Pennsylvania Lawyers

I am a Certified Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation Law Specialist representing injured workers and their families in all areas of Pa. Workers' Compensation Law throughout the State of Pennsylvania.

I was raised in a union household. My mother served as President of a Pennsylvania Statewide Teacher’s Union and as member of their board of directors for 25 years.

After graduating with honors from Georgetown University in 1983 and The University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 1987, I was a law clerk for The Honorable Genevieve Blatt at the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania. Judge Blatt was the first woman elected to statewide...

FEATURED TWICE ON “SUPER LAWYERS” COVER - HONORED AMONG WORLD’S “INSPIRATIONAL PEOPLE” - DESCRIBED AS "FIERCE" One of only two lawyers in the U.S. to be selected by an international non-profit organization featuring “Inspirational People” around the world (including Nobel prize winners, business leaders), NiaLena is the only criminal defense lawyer ever featured on the Super Lawyers cover in Philadelphia Magazine and also in the Super Lawyers 20th Anniversary Edition Cover and in the Cover Story entitled “The Essence Of Being A Good Lawyer” and was also featured by Super Lawyers in an article entitled "Fierce". She is also honored repeatedly...

Kathryn L. Sullivan never backs down, even with the most difficult of cases. President Theodore Roosevelt’s famous quote — Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far — resonates with her in practice. She works as hard as possible to resolve her client’s cases efficiently and cost-effectively, bringing a willingness to work with the other party’s attorney amicably and collaboratively. However, if litigation is unavoidable, Kathryn loves nothing more than to be in the courtroom. She works relentlessly and without intimidation to protect her client’s best interests. Always the first attorney to arrive at the courthouse, Kathryn...

Your family is unique. When you need a family law attorney, you want someone who appreciates the differences that make your family special. You want a family lawyer who will help your family through all life’s changes and guide you towards the best possible outcome. Melinda represents families from a variety of backgrounds. Her family law experience includes all aspects of divorce, child custody, child support, and domestic violence law.

Ms. Previtera is a member of the bar in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

I am a Philadelphia area personal injury attorney with KaplunMarx Accident & Injury Lawyers. As background, I am originally from the Boston, MA area and moved to the Philadelphia are to attend college, then law school and never left. I earned my undergraduate degree from St. Joseph's University in Philadelphia, PA and my juris doctorate from Widener University School of Law. I take great pride in representing people who are injured through no fault of their own in car accidents, slip and fall accidents, premises liability injuries, bus accidents, bike accidents, motorcycle accidents, workers compensation, medical malpractice, brain injury, birth...

With my background in accounting as well as law, I can share my unique background and experience when working with individuals, families and small and mid-size businesses in the areas of estate planning, taxation, corporations and business planning, business acquisitions and sales, succession planning, business exit strategies and real estate.

Petrelli Previtera, LLC is one of the top divorce and family law firms in the North East. From complex litigation to negotiated agreements, we work tirelessly to get the best results for our clients. While we are known for representing high net worth individuals and their spouses, we also represent everyday people from all walks of life. We are committed to providing the same high-quality service to each of our valued clients.
That is why our firm is constantly in contact with our clients to make sure that every question and concern is addressed from the very beginning to the...

Attorney Gabriel Levin is known as a tenacious fighter who protects his client's interests as though they were his own; he has tried hundreds of cases and handled all types of personal injury matters and prides himself on helping victims. Every case is meticulously prepared for trial. Trying cases to juries is what Mr. Levin enjoys the most. Clients know that Gabriel Levin is a very responsive attorney, keeps client fully informed, and always gets back to them in a timely manner. Mr. Levin has continuously been named as a Super Lawyer and was also named to the...

Matt is a Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice attorney in Pittsburgh. Matt is a founding partner of Echard Marquette. For many years he was the head of the personal injury/medical malpractice department of a large Pittsburgh Law Firm. Matt focuses on injury/medical malpractice and death cases and uses his experience and hands-on approach to help his clients get their lives back on track. He has recovered millions and millions of dollars for his clients both at trial and through negotiated settlements. When you hire Matt, he will be at your kitchen table and in your living room meeting you...

Karen Ulmer is the founder of Karen Ann Ulmer P.C., a law firm handling family law, estates and probate,. Ms. Ulmer is a family law attorney, author, and speaker who handles complex custody litigation including relocation cases, custody with a narcissist, grandparent visitation and custody and stepparent custody. In addition, she represents high net worth divorce matters involving businesses, investments, commercial real estate, pensions, military cases, and other litigated divorce issues. In addition to her trial experience, Ms. Ulmer has significant training in mediation and has settled many cases out of court and served...

Philadelphia area personal injury trial attorney. Helping people throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey for over 35 years. Exceptional client services and outstanding results is what we do at www.kaplunmarx.com.

