About

Mr. Werley focuses his practice on complex litigation matters. Representative matters include cases involving trucking, construction, mass transit, products and premises liability and construction matters where defective design or construction is alleged. He also handles professional liablity matters involving allegations of professional malpractice. He has successfully handled matters dealing with wrongful arrest and detention, corporate litigation and shareholder and partnership disputes.Many of the matters he handles involve claims of serious and catastrophic damages and oftentimes is called upon to deploy complex strategies and legal theories.  He has handled matters both on the claims side as well as individuals with various business disputes.  Although he prides himself in being aggressive, the advice he provides to clients is always focused upon achieving their goals and tempered with commonsense approaches to resolve matters to their benefit.  Mr. Werley lectures his fellow colleagues in matters dealing with the art of trial advocacy and both state and federal practice.He was lead trial counsel for Griffin Campbell in the historic civil trial arising from the tragic collapse of a four story building and destruction of the adjacent Salvation Army thrift store located in downtown Philadelphia during the summer of 2013. Suit was filed by customers, employees and the estates of customers and employees injured or killed inside the store during the morning hours of June 5, 2013. The trial commenced with jury selection in early September, 2016. The liability verdict in this case, which was bifurcated between liability and damages, was rendered during the waning days of January, 2017. It is believed this was the longest civil jury trial in the history of Philadelphia. Mr. Werley defended Campbell, the demolition contractor hired to perform the demolition of the four story structure which abutted the Salvation Army. Campbell was tried and convicted of six counts of involuntary manslaughter, causing a catastrophe and aggravated assault prior to the commencement of the civil trial. Also sued were the excavator operator, the building’s owners, and an architect that served as the owners’ representative on the project. The Salvation Army was also a named Defendant. Campbell’s liability was predetermined as a matter of law in light of the criminal convictions, but Mr. Werley defended Campbell vigorously at trial as there were still questions of whether Campbell acted extremely and outrageously and what percentage of fault should be assigned to Campbell during the apportionment phase of the jury’s deliberations. The jury determined that Campbell’s co-defendants were primarily liable, assessing him only 1% of the negligence. The case settled during the damages phase of trial. 

Practices Areas

Litigation

Car Accident

Personal Injury

Brain injury

Trucking accident

Civil Rights

Language

English

Contact

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