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Patrick D. MacAvoy
Overview
Pat MacAvoy brings enthusiasm and passion to his work as a trial lawyer. Since 2010, he has dedicated his practice solely to giving a voice to victims who have suffered injury or untimely death at the hands of others.
He began his legal career at a civil defense firm in Philadelphia where he had the unique opportunity straight out of law school to handle his own caseload and work closely with the firm’s principal attorney. While his defense work provided invaluable experience and insight, Pat’s heart was in victim’s rights – helping those in need. He soon joined forces with a leading attorney within the plaintiffs’ bar. Thus, he began his career as a trial lawyer, and he has not looked back. For 14 years Pat helped build and manage the well-respected law firm of Marciano & MacAvoy with offices in Philadelphia and Media, Pennsylvania. There, Pat developed a reputation for handling complex cases and delivering excellent results for his clients.
In 2024, Pat brought his practice to Ansa Assuncao to start the next exciting chapter in his career. Pat joined the firm as a partner in the firm’s litigation and trial practice, focusing on representing select injured victims, including in the areas of liquor liability (Dram Shop), negligent security, product liability, workplace accidents, construction accidents, motor vehicle liability, premises liability, wrongful death, medical malpractice, and other complex personal injury cases.
Pat graduated from Pennsylvania State University with a degree in economics and he earned his law degree from Villanova University School of Law. While in law school, by faculty nomination he became a member of the Villanova Moot Court Board. He coached and competed twice in the prestigious Philip C. Jessup International Moot Court Competition where he earned both individual and team awards for excellence in advocacy. As a third-year law student, he was selected to be a professor’s teaching assistant and he instructed and evaluated first-year students in legal writing and oral advocacy.
Pat also sharpened his trial lawyer skills in Temple Law School’s Master of Law in Trial Advocacy. At this top-notch program he worked with some of the finest trial lawyers in the country to master litigation tactics and courtroom performance.
Pat continues the tradition of learning and sharing. Having learned from premier trial lawyers during his career, Pat takes pride in mentoring others. He volunteers his time by participating in Villanova Law’s mentor program and helping the school’s moot court teams prepare for competitions. He has also returned Temple Law School to serve as an adjunct professor.
After living in Philadelphia for many years, Pat now lives with his wife and two sons in Wayne. An active community member, Pat is a proud alumnus of the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, and he enjoys coaching youth sports year-round including basketball, baseball, and soccer.
Education
LL.M., Trial Advocacy, Temple University Beasley School of Law, 2010
J.D., Villanova University School of Law, 2008
B.S., Economics, The Pennsylvania State University, 2005
Admissions
Pennsylvania
New Jersey
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
Work Highlights
Pat has achieved numerous million-dollar results for his clients. His top results include the following:
1) $12.7 Million recovery in liquor liability (Dram Shop) case for three innocent victims who were tragically killed in a car accident caused by a drunk driver and the establishments that over-served him alcohol.
2) $7.5 Million combined personal injury and workers compensation recovery in product liability case for a man paralyzed in a fall from a defective ladder.
3) $7.15 Million recovery in product liability case for a woman paralyzed in fall from a defective ladder.
4) $2.6 Million recovery for a cyclist struck by a negligent driver of a Sleepy’s delivery truck.
In addition to his trial work, Pat also has experience in appellate practice. His successful appellate work has created new law in Pennsylvania enhancing victims’ rights. See Kornfeind v. New Werner Holding Co., Inc., 280 A.3d 918 (Pa. 2022); Kornfeind v. New Werner Holding Co., Inc., 241 A.3d 1212 (Pa. Super. 2020).
Every year since 2017 Pat has been recognized as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers, an honor received by only 2.5 percent of Pennsylvania lawyers annually.
Pat is a longstanding member of the following bar organizations:
- Pennsylvania Associate for Justice (PAJ): Board of Governors; LawPAC contributor; Future Leaders Section chairperson
- Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association
- The Villanova Law J. Willard O’Brien American Inn of Court
- Delaware County Trial Lawyers Association
- Delaware County Bar Association
- Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts
Select Decisions
Kornfeind v. New Werner Holding Co., Inc., 280 A.3d 918 (Pa. 2022).
In a product liability case involving MacAvoy’s client who was catastrophically injured after falling from a ladder, in a published decision, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court held that Pennyslvania cannot “borrow” other states’ statutes of repose. Specifically, Pennsylvania’s “borrowing statute” (the Uniform Statute of Limitations on Foreign Claims Act) did not apply to statutes of repose.
Kornfeind v. New Werner Holding Co., Inc., 241 A.3d 1212 (Pa. Super. 2020).
In a product liability case involving MacAvoy’s client who was catastrophically injured after falling from a ladder, in a published decision, the Pennsylvania Superior Court held, inter alia, the following: Pennsylvania’s “borrowing statute” (the Uniform Statute of Limitations on Foreign Claims Act) did not apply to statutes of repose; the court could not decide choice-of-law question between Pennsylvania law and Illinois law because there was a question of fact regarding the location of the ladder’s design; trial court did not abuse its discretion in declining to hold, on motion for summary judgment, that language in bankruptcy court's sales order relieved asset purchaser of all liability.
News and Articles
Contributor to PA Justice News (publication of Pennsylvania Association for Justice).
Three-time guest legal commentator on Fox Business Channel’s “Money with Melissa Francis”
Panelist and lecturer at legal seminars educating colleagues on topics ranging from liquor liability, litigation strategy, and case value.