgment or trial, and appeal where necessary.
Danielle is the immediate past chair of the firm’s diversity committee and served on Stradley Ronon’s hiring committee for a two-year term. She was the chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association Federal Courts Committee and previously served on the Board of Governors. She also has served as chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Justice Sonia Sotomayor Diversity Award Committee (2011-2012) and is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s House of Delegates. In addition, Danielle has served on several nonprofit boards, including serving as president of the board of directors of Smith Memorial Playground and Playhouse, and serving on the board of directors of the Senior Law Center. Danielle also served as co-president of the Philadelphia Diversity Law Group and is currently a member of the board of directors.
Representative Matters
- Employment defense summary judgment victories:
- Darby v. Temple University, 2018 WL 3862087 (E.D. Pa. - Aug. 14, 2018)
- Dowdell v. Community College of Philadelphia, 2017 WL 2506444;725 Fed. Appx. 198 (3d Cir. 2018)
- Clarkson v. SEPTA, 700 Fed.Appx. 111
- Frederick, et. al. v. Barbush, 2015 WL 4393339 (M.D. Pa. - July 15, 2015)
- Jones v. SEPTA, 2014 WL 3887747, 796 F.3d 323 (3d Cir. 2015)
- Toland v. SEPTA, 2:12-CV-02480 (E.D. Pa. - Jan. 16, 2014)
- Hamilton v. SEPTA, 2014 WL 2862146 (E.D. Pa. - June 24, 2014)
- Lyles v. SEPTA, 2:10-CV-04424 (E.D. Pa. - July 9, 2012)
- Fields v. SEPTA, 2011 WL 4392118, 445 Fed. Appx. 496 (3d Cir. 2011)
- Grier v. SEPTA, 2:11-CV-05891 (E.D. Pa. - Sept. 16, 2011)
- Parmar v. SEPTA, 2:11-CV-03022 (E.D. Pa. - May 9, 2011)
- Employment defense public hearing/trial victories:
- Schurgot v. SEPTA, 2017 WL 3226859 (E.D. Pa. - Sept. 28, 2018)
- Griggs v. SEPTA, 2:14-CV-06226 (E.D. Pa. - Dec. 8, 2016)
- Cabiness v. SEPTA, 14-CV-1371 (E.D. Pa. - June 29, 2015)
- Patterson v. Shelton, 95072945 (Phila. CCP- Nov. 7, 2011)
- Wiza v. SEPTA, 2:12-CV-02748 (E.D. Pa. - June 27, 2013)
- Brownlee v. SEPTA, 200706428 (PHRC - Oct. 26, 2010)
- Barbee v. SEPTA, 2:04-CV-04063 (E.D. Pa. - Oct. 31, 2006)
- First Amendment defense dismissals:
- Lyons v. National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. 007545 (S. Ct., Dist. of Columbia)
- Askew v. The Trustees of the General Assembly of The Church of The Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith Inc., 3rd Cir., 11-1916 684 F.3d 413
- Defamation defense dismissal:
- Peterkin Bell v. Butkovitz, et. al., 160803265 (Phila. CCP - Feb. 21, 2017)
- In the public interest:
- Tai Kwan Cureton, et al. v. National Collegiate Athletic Association – Danielle represented the plaintiffs in a class action suit brought on behalf of four African-American student athletes asserting a disparate impact claim based on Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and certain administrative regulations. The suit sought an injunction to bar the use of Proposition 16’s minimum standardized test score requirement to determine freshmen eligibility to participate in Division I sports at NCAA-member colleges. The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania found a disparate impact and ruled in the plaintiffs’ favor. The Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ultimately reversed on jurisdictional – not substantive – grounds. The eligibility rule ultimately was changed by the NCAA, and that change was consistent with plaintiffs’ proffered alternative.
- In re City of Philadelphia Litigation – Danielle represented plaintiff Ramona Africa after the City of Philadelphia dropped a bomb on the house of a back-to-nature group known as the MOVE organization. This incident resulted in the tragic loss of life and the vast destruction of property. A substantial litigation arose out of this incident, and after a two-month trial, the jury returned a verdict in favor of Ms. Africa.
