• U.S. News
  • Lawyers »
  • Legal Topics
  • Legal Advice
  • Find a Lawyer
  • For Lawyers
  • FAQ
  • Best Law Firms
  • Lawyers
  • Legal Topics
  • Find a Lawyer
  • Find Legal Advice
  • For Lawyers
  • FAQ
  • Login

  • More from U.S. News
  • News & Opinion
    • BACK
    • News & Opinion
    • News
    • Opinion
    • Photos
    • Best Countries
    • Best States
    • The Report
  • Education
    • BACK
    • Education
    • Higher Education
      • Rankings
      • Colleges
      • Grad Schools
      • Online Programs
      • Global
      • Advice
    • High Schools
      • Rankings
      • Advice
  • Health
    • BACK
    • Health
    • Wellness
      • Best Diets
      • Food
      • Fitness
      • Family
      • Mind
      • Aging
      • Health Living
    • Healthcare
      • Doctors
      • Hospitals
    • Senior Care
  • Money
    • BACK
    • Money
    • Careers
      • Best Jobs
      • Applying
      • Interviewing
      • Salaries & Benefits
      • Work Culture
    • Investing
      • Rankings
      • Stocks
      • Mutual Funds
      • ETFs
      • Financial Advisors
      • 529s
      • Advice
    • Personal Finance
    • Real Estate
      • Places
      • Agents
      • Advice
    • Retirement
  • Travel
    • BACK
    • Travel
      • Vacations
      • Hotels
      • Cruises
      • Rewards
      • Advice
  • Cars
    • BACK
    • Cars
      • Rankings
      • New
      • Used
      • Financing
      • Advice
  • Law Firms
    • BACK
    • Law Firms
      • Law Firms
      • Practice Areas
  • Real Estate
  • Contact
  • Employment
  • Advertising
  • Terms & Conditions / Privacy Policy
  • Home
  • Lawyers
Jerry S. McDevitt's Profile Image

Jerry S. McDevitt

Recognized by Best Lawyers® since 2003.
K&L Gates Center, 210 Sixth Avenue Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
(412) 355-6500
 | 
Firm: K&L Gates LLP
 |  Website
 
Edit Profile
  • Overview
  • Services
  • Education
  • Contact
  • Client Reviews & Commendations
  • More ▾
  • Overview
  • Services
  • Education
  • Contact
  • Client Reviews & Commendations
Edit Your Profile
To edit your Lawyer Directory information, please login to your
Best Lawyers® Admin Account.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact us at info@bestlawyers.com or 803.648.0300.
Overview
Firm

K&L Gates LLP


Years In Practice


Phone Number (412) 355-6500
Mr. McDevitt has practiced both criminal and civil law, with many of his engagements tending to be media-sensitive.  In 1987, he obtained an acquittal by jury trial of a professional wrestler charged with the federal felony of interference with a flight crew.  In 1991, on behalf of professional wrestler Hulk Hogan, he obtained an unprecedented ruling establishing that prospective witnesses at criminal trials could resist government attempts to compel testimony on federal privacy grounds.  In 1994, he obtained an acquittal by jury trial of World Wrestling Entertainment (“WWE”) against various criminal charges in the Eastern District of New York, including an attempt to cause the forfeiture of the corporate headquarters.  In 1999, he obtained a jury verdict for compensatory and punitive damages on behalf of the estate of a young woman in a wrongful death action against her former fiancé, a municipal police officer.  Focusing on the problem of domestic violence by a police officer, he obtained what is believed to be the only jury verdict in American legal history holding another person responsible for causing a suicide.  In June 2000, he successfully represented WWE in the Delaware Chancery Court in an action brought by USA Network seeking to enjoin his client from accepting an offer for their programming from another network and obtained an affirmance before the Delaware Supreme Court of the trial court’s decision permitting WWE to accept the competing offer.  In September 2002, he obtained a defense verdict from a jury on behalf of WWE against a charge of sexual harassment brought by a former female performer in the Eastern District of New York.  In July 2003, he obtained a defense verdict in proceedings before the American Arbitration Association on behalf of WWE in a case involving claims by an ex performer that he was totally disabled as a result of post concussion syndrome.  In April 2006, he became lead defense counsel for Dr. Cyril Wecht, an internationally known forensic pathologist and medical examiner charged with 84 federal felonies.  In March 2008, after months of trial, he rested without calling a witness and the jury could not reach a verdict on any of the counts.  Thereafter, prior to a retrial, he obtained a decision quashing the major search warrants involved in the case, which in turn led to a dismissal of all remaining counts without a conviction on any of the 84 original charges.  In the process, he obtained several important appellate decisions from the Third Circuit expanding on the First Amendment right of defense counsel to engage in extrajudicial speech regarding pending criminal cases, the right to public disclosure of reprimand reports of FBI agents, and the requirements which must be followed before mistrials are declared.

