Dennis T. Kearney
Dennis Kearney represents corporations, nonprofit organizations, and financial institutions in all facets of complex civil and criminal litigation. He is mentioned prominently in the book, The Jersey Sting, which acknowledges his role in shutting down the largest real estate Ponzi Scheme in New Jersey history, perpetrated by Solomon Dwek. He was featured on the television show American Greed for breaking the Dwek case open. At trial, he successfully defended a national bank against RICO allegations and kickbacks in the securities market. He secured a jury verdict of 'no cause' on behalf of a healthcare professional who was alleged to have violated referral laws. On behalf of a national franchisor, he successfully prosecuted to jury verdict trademark infringement claims. Dennis tried the first bank valuation case under New Jersey's new standards of review, a case involving five valuation experts and charges that the bank board breached its fiduciary duty to shareholders.
Dennis was formerly an assistant prosecutor, from 1980-1984, with the Essex County prosecutor's office, where he conducted more than 50 jury trials and 25 bench trials, including murder, armed robbery, sexual assault, and extortion. In private practice, he has conducted numerous federal and state jury and nonjury trials in such areas as RICO, trademark infringement, bank fraud, and civil rights violations.
He is Chairman of the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium, a non-profit organization of 23 New Jersey universities and colleges, headquartered at Fort Hancock on Sandy Hook. The Consortium is devoted to maritime research, outreach and coastal preservation.
Recent representative cases that went to trial and verdict include:
- Successful defense of a $30 million class-action suit against a bank that reorganized through a cash-out merger under Subchapter S
- Successful prosecution of two Lanham Act (trademark infringement) cases in the United States District Courts for the Southern District of New York and the District of New Jersey
- Successful defense of a top 10 national bank against a $20 million claim involving RICO, bribery and fraud
Other recent cases include:
- Successful defense at trial of fraud claims against a brokerage house and its employees
- Successful defense of a financial institution before the SEC and a federal grand jury
- Prosecution of fraud claims against corporations and individuals who set up a massive scheme to overbill an insurance carrier for Lyme Disease treatment
Chosen for inclusion in Chambers USA Legal Directory (Chambers & Partners) as a leading litigation: general commercial lawyer, 2004-2017
Chosen for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White, Inc.), Commercial Litigation, 2006-2021
Chosen for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America (Woodward/White, Inc.), White Collar Criminal Defense, 2006-2021
Selected to the list of New Jersey Super Lawyers (Thomson Reuters), Business Litigation, Banking, Criminal Defense, White Collar, 2005-2018
Selected to the list of Super Lawyers Corporate Counsel edition (Thomson Reuters), 2010
AV Preeminent rated by Martindale-Hubbell (LexisNexis)
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