Patrick Howard joined SMBB in 2007 as an associate in the firm's Class Action Practice Group. Mr. Howard brings with him significant experience in the prosecution of consumer fraud and antitrust cases.

Mr. Howard's experience resulted in SMBB's appointment as lead counsel to a class of over 17,000 consumers in Weldon v. Cherry Hill Nissan, Inc. , a case arising out of the alleged deceptive sales practices of an automobile dealership. In addition, Mr. Howard represents a number of individuals and businesses who seek redress from violations of the nation's antitrust laws. He currently serves as counsel to clients in both the Steel Antitrust Litigation (Standard Iron Works, et al. v. Areclormittal, et al., 1:08-cv-05214 (N.D. Ill.)) and in the In re Aftermarket Filters Antitrust Litig. , MDL Docket No. 1957. Mr. Howard has also played an active role in SMBB's investigation and prosecution of claims on behalf of those who suffered damage as a result of the catastrophic fire at the Riverwalk at Millennium Apartment Complex in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania.

For his efforts, Mr. Howard was recently selected from among thousands of attorneys for inclusion in the December 2008 issue of Pennsylvania Super Lawyers—Rising Stars edition, a listing which includes the top 2.5 percent of attorneys in the state who are 40 years old or younger or who have been practicing less than 10 years.

Mr. Howard is a 1998 graduate of the University of Scranton, where he received a B.S. in both Political Science and History. He received his law degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 2001. While in law school, Mr. Howard received Dean's Honors, was a member of the school's Moot Court Board and participated in the Robert Wagner National Labor and Employment Moot Court Competition. After law school, Mr. Howard served as a judicial clerk for the Honorable Peter Paul Olszewski of the Pennsylvania Superior Court, the state's intermediate appellate court.

Mr. Howard is admitted to practice in the United States Courts of Appeals for the Third Circuit, the United States District Courts for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and District of New Jersey, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of New Jersey. He is a member of the American, Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Bar Associations. Mr. Howard actively participates in the Philadelphia Volunteers for the Indigent Program, providing pro bono legal representation to impoverished individuals.

Mr. Howard is a native of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and now resides in Center City with his wife, Kristan.

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