Vowinckel Lawyers

An attorney in Houston Harbaugh’s Oil and Gas Practice, Brendan O’Donnell has represented oil and gas owners across Pennsylvania in a wide array of oil and gas matters for over a decade. This experience involves not only the Marcellus shale and the Utica shale, but more traditional oil and gas development as well. Brendan maintains a diverse practice, representing clients in all matters involving oil and gas spanning the transactional and litigation realms. On the transactional front, Brendan routinely assists landowners with negotiating oil and gas leases, pipeline rights of way and surface use agreements and subsurface easements related to horizontal...

Stephen S. Stallings is an experienced trial lawyer with over two decades of public and private experience providing counsel in False Claims Act/qui tam matters, white collar defense, commercial and securities litigation, FCPA, corporate compliance and internal investigations. He frequently serves as lead trial counsel in complex federal cases.

Mr. Stallings served for over seven years as an Assistant United States Attorney for the U.S. Department of Justice, where he prosecuted fraud and public corruption matters through investigation, indictment, trial and appeal in the U.S. Attorney's Offices for the Southern District of Florida in Miami and the Western District of...

Aurelius Robleto is an experienced bankruptcy lawyer, operating a law firm in downtown Pittsburgh. While bankruptcy law has always formed the core of his legal practice, Aure knows that bankruptcy is not always the ideal solution for all of his clients and will tailor a unique strategy for each of his clients. Often a debt workout or non-bankruptcy reorganization may offer more favorable results to certain clients. In other circumstances, a receivership, assignment for the benefit of creditors, deed-in-lieu of foreclosure, workout or settlement agreement or some other arrangement to address debts may generate superior results.

A particular...

I represent individuals and families in Erie, Crawford and Warren counties in Pennsylvania. I focused on civil litigation helping victims navigate the legal process.

I have over 20 years-experience handling personal injury cases. I have personally been lead trial counsel in over 50 personal injury trials. I have been selected as a Top 10 Attorney for Client Satisfaction by the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys awarded to attorneys demonstrating exceptional and outstanding client service. I have been selected by Super Lawyers on several occasions and have been rated as “excellent” by Avvo a lawyer rating service.

BOARD APPOINTMENTS
In addition,...

Since 1992, Tim George has pursued justice for accident victims and defended the freedom of people accused of DUI & other criminal offenses in Pennsylvania. Tim has an AV-Preeminent peer review rating from Martindale Hubbell and a 10/10 rating with Avvo.com based upon peer endorsements and more than 100 client 5 star reviews. Tim has been named to the SuperLawyers List in Pennsylvania every year since 2016. Tim is a founder of Purchase, George & Murpher, P.C. He is a former Erie County assistant district attorney and trial counsel (prosecutor) in the U.S. Army. In 2009, Tim deployed...

I have had an interest in helping families and individuals navigate the difficult issues of separation, divorce, support and custody since long before I began practicing family law. I have found in the more than a decade I have been practicing family law, that litigation, and the adversarial process, is not for everyone. In an effort to meet the needs of my clients, I completed a mediation training approved by the Association for Conflict Resolution, focused specifically on Family Conflict mediation. In family law mediation, instead of going to Court and relying upon the rulings...

The right experience matters. Finding the right criminal defense attorney isn’t an easy task or a decision to be taken lightly. You need to find an attorney who has the experience necessary to get you the best possible results. My experience is unique and significant.

In addition to considerable trial experience, I have also developed invaluable insight and professional relationships. Insight and professional relationships used, in many instances, to get results no other defense attorney can achieve. Remember, exceptional results require exceptional experience. Reach out for a free consultation to discuss why my unique experience makes Panighetti Law the right...

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...

Attorney Robert Kost works for technology start-ups and growing small businesses in a wide variety of areas (see website for comprehensive list). Robert has decades of experience in corporate law and practice on both sides of the attorney-client relationship. He is adept in a broad range of law related to businesses, contracts, corporate formation, policy and intellectual property. See what my firm, General Counsel Online does for business people. https://generalcounsel.online. “My goal is to provide the kind of ongoing advice that will keep your business out of lawsuits and out of the courts.” - Robert Kost.

Roger recovers millions for injured workers every year. He is the founding partner of McMenamin & Wing and has nearly 30 years of experience defending the rights of Claimants in PA Workers' Compensation Claims.