Jeffrey R. Bellomo, Esquire is a Certified Elder Law Attorney by the National Elder Law Foundation under authorization of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. At Bellomo & Associates, LLC, we advise businesses, senior citizens, and their families about the legal challenges facing them today. For seniors and their families facing the issues of aging, we counsel clients and provide solutions on: Asset Protection, Specials Needs Trusts, Wills, Trust Design, Medicaid and Estate Planning, Nursing Home Matters & Estate Administration. Our business clients rely on our team as their legal counsel, trusted advisors and to assist them with succession planning for their...

Attorney McShane is a trial attorney who specializes in using forensic science in defending citizens amongst us who have been accused of a crime by the Government. He is nationally known and well regarded for being a skilled and fierce litigator, but is also well known for his strong understanding and in-depth knowledge in all forms of forensic science. He earned the American Chemical Society-Chemistry and the Law Division (ACS-CHAL) designation as Forensic Lawyer Scientist (The first attorney in the United States to be designated as such). He has earned Board Certification both in DUI Defense Law by the National...

Dawn Padanyi is a graduate of Mount Holyoke College and Syracuse University College of Law where she was the Co-Director of the Grant Opportunity Program and a member of the Community Development Law Clinic While at Syracuse, Ms. Padanyi was chosen to receive two grants to perform legal work at the local and state level. Ms. Padanyi is a Pennsylvania and Massachusetts licensed attorney. She is a member of the Bucks County Bar Association as well as the Pennsylvania Bar Association. She is also proud to be selected to serve on the Board of Directors for the Bucks...

Philadelphia injury lawyer helping people hurt in car accidents, slip and fall accidents, work place accidents, bus accidents, truck accidents, uber and lyft accidents, and medical malpractice claims. Graduate of Temple University Beasley School of Law. and undergraduate bachelors degree in Finance and Real Estate from Temple University Fox School of Business.

MATTHEW TRAPANI devotes his legal career to representing the seriously injured and their families across Pennsylvania.

Attorney Trapani handles a variety of serious personal injury cases including auto and truck accidents, premises liability, liquor liability violations, sexual abuse and wrongful death litigation. Licensed to practice in all of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, Trapani has litigated against some of the largest insurance companies in the U.S., and effectively negotiated substantial settlements for his clients. Recently, attorney Trapani was inducted into the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum. The forum is a group of attorneys, made up of less than 1% of all lawyers in the...

Chari Alson Maddren has been practicing in the areas of trust and estate administration, estate planning, and elder law since 2003.
Chari received her juris doctor degree from Temple University, her masters in Public Health and a Gerentology Certificate from Boston University School of Public Health.
Chari holds the Certified Trust and Financial Advisor Designation.

Chari is a member of NAELA, the Delaware County Bar Association, the Chester County Bar Association, and the Chester County Estate Planning Council.

Anthony (or Tony, as he is known around the office) is our trial specialist. Since passing the Pennsylvania Bar Exam in 2011, he has focused his entire career on being an amazing trial attorney. Tony studied at Drexel University’s Thomas R. Kline School of Law. While in law school, he was a member of Drexel’s National Trial Team. He competed in four national competitions, and was a member of Drexel’s first Regional Championship team. Following law school, Tony joined The Law Offices of Jonathan Wheeler, where he would quickly have a chance to test his trial skills. Since his first day at...

Rebecca Laniewski Sporar earned her Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. She graduated Cum Laude from Susquehanna University with a B.A. in Political Science and Communications. Rebecca’s practice is solely dedicated to family law, including child support, spousal support, alimony, equitable distribution, child custody, protection from abuse, and pre- and post-nuptial agreements. Rebecca practices in Allegheny, Westmoreland, Washington, & Butler Counties. As a law student, Rebecca completed an externship with the Honorable Joy Flowers Conti, Chief Judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. She also served as a Certified Legal Intern...

Lori A. Frio-Walker, Esquire, devotes her practice primarily to all aspects of family and matrimonial law matters. Lori gained family law litigation experience in divorce, custody and support matters at Petrelli Law, P.C. Prior to working at Petrelli Law, P.C., Lori worked in the area of collaborative and amicable divorce. Lori received her J.D. degree from Villanova University School of Law and was the Editor-in-Chief of its Women’s Law Forum and Associate Editor of its Journal of Catholic Social Thought. Lori began her professional career as an associate attorney at a large regional firm in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....

April M. Townsend is an attorney licensed to practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey for over a decade. She handles all aspects of family law, including divorce, equitable distribution, support, custody and adoption. She also assists clients with estate planning and estate administration. April received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Maryland in College Park, MD where she double-majored in Government & Politics and Criminal Justice and graduated with honors. She received her Juris Doctor from the James E. Beasley School of Law at Temple University, admitted as a Conwell Law Scholar. While in law school, April began...

David Kennedy Bifulco, Esquire is a graduate of Temple University School of Law. He started in the receivables management industry as an investment banker providing access to capital for debt buyers. Attorney Bifulco has headed the debt purchasing and collection operations for U.S. Asset in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and PFS Associates in New York and Pennsylvania. Over the past 2 decades David Kennedy Bifulco, Esquire has provided his services to the Resolution Trust Corporation, Department of Housing and Urban Development, American Arbitration Association, Pennsylvania Business Bank and NCO Group, Inc. “I provide general legal services for consumers in the areas of debt...