Credentials
Bar Admissions
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 Middle District of Pennsylvania
Education
- J.D., Temple University Beasley School of Law
- B.A., cum laude, Temple University
Memberships
- American Bar Association, Litigation Section
- Board Member, Philadelphia Diversity Law Group, Former Co-President, 2010 – 2012
- Barristers' Association of Philadelphia
- Former Chair, Justice Sonia Sotomayor Diversity Award Committee of the Philadelphia Bar Association, 2011 – 2012
- Former Chair, Philadelphia Bar Association Federal Courts Committee
- Former Member, Executive Committee, Temple Law Alumni Association
- Former Ex-officio Member, Philadelphia Bar Association Diversity in the Profession Committee
- Fellow, The Litigation Counsel of America
- Former Co-Chair, Women in the Profession Committee of the Philadelphia Bar Association
- Former Member, Board of Governors, Philadelphia Bar Association
- Former Member, Board of Directors, Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia
- Former Member, Board of Directors, SeniorLAW Center Pennsylvania Bar Association
- Immediate Past Chair, Stradley Ronon Diversity Committee
- National Bar Association
- Pennsylvania Bar Association House of Delegates
- Former President, Smith Memorial Playground and Playhouse
- Philadelphia Bar Association
- The National Black Lawyers Top 100
- Stradley Ronon Diversity Committee
- Philadelphia Bar Association Diversity Advisory Panel
- Member, The Forum of Executive Women
Speaking Engagements
- Panelist, “From Recruitment to Retention: Attracting and Keeping Diverse Talent,” Women in Law Summit Series, Driving Diversity in Law & Leadership
- Panelist, “Cultivating Male Allies & Change Agents,” Women in Law Summit Series
- Panelist, “History of Black Lawyers in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania,” Tucker Law Group CLE: Standing on the Shoulders: The Black Philadelphia Lawyer
- Speaker, “First Amendment Developments and Signs for the Future,” Pennsylvania Bar Institute 10th Constitutional Law Conclave
- Speaker, “Navigating Legal Minefields in Day-to-Day Church Operations,” Pennsylvania Bar Institute
- Panelist, Pennsylvania Bar Association's Fifth Annual Diversity Summit
- Speaker, “The Masters on Depositions, Demonstrations and Tactics from America’s Leading Trial Lawyers,” ABA Litigation Section
- Panelist, “Title IX in the Year 2000,” Black Women in Sports Foundation
- Speaker, “Public Interest Scholars Program,” Temple University Beasley School of Law, ACLU Foundation of Pennsylvania
- Participant, Mock Interview Program, Temple University Beasley School of Law
- Judge, Moot Court Honor Society, Temple University Beasley School of Law
- Speaker, Trial Lawyers for Public Justice Foundation Annual Meeting
- Speaker, “Nuts and Bolts Career Fair,” Temple University Beasley School of Law
- Competition Judge, National Appellate Advocacy, Northeast Region, American Bar Association
- Member, Reception Committee “Celebrating More than a Century of Women Lawyers in Philadelphia,” Philadelphia Bar Association, Committee on Women in the Profession
- Speaker, “Propositions 48 and 16: The NCAA Scholar Athlete,” National Bar Association/Women Lawyers Division, Philadelphia Chapter
- Speaker, Panel Discussion, “Realizing Diversity: Strategies to Improve Minority Attorney Hiring and Retention,” Philadelphia Bar Association, Minorities in the Profession Committee
Recognition
- Suburban Life Magazine, "Five-star Attorney"
- Lawyers of Color Nation's Best
- Philadelphia Business Journal, “Women of Distinction”
- Philadelphia Business Journal, “Best of the Bar: Philadelphia's Top Lawyers”
- The National Black Lawyers Top 100
- Fellow, The Litigation Counsel of America
- The Legal Intelligencer, “Diverse Attorney of the Year”
- Barristers' Association of Philadelphia “J. Austin Norris Award”
- National Diversity Council “Most Powerful & Influential Women Award”
- Rutgers School of Law - Camden Black Law Students Association “Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Champion of Social Justice and Equality Award”
- Temple University Beasley School of Law Black Law Students Association “Cecil B. Moore Award”
- Temple University Beasley School of Law “Distinguished Alumni Award”
- The Legal Intelligencer, “50 On The Fast Track”
- The Best Lawyers in America, 2014 – 2021
- Albert S. Dandridge III Award, 2020
For more than 40 years, Bernard Smalley, Sr. has devoted his legal career to advocating on behalf of victims of corporate or professional negligence. He has secured for his client’s scores of seven-figure recoveries through his combination of intellect, perceptiveness, and warmth.