Bethany L. Notaro, Esquire is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA (BA, cum laude, Psychology), and the University of Pittsburgh School of Law (JD). She obtained her undergraduate degree in the field of psychology, with a special concentration in the counseling arts. Ms. Notaro received her Juris Doctor from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. While at Pitt, Ms. Notaro received various Scholarships and Honors for concentrated studies and academic achievement. Ms. Notaro focused her law studies on income taxation, trusts and estates, divorce issues, ADR, and strategic wealth planning. Bethany L. Notaro is also...

Attorney Tabano is a litigator whose practice concentrates on Family Law. He is a skilled negotiator who knows his way around the courtroom. For almost 20 years he has handled hundreds of difficult cases involving divorce, equitable distribution, child custody, protection from abuse and support. Attorney Steve Tabano has argued numerous cases before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. He also has many years of experience in Pennsylvania’s criminal courts having tried numerous jury trials including client’s charged with homicide and white-collar crimes.

Jay Alberstadt is a senior partner with MacDonald Illig. He concentrates his practice in the areas of real estate, commercial and economic development ,and conventional and tax-exempt financing. He provides legal services to individuals, business entities, lending institutions, municipal authorities and development agencies. Mr. Alberstadt handles matters ranging from residential real estate transactions to detailed title and development issues. He also provides representation in commercial financings and tax-exempt municipal, industrial development and 501(c)(3) bond issues. He is co-chair of the Firm's real estate practice group and chair of the firm's marketing committee.

Chuck Hadad is a Partner and Chair of the Estates and Trusts Practice Group. He concentrates his practice in estate administration, probate, estate planning, trust administration, corporate and business planning, and real estate transactions. Chuck counsels individuals and businesses in a variety of complex matters and enjoys working one-on-one with clients to help them reach their goals.

Chuck has broad experience in advising clients in all facets of estate planning and estate administration. He works closely with clients in the preparation of documents that fit their customized needs, including revocable and irrevocable trusts, special needs trusts and charitable gift/trust planning, and...

My name is Michael Worgul. I was born and raised right here in Pittsburgh, and it’s probably no surprise that I’ve settled down here too. I went to Duquesne University for my college and law degrees; right after being admitted to the Pennsylvania Bar in 2004, I joined Arthur Bloom & Associates, LLC, a small private practice. I later joined the Allegheny County Office of Conflict Counsel for two years, representing indigent criminal defendants who needed legal help. I’m a member of the Allegheny County Bar Association, Criminal Litigation section, as well as a member of the Pennsylvania State Bar...

Beginning in 1988, I have been directly involved with clients suffering from Mesothelioma and other asbestos related illnesses. I started as a paralegal and rose to a shareholder in a major Plaintiff's asbestos litigation firm, now I have my own office to serve my clients better.

Daniel M. Hartzman graduated cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Daniel is an experienced immigration lawyer who is licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania, the District of Columbia and Virginia. Daniel is well-versed in all areas of immigration law and has successfully represented individuals, families, and businesses, throughout the United States and around the world. He has successfully represented clients in federal court, immigration court, and before USCIS, ICE, and the BIA. Daniel is also a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association, and the Allegheny County Bar Association Immigration Law Committee.

I am the principal of Michael J. Betts LLC and have over thirty-eight years of experience handling a broad range of civil litigation matters, with an emphasis on commercial litigation and business disputes, securities litigation, FINRA arbitrations and other investment-related claims, trade secret and restrictive covenant litigation and professional negligence claims.

I also serve as an alternative dispute resolution neutral and have been selected by litigants to serve as mediator in numerous cases. I am certified as a mediator by the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. I also am on the national arbitrator rosters...

Divorce and other family law problems do not need to devastate you financially or ruin your relationship with your children. Call my office toll-free at 1-844-VARI-LAW (1-844-827-4529) or our main office in Pittsburgh at 412-281-9906 to learn how we can help you resolve your family law or divorce issues.

Attorney David J. Shrager is a widely known, decorated criminal defense lawyer and native Pittsburgher. His Pittsburgh-based law firm focuses exclusively upon defending individuals throughout Pennsylvania charged with felony and misdemeanor criminal offenses at both the state and federal levels. Such offenses include DUI, drug crimes, sex crimes, theft crimes, assault crimes, white-collar crimes and more. Attorney Shrager was selected to Super Lawyers 2017 – 2023. He is a member of the Allegheny County Bar Association, Pennsylvania Bar Association, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. You’ll find his name often quoted in...

