Douglas J. Smillie

Douglas J. Smillie

Co-Chair, Litigation & Trial Practice

Commercial Litigation & Trials • Bankruptcy & Creditors’ Rights • Shareholder Disputes and Business Litigation • Employment, Non-Competition and Trade Secrets • First Amendment and Media Law

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Douglas J. Smillie is a shareholder and Co-Chair of the Firm’s Litigation Group. Mr. Smillie’s practice includes commercial litigation and trials, bankruptcy and creditors rights, shareholder disputes and business litigation, non-competition and trade secrets, media law and employment litigation.

Education

 
  • Muhlenberg College, B.A., cum laude, 1978
  • Villanova University School of Law, J.D. 1982
    • Editor, Villanova Law Review, 1980-1982

Bar Admissions

 
  • Pennsylvania
  • New Jersey
  • 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
  • U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
  • U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey

Professional Organizations

 
  • American Bankruptcy Institute
  • Turnaround Management Association
  • Commercial Law League of America
  • Eastern District of Pennsylvania Bankruptcy Conference
  • Pennsylvania Newspaper Association
  • Philadelphia Bar Association
  • Bar Association of Lehigh County
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association
  • American Bar Association/Litigation Section
  • New Jersey State Bar Association/Bankruptcy Section

Reported Decisions

 
  • Easton Area School District v. Miller, 232 A.3d 716 (Pa. 2020).
  • Solid Waste Services, Inc. v. City of Allentown, 61 Lehigh L.J. 959 (Comm. Pl. Lehigh Co. May 10, 2016), aff’d, 173 A.3d 1267 (Pa. Commwlth. July 20, 2017) (table), appeal den., 2018 WL 500341 (Pa. January 22, 2018)
  • Retina Associates of Greater Philadelphia v. Retinovitreous Associates, Ltd., 176 A.3d 262 (Pa. Super. 2017)
  • Penn Jersey Advance, Inc. v. Grim, 962 A.2d 632 (Pa. 2009)
  • In re Heritage Highgate, Inc., 679 F. 3d 132 (3d Cir. 2012)
  • United States v. Nicolet, Inc., 857 F.2d 679 (3d Cir. 1989)
  • In re New York City Shoes, Inc., 880 F.2d 679 (3d Cir. 1989)
  • Babb v. Centre Community Hospital, 47 A. 3d 1214 (Pa. Super. 2012)
  • The Plaza at 835 West Hamilton Street, LP v. City of Allentown, 58 Lehigh L. J. 383 (Comm. Pl. Lehigh Co., April 12, 2019), aff’d, 239 A.3d 1147 (Table)(Pa. Commwlth., August 25, 2020)
  • Jacoby v. Bethlehem Suburban Motor Sales, 820 F. Supp.2d, 609 (E.D.Pa. 2011)
  • Poskin v. TD Banknorth, N.A., 687 F. Supp. 2d 530 (W.D. Pa. 2009)
  • In re Szymanski, 413 B.R. 232 (Bankr. E.D. Pa. 2009)
  • Bernhard v. Brown & Brown of Lehigh Valley, 720 F., Supp. 2d 694 (E.D.Pa. 2010)
  • Korn v. Kertesz, 2007 WL3283400 (E.D.Pa., Nov 06, 2007)
  • Kiesel v. Lehigh Valley Eye Center, P.C., 2006 WL 1985788 (E.D.Pa., July 12, 2006)
  • Ferraro v. Penn Jersey Advance, Inc.; 54 Northampton County Rep. 262 (2006)
  • Kiesel v. Lehigh Valley Eye Center, P.C., 2006 Pa. Dist. & Cnty. Dec. LEXIS 261 (C.C.P. Lehigh 2006)
  • Snyder v. Exclusive Transp. For Industry, 2005 WL 1175937, 95 Fair Empl. Prac. Cas (BNA) 1648 (E.D.Pa., May 17, 2005)
  • Kirkpatrick v. Easton Publishing Co., 53 Northampton County Rep. 21 (2003)
  • In re Reimiller (Schwab v. Conseco Finance Consumer Discount Co.) 281 B.R. 561 (Bankr. M.D. Pa. 2002)
  • Purcell Tire & Rubber Co. v. Lehigh Coal & Navigation, Inc., 1999 WL1256365 (E.D.Pa. Dec. 19, 1999)
  • Mattioli v. Media News Group, 1999 WL729255 (E.D.Pa. Sept. 8, 1999)
  • Patient Transfer Systems, Inc. v. Patient Handling Solutions, Inc., 1999 WL54568 (E.D.Pa. Jan. 29, 1999); 2000 WL726792 (E.D.Pa., June 6, 2000); 2001 WL 936641 (E.D.PA, Aug. 16, 2100)
  • O’Connell v. County of Northampton, 79 F.Supp.2d 529 (E.D.Pa. 1999)
  • In re Metropolitan Hospital, 119 B.R. 910 (E.D. Pa. 1990)
  • In re GEC Industries, Inc., 107 B.R. 491 (Bankr. D. Del. 1989)
  • Just Born, Inc. v Summit Foods Enterprises, Inc., 2015 WL 996380 (E.D.Pa. March 6, 2015)
  • In re John J. Cassel, M.D., P.C., 2014 WL 7151128 (Bankr, E.D. Pa. January 29, 2014), aff’d, 2014 WL 7-58879 (E.D. Pa. December 15, 2014)

Honors & Affiliations

 
  • Pi Sigma Alpha
  • Who’s Who in American Law
  • Recipient, Rev. Joseph Ullman Award
  • Selected for inclusion in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, 2004 – 2006, 2008 – Present
  • Named a Select Lawyer in:
    • Bankruptcy & Creditor’s Rights Law, Commercial Litigation, Contracts Law and General Civil Litigation, 2014
    • Bankruptcy & Creditor’s Rights Law, Commercial Litigation and General Civil Litigation, 2015 – 2017
  • Included in Top Attorneys list, Bankruptcy Law, Suburban Life, 2014 – 2017

Community Activity

 
  • Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Member, Board of Directors, 2007-2016
  • Lehigh Valley Zoological Society, Former Vice Chairman, Board of Directors, 2007-2014

Contact Douglas J. Smillie

Call Direct

610-797-9000, ext. 351

Assistant Information

Jewel Dennis
610-797-9000, ext. 377

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