Matthew Faranda-Diedrich

Biography

Matthew Faranda-Diedrich is a partner in the Corporate & Business and Litigation Groups. He has a reputation for being an opportunity spotter and a problem solver. Matthew counsels a broad base of clients, spanning individuals, start-ups and early-stage ventures, to national and multinational Fortune 500 companies, in a wide variety of matters, including business advice, litigation strategy, transactional guidance and insurance coverage. Matthew also has deep expertise in banking and financial services, where he regularly serves as a trusted advisor and general counsel to C-suite level executives, EVPs, SVPs and other offices, as well as boards of directors in a wide variety of transactional, corporate, risk, compliance, litigation and employment matters.

Matthew’s clients count on him to provide them with practical and effective solutions to both their legal needs and their business opportunities. He is a listener and a problem solver. Matthew’s approach revolves around thoughtfully using the law as a means to achieve the client’s ultimate business objective. He carefully tailors tactics and strategies to achieve success for his clients. Matthew is the go-to choice for many businesses and individuals in the region when faced with the most challenging of situations. He was originally and extensively trained as a commercial litigator at one of the premier firms in Philadelphia. Matthew has successfully litigated opposite the largest firms in America on behalf of his clients. 

Client Experience

• Fortune 100 business technology company

• Fortune 100 electric holding company

• Fortune 100 technology company 

• Fortune 500 insurance company

• Main subsidiary to a Fortune Global 500 financial services company

• One of the largest American construction management firms in the Mid-Atlantic states

• Several community, regional and national banks

• The leaders of several rapidly growing companies in our region 
• Several publicly-traded financial institutions
• One of the largest manufacturers in Philadelphia 

Representative Matters

• Represented the managers of three related investment vehicles in matters involving the unwinding of those entities and the acrimonious separation from former business partners. The former business partners were represented by an AmLaw 100 law firm. After initially being served with a draft complaint by the departing partners, RCCB was able to deftly both cool temperatures to permit for pre-complaint mediation while, at the same time, develop and press claims exposing the other side to significant risk. The combined strategy ultimately led to an early resolution on terms very favorable to our client.

• Lead counsel in a class action is currently pending against the largest toll road operator in America on a claim valued at more than $200 million.

• Primary counsel to Fortune 500 insurer in all of its insurance coverage and first-party defense work in Philadelphia and the surrounding counties, both in PA and NJ.

• Negotiated and led sophisticated lending transactions including assumptions and defeasances worth, in the aggregate, tens of billions of dollars.

• Regularly serve as a trusted advisor and general counsel to C-level executives, EVPs, SVPs, and other officers as well as boards of directors in a wide variety of transactional, corporate, risk, compliance, and employment matters.

• Successfully resolved multi-million dollar dispute with dissident shareholder in Chancery Court on behalf of technology company listed as one of the 500 Fastest Growing Companies in North America.

• Lead trial counsel to a Fortune 100 electric holding company in the largest post-AVI commercial property tax appeal in Philadelphia, resulting in a collective tax reduction of more than $50 million.

• Argued appeal on behalf of a Fortune 500 insurer, resulting in the Third Circuit affirming most of the trial court’s rulings in favor of the client.

• Lead counsel in coordinated filings of a portfolio of lawsuits related to a defaulted, multimillion-dollar loan, eventually pivoting to spearhead transaction to sell the loan for full remaining book value.

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• Negotiated and led CMBS transactions including assumptions and defeasances worth, in the aggregate, tens of billions of dollars.

• Lead trial counsel for a general contractor in a multimillion-dollar construction defect case, resulting in an advantageous settlement for the client on the eve of trial.

• Lead trial counsel for owner of one of the largest manufacturing facilities in Philadelphia on breach of warranty claims against an international Fortune 100 multinational conglomerate company.

• Lead trial counsel to a large automotive dealership for claims made against the world’s largest auto auction.

• Directed interdisciplinary team through corporate governance and risk issues on behalf of a healthcare company, culminating in a leveraged buy-out of the company by a private equity buyer and syndicated senior secured credit facility.

• Represented a Fortune 100 technology company in a bid protest related to awarding a billion-dollar IT contract.

• Obtained judgment in favor of a commercial bank on a seven-figure counterclaim asserted by borrowers, resulting in the dismissal of the counterclaims and foreclosure on the mortgaged property.

• Lead counsel for a credit union in defense of a proposed multimillion-dollar class action involving purported violations of the Uniform Commercial Code.

• Represented an international financial services company in successful defense of proposed class action asserting claims of fraud, RICO, and consumer protection law violations, De Lage Landen Financial Services, Inc. v. Rasa Floors LP, 792 F. Supp. 2d 812 (E.D. Pa. 2011) and 269 F.R.D. 445 (E.D. Pa. 2010).

• Participated in case obtaining partial summary judgment in favor of the directors and officers of Adelphia Communications on a potential claim exceeding $200,000,000, and participated in the subsequent defense of criminal indictment resulting in the dismissal of certain counts on double jeopardy grounds, the United States v. Rigas, 605 F.3d 194 (3d Cir. 2010) (en banc).

• Investigations for a publicly traded company involving CEO misconduct.

• Retained by the audit committee of a publicly traded company for an investigation concerning an SEC claim related to off-label promotional activities, which also included allegations of sexual harassment.