My name is Samir Sarna, and I am a Partner at Worgul, Sarna & Ness, Criminal Defense Attorneys, LLC. I moved to Pittsburgh in 2007 to attend the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. While in Pittsburgh, I met my wife, fell in love with the city, and decided to settle down here and dedicate my legal career to defending the rights of those accused of committing crimes.

After graduating law school, I clerked at the Office of the Public Defender for Allegheny County and later became an Associate Counsel at the Allegheny County Office of Conflict Counsel. Serving at...

Mr. Antoun concentrates his practice in the areas of health care, business and governmental transactions. He is the former chair of the Business Transactions Group and the Health Law Group.

In the area of health care, Mr. Antoun advises hospitals, clinics, physician group practices and individual physicians and dentists on matters such as physician and hospital agreements, employment contracts, compensation and incentive arrangements, and group practice formation and governance. He advises health care providers on federal and state regulatory compliance, including anti-kickback, physician self-referral and HIPAA matters, and he has substantial experience representing hospitals and physicians in peer review, medical staff...

Ms. Cohen went to the University of Pittsburgh School of Law as a single parent of two children. While working her way through law school Laura decided she wanted to provide competent legal services geared towards family needs. Attorney Cohen opened Family Legal Center, LLC in 1996 in an effort to provide community based legal services in the areas of Family Law and Estate Administration. Ms. Cohen was also a Senior Hearing Committee Member of the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

Attorney Stoehr operates a solo law practice in Altoona, Pennsylvania, with 21 years of experience. After working at a larger law firm where he became a partner, Attorney Stoehr decided to become a solo practitioner in 2004. He is a former claims representative which gives him great insight into how insurance companies settle claims. Attorney Stoehr represents injured people in Blair and the surrounding eight counties handling automobile cases, claims against nursing homes and hospitals, and general personal injury litigation. He is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, selected by Super Lawyers in 2012, 2013,...

Liberty J. Weyandt is the Chair of the Family Law Practice Group. She concentrates her practice in family matters including divorce, equitable distribution, support, child custody and pre and post nuptial agreements. Liberty has more than 18 years of experience litigating various family matters in several Pennsylvania counties, including Allegheny and Butler counties.

In addition to extensive, traditional litigation experience, she is also a trained Collaborative Law attorney and Mediator. Liberty has been helping clients resolve disputes respectfully, without going to Court for more than ten years.

The Collaborative Process is a method of resolving a dispute whereby each party voluntarily agrees...

In 2012 Michael founded an employment law firm that represented thousands of plaintiffs throughout the state of Pennsylvania, with offices in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia and nearly 30 employees at one point. Two years in a row named a “Fastest Growing Business” as well as “Best Places to Work” by the Pittsburgh Business Times.

As a serial entrepreneur, Michael saw a niche’ market for a boutique employment law firm (meaning one that almost exclusively handles employment cases and brands itself as such) that serves an alternative to the large firm multi-practice area experience. In 2019 Michael founded M.K.O. Employment Law LLC which...

Helping individuals and small businesses with financial and IRS problems since 1993. If you are having sleepless nights about your financial or tax troubles, then call for a free consultation. I can help put together a game plan for you to resolve your troubles and to get back on track. My associate, Audrey Rasmusson, also handles estate settlement and Social Security Disability cases.

I have always found it odd that many lawyers claim to be “experienced” simply based on how long ago they graduated law school. Some lawyers even take this one step further touting “combined experience” by adding together all the time elapsed since graduation of every attorney at the firm. Experience should not be measured by the number of years that have passed since passing the bar exam and number of grey hairs. Experience should be measured by what an attorney has accomplished since graduation, not when he or she graduated. Prior to starting my own law firm, I served for...

Attorney Kruszewski is a member of the firm's Bankruptcy and Creditors' Rights Practice Group. His practice involves the representation of corporate debtors, secured creditors and unsecured creditor committees in business reorganization proceedings. His practice also includes commercial loan work-outs, bankruptcy-related and commercial litigation, and general collection matters. He has also been approved as a mediator for the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

Attorney Kruszewski has been named as a Rising Star in the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers magazine in each year of publication from 2008-2016. He is also an active member of both the Erie County Bar...

Stephanie has over 14 years legal, fiduciary, corporate and banking experience, with the majority of her practice involving handling matters for high net worth clients. She has assisted clients with a variety of matters, including estate and financial planning, estate administration, the establishment and administration of family foundations, and succession planning for closely held businesses. She has represented businesses, non-profit organizations, and municipalities, in a variety of corporate matters.

