Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP has been recognized in the 2025 edition of Best Law Firms®, receiving sixteen Tier 1 Metro rankings in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. These sixteen rankings include:
Commercial Litigation (PGH & PHL)
Criminal Defense – White Collar (PHL)
Employment Law – Individuals (PHL)
Employment Law – Management (PHL)
Health Care Law (PHL)
Family Law (PGH)
Insurance Law (PGH)
Litigation – Insurance (PGH)
Litigation – Labor & Employment (PGH & PHL)
Litigation – Real Estate (PGH)
Litigation – Trusts & Estates (PGH)
Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs (PGH)
Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants (PGH)
Product Liability Litigation – Defendants (PGH)
Trusts and Estates (PGH)
Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers (PGH)
In addition to the Tier 1 Metro rankings, Pietragallo also received ten Tier 2 and Tier 3 Metro rankings:
Tier 2 Metro firm in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia in the respective practice areas of Bet-the-Company Litigation, Corporate Compliance Law, Construction Law, Criminal Defense: White Collar, Employment Law – Management, and Litigation – Intellectual Property.
Tier 3 Metro firm in Pittsburgh in the practice areas of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Corporate Law, and Litigation – Construction.
Pietragallo has also been named as a Tier 2 National firm in Commercial Litigation and Litigation – Labor & Employment and a Tier 3 National firm for our work in Health Care Law.
Best Law Firms rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes the collection of client and lawyer evaluations, peer review from leading attorneys in their field, and review of additional information provided by law firms as part of the formal submission process. Clients were asked to provide feedback on firm practice groups, addressing: expertise, responsiveness, understanding of a business and its needs, cost-effectiveness, civility, and whether they would refer another client to the firm. Read More
Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP is pleased to announce the promotion of three lawyers to partnership: Rebecca Johnson Barksdale in Pittsburgh, PA, and Alexander M. Owens and Mark T. Sottile in Philadelphia, PA.
“We are pleased to recognize the professional excellence of our newest partners, Rebecca Johnson Barksdale, Alexander Owens, and Mark Sottile. These lawyers represent the best of the long-range future of our law firm,” said William Pietragallo, Managing Partner of Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP.
New partners:
Rebecca Johnson Barksdale focuses her practice on Construction, Commercial Litigation, and Insurance Coverage. She holds numerous leadership and volunteer roles, including currently serving on the Western PA March of Dimes Young Professionals’ Board, the Pennsylvania Women Work Volunteer and Ambassador Council, and as a Young Lawyer Fellow for the Allegheny County Bar Foundation. She also mentors through the Harvard Law School Committee on the Sports and Entertainment Law Mentorship Program.
Alexander M. Owens focuses his practice on the False Claims Act, Commercial Litigation, White Collar Litigation, and Class Action matters. He has tried multiple cases to verdict in state and federal courts. Beyond litigation, he counsels clients on regulatory issues arising under federal and state healthcare laws.
Mark T. Sottile focuses his practice on Employment Litigation and Counseling and Commercial Litigation. He has tried multiple cases to verdict in Pennsylvania and New Jersey state and federal courts and obtained summary judgment victories in countless high-stakes employment and commercial litigation matters. He has litigated hundreds of employment and commercial law claims under a number of federal statutes.
About Pietragallo
Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP is a multi-disciplined business and litigation law firm headquartered in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia with six offices throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Ohio, and West Virginia from which we are able to serve our clients in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Read More
Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP is delighted to announce the opening of our newest office in Marlton, New Jersey. Pietragallo currently has ten attorneys barred in New Jersey to serve our clients throughout the Garden State, with additional attorneys in the process of becoming members of the State bar. Their practices cover several specialties including government enforcement and white collar litigation, qui tam and False Claims Act litigation, internal investigations, employment, health care, commercial litigation, professional liability, and Title IX and sexual misconduct.
Our New Jersey office will be led by Scott A. Coffina, former Burlington County Prosecutor from 2017-2022, and former Senior Deputy Chief Counsel to Governor Chris Christie. Scott is the co-chair of our Government Enforcement, Compliance, & White Collar Litigation practice group. Scott also has served as an Assistant United States Attorney in Philadelphia and served as Associate Counsel to the President under President George W. Bush.
“We are very excited to expand into New Jersey with our new Marlton office,” said Pietragallo founding partner and Chairman, William Pietragallo, II. “Our firm already serves a number of clients in New Jersey,” he added. “Although our Philadelphia office is nearby, New Jersey is a different legal market and court system, and we are confident that we and our clients will benefit from our physical presence in the Garden State.”
