La Jose Lawyers

Attorney Timothy Czekaj (pronounced check-eye) is a dedicated litigator with a never-say-die attitude. He considers it an honor and a privilege to provide services to people when they need it most. He has represented clients in West Virginia and Pennsylvania, focusing on family law, divorce, child custody, child support, alimony, PFAs, Children & Youth matters, dependency, bankruptcy, mortgage foreclosures and debt negotiations, tax assessment appeals, landlord/tenant law, criminal law, and general civil litigation. He has represented clients in more than 20 counties throughout Pennsylvania, and he currently serves as solicitor to the Dauphin County Clerk of Courts.

At SMT Legal, our personal injury attorneys will work aggressively to win your case and make a positive difference in your life. Our experienced lawyers will fight for just compensation in personal injury cases and will rigorously defend your rights and personal liberties against criminal charges. We also provide Mediation and Arbitration services. For personal injury cases we do not charge a fee unless we win your case. Contact us today for a free case evaluation. The sooner we can start helping you, the more likely it is that we will collect the best evidence, witnesses and...

William P. Douglas handles cases involving serious personal injury, death, insurance claims, insurance contract disputes, and insurance bad faith. His experience includes dangerous and defective products, Pennsylvania motor vehicle underinsurance and uninsurance matters, airplane, boat, motor vehicle, motorcycle and pedestrian accidents, as well as injuries resulting from dangerous machinery, industrial equipment, fires and boiler explosions. He also handles wills and estate planning.

Jim was born in Binghamton, New York, but has lived in Cumberland County since age 3. He graduated from Trinity High School in 1973 and studied in the pre-law program at Indiana University of Pennsylvania for two years. After earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Humanities from Penn State University in 1977, Jim joined the work force at various large corporations, including ITT, Hershey Chocolate Company and Mellon Bank, working in the credit, collection and finance fields. While employed at Harsco Corporation,...

Ethan K. Stone was born and raised in New Bloomfield, Pennsylvania prior to moving to Mechanicsburg where he attended Cumberland Valley High School. He is a 2004 graduate of the Pennsylvania State University with a Bachelor of Science in Economics from the Smeal College of Business. He subsequently received his law degree (Juris Doctorate) from the Dickinson School of Law and is currently admitted to practice law in all jurisdictions in Pennsylvania including the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. He is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the Cumberland County Bar Association, the Dauphin...

Attorney Costopoulos grew up in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1989 with a B.A. in Political Science with minors in psychology, history, philosophy and sociology. She graduated from the Dickinson School of Law and was admitted to practice in Pennsylvania in 1993. Attorney Costopoulos has held associate positions with the law firms of Costopoulos Foster & Fields, Patrick F. Lauer, Jr. & Associates, and Maria P. Cognetti & Associates. Attorney Costopoulos was the managing partner of Costopoulos & Welch prior to establishing her own office in 2003 representing clients exclusively in the...

Judson is a graduate of The University of Tennessee and The Dickinson School of Law of The Pennsylvania State University. After completing his studies, Judson served as a Law Clerk to the Workers' Compensation Appeal Board where he wrote legal opinions and advised the Commissioners on the Board. For seven years prior to forming Perry & Baumbach, Judson exclusively represented injured workers in workers' compensation cases, as well as claimants in Social Security Disability/SSI matters. Judson is a member of the Pennsylvania, Dauphin County, and Cumberland County Bar Associations. Judson is currently the Chairperson of the...

Fallon Carroll Stephenson is a native of Uniontown, Pennsylvania. She obtained her Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington & Jefferson College, where she majored in Political Science and minored in Philosophy. At Washington & Jefferson, Fallon was the President of Delta Gamma Fraternity, a member of The Pre-Law Society and Mock Trial Team. Fallon received her Juris Doctor Degree from Duquesne University School of Law. While at Duquesne, Fallon received the CALI Excellence for the Future Award in Legal Research and Writing. During law school, Fallon gained valuable experience in complex litigation matters working as a law clerk for Blumling...

Currently taking cases in Beaver County for adoption, child custody, child support, divorce, guardianship, grandparent visitation rights, and estate probate and planning (Wills, Power of Attorney, Living Will.)
Call (724) 683-6304 to schedule a free consultation.
Office Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 am to 4 pm
Weekend and evening meeting times are always available.

