Jonathan A Berkelhammer

Commercial Litigation

Jon Berkelhammer is a trial lawyer with a nationally-renowned litigation practice. Over the years, he has successfully defended class action matters, catastrophic personal injury and product liability cases, trade secret cases and intellectual property matters. Jon also has handled a variety of commercial litigation matters, including disputes involving minority and majority shareholders and officer and director liability. He regularly appears in the state and federal trial and appellate courts in North Carolina and other jurisdictions.

Jon has handled disputes across a broad spectrum of industries, from the pharmaceutical industry to industrial manufacturing and more. The breadth of these experiences has afforded him unique insights into trial litigation. He leverages his understanding of legal conflict to maximize his clients’ interests.

Jon is often described as fun-loving, self-deprecating, thoughtful, and loyal. These qualities are fundamental to his practice. In fact, his self-deprecating nature reflects his commitment to the client; the client is Jon’s focus, and he does not have an internal need to prove himself a star. Jon has crafted a career as a leading litigator while sticking to his principles and striving to maximize the client’s interests.

Of course, when the situation calls for Jon to “work his magic” as the center of attention in the courtroom, he shines in this role. It’s important to Jon, however, that his clients understand that the aggressive litigator role is not meant to be played at all times. In most cases, the client’s interests are best served by a dynamic litigator who can provide thoughtful guidance and persuasive advocacy over the course of a dispute.

Jon prides himself on being a good listener. He invests significant time and attention to each client and strives to understand their problems and ideal solutions. This approach ensures that he has the information he needs to act decisively in the client’s best interests. Jon has handled hundreds of disputes and has the ability to see the “chessboard” of litigation. He understands that an effective litigator must be able to predict several moves in advance of the opponent and act accordingly.

Jon is an avid, lifelong sports fan and in his free time, he enjoys playing and watching sports. He is also active in the legal community as a member of the National Institute of Trial Advocacy and as an instructor at the Southeast Region Trial Skills Program, held annually at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

North Carolina Association of Defense Attorneys

- Immediate Past-President (2014-2015)

- President (2013-2014)

- Member, Board of Directors (2008-2011)

- Former Chair, Commercial Litigation Committee

American Bar Association

- Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section

- Transportation Committee

DRI

- Mid-Atlantic Regional Representative 2019-current

- DRI North Carolina State Representative 2016-2019

- Drug and Medical Device Committee

- Trucking Industry Defense Association

International Association of Defense Counsel

Product Liability Advisory Council (PLAC)