The Marlton office is located at 50 Lake Center Drive, Suite 110, Marlton, NJ 08053. The office’s main number is 856-817-2600. Scott can be reached at 856-817-2601 or by email at SAC@Pietragallo.com.
About Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP
Pietragallo is a multi-disciplined litigation and business law firm headquartered in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh with six offices throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and now New Jersey. Read More
Pietragallo is pleased to announce that 24 lawyers have been named to the 2024 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars list.
Super Lawyers is a service of Thomson Reuters legal division which compiles a list of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas. Each year, Super Lawyers select attorneys based on peer nominations and evaluations combined with their own independent research. Selections are made on an annual, state by state basis to develop an extensive list of remarkable attorneys that can be used as a resource for attorneys and individuals seeking legal assistance. Only five percent of lawyers are selected to Super Lawyers and two and a half percent to Rising Stars.
The following were recognized in the 2024 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list:
Gaetan J. Alfano (Top 100 in Philadelphia)
Charles Avalli
Joseph J. Bosick
Kerri Lee Cappella (Top 100 in Pennsylvania, Top 50 Women in Pennsylvania and Top 50 in Pittsburgh)
Mark Gordon
Brennan Hart
Kenneth J. Horoho, Jr.
Christopher A. Iacono
Michael A. Morse
William Pietragallo, II
Francis E. Pipak, Jr.
Marc S. Raspanti (Top 100 in Philadelphia)
Lourdes Sánchez Ridge
Douglas K. Rosenblum
Clem C. Trischler
Paul Kenneth Vey
Robert D. Weinberg
The following were recognized in the 2024 Pennsylvania Rising Stars list:
Rebecca Johnson Barksdale
Ashley Kenny
Alexander Owens
Peter St. Tienne Wolff
John B. Zappone
To read more, click here.
About Pietragallo
Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP is a multi-disciplined business and commercial litigation firm headquartered in Pittsburgh with five offices throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia from which we are able to serve our clients in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Read More
Matthew R. Barnes and Brennan Hart recently obtained a dismissal in a case that alleged our client, an e-commerce retailer, violated Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) because its website was allegedly inaccessible to the visually impaired. Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Richard A. Lanzillo for the Western District of Pennsylvania granted our motion to dismiss, holding that the plaintiff was prohibited from bringing the Title III case against the online business because a website alone is not a “place of public accommodation,” as contemplated under Title III of the ADA.
“This is a faithful application of Third Circuit law and a major win for e-commerce retailers and online retailers in the Third Circuit,” Matt said in a recent interview.
Thousands of website accessibility lawsuits have been filed in recent years and this decision is the first of its kind in the Western District of Pennsylvania. Matt argued the case, and, at oral argument, the Court noted that it was “one of those occasions when oral argument is actually very helpful to the Court.”
The decision lends crucial support to any online company doing business in the Western District of Pennsylvania and beyond.
Read The Legal Intelligencer’s recent article here. Read More
Business and Commercial Litigation Firm Adds Family Law and Estate Administration/Orphans’ Court Practice
AUGUST 1, 2023 – Two established Pittsburgh law firms have agreed to merge, bringing a highly-experienced family law and estate planning, administration, and litigation practice to a nationally-recognized business and litigation firm.
Effective August 1, 2023, Gentile, Horoho & Avalli, P.C (GHA) will merge with Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP (Pietragallo). All seven GHA attorneys, well-known for their experience in complex and high net-worth divorce and custody disputes as well as intricate estate/trust cases will now join Pietragallo, a multi-disciplined business and commercial litigation firm, with offices in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Sharon, PA, Steubenville, OH, Weirton, WV, and Palm Beach Gardens, FL.
The merger comes on the heels of Pietragallo’s expansion into Palm Beach Gardens in 2022. Pietragallo’s clients range from Fortune 200 and large privately-held companies to municipal entities and entrepreneurial businesses in a broad diversity of industries and business sectors.
Gentile, Horoho & Avalli brings to Pietragallo more than 30 years of experience in providing exceptional legal counsel in the areas of family law and estates and trusts as well as complex orphans’ court litigation.
“We are excited to engage with these outstanding practitioners in a new sphere of domestic-business litigation,” said Pietragallo chairman William Pietragallo II. “Our practices share a common commitment to achieving results.”
“The lawyers at Pietragallo have distinguished themselves as leaders in our profession and in the communities they serve,” said Kenneth J. Horoho, Jr. “The blending of our two firms will provide our current clients with experienced business litigation attorneys who are known for problem-solving and results.”
