PRACTICES
OVERVIEW
Vince Barbera is an experienced commercial litigator serving his clients as a true partner and business advisor with an eye toward their short and long-term business and litigation goals and objectives. Having represented a variety of businesses of all sizes and spanning many industries, Vince is well-versed in a wide range of litigation and arbitration matters including those involving restrictive covenants, intellectual property, unfair competition claims, RICO claims, partnership and shareholder disputes, real estate disputes, professional liability claims, business torts, and various contract-based disputes. He has vast experience protecting companies’ proprietary products or techniques, confidential information, and client goodwill. Clients look to Vince for cost-effective and business-minded solutions, and appreciate his holistic approach when evaluating each legal issue and developing a strategy to achieve the client’s goals.
When a client’s case cannot be resolved amicably, Vince brings his considerable litigation and trial experience to bear as a dedicated advocate for his clients. As lead counsel, Vince has tried both jury and non-jury commercial cases to verdict and has argued commercial cases before federal and state courts in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and various other states and jurisdictions around the country. Vince has also handled appellate matters before the Pennsylvania Superior Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Third and Eighth Circuits.
Outside of work, Vince is an avid outdoorsman and golfer and enjoys spending time with his wife and three young children. He also devotes time to coaching his children’s various sports teams.
Recognition and Involvement
Recognition & Involvement
Vince provides pro bono legal advice and counsel through Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, a non-profit legal services organization that offers legal assistance to artists and cultural organizations, and Philadelphia V.I.P.
He is actively involved in the local legal community, having held leadership roles in the Philadelphia Bar Association, the Justinian Society of Philadelphia, and the Lawyers’ Club of Philadelphia.
Vince is recognized as a Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America since 2023 in the area of Commercial Litigation. Vince has been selected by his peers as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer “Rising Star” each year from 2014–2023 in the area of Business Litigation. In 2019, Vince was named an “Influencer of the Law” by the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Vince’s love of trial advocacy dates back to law school, where he was a member of Villanova Law School’s National Trial Team and won the Lone Star Classic, a national invitational mock trial tournament in San Antonio, Texas. After law school, Vince served as a member of the Adjunct Faculty at Villanova Law School and coached the National Trial Team from 2009 - 2016. He continues to devote time to aid in the development of the next generation of trial lawyers by serving as a volunteer judge at both high school and law school mock trial tournaments.
Credentials
Bar and Court Admissions
Pennsylvania
New Jersey
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Arkansas
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Arkansas
U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
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. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit
Education
Villanova University School of Law, JD, 2009
College of the Holy Cross, BA, 2006
News & Insights
Memberships
Holy Cross Club of Philadelphia
Justinian Society of Philadelphia
Pennsylvania Bar Association
Philadelphia Bar Association
REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS
- Leonetti’s Frozen Foods, Inc. v. Crew, Inc., 887 F.3d 438 (8th Cir. 2018) Briefed and argued appeal of adverse summary judgment decision before the United States Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, resulting in the reversal of the District Court’s decision in favor of a locally-based food manufacturing company. A seven-figure settlement was thereafter obtained for the client
- Co-lead trial counsel in Pennsylvania state court in bench trial in breach of restrictive covenant matter. Verdict for client in excess of $1M
- Lead trial counsel in Pennsylvania state court in four-day jury trial in breach of contract matter. Jury verdict for full amount of client’s claim
- Lead trial counsel in five-day jury trial of complex commercial dispute in Pennsylvania state court involving claims of breach of contract and warranties
- Obtained injunction in favor of corporate client, enforcing terms of non-solicit provision and later moved for and secured award of sanctions against opposing parties for violating the terms of the injunction order
- Tried complex AAA commercial arbitration as co-lead trial counsel for corporate client in breach of contract action and obtained full verdict for client
- Defeated motion for preliminary injunction seeking to preclude enforcement of a restrictive covenant in Pennsylvania state court
- Secured preliminary injunction in favor of corporate client enforcing restrictive covenants against multiple former employees and their current employer in federal court
- Secured temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction enforcing restrictive covenants and preventing the use and dissemination of confidential information in federal court
- Defended home health care company accused of trademark infringement. Plaintiff ultimately agreed to a walk-away settlement
- Prevailed on a motion to dismiss intellectual property claims against a corporate client for lack of personal jurisdiction in federal court
- Briefed and secured Rule 12(b)(6) dismissal of Dragonetti and abuse of process claims against attorney client in federal court
- Secured preliminary injunction requiring corporate director to take action consistent with prior vote in favor of board resolution
- Represented shareholders of closely-held corporations in shareholder oppression litigation in the Chancery Division of the New Jersey Superior Court