Alexander D. Bono

is a trial lawyer and advisor. His practice concentrates on financial, banking, real estate, consumer and securities issues, including regulatory investigations and corporate governance. Mr. Bono leverages his more than 30 years' experience to advise and represent financial institutions, real estate developers and entrepreneurs on a host of issues, including the defense of class action suits. He adds unique perspective to his representation of client needs because he served as general counsel at a publicly traded bank. He also has represented executives and corporations in shareholder derivative claims and litigation charging breach of fiduciary duties, mismanagement and fraud.

Mr. Bono handles a wide variety of banking-related matters, including the prosecution and defense of claims involving:

•Lender liability
•Class Actions
•Asset Recovery
•Uniform Commercial Code
•Loan Defaults
•Foreclosures
•Real Estate/bank branches

Mr. Bono's practice also involves the prosecution and defense of real-estate-related claims, including:

•Acquisitions and Sales
•Leases
•Financing
•Brownfield Redevelopment
•Environmental
•Professional Service Providers
•Materials Suppliers

In addition, Mr. Bono defends broker-dealer related disputes, including court and arbitration matters regarding investor claims, and has represented clients such as:

•TD Wealth Management Inc.
•Royal Alliance, including defense of federal Multidistrict Litigation issues arising from an alleged Ponzi scheme.
•Morgan Stanley
•Janney Montgomery Scott
•Dean Witter Reynolds
•Prudential-Bache Securities
•InvestaCorp., Inc.
•Commerce Capital Markets

He also has defended numerous formal and informal investigations by the US Securities and Exchange Commission, including:

•Global Software Company, U.S. subsidiary and employees
•publicly traded bank, broker dealer subsidiary and employees
•publicly traded software gaming developer
•publicly traded computer peripheral company and employees
•publicly traded debt collection company and employees
•International accounting firm and partners
•Jos. Schlitz Brewing Company, board and employees

Mr. Bono is a 1977 graduate of Temple University, Beasley School of Law, where he was research editor for Temple Law Quarterly, and a magna cum laude graduate of La Salle University.

Experience

•Duane Morris LLP
- Partner, 2009-present
•Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis LLP
- Partner, 2007-2009
•Commerce Bancorp, Inc.
- General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, 2004-2007
•Blank Rome LLP
- Partner, 1986-2004
- Associate, 1978-1986
•Dennis H. Eisman & Associates, P.C.
- Associate, 1977-1978

Honors and Awards

•Part of the Duane Morris team awarded the first TD Bank U.S. Legal Champion Award

•Listed in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, 2004 and 2010-2019

•AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell

Civic and Charitable Activities

•Catholic Health Care Services, Archdiocese of Philadelphia
- Board Member, 2008-2013
•Catholic Social Services
- Board Member, 2000-2005

Publications

Selected Publications

•Keys to Corporate Governance and Updating Policies (Thomson/Aspatore 2008)
• SEC Enforcement: Investigations, Actions and 2008 Trends, The Legal Intelligencer, April 2008
•New Millennium Class Actions, National Business Institute, 2000
•Editor and Drafting Co-Chair, Model Jury Instructions in Securities Litigation, American Bar Association, 1996
• The Scope of Tracing to Establish Section 11 Standing, Securities News, American Bar Association, Fall 1996
•Co-author, Audit Committees, Corporate Practice Series, BNA, 1995
•Civil and Criminal Liability: What the Accountant Needs to Know, Center for Professional Education, Inc., 1993
•Co-author, Civil RICO in Securities/Banking Cases, Civil RICO Practice: Causes of Action, Wiley Law Pub., 1992
•Co-author, Consulting Liabilities, Journal of Accountancy, AICPA, November 1992
• Validity of Class Actions Proofs of Claims in Bankruptcy, Commercial Law Journal, Fall 1991
• Counsel Fees: Percentage Approach on the Rise, The National Law Journal, September 1990
• Securities Litigation: Fraud on the Market in the Third Circuit, The Barrister, Spring 1988

Speaking Engagements

Selected Speaking Engagements

•Panelist, Fraud on Your Finance Department - Risks, Rules and Recommendations for Preventing Bank Account Frauds, Association of Corporate Counsel - Greater Philadelphia’s 11th Annual In-House Counsel Conference, Philadelphia, April 24, 2019

•Panelist, Key Legal Issues CEOs Must Be Aware Of, SmartCEO Magazine Roundtable, April 2016
•Panelist, Planning the Unplannable: Alternative Fee Arrangements (AFAs), TD Bank Group's Biannual Lawyers Conference, April 2016
•Panelist, CLE Presentation: Know Your Customer, March 2016
•Panelist, CLE Presentation: Managing Bankruptcy Risks in Commercial Real Estate Lending, October 29, 2015
•Panelist, Commercial Equipment Lease Financing - Risk Factors and Recent Trends, May 2015
•Panelist, CLE Presentation: Attorney Client Privilege, Work Product Doctrine and Other Privileges for In-House Counsel, April 2015
• Final Trial Preparation, Temple University School of Law LL.M. Advocacy Program, December 1997
• Accountant Civil Liability, Center for Professional Education, Inc., June 1994
• Civil Liability: What the Accountant Needs to Know, Center for Professional Education, Inc., June 1993
• How to Limit Your Malpractice Exposure as a Financial Advisor, International Association for Financial Planning, February 1992
• Potential Liability for Consultants, Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants, January 1992