Fine, Kaplan and Black, R.P.C.

Donald L. Perelman

Donald L. Perelman, of counsel, is a graduate of the University of Michigan Law School (J.D., magna cum laude, 1980). Mr. Perelman has extensive experience in the conduct of antitrust, class action and other complex litigation, and has been named a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer by Philadelphia Magazine. The U.S. Legal 500 listed Mr. Perelman as one of the nation's "leading lawyers" in the field of antitrust class actions and Benchmark Plaintiffs identified Mr. Perelman as one of its "Local Litigation Stars."

He is senior member of the co-lead counsel team in the Urethanes Antitrust Litigation, which has resulted in settlements with three defendants totaling $139 million. The litigation against the remaining defendant has been tried before a jury resulting in a verdict for plaintiffs in excess of $400,000,000. Mr. Perelman is also on the Executive Committee in the In re Payment Card Interchange Fee and Merchant Discount Antitrust Litigation, in which a $7 billion settlement has been granted preliminary approval. He served as a member of the Plaintiffs' Executive Committee in the In re Linerboard Antitrust Litigation, and was part of the core team that litigated this case until a settlement for more than $200 million was reached in 2003. In the OSB Antitrust Litigation, which settled shortly before trial for more than $125 million, Mr. Perelman served as a member of the Plaintiffs' Executive Committee and played an integral role in the factual and theoretical development of this complex conspiracy case. In the In re Polypropylene Carpet Antitrust Litigation, he was a key member of the team that defeated defendants' summary judgment and Daubert motions. He also served as Co-Discovery Chair in the In re Commercial Explosives Antitrust Litigation, and was principally responsible for the management of the discovery programs in Lawrence v. Phillip Morris and Transamerican Refining v. Dravo.

Mr. Perelman was lead counsel in Cummings v. Stewart Title Guaranty Company, a title insurance overcharge class action, which resulted in the distribution of more than $4 million to thousands of property owners in Pennsylvania. In approving the settlement, the Court stated that "this case struck me as really why we should have class actions." Mr. Perelman was also co-counsel for Respondents in First Options of Chicago, Inc. v. Kaplan, 514 U.S. 938 (1995). In that case, which was argued by John G. Roberts, Jr., who was then a Partner at Hogan & Hartson and is now Chief Justice of the United States Supreme Court, Mr. Perelman's clients won a unanimous ruling by the United States Supreme Court.

Mr. Perelman is also a long-standing member of the Executive Committee of the PMFMNB, which will soon be entering its 10th (and hopefully not last) year in operation. See Monday night lights. He is a past recipient of the distinguished Commissioner's Award and a three-time Defensive Player of the Year.

Practice Areas

  • Class Actions
  • Antitrust

Bar Admissions

  • Illinois, 1980
  • Pennsylvania, 1983

Education

  • The University of Michigan Law School, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 1980, J.D.
    Honors: magna cum laude
  • Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA, 1976, B.A.
    Honors: magna cum laude

Representative Cases

  • In re Urethane [Polyether Polyols] Antitrust Litigation, 2012 WL 6610878 (D. Kan. Dec. 18, 2012)
  • In re OSB Antitrust Litig., 2007 WL 2253418 (E.D. Pa. 2007)
  • Cummings v. Stewart Title Guaranty Co., No. 00747 (Phila. Com. Pl. 2005)
  • In re Linerboard Antitrust Litigation, 305 F.3d 145 (3rd Cir. 2002)
  • In re Polypropylene Carpet Antitrust Litigation, 93 F. Supp. 2d 1348 (N.D. GA 2000)
  • In re Commercial Explosives Antitrust Litigation, MDL No. 1093 (D. Utah 1996)
  • Lawrence v. Phillip Morris, CIV 94-1494 (E.D.N.Y. 1997)
  • Transamerican Refining v. Dravo Corp, CIV H-88-781 (S.D.N.Y. 1990)