Portrait of Lawrence Holmes

C. Lawrence Holmes

Principal

Lawrence “Larry” Holmes is a principal and member of the firm's Commercial Litigation Practice Group. Since entering private practice in 1993, he has established a track record of landmark legal successes and longstanding client partnerships — work that includes pivotal cases that have impacted Pennsylvania law. Larry focuses his practice on representing finance lease companies and other institutional clients. As a passionate advocate for his clients, he is skilled at humanizing large institutions and effectively communicating with juries and judges.

As a highly skilled litigator, Larry has successfully argued before the Superior and Supreme Courts of Pennsylvania and helped establish new insurance law in Pennsylvania. He secured a milestone victory for a finance lease company when a federal judge denied a motion to certify a class action against it as part of a claim exceeding $37 million. In addition to defending the motion for class certification, Larry obtained summary judgment against the lessees on all claims and counterclaims. He also obtained an order that the lessees were liable, jointly, and severally, for all the leasing company’s legal fees. The decision is a powerful tool for financial institutions in cases and class actions arising from program failures.

With a growing reputation as an engaging legal thought leader, Larry was appointed to the Equipment Leasing and Finance Association’s (ELFA) Legal Committee for a three-year term in 2015. He has also presented numerous times at ELFA’s annual Legal Forum, most recently on ethics and the general legal update at the 2024 Forum. For several years, he has presented Pennsylvania Bar Institute CLE programs on insurer bad faith, and other insurance topics.

Larry received his J.D. from Villanova University School of Law and upon graduation, he served as a law clerk to the Honorable Chief Justice Robert N.C. Nix, Jr. of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court — writing opinions, providing counsel, and learning the skills of passionate persuasion and respectful dissent that would inform his career.

As an elected township commissioner, and president of the Board of Commissioners, Larry exemplifies Offit Kurman’s commitment to public and community service. He is currently serving his fifth term as the Sixth Ward Commissioner of Haverford Township, Delaware County, PA, where he has resided with his family for over two decades.

Representative Matters

  • In a landmark case, successfully represented a leasing company in opposition to class certification in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania—obtaining summary judgment against lessees on all claims and counterclaims, which held the lessees responsible, jointly, and severally, for all legal fees.
  • Obtained a jury verdict for the defense for a finance leasing company in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland after a two-week trial for fraud.
  • For a decade, practiced in tax-exempt bond transactions, representing numerous private and public entities as bond counsel for industrial development and general obligation tax-exempt bonds.

Larry frequently has frequently spoken on various topics for over a decade to many audiences including the Insurance Society of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Bar Institute and numerous legal forums and CLEs.

    Education

    • Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law (J.D.)
    • Georgetown University (B.A.)
      • Economics

    State Bar Admissions

    • Pennsylvania
    • New Jersey

    Court Admissions

    • United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
    • United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
    • United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

    Professional Affiliations

    • Elected and re-elected as Sixth Ward Commissioner of Haverford Township, Delaware County, PA
    • Urban League of Philadelphia, General Counsel and Board of Directors, 2017 - 2022
    • Legal Committee, Equipment Leasing and Finance Association, Member, 2015 - 2018
    • Law Clerk to the Honorable Chief Justice Robert N. C. Nix, Jr., Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1991- 1993

    Recognitions

    • Legal 500 Philadelphia Elite for Commerical Litigation, 2025

Featured Publications & News

<p>Four Offit Kurman Attorneys Recognized by Legal 500 City Elite</p>

Four Offit Kurman Attorneys Recognized by Legal 500 City Elite

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  • Biography
  • Publications & News
  • Featured Works