As a young man, Mr. Smalley cut hair in his father’s West Philadelphia barber shop where he met William H. Hastie, the first African-American to become Chief Judge of a Federal Court of Appeals in the United States. It was then that Chief Judge Hastie planted the seed, along with Ronald Davenport, later Dean of Duquesne Law School, Pat Swygert later of Temple Law School and President of Howard University, and Judge Harvey N. Schmidt, to launch a career of serving his community by being an attorney.
Later, as a Deputy Court Administrator in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, Bernie was privileged to work for and be influenced by Judge Stanley M. Greenberg. It was while working for Judge Greenberg that Bernie saw for the first time the work of a true trial lawyer fighting for his client, Arthur G. Raynes.
A well-recognized and accomplished trial attorney, Mr. Smalley is a Fellow of both the prestigious International Academy of Trial Lawyers and the American College of Trial Lawyers.
He has been selected to the Philadelphia Super Lawyers list every year since 2004 and has frequently been selected by his peers to be named as one of the Top 100 lawyers in Philadelphia as well as one of the Top 100 lawyers in Pennsylvania. He has frequently lectured on trial techniques before national, state, and local trial lawyer and bar associations.
Mr. Smalley served as president of the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association and received its Justice Michael A. Musmanno Award. Mr. Smalley has also received the President’s Award from The Barristers’ Association of Philadelphia, the Soaring Eagle Award from the Minority Caucus of the American Association of Justice (formerly ATLA), and the Pursuit of Justice Award from the American Bar Association, as well as the Justice Thurgood Marshall Award of Excellence.
He is a member of the National Bar Association, and the Barristers’ Association and has been consistently named Most Influential by the Philadelphia Tribune Newspaper. Smalley sat as Chair of Hearing Committee 1.14 for the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Disciplinary Board and was a standing member of The Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s Evidence Committee.
In 2014, Smalley received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Philadelphia Legal Intelligencer.
Bernard Smalley was elected by the Judges of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas to a lifetime appointment to the Board of Directors of City Trusts. In January 2021, he was unanimously elected President of the Board of Directors, becoming the first African American to hold this position in the Board’s 153-year history. In 2025, he transitioned to the role of President Emeritus of the Board of Directors of City Trusts. He also serves on the Board of the Ellis Trust and the Chairman’s Council of the Mann Center for the Performing Arts. Additionally, he is a former Board Member of the Philadelphia Zoo and has served on the Board of The Philadelphia Tribune Newspaper since 2019.
Smalley received his Bachelor’s degree from Temple University in 1971 and his law degree from Widener University School of Law in 1980. He and his wife, Jacquelyn, live in West Philadelphia where they both grew up.
AFFILIATIONS
- United States Supreme Court Bar
- International Academy of Trial Lawyers
- American College of Trial Lawyers
- American Association for Justice
- National Bar Association
- Pennsylvania Association for Justice
- Barristers’ Association of Philadelphia
- Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association
EDUCATION
- Temple University, 1971
- Widener University School of Law, 1980
Michael Pratt is an accomplished litigator and leader in Philadelphia’s legal and civic communities. He concentrates his practice on complex commercial and product liability disputes, having tried cases in state and federal courts, representing financial institutions, pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers and governmental institutions, among others. With three decades of private practice at Am Law 100 firms, he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his broad-based representations, leveraging a rich array of prior legal experiences. Those include serving as the chief litigation counsel for corporate and toxic tort matters for a Fortune 100 company and as the former chief deputy city solicitor charged with overseeing the commercial litigation division for the City of Philadelphia Law Department. Michael is rated AV Preeminent® 5.0 out of 5.0, and his legal accomplishments have been recognized by a number of organizations and publications, including Best Lawyers in America, Acritas Stars™ Independently Rated Lawyers, “Star Lawyers”, The Legal Intelligencer’s “Diversity Attorney of the Year” and Super Lawyers magazine.