Mr. McDevitt also led the Firm's efforts on behalf of a death row inmate that ended in the death penalty being vacated and a new sentencing hearing being awarded.   He has represented clients in a variety of criminal matters, including public corruption, ERISA fraud, mail fraud, wire fraud, money laundering and conspiracies to defraud government agencies before the federal courts in Pennsylvania, Nebraska, North Carolina, and New York. 

In his civil practice, Mr. McDevitt has also represented clients in a broad spectrum of matters, including defending corporations against hostile takeovers, representing companies in business torts and unfair competition cases, and in intellectual property litigation, principally in the entertainment area.  He also obtained a multimillion dollar settlement on behalf of a public figure plaintiff in a defamation case.  Aside from corporate clients, Mr. McDevitt has represented individuals in various civil settings, including Mr. Dick Morris, the former adviser to President Clinton.
What legal services does this lawyer offer?
Bet-the-Company Litigation
Commercial Litigation
Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Education
Duquesne University, J.D.
Graduated 1980
Contact Details and Office Locations
Other: (412) 355-6500
K&L Gates Center, 210 Sixth Avenue
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15222
See Location
Address for Jerry S. McDevitt
Client Reviews & Commendations

Get Legal Advice

What To Do When Someone Dies at Home

Legality and Usage of Asbestos in the U.S.

Juvenile Court Proceedings: How It Differs from Adult Court

Obtaining a Patent: Everything You Need To Know

How To Write a Will

Can I Sue an Airline for Mistreatment?

Write a Client Review
{{ error.Text }}
Your client review was submitted successfully!
We've encountered an error while submitting your client review. Please try again later.
This comment will be sent to the attorney for review prior to publishing.
Disclaimer and a note about Find a Lawyer and Legal Advice »

SEARCH BY STATE

▼
  • Alabama
  • Alaska
  • Arizona
  • Arkansas
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Connecticut
  • Delaware
  • District of Columbia
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Hawaii
  • Idaho
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Kentucky
  • Louisiana
  • Maine
  • Maryland
  • Massachusetts
  • Michigan
  • Minnesota
  • Mississippi
  • Missouri
  • Montana
  • Nebraska
  • Nevada
  • New Hampshire
  • New Jersey
  • New Mexico
  • New York
  • North Carolina
  • North Dakota
  • Ohio
  • Oklahoma
  • Oregon
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • South Carolina
  • South Dakota
  • Tennessee
  • Texas
  • Utah
  • Vermont
  • Virginia
  • Washington
  • West Virginia
  • Wisconsin
  • Wyoming
U.S. News
  • About U.S. NewsAbout
  • Contact
  • Best Lawyers
  • Press
  • Advertise
  • Jobs
  • Copyright 2023 © U.S. News & World Report L.P.
  • Terms & Conditions / Privacy Policy
Login
Forgot your password?
*If you are having any difficulty accessing your account, please contact us at info@lawyerregister.com.
Premium Profiles
Expand Your Presence
Access Exclusive Tools
And Much More...
Learn More
*If you are having any difficulty accessing your account, please contact us at info@lawyerregister.com.
https://www.bestlawyers.com Best Lawyers Best Lawyers +1-803-648-0300
801 Broad Street, Suite 950 Augusta, GA 30901
  • https://twitter.com/bestlawyers
  • https://www.linkedin.com/company/137775
  • https://www.facebook.com/bestlawyersllc