Daniel B. McLane

Partner

  • Daniel B. McLane
  • Phone: +1 412 497 1032

    Import to Address Book

  • Duane Morris LLP
    625 Liberty Avenue, Suite 1000
    Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3112
    USA

Daniel B. McLane serves as lead trial counsel in commercial litigation in state and federal trial and appellate courts and before the American Arbitration Association. Mr. McLane represents corporations in complex litigation including closely held shareholder disputes and custodian proceedings. He also represents oil and gas exploration companies in litigation throughout Pennsylvania.

Mr. McLane is a 1995 cum laude graduate of Syracuse University College of Law and a graduate of Roanoke College.

 

Representative Matters

  • Served as lead trial counsel for Beemac Driver Management, LLC in the matter of Beemac Driver Management, LLC v. Lester Young (Beaver County Court of Common Pleas). The court entered a judgment in favor of the client, Beemac Driver Management, LLC and specifically entered injunctive relief against the defendant.

  • Represented Deemac Services, LLC as lead trial counsel in a jury trial that was conducted in the Western District of Pennsylvania in the matter of Deemac Services, LLC v. Republic Steel (WDPA No. 2:20-cv-1466 WSS). 

  • Obtained a jury verdict following consolidated trials in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania on behalf of clients Beemac, Inc. and Deemac Services, LLC, which initiated their lawsuits against Republic Steel after it failed to pay substantial amounts due for interstate trucking and logistics services. The Court entered partial summary judgment in the amount of $2.5 million in favor of clients for damages on their breach of contract claims and set the remaining damage claims for trial, where the jury’s verdict of $1.4 million in additional damages will result in a total judgment in favor of Beemac and Deemac in excess of $3.9 million.

  • Represented Beemac Trucking, LLC and Beemac Logistics, LLC in ongoing proceedings in the Beaver County Court of Common Pleas defending claims of tortious interference with respect to the non-solicitation provisions in the employment agreements certain employees had with their prior employer.

  • Secured a summary judgment ruling on behalf of Columbiana Grinding, LLC in a closely held shareholder dispute in Ohio, where the plaintiff moved to have Columbiana dissolved and liquidated under Ohio Code, which was repealed and revised after the case was filed. There was no Ohio law on point under the former statute or the new one, but the court adopted the team's Motion for Summary Judgment and issued in favor of Columbiana.

Admissions

  • 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 First Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
  • U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

Education

  • Syracuse University College of Law, J.D., cum laude, 1995
  • Roanoke College, B.A., 1992

Experience

  • Duane Morris LLP
    - Partner, 2021-present
  • Eckert Seamans
    - Partner, 2003-2021
    - Associate, 1995-2002

Professional Activities

  • Allegheny County Bar Association

Honors and Awards

Selected Publications

  • “2020 in Review: Virtual Litigation,” pages 28-29, Bloomberg Law Practice Perspectives, December 2020

  • “Avoid Losing Control of a Remote Witness: Some Suggestions,” Bloomberg Law Insight, November 9, 2020

  • “Guidelines for Handling Exhibits in a Socially Distanced Courtroom,” Bloomberg Law Professional Perspective, November 2020

  • “A Primer on Oil and Gas Arbitrations,” Oil and Gas Investor, March 2017

  • “Inadvertent loss of the attorney-client privilege in a corporate transaction,” Westlaw Journal Professional Liability, January 2017

  • “Inadvertent Loss of the Attorney/Client Privilege in a Corporate Transaction,” Wall Street Lawyer, November 2016

Media Hits

  • “Steel mill ordered to pay $4.6M to trucking company, affiliate,” Freight Waves, August 28, 2023

  • “Courts attempt to balance innovation with access in remote proceedings,” ABA Journal, February 1, 2021

  • “Energy Co. Is Owed $500K For Withheld Gas Sale Proceeds,” Law360, January 13, 2021

  • “Pa. Justices to Mull No-Hire Clauses Between Businesses,” Law360, July 25, 2019

  • “Justices’ Potential Ruling on No-Hire Pacts Could Mean ‘Major Shift’ for Pa. Employers,” The Legal Intelligencer, July 25, 2019

  • “Nearly $200,000 in attorney fees sought in oil, gas lease fight,” Westlaw Journal Environmental, January 18, 2017

  • “Wholesaler Files Suit Against Rivertowne Over Distribution Deal,” Pittsburgh-Tribune Review, October 7, 2015

  • “Finding Common Ground Paramount to Judge,” Sharon Herald, March 5, 2014

  • “Judge’s Action Upholds Founder’s Firing,” Sharon Herald, March 23, 2014

  • “Lawsuit Involving Two Westmoreland Firms Settled for $3.5M,” Pittsburgh-Tribune Review, April 2, 2014

  • “Paramount Games Lawsuit Settled,” Sharon Herald, August 15, 2014

  • “Family Feud Over Wilpen Hall Heads to Court,” Pittsburgh-Tribune Review, July 23, 2013

  • “Equitable Facing $320K Fine in Blast,” Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, March 2, 2006

  • “PUC Blames Equitable for Ross House Explosion,” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, March 3, 2006

Selected Speaking Engagements

  • "Attorney-Client Privilege and Work Product," presentation to in-house legal counsel at Wabtec, November 10, 2021

  • Presenter, “Modern Transactions and Historical Clauses: The Effect of Legacy Agreements on Current Interest Conveyances,” Pennsylvania Independent Oil & Gas Association 2019 Fall Conference, September 2019

  • Co-presenter, “News You Can Use,” Eckert Seamans’ Human Resources Forum, May 2016

  • “Trials in the Real World: How Things are Done in the Federal Court in Western Pennsylvania,” Federal Court Section of the Allegheny County Bar Association, March 3, 2011