Gifford Lawyers

Attorney Wilson's practice is primarily devoted to personal injury and malpractice litigation, social security disability, civil litigation, commercial litigation, business law, insurance coverage, D.U.I. defense, eminent domain, real estate, divorce, family law, estate planning and elder care matters. Attorney Wilson is admitted to practice law in the courts of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States District Court of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the United States District Court of the Middle District of Pennsylvania. He has argued before the Pennsylvania Superior Court and the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania. He is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar...

John A. Lauer is a Senior Partner with the law firm of MacDonald, Illig, Jones & Britton LLP, where he is Chairman of the firm's Trusts & Estates Group. He is also a member of the firm's Business and Tax Groups. John's practice consists primarily of Estate and Tax Planning, Estate and Trust Administration, Elder Law, and Business Law.

John received his Bachelor of Science in accounting from Gannon University in 1986 and his Juris Doctor from the Wake Forest University School of Law in 1996. He is a licensed Certified Public Accountant in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Prior to beginning...

Mr. Shamburg is a partner with MacDonald Illig where he is a member of the Business Transactions, Trusts & Estate and Tax Practice groups. His practice comprises a vast array of personal and business transactions, that can be broken into five general practice areas: estate and trust planning and administration; tax compliance and planning matters; Orphans' Court litigation; nonprofit formation; and corporate formation and transactions.

Mr. Shamburg received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting from the Pennsylvania State University, University Park Campus in 2005. In 2009, he graduated cum laude from the University of Dayton School of Law, where...

I represent corporate and individual clients before the trial, administrative, and appellate courts of Pennsylvania, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, and the United States Patent and Trademark Office. I also provide general counsel services to small businesses, municipalities, sole proprietors, artists, writers and musicians. I am an active member of the Lycoming Law Association, serve as solicitor for the City of Williamsport, and as an assistant solicitor for the County of Lycoming.

John Fessler has been a civil litigator for more than 25 years. His practice is concentrated primarily in the areas of insurance defense, commercial litigation and personal injury. John has represented insurance carriers in a variety of cases over the years, including those involving automobile policies, commercial general liability policies and homeowner policies.

Attorney Fessler also has an extensive real estate practice, providing counsel to buyers, sellers and lending institutions, as well as regularly participating in Sheriff Sales.

He is AV Preeminent peer-review rated,* the highest rating, through Martindale-Hubbell. Mr. Fessler was awarded the 2007 President's Award from the Erie County Bar...

Dallas Hartman of Dallas W. Hartman P.C., Attorneys at Law serves clients from six office locations throughout Northwestern Pennsylvania and Ohio in injury matters. He has been named one of the Top Lawyers in Pennsylvania by Super Lawyers for the five years in a row.

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,...

Attorney Martinucci's practice is concentrated on providing public and private sector employers with legal advice and representation in various employment and civil rights matters in both union and non-union settings. He represents clients before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission and the Erie County Human Relations Commission against allegations of employment-related discrimination and harassment, and he has had favorable results. Attorney Martinucci has also successfully litigated wrongful discharge and employment discrimination cases before various state and federal courts in western Pennsylvania and conducts collective bargaining negotiations for public and private sector clients. His clients include private...

Chris is a founding member of Haberl, Buell & Rice, PLLC, where he focuses on oil and gas, real estate, corporate, litigation, and estate matters. Chris represents oil and gas operators in land issues, litigation, regulatory appeals, and general commercial matters. He also regularly represents businesses and individuals in civil litigation, real estate transactions, corporate formations and counseling, and estate planning and administration. Chris has been named a Rising Star by Pennsylvania Super Lawyers® from 2012 through 2020.

Attorney Tim Burns has been operating his regional general law practice in historic Ebensburg, Cambria County for nearly a decade. His office, located an hour and a half east of Pittsburgh, is conveniently located just steps from the Cambria County Courthouse. A Johnstown native, he received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Political Science and Secondary Education from St. Vincent College in Latrobe, and his Juris Doctorate from Duquesne University in Pittsburgh where he served as Editor-in-Chief of Juris, the school’s award winning legal newsmagazine. Prior to opening his law office, Attorney Burns was an Associate in the...

Attorney Mikovch has over 25 years of experience as a criminal defense attorney. In his criminal defense practice, he represents individuals charged with crimes ranging from felonies, misdemeanors and summary charges. He has successfully defended clients in numerous jury trials with the end results being not guilty on all counts. Attorney Mikovch has represented clients against the Office of Children and Youth when people are wrongly accused of abuse and Indicated, and represents both plaintiffs and defendants in Protection from Abuse (PFA) hearings. He also represents individuals on state-issued license employment matters which may be affected...

Douglas G. McCormick is a partner at McCormick & Vilushis, LLC.  He focuses his practice on personal injury, workers’ compensation, Social Security, and criminal defense.  Doug is a 2000 graduate of Bucknell University, where he graduated cum laude, and a 2004 graduate of the Washington University in St. Louis School of Law.