In his bar association and civic lives, Michael has helped lead a variety of organizations in a range of activities. He served as the 81st Chancellor of the 15,000 member Philadelphia Bar Association. He accepted a gubernatorial appointment to serve as a commissioner on the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, including serving as vice chairman for four of his six years on the commission. Other previous leadership posts include serving as president of the Barristers’ Association of Philadelphia, Inc., a local affiliate of the National Bar Association, chair of the board of trustees of Community Legal Services, Inc., chair of the American Bar Association’s Standing Committee on Pro Bono and Public Service. He is a longtime member of the Washington and Jefferson College Board of Trustees, where he currently serves as secretary of the Board. He continues to speak before professional and community groups and has contributed to advancing scholarship within the legal community and Philadelphia public life through numerous articles and book chapters authored or co-authored.
Michael is a graduate of Harvard Law School and a former judicial law clerk for the Honorable Nathaniel R. Jones of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.
Credentials
Education
- J.D., Harvard Law School, 1985
- B.A., Economics and English, Washington & Jefferson College, 1981
Clerkships
- Hon. Nathaniel R. Jones, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, 1985-1986
Admissions
- District of Columbia
- New York
- Pennsylvania
- Supreme Court of the United States
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
- U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
Andre is an experienced trial attorney with a demonstrated history of success. The diverse nature of Andre’s practice provides him with a unique perspective when advising and counseling clients towards attaining the best and most cost-effective resolution.
Andre manages the investigation, litigation, and defense of numerous high-impact, complex cases involving catastrophic injury or death. Andre concentrates his practice on defending insured and self-insured entities in various litigation matters, including premises liability, dram shop/liquor liability cases, transportation, and professional liability matters.
Prior to joining German, Gallagher & Murtagh, Andre was Trial Counsel for a large Insurance Company where he led an expansive range of cases in both state and federal courts.
The diverse nature of Andre’s practice, along with his background and expertise, provides him with a unique perspective when advising and counseling clients towards attaining the best and most cost-effective resolution.
Andre’s professional activities extend beyond the courtroom, as he is very active in the legal community. Andre is listed as one of “Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America,” named one of Pennsylvania Legal Award’s “Lawyers on the Fast Track” by The Legal Intelligencer, and recognized as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer “Rising Star.” Andre is an elected member of the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Board of Governors; he served as Chair of the Executive Committee of the Young Lawyers Division (“YLD”) and is an Executive Committee member of the Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel (“PADC”). Andre is also active with the Pennsylvania Bar Association, where he serves in the House of Delegates.
Andre is an active member of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel (FDCC), a widely recognized defense organization composed of leaders in their practice area who have achieved professional distinction. The FDCC membership is highly selective via nomination only.
When Andre is not practicing law, he enjoys traveling, listening to podcasts, and reading (during the pandemic, he created a book club with friends). He also enjoys spending time with his family at Smith Memorial Playground & Playhouse, where he serves on the Board of Directors.
Mr. Chew is an associate at Wapner Newman. His practice is focused primarily on the representation of victims injured in motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, products liability, and construction site accidents.
Prior to joining Wapner Newman, Mr. Chew was an associate at a well-respected defense law firm where he represented a Fortune 100 corporation in a wide variety of premises liability and premises security matters. He managed and was responsible for an active litigation case list.
Mr. Chew is a graduate of Howard University where he received a Bachelor’s degree in history in 2011. He received his law degree from Widener University Delaware Law School, in 2016. While in law school Mr. Chew interned for the Honorable John Milton Younge in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas – Civil Division.
Mr. Chew is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and before the United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Middle District of Pennsylvania, and the District of New Jersey.
In 2022, he was recognized as a Super Lawyer Rising Star.
Mr. Chew currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Anti-Violence Partnership of Philadelphia. He was born and raised in Philadelphia and lives in South Philadelphia with his wife and two children.