Edward W. Ciolko recently joined the firm as a partner based in Philadelphia, PA, where he was born and raised and brings a unique perspective and combination of experience and skill. Tasked with spearheading the firm’s growing ERISA/Pension Department, litigating consumer protection matters and case evaluation, Ed is a former journalist, academic researcher, private investment consultant and longtime complex class action practitioner.

Ed began his career at what is now one of the largest plaintiffs’ side firms in the country, Kessler Topaz Meltzer & Check, LLP. He was one of two lawyers to create and expand a nationally recognized and feared ERISA/Consumer/Antitrust Department and ultimately managed a division that would reap hundreds of millions of dollars for aggrieved pensioners, workers, investors, borrowers and everyday consumers. Not only did this involve managing junior partners, associates and legal/clerical staff, but also taking part in case research and evaluation, cross firm interactions, client relationships, marketing, mediation, settlement and several cases including filing to trial or appeal.

Ed specializes in federal statutory claims involving mismanagement of pension funds and fees (ERISA), violation of real estate transaction protections (RESPA/discriminatory & predatory lending), antitrust market monopolization/generic drug blockage, and overtime/worker misclassification claims (FLSA) as well as state fiduciary breach, student predatory lending, and insurance/reinsurance related actions in defense of everyday people caught up in complicated and hidden fraud. Ed takes pride in helping change the legal landscape of his areas of practice. He works tirelessly for the individuals forced into Court, protecting their rights or fixing a harm.

Before complex civil litigation became his passion, Ed was an Attorney Advisor to Commissioner Sheila Anthony at the Federal Trade Commission. He was also a multi-year clerk at an intellectual property lobbying firm, an academic researcher for Global Business and Organization Behavior for professors at the Yale School of Management, a creative consultant to a professional sports trading card company (Fleer – I actually wrote the stuff on the back of baseball, basketball etc. cards; really), an occasional small group investor, and a sports journalist with UPI. He received his B.A. in economics/ancient & medieval history from Wesleyan University, an MBA in Corporate Finance and Investments from the Yale School of Management and a JD from the Georgetown University Law Center. Ed also made it to the finals on “Win Ben Stein’s Money” in 2002.

While his partners and the law are always close to his heart, Ed is quite happily ruled by his wife of 23-plus years, Katie and their four children: Mary Kate, Michael, Tara and Sean, and his almost (we swear!) house trained canine companion, Rosie. When not in litigation, Ed enjoys a real four sport town (Philly Philly), coaching soccer, pro bono research projects, global affairs, the Jersey shore, quasi-religious fiction (all right, Lord of the Rings and Marvel TV/Movies) and gently torturing his mother-in-law by text and Facebook.

• State of New Jersey
• District of Columbia Court of Appeals
• Supreme Court of the U.S.
• U.S.D.C., District of New Jersey
• U.S.D.C., District of Colorado
• U.S.D.C., Eastern District of Michigan
• U.S.D.C., Northern District of Illinois
• U.S.D.C., Central District of Illinois
• U.S.D.C., Southern District of Illinois
• U.S.D.C., Eastern District of Wisconsin
• U.S. Court of Appeals, 1st Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals, 2nd Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals, 3rd Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals, 4th Circuit
• U.S Court of Appeals, 5th Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals, 6th Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals, 8th Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals, 9th Circuit
• U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit

• Wesleyan University, B.A. in Economics/Ancient & Medieval History
• Yale School of Management, MBA in Corporate Finance and Investments
• Georgetown University Law Center, Juris Doctor