He has been admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania since 2004, where he began as an assistant district attorney at the Erie County District Attorney’s Office under Bradley H. Foulk.  While there, he was fortunate to argue several cases before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court involving constitutional issues.

Since 2008, he has helped injured...

Attorney Scipione, the founder of Nittany Group, LLC, focuses on contract law, business planning, real estate, and matters concerning oil and gas. He has been a distinguished speaker on various oil and gas panels, serves as a consultant on historical land records at Bucknell University, and has been teaching an oil & gas land title course at Penn State University since the spring of 2013. With extensive experience representing both the oil & gas industry and landowners, he has adeptly handled negotiations involving sales, purchases, leases, and pipeline right-of-way agreements. Mr. Scipione has a proven track record in successfully litigating...

Julian Allatt is a dedicated criminal defense attorney and partner at Rehmeyer & Allatt, a law firm in State College, PA. He is experienced in representing clients charged with minor summary offenses, DUI and minor drug possession cases, to violent felonies including armed robbery, burglary, aggravated assault, attempted murder and related offenses. Additionally, Julian has extensive experience representing clients charged with the possession and distribution of controlled substances in prosecutions commenced by county district attorney’s offices as well as the Attorney General of Pennsylvania. He is a highly experienced and respected courtroom advocate who prides himself in his ability...

Jeff Youngs is a third-generation Attorney at Pepicelli, Youngs and Youngs, a firm that cares about its clients, and is well known for client-centered, affordable representation. He joins Pepicelli, Youngs & Youngs as a third-generation attorney, following in the footsteps of his grandfather, John V. Pepicelli, who practiced law from 1953 to 1997, and his parents, Christopher J. and Lisa Pepicelli Youngs, who have practiced law in Meadville since 1983.

The firm has expanded to include Attorney Brian Cagle, who focuses on business, corporate, and municipal law, and elder law.

The firm has also added Attorney Sara Patterson, who...

Steven Trialonas focuses his practice on criminal defense and select civil litigation matters. He represents clients in state and federal criminal cases, irrespective of the severity of the offenses; all criminal allegations are serious when levied against an individual and will be treated as such. Steven has represented medical doctors, nurses, and other licensed professionals in the investigation phase with success to avoid charges being filed, as well as after charging or indictment to trial. Steven has handled numerous cases at both the state and federal level in both Pennsylvania and New York. Most recently in a high profile case,...

Lydia Horan Caparosa is an Associate in the Litigation Department at MacDonald Illig. She is a member of both the firm's Commercial/General Litigation Practice Group and the Insurance/Personal Injury Practice Group. Ms. Caparosa is licensed to practice in all Pennsylvania state courts as well as the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

Ms. Caparosa graduated from Pennsylvania State University with degrees in Finance and International Politics in 2011. Thereafter, Ms. Caparosa earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. While at the University of Pittsburgh, Ms. Caparosa worked as...

Russell S. Warner is the Managing Partner of the law firm of MacDonald, Illig, Jones & Britton LLP in Erie, Pennsylvania. He is the founder and past Chairman of the firm's Environmental Group. He concentrates his practice in the areas of business and environmental law, including matters involving the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, as well as matters before the USEPA Environmental Appeals Board and the Pennsylvania Environmental Hearing Board.

Mr. Warner's practice includes representation of businesses, financial institutions, economic development organizations and municipal entities regarding business and environmental matters, as well as acquisitions, capital...

Mr. Spoden is a senior partner at MacDonald Illig. He concentrates his practice in the area of corporate, commercial and business law, with a special emphasis on taxation and estate planning for small business owners. He is also active in the area of business formation, mergers, acquisitions and divestitures.

Mr. Spoden is experienced in small business counseling including industrial, professional and service corporations.

Mr. Spoden is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.

Attorney Quinn chairs the Litigation Division, and he practices exclusively in civil litigation. He has been handling personal injury cases for over 30 years and has been involved in all types of civil cases including auto accident, product liability, medical malpractice and many other types of personal injury cases.

Attorney Quinn has represented both plaintiffs and defendants in personal injury and medical malpractice cases. He has been able to maximize the money awarded by a jury for a personal injury victim. He is also very familiar with how insurance companies view personal injury claims and litigation and how to obtain maximum...

For 30 years, "Jack" Mehler has helped public and private companies, banks, developers, non-profit corporations and individuals in a wide range of legal matters. Jack concentrates in the areas of general business matters, real estate, banking, and financial transactions.

Jack also represents taxpayer-clients and developers in real estate tax assessment (value) appeals, and tax exemption cases throughout western Pennsylvania on many different types of properties as diverse as marinas, waterfront shipping facilities, hospitals, shopping centers and malls, industrial plants, truck terminals and warehouses, commercial and professional office buildings, corporate headquarters, hotels, and senior living facilities.

Jack has written numerous articles and is...

William R. Brown concentrates his practice in the areas of Business Transactions, Commercial Real Estate and Creditor Rights.