Firm Highlights

  • Events
    The 2026 Economic, Tax, and Accounting Updates
    We are looking forward to the Mid-Atlantic CFO Roundtable's next event on November 13, 2026. This is a program with topics built for Finance Executives. We are extremely fortunate to have three excellent speakers: Dr. Daraius Irani, Vice President of Business and Public Engagement at Towson University; Mike Stankus, Tax Office Managing Principal at BDO; and Daniel Wahlberg, Managing Partner of Acclare Solutions. The economy is rapidly changing with various factors driving it. The November 3rd midterm elections may also have an impact. Our three expert presenters will discuss the ramifications of the election, and the current year updates to GAAP financial reporting and Federal and State income taxes. Please join us for what will surely be an informative and timely discussion. Meet Our Speakers: Daraius Irani, Ph.D. • Towson University Vice President, Business & Public Engagement Dr. Daraius Irani serves as Vice President of Business and Public Engagement at Towson University as well as the chief economist for the Regional Economic Studies Institute (RESI) at Towson University, a policy group providing economic, fiscal impact, and policy analysis to public and private entities.  Dr. Irani is often called upon to provide economic presentations to organizations across Maryland. He has appeared on numerous television programs and in local and regional print media. Dr. Irani holds a Ph.D. in economics from University of California, Santa Barbara. Dan Wahlberg • Acclare Solutions Managing Partner With over 28 years of experience, Dan Wahlberg is a recognized leader in audit and assurance for the Mid-Atlantic’s middle market business community. As a licensed CPA in Maryland and Virginia, Dan has led assurance practices at top regional firms, including serving as Baltimore Audit Managing Partner and Assurance Practice Leader at BDO USA in Baltimore and as Partner and member of the Management Committee at Hertzbach & Company P.A which merged into BDO in 2020. His expertise centers on delivering clarity, strategic guidance, and proactive solutions to middle-market businesses across Baltimore and beyond. His entrepreneurial spirit has led him to begin a new CPA firm this year with four other CPAs serving the business community. Dan holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Rutgers University and began his career at PWC in New York. He is also deeply engaged in the community, previously serving as President of ACG Maryland and current Board member and as Audit Committee Member for The Associated: Jewish Federation of Baltimore.  Mike Stankus • BDO USA LLP Tax Office Managing Principal Mike Stankus is the Tax Office Managing Principal for the firm’s Baltimore office. He has more than 16 years of experience providing tax planning and preparation and management advisory services for his clients. Mike focuses on advising privately held businesses and their owners on effective growth and tax strategies. He also performs various engagements for mergers and acquisitions and complex cost accounting projects and projections. In addition, he represents various government contracting clients before the DCAA and assists with FAR compliance. Mike’s areas of concentration include working with government contractors, professional service firms, construction companies, and homebuilders.
  • Events
    AIA Tri-State Conference
    Princeton will serve as the backdrop for three days of connection, learning, and design leadership. From keynotes to tours to the Tri-State Design Awards, this year’s conference is designed to go far beyond education sessions. Kick off the week with pre-conference intensives and individual state component Design Award celebrations, followed by three days of education, inspiration, networking, and design excellence at the 2026 AIA Tri-State Conference—featuring pre-conference intensives, three keynote speakers, 25 education sessions, curated tours, an expo, spec academies, and the AIA Tri-State Design Awards—bringing together architects and design professionals from New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania to connect, learn, and celebrate the best of the profession. G2. Designing Secure Practices: Cybersecurity, Data Privacy, Contractual Provisions, and Insurance Risks for Architects (4:00 PM - 5:30 PM) Architects and design professionals increasingly rely on cloud platforms, BIM software, and digital tools to manage sensitive data, creating cybersecurity and privacy risks. A single incident can trigger liability claims, regulatory obligations, reputational harm, and insurance challenges. Yet many firms underestimate how contracts, insurance, and internal practices intersect during a breach. This program offers legal and insurance perspectives on cyber risk in architecture, examining liability exposure, risky contract provisions, and mitigation strategies. A cyber insurance expert will explain policy responses, coverage gaps, coordination with professional liability, and best practices for aligning insurance with contractual risk and protecting firms from evolving cyber threats. Learning Objectives: Identify key cybersecurity and data privacy risks faced by architecture firms and explain how these risks can impact professional liability and project outcomes. Analyze common contractual provisions to determine which clauses may increase exposure to cyber incidents and propose strategies to mitigate these risks. Evaluate the scope and limitations of cyber insurance policies, including coordination with professional liability coverage, to determine how a policy would respond in a breach scenario. Develop actionable risk management strategies by integrating legal, contractual, and insurance considerations to protect sensitive client and project data.