Thomas J. Duffy

Tom Duffy is the founder of the firm and oversees all cases handled by the attorneys, which include motor vehicle accidents, trucking accidents, construction accidents, product liability, premises liability, negligent security, medical malpractice, birth injury, emergency room injury, spinal cord injury, misdiagnosis, general personal injury, clergy sexual abuse, aviation disasters, boating accidents, explosions/burn injuries and athletic injury. 

It all started in 1988, when he left a promising career and partnership track at a large Philadelphia firm to establish his own practice, a practice that has developed into an experienced and respected team of attorneys and staff with one focus—helping individuals and families who are the victims of catastrophic injury.

He is regarded by some as the top personal injury lawyer in Pennsylvania, and has  obtained 8-figure settlements and verdicts on behalf of clients, including the largest medical malpractice settlement in Pennsylvania history. 

He was called a “unicorn” by Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice Dan McCaffery, with “unparalleled” success. 

“If you think about the Mount Rushmore of American trial lawyers, Tom Duffy’s face is right up on that mountain,” said McCaffery. “He is probably one of the top...trial lawyers in America.”

Tom has received countless distinctions, awards and titles as testimony to his work and influence in the legal community, such as

  • Best Lawyers in America “Lawyer of the Year” for Plaintiffs Personal Injury Litigation in Philadelphia 
  • Being selected annually to the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers “Top Ten in Pennsylvania” list 
  • Receiving the prestigious Justice Michael A. Musmanno Award from his peers in the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association

He has an "AV" rating - the highest one possible - from LexisNexis Martindale Hubbell, and is listed in Martindale Hubbell’s Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers. He is also a member of the National Trial Lawyers Association, an invitation-only group comprised of the top trial lawyers in the United States.  

A respected attorney in his field who has successfully argued before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Tom authored the closing chapter of the book "Medical-Legal Aspects of Pain and Suffering,” and is a lecturer who has given countless educational presentations on trial practice. 

In 2016, he was selected to deliver the prestigious “Kolsby Lecture” to students and faculty of Temple University’s James E. Beasley School of Law and is invited back to Temple Law annually to teach the advanced advocacy skills class “Masters of Litigation.” 

He has been called to appear before the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania House Insurance Subcommittee to discuss legislation involving medical malpractice claims in Pennsylvania, and also addressed the Medical Legal Committee of the Philadelphia Bar Association on how to maintain credibility and control in court. He also served with distinction as President of the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association and was named in 2015 to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Judicial Selection Commission.

Tom dedicates thousands of hours to a number of charitable causes, such as Magee Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation, where he is a member of the board of trustees. Magee honored him with its "Champion in the Community" award in 2009, and in 2016 named a portion of its rooftop Creative Therapy Center and Healing Gardens “Duffy Avenue” in recognition of his contributions. 

In 2023, he was the recipient of the prestigious Jefferson Moss-Magee Humanitarian Award, joining a distinguished group of past honorees who have contributed positively to the Philadelphia region and are dedicated to improving the lives of individuals with disabilities. This includes former Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, former PA Governor Ed Rendell and retired NFL coach Dick Vermeil. 

Other nonprofits benefitting from his volunteer service include the Irish American Cultural Institute of Philadelphia, the Homeless Advocacy Project, and HelpHOPELive, who named him a “Community Hero” in 2010. 

In 2012, Tom established the prestigious “Duffy Fellowship,” which provides funds to underwrite the salaries of staff attorneys at several legal service organizations in Philadelphia, including the Legal Clinic for the Disabled, Community Legal Services, and the Homeless Advocacy Project. In 2023, Tom expanded the Fellow program to include ten students from Temple University’s Beasley School of Law working in public interest roles in various organizations around the region for the summer, bringing the total number of Duffy Fellows to 16. 

In recognition of the impact the Duffy Fellows have had, The Legal Clinic for the Disabled gave Tom its esteemed “Special Recognition Award” in 2012 and again in 2018; the Hispanic Bar Association of Pennsylvania honored Tom with its prestigious “La Justicia” award in 2014 for his positive impact on the Latino community; Community Legal Services celebrated his philanthropy in 2015 with its “Champion of Justice” award, and in 2023 the Homeless Advocacy Project honored Tom at its annual benefit. 

