Jason Banonis

A Pennsylvania Super Lawyer Rising Star, Jason has spent much of his career handling premises liability, products liability, professional liability, commercial motor vehicle and general liability matters for national and local clients. He continues to devote much of his practice in those same areas since joining Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin in 2002. Jason also serves as the office managing attorney and the firm's casualty supervising attorney in the Allentown office.

During his career, Jason has handled hundreds of premises, retail and motor vehicle matters, trying several cases to verdict. He has represented many Fortune 500 companies and a considerable number of service providers in sports and entertainment, retail, corrections, healthcare, facilities, restaurant and bar industries. In one of many noteworthy cases, Jason was able to reduce a settlement demand from $2 million to $25,000 with the assistance of medical, vocational and liability experts. As a knowledgeable litigator, Jason was also involved in the MDL litigation for the distributor of latex products. He also regularly serves as court-appointed arbitrator in the Court of Common Pleas of Lehigh County, Court of Common Pleas of Northampton County and the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Jason gives back to his community, spending time as chairman of the Lower Saucon Township Zoning Hearing Board. The five-member board meets monthly to hear and decide substantive and procedural challenges to the validity of land use ordinances. He is also the current President of the Pennsylvania Defense Institute (PDI), a membership of more than 600 lawyers, insurance company executives, self-insurers, and independent adjusters from across the state dedicated to supporting a strong civil litigation defense climate, promoting defense interests, growth and retention, and fostering pro-defense public policies that advance the agenda of our member interests.

Before becoming an attorney, and while attending law school, he was a casualty claims representative with Crawford & Company where he managed premises liability and products liability matters. He also worked for the PMA Group as a client account representative, handling general negligence and professional liability cases for several government entities. Jason also served a judicial externship with Judge Richard Gebelein of the Superior Court of Delaware.

Honors & awards

Pennsylvania Super Lawyer Rising Star
2007-2008

Year joined

2002

Thought Leadership

Matthew Keris and Jason Banonis Elected Leaders of the Pennsylvania Defense Institute

August 8, 2014
Matthew P. Keris, shareholder in the Scranton office of Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin, was elected President of the Pennsylvania Defense Institute (PDI) at the organization's recent annual conference.

On the Pulse...Thriving ‘Here in Allentown’

Allentown
June 1, 2019
Defense Digest, Vol. 25, No. 2, June 2019By Jason Banonis, Esq.*

Social Media: the Discoverable Window to the Trust

Allentown
General Liability
September 21, 2011
LexisNexis Martindale-Hubbell, September 21, 2011

Social Media: The Discoverable Window to the Truth

Allentown
General Liability
September 1, 2011
Pennsylvania - Civil Practice Key Points: Defense Digest, Vol. 17, No. 3, September 2011

Classes/Seminars Taught

An Overview of Pennsylvania Law and Effective Litigation Management Strategies, Marshall Dennehey Client Seminar, June 2015

An Overview of Pennsylvania Automobile Liability, Marshall Dennehey Client Seminar, April 2015

Issues and Defenses in Pennsylvania Premises Liability Cases, American National Red Cross' Dedicated Liability Unit, July 2011

Pennsylvania Liability Seminar, Crawford & Company

Pennsylvania Motor Vehicle Liability Seminar, Laidlaw Transit, Inc.

Persuasion, Civility and How Jurors Make Decisions, Panelist and moderator, Pennsylvania Defense Institute North Region Ethics CLE Program

Advanced General Liability Seminar, organizer and moderator, PDI East with federal and state judges