Ken Grunfeld is one of the newest KO partners, having just started working at the firm in 2023. Having worked at one of Philadelphia’s largest and most prestigious defense firms for nearly a decade defending pharmaceutical manufacturers, national railroads, asbestos companies and corporate clients in consumer protection, products liability, insurance coverage and other complex commercial disputes while working, Mr. Grunfeld “switched sides” about 15 years ago.
Since then, he has become one of the city’s most prolific and well-known Philadelphia class action lawyers. . His cases have resulted in the recovery of hundreds of millions of dollars for injured individuals.
Mr. Grunfeld brings with him a wealth of pre-trial, trial, and appellate work experience in both state and federal courts. He has successfully taken many cases to verdict. Currently, he serves as lead counsel in a number of nationwide class actions. Whether by settlement or judgment, Mr. Grunfeld makes sure the offending companies’ wrongful practices have been addressed. He believes the most important part of bringing a wrongdoer to justice is to ensure that it never happens again; class actions can be a true instrument for change if done well.
Mr. Grunfeld has been named a Super Lawyer numerous times throughout his career. He has been a member of the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and American Bar Associations, as well as a member of the American Association for Justice (AAJ). He was a Finalist for AAJ’s prestigious Trial Lawyer of the Year Award in 2012 and currently serves as AAJ’s Vice Chair of the Class Action Law Group. To his strong view that attorneys should act ethically, he volunteers his time as a Hearing Committee Member for the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
Mr. Grunfeld received his undergraduate degree from the University of Michigan. He is an active member of the Michigan Alumni Association, Philadelphia chapter and serves as a Michigan Alumni Student recruiter for local high schools. He received his Juris Doctor from the Villanova University School of Law. He was a member of the Villanova Law Review and graduated Order of the Coif.
Ken is a life-long Philadelphian. He makes his home in Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania, where he resides with his wife, Jennifer, and his year-old twins.
Representative Engagements:
- Served as a member of the Plaintiffs’ Executive Committee in In Re: Checking Account Overdraft Litigation, MDL No. 2036, a coordinated, nationwide effort to bring national banks to justice for using illegal accounting practices in charging overdraft fees on behalf of millions of Americans. The MDL returned over $1 billion to U.S. bank accounts, including a settlement with Bank of America alone for $410 Million.
- Led a collaboration of firms bringing dozens of class actions against major credit card companies regarding ancillary products, including “Payment Protection Plans,” which were wrongfully marketed and sold to unsuspecting credit card holders. Nationwide settlements resulted in over $100 million for class members and spurned the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to bring investigations against these banks that led to settlements of over $1 billion.
- Has been named as a Deputy Attorney General in Hawaii, Mississippi and New Mexico, and as an assistant District Attorney in California, bringing actions on behalf of these States’ citizens against companies that violate Consumer Protection Laws.
- Served as Liaison Counsel in an MDL proceeding against a major pharmaceutical company in In Re: Budeprion XL Marketing & Sales Litigation, MDL No. 2107 regarding the illegal selling of a generic version of a popular anti-depressant medication. After defeating defendants’ Motion to Dismiss and briefing class certification, the parties reached a favorable class action
- Negotiated favorable settlements as Co-Lead Class Counsel in litigation against national tax preparation companies regarding their marketing and selling various illegal loan products secured by individual’s tax refunds.
- Successfully litigated as Class Counsel over a dozen actions against insurers and underwriters of an improperly created accidental disability insurance policy, settling the case nationwide for $15 million.
- Served as Class Counsel in consumer protection cases involving a number of products and services, including mortgages, financial services products, vehicles, home products, insurance, pharmaceuticals, and medical research services.
SPEAKER ENGAGEMENTS
Phillips CPAP MDL Update, Class Action Law Group CLE, American Association for Justice, Philadelphia, Summer 2023.
Vetting & Retaining Class Action Representatives, Class Action Law Group CLE, American Association for Justice, Seattle, Summer 2022.
Business Interruption Update, Class Action Law Group CLE, American Association for Justice, Las Vegas, Summer 2021.
Harris Martin’s Webinar Series: COVID-19 Business Interruption Litigation – MDL and Outside Influences; the State of Stay at Home Orders, May 2020.
Fall 2020 NPR radio, COVID-19 Business Interruption Coverage
ARTICLES AND MEDIA
Let’s Not Destroy Cy Pres, The Philadelphia Lawyer, Winter 2020
When Companies Decline Your Business, The Philadelphia Lawyer, Fall 2020
GIVING BACK
Philadelphia VIP
Mr. Grunfeld is honored to represent Philadelphians pro bono through the Philadelphia VIP program. He has been volunteering his time to help individuals sued by banks, payday lenders, credit card companies, and other financial service companies for over ten years.
Recently, Mr. Grunfeld represented Ms. Pamela Knapper from the Cedarbrook neighborhood in Philadelphia. She was sued by a lender called OneMain Financial Group for failing to pay back a loan that she allegedly took out in 2018. The evidence showed otherwise, as OneMain based its case entirely on a loan application she never signed. Mr. Grunfeld helped Ms. Knapper prevail before Philadelphia Municipal Court, leading to OneMain’s appeal to the Common Pleas Court, following which he successfully arbitrated the case before the Board of Arbitrators. OneMain appealed again and trial in Philadelphia City Hall was noticed for April 25, 2023.
On the morning of the trial, OneMain filed a Praecipe to Discontinue. After over two years of fighting this fraudulent, predatory lender, Mr. Grunfeld was proud to have obtained justice for this innocent victim, in this instance, free of charge.
High School Scholarship
A few years ago, Ken and his best friends from high school established a scholarship for graduating seniors at his alma mater, Plymouth Whitemarsh High School in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania.
Ken made lifelong friends while attending PWHS and wanted to reward the deserving, next generation of graduates who excel both inside and outside the classroom. Ken and his friends, the Boys of ’92, plan to continue the scholarship for many years to come.
