Charles Eppolito, III Partner

Chuck Eppolito has found much success in his legal career thanks to his preparation, diligence, advocacy skills and ability to relate to clients and jurors.  Additionally, his experience – having practiced in approximately 20 different counties or other jurisdictions, both state and federal, throughout the Commonwealth – has contributed to successes as well.

His practice consists primarily of medical malpractice defense as well as other insurance-related defense, including general negligence, electrical engineering and product liability issues in utilities cases.  Chuck strives to serve as an advocate for his clients.  His clients include hospitals and physicians throughout Pennsylvania, utility companies and insurance carriers, including primary, excess and reinsurance, throughout the nation. 

Chuck has tried many medical and psychiatric malpractice cases to verdict in jury trials and has arbitrated others to successful resolution. He has done so in many fields/specialties, including: cardiology, cardiothoracic surgery, nephrology, neurosurgery, obstetrics/gynecology, orthopedics, pharmacology, psychology, and urology. Chuck has also participated in numerous catastrophic medical malpractice and brain injury cases.  He has significant experience in mediating cases and has secured many favorable outcomes through the alternative dispute resolution process. 

Chuck is a member of the firm's Operations Committee. He also leads the firm's internal CLE programming, coordinating monthly educational programs on legal issues across various practice areas.

Chuck is an investigative panel member of Pennsylvania's Judicial Evaluation Commission responsible for interviewing and evaluating trial and appellate judicial candidates. He has served as a Hearing Committee Member of the Disciplinary Board of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Chuck is also a Board member of the Justinian Society of Philadelphia. In addition, Chuck is an active member of the American, Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Bar Associations, holding a number of leadership positions throughout his career.

American Bar Association

• House of Delegates (2005 - 2007; 2012 - present)
  • Select Committee of the House of Delegates (2012 - present)
  • Tellers Committee of the House of Delegates (2006 - 2007)
• Medical Professional Liability Standing Committee (2007 - Present)
• Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section (TIPS) (2007 - Present)
• TIPS Medicine and Law Committee:
  • Chair (2009 - 2010)
  • Member (2007 – Present)
• Bioethics and the Law, Special Committee (2010 – Present)

Pennsylvania Bar Association

• House of Delegates (2001 - Present)
  • Chair (2011 – 2013)
  • Member (2001 – Present)
• Secretary (2006 - 2009)
• Board of Governors (2001 - 2004, 2007 - 2010, 2011 - Present)
• Chair, Young Lawyers Division (2002 - 2003)

Philadelphia Bar Association

• Environmental and Energy Law Committee, Co-chair (2012 - present)
• Young Lawyers Division Executive Committee (2003 - 2009)
• Insurance Committee (2003 - 2005)

Representative Matters

• Obtained a defense verdict in a jury trial in a medical malpractice case tried in Harrisburg, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Plaintiff was a 42-year-old with severe coronary artery disease and aortic stenosis who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting and aortic valve replacement. He died shortly after surgery due to multiple complications. The case was submitted to the jury for determination after nearly one week of trial; the jury returned a unanimous defense verdict, specifically finding no negligence (and not reaching the question of causation), in less than 30 minutes.

• Obtained a defense verdict in a medical malpractice case tried in Dauphin County, Pennsylvania. Plaintiff, a 19-year-old mother, alleged failure to timely diagnose and treat a spinal fracture suffered during childbirth, resulting in total disability. The jury found that the defendants were not negligent. 

• Obtained a defense verdict in an arbitration proceeding in a medical malpractice and informed consent case in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Plaintiff was a 25-year-old who underwent oral surgery for removal of three impacted molars. Thereafter, he experienced pain, bleeding and other complications requiring additional surgery. The case was tried before three arbitrators who found in favor of both defendants on all issues and claims, in less than 15 minutes.

Recognition & Involvement

Chuck has received the Exceptional Achievement Award in 2010 from the Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section of the American Bar Association.  He has been named a Lawyer on the Fast Track (2007) by Pennsylvania Law Weekly and the Legal Intelligencer.  He was the recipient of the Excellence in Service Award presented by the Pennsylvania Bar Association.  Chuck has also been named by a survey of his peers as a Pennsylvania Rising Star and Super Lawyer by Law & Politics magazine since 2005.