Opgenorth, Ryan H.

John Orlando is an experienced trial attorney who has tried more than 60 cases over a 27-year law career.  These trials have involved clients who were both plaintiffs and defendants.  Although a majority of the cases have centered on products liability, Mr. Orlando has also tried cases arising from construction accidents, automobile and trucking accidents, dram shop claims, civil rights claims and premises liability claims.  Because of his trial experience and his preference for trial work, Mr. Orlando has had the opportunity to work within several of the firm’s practice groups.  He has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in various alternate dispute resolution forums.  He has also served as a mediator and an arbitrator.

A significant portion of Mr. Orlando’s practice involves representing both plaintiffs and manufacturers in product liability cases.  He has tried cases in both state and federal courts involving products such as power and punch presses,  riveting machines, industrial mixers, overhead and gantry cranes, boom cranes, high lift devices and scaffolding equipment, lift trucks and other material handling equipment and conveyor systems, beverage delivery trailers, dump truck bodies, brake systems, bottle labeling machines, coating and caulking materials, racing bicycles, helmets, wire rope and cables, industrial foot switches, exercise equipment and children’s toys.

A portion of Mr. Orlando’s practice involves representing seriously injured individuals, helping them and their families recover from the devastating physical, emotional, and financial effects of their injuries.  He has represented both adults and children, many of whom are related to firm members, who have been seriously injured at work, at school, on various playing fields, on local streets and highways and on public and private premises.

Mr. Orlando has written the trial preparation chapter for the Trial Tactics Continuing Legal Education course.  He has also presented courses for Continuing Legal Education on such topics as products liability updates, use of demonstrative evidence including videotaped demonstrations in product liability cases, and the use of expert witnesses in product liability cases.  His speaking engagements have focused on presenting Continuing Legal Education seminars as well as seminars to claim professionals covering topics such as trial preparation, trial techniques, opening statements, product liability claims, civil rights litigation, police misconduct litigation and premises liability claims.

Mr. Orlando received his B.S. in accounting from St. Joseph's University in 1975. Before attending law school, Mr. Orlando was an auditor and a local police officer. He received his J.D., cum laude, from the Temple University School of Law in 1983. During law school, he was both a published author and an editor of the Temple Law Review. 

In 2009, 2010 and 2011, Mr. Orlando was selected in a survey of his peers as a Pennsylvania "Super Lawyer" by Law & Politics magazine in the trial category. He has been AV rated by the Martindale-Hubbell peer review rating system.