Jon focuses his practice on a wide range of casualty and professional liability matters, with particular emphasis on amusements, sports and recreation liability claims. As a former athlete, Division-I college baseball coach, and camp owner, Jon is uniquely qualified in representing and defending sports and recreation facility owners, coaches and instructors, youth athletic organizations, professional athletes, all type of educational institutions and college fraternities when claims are made against them. He is also experienced in defending trampoline parks, water parks, zip line adventure courses, rock climbing wall centers, golf courses, theme parks and more.
With the emergence of sports related concussion claims, Jon advises and represents school districts, colleges, youth leagues, trainers, referees and recreational parks in claims that arise from failure to recognize a concussion and the failure to follow return-to-play protocol. Further, Jon handles the catastrophic injury related sports and recreation claims sustained by concussions, the second impact syndrome, drownings, and other serious bodily injuries.
On the professional liability side, Jon provides legal counsel and representation to contractors, architects and engineers, accountants, attorneys, insurance brokers, real estate brokers and financial advisors in a wide range of matters including legal malpractice, accounting malpractice, wrongful use of civil process, abuse of process, negligence and breach of contract claims.
Outside of his law practice, Jon serves on the Executive Board of the Richie Ashburn Foundation, which raises funds to provide over 19 free baseball camps and clinics yearly to children throughout the Philadelphia and suburban area. He works with the Foundation to raise funds to support blind and visually impaired children to play beep baseball.
Jon coached four seasons of Division-I baseball at the University of Pennsylvania. Previously, he coached for nine years at Germantown Academy, where he also was a member of the Board of Trustees (eight years) and served as chair of the sports/athletic committee. Jon additionally was a head baseball coach at the William Penn Charter School in Philadelphia, and he formerly operated his own winter and summer baseball camps.
Honors & awards
Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Rising Star
2006-2008, 2010-2011
Year joined
1997
Results
Company under fire in product liability suit had no duty to install or advise to install new valves.
Product Liability
July 25, 2019
We were successful on a motion for summary judgment that was granted dismissing all claims against our client, an environmental compliance services and tank testing company, in a case where the plaintiff made an $8.75 million settlement demand. The plaintiffs, a minor mother and child, were at a gas station in Philadelphia when a vehicle inadvertently struck a fuel dispenser, knocking it over and causing a fire and explosion.
Defense Achieves Dismissal of Claims Against University
General Liability
December 6, 2016
The defense prevailed on a motion to dismiss on behalf of a distinguished Roman Catholic university. The plaintiff, a temporary staffing worker assigned to work at the university, alleged personal injuries as a result of a slip and fall in the cafeteria. The defense highlighted inconsistencies in the plaintiff’s workers’ compensation testimony compared to the allegations in his complaint and discovery responses.
Defense Victory in Privacy and Data Security Matter
Privacy and Data Security
August 25, 2016
Obtained a non-suit after a three-week bench trial spread over several months in Bucks County, Pennsylvania. Our client was a third-party defendant in a multi-million dollar breach of contract claim related to an ERP software implementation. The defendant had filed a counterclaim against the plaintiff, alleging breach of contract related to a computer system outage that occurred during the course of our client’s consultant services at a public utility water company.
Thought Leadership
Marshall Dennehey Announces New Shareholders and Special Counsel
January 3, 2017
Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin is pleased to announce that 10 attorneys were elected Shareholders of the firm and three were elevated to Special Counsel at the firm's annual December shareholders' meeting.
Heads Up and Watch Out! Potential Liability for Traumatic Brain Injury Pursuant to the Safety in Youth Sports Act
Philadelphia - Headquarters
Amusements, Sports and Recreation Liability
December 4, 2017
Defense Digest, Vol. 23, No. 4, December 2017By Jon E. Cross, Esq.Key Points: Defense Digest, Vol. 23, No. 4, December 2017. Defense Digest is prepared by Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin to provide information on recent legal developments of interest to our readers.
Boom! Lightening Liability at University Athletic Events
Philadelphia - Headquarters
Amusements, Sports and Recreation Liability
September 29, 2015
Fair Game? Legal Exposures Alter the Playing Field for Youth Sports**
Philadelphia - Headquarters
Amusements, Sports and Recreation Liability
March 1, 2015
Key Points: Defense Digest, Vol. 21, No. 1, March 2015
Cover All The Bases: Avoiding Youth Sports Injury Lawsuits
Philadelphia - Headquarters
Amusements, Sports and Recreation Liability
September 30, 2014
Fair Game? Legal Exposures Alter the Playing Field for Youth Sports
Philadelphia - Headquarters
Amusements, Sports and Recreation Liability
May 26, 2014
Classes/Seminars Taught
From the NFL to Friday Night Lights...Tackling Concussion Litigation, Philadelphia Insurance Companies, October 4, 2017
The Present and Future of Concussion Litigation, Philadelphia Insurance Companies' Continuing Education Program, May 2017
Sports Tort Liability and Risk Management, University of Delaware, Sports & Facility Management Department, November 2016
What Insurance Professionals Should Know About Emerging Sports Liability Issues, A.M. Best Webinar, October 13, 2016
From the NFL to Friday Night Lights...Emerging Youth Sports Concussion Claims and Risk Management, Insurance Casualty Actuaries of New England, April 7, 2016
Athletic Risk Management and Concussion Litigation, University of Delaware, Sports & Facility Management Department, October 2015
Youth Sports Risk Management, New Jersey Recreation & Park Association's 2015 Annual Conference, Atlantic City, NJ, March 2015
Tackling Concussion Litigation, New Jersey Recreation & Park Association's 2015 Annual Conference, Atlantic City, NJ, March 2015
Youth Sports Risk Management, University of Delaware, Sports & Facility Management Department, March 2015
Tackling Concussion Litigation, University of Delaware, Sports & Facility Management Department, March 2015
Emerging Claims -- Youth Sports Concussion Litigation, Casualty Actuarial Society's Centennial Conference, New York, NY, December 2014