Helen Lawless
Helen A. Lawless finishes first.
She ranked No. 1 in two majors at University College Dublin; was named champion and best speaker in debate competitions across both Europe and the United States, and won a Best Oral Advocate award in the Supreme Court Moot Court Competition while at Stanford Law School, among other things (more later).
In 2023, Lawless was co-counsel in litigation that produced a $9 million settlement with a ride company and a Days Inn hotel on claims they enabled a man to rape an 11-year-old girl. The man, who was charged criminally, reportedly met the girl on Instagram and then arranged for the rideshare to bring her to his hotel. Since the incident, the rideshare company adopted stricter rules to ensure drivers do not transport unaccompanied minors. (Read article)
Immediately prior to joining Kline & Specter, Lawless was an Assistant District Attorney in the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, where she worked in the Municipal Court Unit, the Appeals Unit and, finally, the Major Trials Unit, where she handled all phases of cases, from discovery to plea negotiations to litigating felony criminal trials.
While attending law school, Lawless worked at both plaintiffs and defense law firms in Alexandria, Va., and in New York City, respectively, and also was a legal intern at the Campaign Legal Center in Washington, D.C. Prior to law school, she ran the press department at a strategic litigation nonprofit.
She has been named to Best Lawyers “Ones to Watch,” in 2024 and 2025 -- those lawyers whom the independent survey recognized “earlier in their careers for their outstanding professional excellence in private practice.” For her efforts, she was selected as a Pennsylvania Rising Star by Super Lawyers in 2024. The independent attorney survey group recognizes the top 2.5 percent of attorneys in the state who are 40 or younger or practicing 10 years or less.
Lawless was a true standout in both college and law school. At Stanford, she was senior editor and a member of the Articles Committee for the Stanford Law Review, a board member and chosen participant on the moot court team, and champion with the debate team. She was named Best Speaker at the National U.S. Debating Championships America’s Cup.
A research paper she authored while at Stanford was used as a school-wide exemplar for incoming students, and the Stanford Center on Philanthropy & Civil Society published her paper titled “Social Media Echo Chambers & Democratic Discourse.”
As an undergraduate at University College Dublin, she compiled a 3.86 GPA, finished first in both her majors (politics and economics), and also had the top-ranked final thesis in her major. She was elected to student government twice - in her first year over six primary opponents, and as an incumbent, without a challenger. She competed in international debate competitions and was named a Top 20 speaker at the European Debate Championships. She was the Trinity Champion, Cambridge Open Champion, and a finalist in both the Oxford Open and the Glasgow Open. She won the Gold Presidential Medal for being the best speaker in her debate society.
Lawless focuses her practice on catastrophic personal injury.
Helen Lawless In The News:
He was killed in a car crash on Kelly Drive while riding in an Uber. Now, his family is taking the ride-share giant to court, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 11/26/24; Fox 29 News, 11/26/24
Kline & Specter, Saltz Attorneys to Defend Congressional Hopeful, The Legal Intelligencer, 4/6/22