Education

  • Marist College (B.A., cum laude)
  • Temple University (J.D.)

Admissions

  • Pennsylvania
  • New Jersey
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
  • United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
  • United States District Court for the District of New Jersey
  • United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Awards and Honors

  • National Trial Lawyers Association Top 100 (2011-present)
  • Pennsylvania Super Lawyers (2004-Present), Top Ten in Pennsylvania (2016-Present), Top 100 in Pennsylvania (2007-Present), Top 100 in Philadelphia (2007-Present)
  • The Best Lawyers in America (2003-Present), 2016 “Lawyer of the Year” for Plaintiffs Personal Injury Litigation in Philadelphia
  • “Boutique Injury Law Firm of the Year,” Corporate INTL Magazine (2024)
  • PaLaw Largest Awards and Settlements of 2023
  • Jefferson Moss-Magee 2023 Humanitarian Award recipient
  • Event honoree, Homeless Advocacy Project 2023 Annual Benefit
  • Named to Top 25 Medical Malpractice Trial Lawyers Association, 2023
  • VerdictSearch Top Pennsylvania Verdicts of 2019
  • Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association Justice Michael A. Musmanno Award (2018)
  • VerdictSearch Top Pennsylvania Verdicts of 2018
  • Legal Clinic for the Disabled “Special Recognition Award” (2018)
  • “Catastrophic Injury Law Firm of the Year,” Corporate INTL Magazine (2017)
  • “AAA Business Award,” Adam Taliaferro Foundation (2017)
  • VerdictSearch Top Pennsylvania Verdicts of 2015 (noted as the single largest Premises Liability settlement in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in all of 2015)
  • Community Legal Services “Champion of Justice” (2015)
  • The Legal Intelligencer PaLaw Largest Awards and Settlements of 2014
  • Hispanic Bar Association of Pennsylvania La Justicia Award (2014)
  • The Legal Intelligencer PaLaw Largest Awards and Settlements of 2013
  • Philadelphia Business Journal Largest Legal Judgements of 2013
  • VerdictSearch Top Pennsylvania Verdicts of 2013
  • Legal Clinic for the Disabled “Special Recognition Award” (2012)
  • VerdictSearch Top Pennsylvania Verdicts of 2012
  • Irish Legal 100 (2011)
  • National Law Journal Top 100 Verdicts in the Nation of 2011
  • The Legal Intelligencer PaLaw Largest Awards and Settlements of 2011
  • VerdictSearch Top Pennsylvania Verdicts of 2011
  • National Transplant Assistance Fund (NTAF): Community Hero Award (2010)
  • The Legal Intelligencer “Top Cases, 2011”
  • VerdictSearch Top Pennsylvania Verdicts of 2010
  • Philadelphia Business Journal Largest Legal Judgements of 2010
  • Magee Rehabilitation Hospital Champion in the Community Award (2009)
  • The Legal Intelligencer PaLaw Largest Awards and Settlements of 2008

Memberships

  • International Academy of Trial Lawyers (Fellow)
  • American Association for Justice
  • American Bar Association
  • American College of Trial Lawyers (Fellow)
  • Lawyer Pilots Association
  • Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Disciplinary Board Hearing Committee (Chairman)
  • Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Committee on Rules of Evidence
  • Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Judicial Selection Commission
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association
  • Pennsylvania Association For Justice (Champion of Justice)
  • Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers
  • Philadelphia Bar Association
  • Philadelphia Bar Foundation (Advocates of Justice)
  • Philadelphia Legal Assistance (Board of Directors)
  • Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association (Secretary, Board of Directors, 2012-2013 President)
  • Temple University Academy of Trial Advocacy (Faculty)
  • Community Legal Services (Board of Directors)
  • Committee for a Better Tomorrow
  • Homeless Advocacy Project (Board of Directors)
  • Magee Rehabilitation Hospital Foundation (Board of Directors)
  • Millville Army Air Field Museum (Board of Directors)
  • New Jersey State Bar Association
  • New Jersey Association for Justice
  • Philadelphia Legal Assistance (Board of Directors)

Speaking Engagements

Articles and Publications

  • "A Plaintiffs’ Attorney’s Perspective,” Medical-Legal Aspects of Pain and Suffering, Lawyers & Judges Publishing Company, Inc., (2003)