Justin has experience handling all construction-related claims and disputes, ranging from complex delay claims, change order disputes, defective construction claims, mechanic’s lien claims, bonding disputes, and differing site condition claims, among many others. In addition, Justin advises clients during all project phases, including contract negotiation and planning, procurement, project execution, and change order management. In addition to his construction practice, Justin regularly represents clients in complex commercial litigation and business disputes involving breach of contract, fraud, UCC-claims, and business tort claims.

Stephen H. Lebovitz, Esquire, graduated from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania in 1986 with a B.S. in Economics concentrating in finance, and from the Law School at the University of Pittsburgh in 1989. Admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar in 1989, he joined Lebovitz & Lebovitz, P.A. practicing with his father and grandfather. He was admitted to the Maine Bar in 1992 and was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1993. Mr. Lebovitz is active in litigation. He also handles family matters, estate planning and tax work being admitted to the U.S. Tax Court. He has experience in...

I am an experienced family law attorney with a law practice primarily focused on divorce, child custody, child support, and pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements. After nearly thirty-five years of practice, I have the knowledge, skill, and patience it takes to assist individuals through what can be a difficult transition in their life. Most cases settle without court and my practice focuses on keeping clients out of court, if possible, by using the collaborative law process, mediation, or traditional negotiation. I have completed the basic collaborative law training and have more than 100 hours of additional collaborative law training. I also...

My practice is concentrated in criminal defense and personal injury litigation — including wrongful death, auto accidents, fall downs and other personal injury actions. I also handle general civil litigation matters, such as contract and landlord/tenant disputes. I've litigated scores of civil and criminal matters, including approximately 40 jury trials as of 2021. I've successfully litigated such trials in both federal and state court. Over a four year span, I was able to obtain total acquittals in six out of nine trials during this time period. I've had the chance to handle several high profile criminal cases, such as: a...

Law Clerk, Honorable Murray H. Falk, Special Trial Judge, U.S. Tax Court, 1980-1981.

Order of the Coif. Associate Editor, University of Chicago Law Review, 1970-1971. Law Clerk, Hon. (Now Mr. Justice) John Paul Stevens, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, 1971-1972.

Married; Father of six children. Avid outdoorsman, hunter and fisherman; member of sportsmen’s clubs, NRA and 4-H shooting sports instructor; local 4-H Club Leader 14 yrs; recipient of Boy Scouts of America Distinguished Citizen Award, 2013

Attorney with an office located in Butler, PA. Serves clients in all surrounding counties. Specializes in Criminal Law, Family Law, and Estate Planning. Graduated with a bachelor's degree in Political Science from Westminster College. Attended law school at Duquesne University. Helped to co-found the Sole Practitioner's Society, aimed at preparing recent law graduates for life in a small or solo practice. Married to MaryBeth Bauer, a special education teacher in the Greenville School District in Mercer County.

Mr. Toohey's practice over the years has included representation of Hospitals, Healthcare Systems, Banks, School Districts, Townships, Boroughs, Zoning Hearing Boards and Private Corporations; as well as private individuals and entities. In addition to representing clients, Mr. Toohey has also been a Hearing Officer in the areas of Civil Service, Tax Appeal, Employment, Divorce, and School law.

Phi Kappa Phi. Member: Willis Society; Ohio Northern University Law Review, 1986-1987.

Vanessa’s extensive legal training began at the University of Duquesne School of Law, where she graduated cum laude with a Juris Doctor (J.D.). Vanessa’s strong academic credentials gained the attention of numerous employers eager to capitalize on her legal talents. Over the years, she has served as a Law Clerk at Steele Schneider, an Attorney Advisor for the Federal Mine Safety and Health Review Commission, an Associate Attorney for McMorrow Law, and as an Associate Attorney for May Law Group. Today, Vanessa focuses her practice exclusively on United States immigration law. She has achieved numerous successful outcomes and will fight...

Robert M. Silverman is highly regarded throughout the legal community and the automotive industry for his continuing efforts in helping consumers with their Lemon Law and Breach of Warranty claims. Mr. Silverman has been featured in The Philadelphia Inquirer and in other newspaper stories across New Jersey and Pennsylvania as an expert in warranty litigation. Mr. Silverman has worked hard for consumer rights, trying his cases in the Federal and State Courts in which he practices. He has also successfully briefed and argued cases before the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Mr. Silverman earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree...

