Leland I. Kellner - Maron Marvel
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Leland I. Kellner

Partner

contact

Philadelphia
1717 Arch Street
Suite 3710
Philadelphia, PA 19103

P (215) 351-7932

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practice areas

Asbestos
Construction Defect and Law
General Liability & Casualty Litigation
Product Liability
Toxic and Mass Tort Litigation

Lee Kellner has more than 30 years of experience in handling automotive product liability, industrial and consumer product liability, automotive warranty litigation, and toxic tort litigation. He handles catastrophic injury claims involving various allegations of defect, for foreign and domestic product manufacturers and suppliers. He has successfully defended his clients in jury trials through verdict and appeal, in high value cases involving allegations of automotive defects, forklift defects, elevator defects, and assertions of disease stemming from asbestos exposure. In addition, he manages asbestos litigation regionally for automotive and equipment manufacturers.

In addition to his litigation work, Lee is a respected leader in the legal community. He is a member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), where he has served on the Executive Board of the Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter. Lee is also involved in the American Bar Association’s Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section (TIPS) and was recently elected as Revenue Officer-Elect. His previous leadership roles within TIPS include Member of Council, Chair of the Product Liability Committee, and Chair of the Toxic Tort and Environmental Law Committee. He is an active member of the Planning Committee for the annual Emerging Issues in Motor Vehicle Litigation Conference.

Lee serves as a Judge Pro Tempore in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.

Education

University of Pennsylvania Law School (J.D.)

Tufts University (B.A., magna cum laude)

Speaking Engagements
  • Real World Effectiveness of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, Moderator, Emerging Issues in Automotive Product Liability Litigation for TIPS, April 2024, Scottsdale, AZ
  • Autonomous Vehicle Regulations 2022, Presenter, Webinar for National Business Institute, September 2022
  • National Firms Moving into Your Neighborhood?, Moderator, ABA TIPS Section Conference, May 2022, Baltimore, MD
  • Danger! High Voltage, High Stakes: Safely and Effectively Managing Investigations With EVs,
    Presenter, Emerging Issues in Automotive Product Liability Litigation for TIPS, April 2022,
    Scottsdale, AZ
Awards & Recognitions
  • Pro Bono Award, First Judicial District, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas
  • Chair, ABA TIPS Product Liability Committee, Committee Award For Outstanding Achievement
Professional Associations
  • Associate Member of the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), 2010 – present
    • Executive Board of Eastern Pennsylvania Chapter, 2010-2019
    • Presenter of “Civility Matters” programs to local law schools
  • American Bar Association, Tort, Trial & Insurance Practice Section (TIPS)
    • Revenue Officer-Elect, ABA TIPS, 2024-present
    • Council Member, ABA TIPS, 2022-2024
    • Special Standing Committee Involvement
      • Section Conference NYC Co-Chair, May 2023
      • Section Conference Task Force, 2021-present
      • Editor, The Brief, 2018-2021
      • General Committee Board, 2019 – 2020
      • Revenue Enhancement Committee, 2017-2018; 2022-prenset
      • Finance Committee, 2015-2017; 2022-present
        • Special Finance Task Force, 2022-2023
    • Toxic Tort & Environmental Law Committee
      • Chair, 2019-2020
      • Program Vice-Chair: Hot Topics in Toxic Tort & Environmental Law, 2017-2018
      • Membership Vice Chair, 2015-2016; 2020-2021
      • Newsletter Vice-Chair, 2010-2012
    • Product Liability Committee
      • Chair, 2014-2015, Committee Award for Outstanding Achievement
      • Planning Committee, Spring Program – Emerging Issues in Motor Vehicle Litigation, 2012-present
    • Advisor to ABA for TIPS: “Event Data Recorders in Cars,” Uniform Law Commission Committee, New Drafting Committee, 2016-2019
  • Judge Pro Tempore for the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas, 2009-present
  • International Association of Defense Counsel (IADC) Trial Academy Graduate, 2007
Representative Trial & Appellate Activities

350Z Alignment Defect, Offroad Rollover
Co-tried and received defense verdict in New Jersey for Nissan. Plaintiff asserted that his 350Z suddenly left the road due to alignment design defect and subsequently rolled over, resulting in spinal cord injuries, C5-7 fractures, and paralysis leading to surgical intervention. Jury found no defect.

Toyota Forklift Unintended Acceleration Design Defect
Co-tried and received defense verdict in Pennsylvania in forklift case for Toyota. Plaintiff alleged that his forklift experienced unintended acceleration while unattended by operator, slamming him into stationary warehouse equipment and causing severe cervical injury requiring surgical intervention. Jury found no defect.

Asbestos Exposure & Disease
Served as lead trial counsel in 30+ asbestos cases to verdict before juries in Philadelphia County on behalf of Dresser Industries and Harbison Walker. All but two resulted in defense verdicts. Also have served as lead trial counsel on behalf of Toyota in asbestos matters in Philadelphia County.

Forklift Optional Equipment/Sophisticated Purchaser Appeal
Recent appeal argued successfully before the Appellate Division of New York, resulting in reversal of trial court denial of summary judgment, and summary judgment entered in favor of Nissan. Plaintiff/Appellee had asserted that lack of backup alarm, swivel seat, backup camera and other safety equipment resulted in forklift operator striking unaware pedestrian in warehouse at JFK Airport. Appellate Division agreed with Nissan that warehouse facility met NY standard for sophisticated purchaser and determiner of appropriate equipment for forklift at facility and forklift was therefore not defective.

Arbitrations
Conducted multiple successful arbitrations in the areas of automotive product liability personal injury, and consumer warranty, in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

practice areas

Asbestos
Construction Defect and Law
General Liability & Casualty Litigation
Product Liability
Toxic and Mass Tort Litigation

Admissions

Pennsylvania
New Jersey
New York
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
U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York
U.S. District Court for the Western District of New York