Stephanie’s estate practice focuses on highly sophisticated planning and tax savings techniques for individuals, families and businesses. In her corporate practice, she counsels businesses in a variety of industries. She assists businesses...

Ryan Mergl is a former prosecutor and respected trial attorney. He represents clients throughout Pennsylvania and in the United States Federal Courts.

Awards & Recognition
Super Lawyers selected Mergl to their list as a Rising Star, noting his high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement, he is a Top 100 Criminal Defense Attorney in Pennsylvania as named by the Association of American Trial Lawyers, and Pittsburgh Magazine named Mergl one of Western Pennsylvania’s "40 Under 40”.

Background
Mergl is admitted to practice before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, and the...

Vincent Colianni is a graduate of Santa Clara University’s School of Law, and he began his legal career as a federal judicial law clerk for the Hon. Robert P. Aguilar of the Northern District of California. After his clerkship, Vince worked as a commercial litigator for Bingham McCutchen in San Francisco and Cooley LLP in Palo Alto, California. Vince’s practice focuses on representing individuals in personal injury, products liability, employment, and civil rights matters. He has tried over 20 cases to verdict in federal and state courts. Vince is a member of the American Bar Association and the Allegheny County Bar Association....

Tom is the managing partner of McMenamin & Wing, a boutique Claimant's workers' compensation law firm with offices in Philadelphia and Willow Grove, Pennsylvania, serving injured workers in the eastern two-thirds of the state. Tom focuses his entire practice on fighting for injured workers and recovers millions of dollars on their behalf every year.

Jamie R. Schumacher is an Associate in the Litigation Department at MacDonald Illig where she concentrates her practice in the areas of commercial litigation, employment litigation, insurance defense, and municipal/ordinance enforcement. She is also a member of the firm's Commercial/General Litigation Practice Group, Labor & Employment Practice Group, Government Services Practice Group, Marketing Committee, and the Recruitment Committee. Ms. Schumacher is licensed to practice in all Pennsylvania state courts, the United States District Courts for the Western and Middle Districts of Pennsylvania and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

Ms. Schumacher is the former chair of the Young Lawyers Division...

I was born in Erie, PA, and obtained my undergraduate degree at Case Western Reserve University. In 1994, I graduated from Duquesne University School of Law and have since lived in Pittsburgh, representing injured people in Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia alike.

My practice has focused primarily on Worker's Compensation issues. I have been the chair of the Worker's Compensation section for the Pennsylvania Association for Justice and am a member of the Pennsylvania and Allegheny County Bar Associations, regularly practicing in various courtrooms in Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

After 23 years of partnered practice, I opened my own firm...

Attorney Dawn K. Gull brings over two decades of experience specializing in family law matters, encompassing divorce, asset division, child custody, and financial support. Her practice, situated in Allegheny County, extends its services to clients across Beaver, Butler, and neighboring areas. The Law Offices of Dawn K. Gull adopt a pragmatic approach, facilitating an understanding of legal options while minimizing emotional strain. Operating in Pennsylvania, the firm customizes its services to meet individual client needs empathetically, considering the personal circumstances involved. With a forward-thinking outlook, the firm prioritizes shaping a positive future for clients post-resolving their family-related legal concerns.

Corey Sacca has been helping clients since 2009. He has experience in bankruptcy, tax, family and civil legal matters. He has assisted clients in Chapter 7, 11, 12, and 13 bankruptcies and has been named a Super Lawyers: Rising Star in 2012 through 2019. Corey understands that your legal issues cause stress; especially when dealing with issues involving your children, family, debt or taxes. He works hard to resolve your legal matters as quickly and as cost- effectively as possible. Corey graduated from Latrobe High School. After high school, he...

Michael P. Thomas is a Partner with MacDonald, Illig, Jones & Britton LLP. He assists individuals, closely held companies, and larger entities on a wide variety of estate planning, estate and trust administration, wealth transfer, succession planning, tax, and business matters.

Mike routinely assists clients with the design and implementation of both basic and complex estate plans that focus on accomplishing the client's individual objectives and minimizing the related tax consequences. He works closely with individual and corporate fiduciaries throughout estate and trust administrations. Mike has experience advising clients on a wide variety of sophisticated business transactions, employee benefit plan matters,...