Robert D. Finkel

A wide range of businesses turn to Robert Finkel for commercial litigation and business counseling. He has litigated cases in many industries, such as aviation, energy and natural resources, technology, industrial sales, financial institutions, construction, insurance coverage, accounting, engineering and real estate. With over two decades of experience litigating claims in the aviation industry, Robert is a leader in Buchanan's Aviation practice. He was named to the Best Lawyers in America^® list in the Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions - Defendants category in 2024.

He also has represented businesses in a wide variety of commercial transactions, including negotiating and drafting purchase and sale agreements, credit and other financing documents, and real estate agreements. This diverse background enables him to work effectively within any industry. He has substantial experience in both litigation and transactional work, which experience enhances his ability to deliver higher quality legal services in either discipline due to his experience in both.  Prior to joining Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, Robert was a shareholder with Manion McDonough & Lucas, PC. 

How Robert Helps Clients

Robert litigates cases in state, federal, bankruptcy and appellate courts in multiple jurisdictions, as well as representing clients in commercial arbitrations and mediations. He has successfully litigated insurance coverage matters regarding various types of property and liability policies, including:

• Property/business interruption
• General liability
• Aviation
• Fidelity
• Workers compensation
• Professional liability
• Directors and officers liability

Robert also assists client with matters related to business acquisitions, intellectual property and trade secrets and restrictive covenants. He has counseled and represented employers in labor and employment matters, including enforcement of restrictive covenants and proceedings before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. And he has represented general contractors, engineering companies and builders in construction disputes. He has defended long-term care facilities, hospitals and medical professionals in professional malpractice actions.

Clients want concrete answers and a plan; they want practical, useful counsel; and they hate surprises. If I can provide that service in a way that makes the difficult seem simple, even better.

Often called upon by members of other practice teams within the firm, Robert has worked alongside the firm's Corporate, Labor and Financial Services sections and Energy practice groups to represent clients in a variety of commercial transactions including real estate, financing and business acquisitions, recovery matters and bankruptcy actions, and pursuit of insurance coverage. He has also represented financial institutions and borrowers in lending transactions and a residential home builder in varied real estate matters.

What Clients Can Expect

Clients working with Robert depend on his responsiveness and his dedication to seeking practical, cost-effective solutions. They rely on Robert to go the extra mile in learning their business and their unique goals and concerns. And they rely on Robert to never shrink from a challenge. Clients often remark that he has a talent for making the difficult look easy. Robert considers facing a different challenge every day as a perk of his profession. 

Outside the Office

Robert loves spending time with his family. Additionally, Robert is a sports historian who, had he not become a lawyer, would likely have become a sports announcer - so it's best not to play sports trivia with him!

Proof Points

• Negotiated a favorable settlement on behalf of aerospace systems and technologies provider in fatal jet crash in which seven people were killed when a Gulfstream IV crashed on an attempted take off from Hanscom Field in Bedford, Massachusetts. Leeds v. SK Travel, 140701735, Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County
• Obtained dismissal of a contract/declaratory judgment action based upon jurisdictional arguments by successfully arguing that the form terms and conditions (which included a forum selection clause) were not a part of the contract. Southern Polymer, Inc. v. Master Extrusion, LLC, 2016 WL 1247354 (W.D. Pa. Mar. 30, 2016)
• Negotiated a favorable settlement on behalf of an insured in a coverage action and the related personal injury action, including successfully arguing that the client was indemnified under a master services agreement and also covered under its contractor’s insurance policy
• Obtained dismissal of a third-party claim brought by a contractor against an engineering firm asserting improper design of a public sewer project
• Negotiated a favorable settlement in a construction dispute involving a custom home
• Negotiated a favorable settlement on behalf of a former employee for amounts due under his employment agreement after successfully striking down the employer’s primary defense on summary judgment. The case then settled after the commencement of a bench trial.
• Obtained dismissal with prejudice of all claims against an air ambulance company  and a medical center in a wrongful death action following the completion of discovery and on the eve of trial.
• Successfully enforced non-solicitation agreements against former employees on behalf of a manufacturing company, including obtaining recovery of lost sales.
• Obtained dismissal of a patent infringement case on venue grounds. The case was one of the first cases in the Western District of Pennsylvania applying the new venue standards for patent cases. X2Y Attenuators, LLC v. Intel Corporation, 1:17-cv-00164 (W.D. Pa. June 25, 2018)
• Obtained dismissal of all defendants of two patent infringement cases on the grounds of failure to prosecute. Plaintiff sought to restart two cases that had been stayed while the patent infringement claims were pursued before the International Trade Commission and then the Federal Circuit. The Court granted the motions to dismiss we filed on behalf of all defendants on the basis of failure to prosecute. X2Y Attenuators, LLC v. Intel Corporation, Apple Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Company, 1:17-cv-00164 (W.D. Pa. July 13, 2018)