Jessica Nelson in an associate at SWMW Law, Ms. Nelson began her journey at SWMW Law, as a paralegal. Inspired by the firm’s practice and dedication to its clients, Ms. Nelson decided to pursue her Juris Doctor at Duquesne University; taking classes at night while working full time for the firm. Jessica Nelson’s primary focus is in asbestos litigation, products liability, and premises liability.

Richard Ernsberger's practice focuses on litigation in state court on insurance and investment sales practice and contractual disputes. He has a broad range of experience, including drafting motions, conducting legal research and analysis, and arbitration practice. Richard is a graduate of the Ohio Northern School of Law and he earned a Bachelors of Science from the George Washington University in Economics. Richard was an intern for the Honorable Congressman William Coyne as an undergrad and was employed by the Federal Reserve Board in Washington, D.C. following graduation from George Washington. Richard attended the Ohio Northern University School of...

Gwen R. Acker Wood, PhD., Esq., is a registered patent attorney with over 18 years experience in all forms of intellectual property, including patents, trademarks and copyrights. Her practice includes preparation and prosecution of U.S. and foreign patent applications, patentability and infringement/freedom-to-operate opinions, due diligence analyses, U.S. and foreign patent portfolio strategy and management, trademark searches and registration, and copyright registration. Dr. Acker Wood has a doctorate in biology, and her areas of expertise include biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, biomechanical and mechanical devices, chemistry and life sciences. Dr. Acker Wood is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the State...

Sean Ruppert, a business law and litigation attorney, merged his independent practice with KM&A in 2015, becoming a core member of the team. He now focuses on two main areas of law: business law and civil litigation. Sean guides business owners in avoiding costly mistakes and making good decisions with their contract negotiation, insurance decisions, employment practices, and entity formation. When employers mistreat employees, he fights for the fair compensation of the employees. Sean is a strategic thinker and a savvy negotiator when advising small businesses and fighting in court.

Sean is a graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of...

Attorney Gordon received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where he graduated magna cum laude and earned membership in the Order of the Coif and the Order of the Barristers. He also graduated with the John P. Gismondi certificate in civil litigation. During his time at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, he interned for a United States District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania, served on the Editorial Board of the University of Pittsburgh Law Review, was a certified legal intern for Neighborhood Legal Services, and a legal writing teaching assistant....

Todd W. Elliott, Esq. is a Pittsburgh area resident and a litigator by vocation. For 16 years, he practiced civil litigation (plaintiff and defense) throughout Western Pennsylvania. Having worked for two prominent regional firms, Mr. Elliott's areas of practice include breach of contract, construction law, mechanic's liens, invention design cases, contractor/sub-contractor disputes, covenant not-to-compete (non-compete clauses), employee defense of non-compete, business enforcement of non-compete, trade secret violations, theft of mailing lists/recipes, professional negligence, premises liability, unfair trade practices, trade disparagement, and multistate litigation. Over the course of his career, Mr. Elliott handled the mediation of disputes, several trials by jury,...

Danielle M. Parks is an Associate in Post & Schell's Workers' Compensation Department, defending employers, third-party administrators (TPAs), and insurers in workers' compensation claims throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Prior to joining Post & Schell, Ms. Parks was an associate with a regional firm and represented employees in labor and employment-related claims. Prior to that, she was a legal assistant and paralegal for several Pittsburgh area law firms for almost ten years.

Ms. Parks graduated from Duquesne University's School of Law in 2016. Before law school, Danielle graduated in 2007 from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown with a Bachelor’s...

Mike established the firm in 2002 after 15 years in the field of Health Care and Insurance law.
As former Special Counsel at Tucker Arensberg.P.C., Now principal of Laffey & Associates and Other Party Liability Inc. Mike has established one of the premier law firm subrogation departments in the country dedicated to serving Employee Benefit Plans subrogation interests. As former in-house counsel for Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, Mike has assisted in the design and delivery of several managed health care systems from design of the benefit package, through contracting, regulatory approval, and the marketing of the new programs. Mike...