In the area of Business Transactions, Mr. Brown advises businesses and individuals with respect to formation and governance of business entities, commercial transactions, contract formation and interpretation, real estate acquisition, disposition and development and structuring of financial relationships.

Mr. Brown also represents commercial and institutional lenders with respect to secured lending, construction financing, syndicated loans and participations, letters of credit and tax-exempt financings. As counsel to major commercial banks, Mr. Brown is regularly involved in the negotiation, structure, documentation and closing of major real...

Attorney Burroughs is primarily a civil litigator whose principal area of concentration is environmental law. He undertakes representation of parties in civil cases in the Pennsylvania state and federal courts. He is also involved in administrative proceedings, in particular those which deal with environmental law. He is also significantly involved in the counseling of individuals and companies regarding environmental compliance and remediation of environmental problems.

Attorney Burroughs has represented clients in toxic tort, products liability, personal injury and related cases. Additionally, he has an expanding practice in the fields of municipal law and municipal authority law. His clients include individual municipalities,...

Alan Natalie is a private solo practice attorney practicing in Northwestern Pennsylvania since 1989, committed to protecting the rights of thousands of individuals and families in times of loss; concentrating in the areas of Personal Injury (automobile accidents, wrongful death claims, dog bite injuries, medical malpractice, property owner liability claims), Criminal Defense (DUI, DWI, all misdemeanors, all felonies), Estate Litigation (suits prosecuting or defending estate executors, trustees, and other fiduciaries), Estate Planning (wills, living wills, advanced directives, powers of attorney), and Estate Administration (probate or settlement of any size estate, insolvent estates, trusts). All matters include a free consultation....

Terry Jones is a trial lawyer who has spent his entire career representing both plaintiffs and defendants in significant personal injury cases and wrongful death actions. He has litigated hundreds of cases, including automobile liability, product liability, medical malpractice and premises liability matters, many of which have involved catastrophic personal injuries or deaths. Mr. Jones also has been involved in the defense of a number of class action cases. He enjoys a Martindale Hubbell rating of AV Preeminent, the highest available rating for professional competence and ethics.

Mr. Jones has completed the ADR training program in the U.S....

Jim Toohey is a partner at MacDonald Illig, where he represents and advises individuals, businesses and lenders in a wide variety of real estate and corporate matters, including residential, industrial, commercial and multi-unit transactions; commercial leasing; and commercial and residential lending. In addition to his representation of individual buyers and sellers of residential real estate, Jim has extensive experience in representing developers of real estate who acquire, finance, develop and operate industrial, office and retail projects. Jim also represents business owners in a variety of matters, commercial and real estate mortgage lenders in financing business and real estate loans, and...

Scott Wallen is a partner at MacDonald Illig where he concentrates his practice in the areas of estate planning and administration, corporate mergers and acquisitions, corporate formation, business succession planning, elder law, nonprofit corporations law and healthcare law. Mr. Wallen is also a Certified Public Accountant and routinely handles matters involving federal and state taxation issues including corporate and individual taxation and sales tax issues. He is a member of the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) and the American Academy of Attorney-CPAs (AAA-CPA). Mr. Wallen is affiliated with the Trusts & Estates and Business Transactions Practice Groups at...

After graduating from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law with honors, Ms. Seelinger gained valuable trial experience as an Assistant District Attorney in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. After spending time in the trial division, appellate division and juvenile division of the District Attorney's Office, Attorney Seelinger left to start her own law firm. Attorney Seelinger is lead counsel for Seelinger Law where she represents clients in the areas of bankruptcy law and criminal defense.

Since he started his law practice in 1997, Attorney Melaragno has worked with individuals who were injured, through no fault of their own, in car accidents, motorcycle accidents, tractor trailer accidents, slips and falls and a variety of other circumstances. Attorney Melaragno and his partners have tried or settled cases with a success rate of over 99%, recovering more than $3.2 Million for their injured clients in the last 4 years alone.


Attorney Melaragno was selected to serve on the Panel for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Trustees for the Western District of Pennsylvania on February 6, 2004 and from that...

Jenna Bickford is a partner in the Business Transactions Group of MacDonald Illig. She represents clients across a number of practice areas including Business Transactions, Real Estate, Government Services and Public Finance, and Health Care.

Ms. Bickford routinely represents business clients of all sizes with a variety of legal needs including business formation, contract matters, corporate and regulatory compliance, and mergers and acquisitions. She has also taught mergers and acquisitions as an adjunct instructor at Mercyhurst University.

As a member of the Real Estate Group, she regularly handles both residential and commercial real estate transactions and assists clients with title matters. She...

For 25 years, Mark has been serving the cause of justice in Clarion County. From his earliest days in the Public Defender’s office, to five terms as Clarion County’s elected District Attorney, Mark’s temperament and judgement have been tested and refined.

Mark has earned his reputation as a tough litigator. Your case will be handled with your best interests constantly in mind. Whether that means negotiating an appropriate settlement or, when justice requires, to try the case before a jury, Mark has the expertise to ensure that you receive the best possible result.

• Tried 119 jury trials in Clarion...