Allison Velez

Allison Vélez Vinci

Associate
Philadelphia
About

Allison Vélez Vinci is a persistent and detail-orientated litigator who focuses her practice in federal litigation and investigations. She has experience in all stages of litigation, including factual investigation, discovery, motion practice, negotiation, trial, and appeals.

Prior to joining DLA Piper, Allison served a two-year term as a federal law clerk in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania where she worked on a wide range of civil matters including cases involving product liability, commercial disputes, class actions, insurance, personal injury, civil rights, employment, and education law. She then spent several years working as a prosecutor handling cases from the earliest stages of investigation and litigation through jury trial and appeal, where she secured several favorable jury verdicts as the sole assigned prosecutor.

The combination of her significant courtroom experience and her excellent research and writing skills makes Allison ideally suited to advocate for her clients through all stages of written and oral advocacy that arise in complex litigation. 

 
Areas of FocusLitigation, Arbitration and InvestigationsBusiness and Commercial LitigationProduct LiabilityFranchiseEmployment
Bar admissionsPennsylvania
CourtsUnited States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

EXPERIENCE

  • Defending an international leader in the hospitality industry from federal and state claims
  • Investigating claims of corporate liability based on third-party criminal conduct
  • Pro bono estate planning representation for clients of the SeniorLAW Center in Philadelphia
  • Investigating a torture claim for the Torture Inquiry and Relief Commission of the State of Illinois
  • Conducting research for the creation of a 50-state survey of the rights of siblings in foster care, to assist attorneys and entities involved in children’s advocacy across the country
Education

  • J.D., Boston University

    cum laude

    Edward F. Hennessey Distinguished Scholar

     

  • B.A., English, West Chester University of Pennsylvania - Honors College

    summa cum laude

Clerk Experience

Law Clerk to the Honorable Nitza I. Quiñones Alejandro, United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania (two-year term) (including Judge’s term sitting by designation on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit).

Prior Experience

Allison previously served as an Assistant District Attorney in southeastern Pennsylvania where she litigated cases involving a range of offenses including fraud, violent crime, witness intimidation, sexual crimes, firearms offenses, and crimes against children and intellectually disabled adults. During her time as a prosecutor, Allison successfully litigated several jury trials and bench trials, and gained extensive experience conducting direct and cross examination of all kinds of witnesses, from children and medical experts to opposing parties and government employees. She also honed her investigation skills while working with renowned law enforcement officers on the Pennsylvania Internet Crimes Against Children (“ICAC”) Task Force.

As a law student, Allison assisted on a case in conjunction with the New England Innocence Project by conducting investigation and legal analysis for a client convicted of second-degree murder after two mistrials. 

 

Memberships

  • Hispanic Bar Association of Pennsylvania
  • American Bar Association
  • West Chester University Law Alumni Chapter
     
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Connect

Phone

+1 215 656 3312
(Work, Philadelphia)