Philosophy
Katherine McShane believes that knowledge is power. By improving her skill set and knowledge base as an attorney, she can better serve her clients. Katherine is also a strong believer in the constitution and protecting the rights of those who stand accused from the strong arm of the government.
Personal Background
Katherine attended law school at California Western School of Law. Based on academic achievement, Katherine was invited to be a part of the CSWL law review. She served as an associate writer and associate editor for both the California Western Law Review and International Law Journal. During school, Katherine also interned...

Managing Partner at Mooney Law. Created and manages the firm's Workers Compensation practice. Selected as a Rising Star in Pennsylvania and as a Super Lawyer by the prestigious national magazine, Super Lawyers. Only 5% of Pennsylvania Lawyers are selected as Super Lawyers and only 2.5% of Pennsylvania Lawyers are selected as Rising Stars. Practice and barred in both the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the State of Maryland. Has recovered tens of millions of dollars in workers compensation benefits for injured workers throughout Pennsylvania and Maryland. Practices Workers Compensation litigation in both Pennsylvania and...

The area of my chosen practices that I am truly the most passionate about is assisting the elderly. I have helped many clients who are facing the most financially difficult times of their lives to have certainty as they enter their golden years. I am up to speed in the latest techniques and in fact have had other lawyers refer their cases to me.

Christopher has represented over a thousand individuals and their families in personal injury cases. If you want an attorney who will stand with you and fight for you, call Christopher today for a consultation.

I am passionate about family law issues and write about them routinely for The Legal Intelligencer’s online family law column. If you need help with adoption, custody, divorce, name change, protection from abuse or support issues in either Philadelphia or surrounding Pennsylvania counties – or Burlington, Camden and Gloucester counties in New Jersey – I’m here for you, either as an advocate or mediation coach. I co-chair the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Equitable Distribution Committee, and have been named as a Super Lawyer in Pennsylvania and listed on the First Judicial District’s Pro Bono Roll of Honor for exemplary pro bono...

Philadelphia personal injury lawyer Jay L. Edelstein was born in 1955 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He attended Washington & Jefferson College where he received his B.A. in 1976. He went onto Widener University School of Law (formerly Delaware Law School), receiving his J.D. in 1979. Mr. Edelstein is the firm’s founder and is a successful and a well-respected third generation attorney who focuses his practice of law on the following areas: Personal injury litigation, auto injury, sexual abuse cases, slip and fall, dog bites, construction law and litigation involving common carriers. He was admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar...

Steven C. Townsend is a graduate of Indiana State University (B.A. Criminal Justice) and University of Pittsburgh School of Law (J.D., Civil Litigation Program). He serves as a Criminal Justice Act Panel Attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania District Court and was a member of the Conflict Attorney Panel for Beaver County.He is a speaker and instructor for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute’s Criminal Law Update, which is held each year to inform update and inform other members of the bar of recent and important changes in criminal law and he serves on the Veteran’s Court Task Force. He...

Jonathon Luff Jr. was born and raised in Philadelphia. He graduated from Roman Catholic High school with honors. He attended California University of Pennsylvania on a full academic scholarship, and graduated with a degree in Sport Management as well as graduating Cum Laude.

In 2009 Jonathon began to pursue his legal career and attended Thomas Kline School of Law, better known as Drexel University. While there he participated in trial team competitions and Jonathon was instrumental in helping his team reach the finals in the national competition. Jonathon was awarded the best trial attorney award from Drexel upon his graduation in...

My practice focuses on civil, criminal and family law litigation with over 20 years of tested experience throughout southeastern Pennsylvania and Maryland. I have successfully tried civil and criminal jury trials, contested family law hearings, administrative proceedings and appeals. My passion is assisting individuals and small businesses with their legal issues.

Many moons ago, I earned an Ivy League degree in philosophy from Columbia University, and then my law degree from the University of Miami. While in law school, I was involved in graduate student government and was a contributing author and editor of the University of Miami...

Joseph Alexander Paletta was born and raised in the Pittsburgh area. After graduating cum laude from Washington & Lee University in Virginia in 1982, he returned to Pittsburgh, achieving his Juris Doctor from Duquesne University Law School in 1985. His father, Leonard J. Paletta, was a highly respected trial lawyer in Pittsburgh in the 1950s, ‘60s, and ‘70s, and was the inspiration for Joseph becoming a lawyer. In fact, a Paletta has maintained a law office in the Frick Building, the heart of the Pittsburgh legal community, for almost 50 years.

Attorney Paletta has been engaged in the...

Attorney Rick is a member of the State Bar of Pennsylvania and is admitted to practice in the United States District Courts for the Eastern, Middle, and Western Districts of Pennsylvania. Attorney Rick has tried cases in state court, before administrative agencies, and before arbitration panels. He regularly appears before the local magisterial district courts as well as the Montgomery, Berks, and Chester County Courts of Common Pleas. Attorney Rick is also admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of the United States. Chad previously volunteered for several years with the VITA organization, a pro bono program that offered free...