The family law/estate litigation attorneys joining Pietragallo include:
Kenneth Horoho, Jr., Partner
Charles Avalli, Partner
Kerri Lee Cappella, Partner
Carla Schiff Donnelly, Partner
Lorraine W. Mervan, Special Counsel
Robert D. Weinberg, Associate
Adam J. Read More
Pietragallo is pleased to announce that 21 lawyers have been named to the 2023 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars list.
Super Lawyers is a service of Thomson Reuters legal division which compiles a list of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas. Each year, a research team at Super Lawyers conducts a multi-phase selection process reviewing independent research, peer nominations, and peer evaluations. Five percent of lawyers are selected to Super Lawyers and two and a half percent to Rising Stars.
The following were recognized in the 2023 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list:
Gaetan J. Alfano
Joseph J. Bosick
Mark Gordon
Brennan Hart
Christopher A. Iacono
Michael A. Morse
William Pietragallo, II
Francis E. Pipak, Jr.
Kevin E. Raphael
Marc S. Raspanti (Top 100 in Pennsylvania and Top 100 in Philadelphia)
Lourdes Sánchez Ridge
Douglas K. Rosenblum
Clem C. Trischler
Paul K. Vey
The following were recognized in the 2023 Pennsylvania Rising Stars list:
Jeremy E. Abay
Rebecca Johnson Barksdale
Ashley Kenny
John Kettering
Alexander M. Owens
Peter St. Tienne Wolff
To read more, click here.
About Pietragallo
Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP is a multi-disciplined business and commercial litigation firm headquartered in Pittsburgh with six offices throughout Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio, and West Virginia from which we are able to serve our clients in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
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By The Legal Intelligencer’s The Young Lawyer Editorial Board
Let’s set the record straight. There are no “usual stipulations” that apply to depositions.
Although some attorneys may share a vague understanding about the usual stipulations, the phrase has no established meaning. In fact, there is no rule, case, or statute that defines the usual stipulations. “Everyone purports to know without asking the content of the ‘usual stipulations’ until a dispute arises; the ephemeral nature of the parties’ understanding is then quite apparent.” See United States v. Liquid Sugars, 158 F.R.D. 466, 473 n.8 (E.D. Cal. 1994).
Because the phrase has no accepted meaning, an attorney should respond to a proposal for the usual stipulations by asking, “What do you mean by the usual stipulations?” The question might elicit shock, anger, or some patronizing retort like, “I’m surprised you don’t know what the usual stipulations are.”
You may feel tempted to agree to the usual stipulations without any clarification. This is especially true for newer lawyers, who fear that asking for an explanation will reveal their inexperience. But there is no reason to be embarrassed. In all likelihood, the attorney proposing the usual stipulations has no idea what the phrase means.
Many attorneys simply mimic what they perceive to be a common practice without questioning whether the practice makes sense. These same attorneys might argue, “I’ve done hundreds of depositions, and no one has ever refused the usual stipulations.” That may be true, but a prevalent practice can still be a flawed practice.
Consider these two common versions of the usual stipulations: “reserving all objections until trial or there is an attempt to use the deposition” or “reserving all objections except to the form of a question.” While neither helps the taking attorney, both give the defending attorney a strategic advantage beyond what the rules provide. Read More
U.S. News & World Report recognizes Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP as a 2023 Tier 1 Metro “Best Law Firm” in twelve practice areas in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. These twelve practice areas are:
Commercial Litigation (PGH & PHL)
Employment Law – Individuals (PHL)
Health Care Law (PHL)
Insurance Law (PGH)
Litigation – Labor & Employment (PGH & PHL)
Litigation – Health Care (PGH)
Litigation – Insurance (PGH)
Litigation – Trusts & Estates (PGH)
Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions – Plaintiffs (PGH)
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants (PGH)
Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants (PGH) and
Product Liability Litigation – Defendants (PGH)
In addition to the Tier 1 Metro ratings, Pietragallo was named:
Tier 2 Metro in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia in the practice areas of Bet-the-Company Litigation, Criminal Defense: White-Collar, Employment Law – Management, Litigation – Intellectual Property, and Professional Malpractice Law – Defendants.
Tier 3 Metro in Pittsburgh and West Palm Beach in the practice areas of Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Construction Law, Litigation – Construction, Criminal Defense: General Practice, and Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Pietragallo has also been named as Tier 2 across the nation in Litigation – Labor & Employment and Tier 3 nationally for our work in Commercial Litigation and Health Care Law.
The U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Law Firms” rankings are based on a rigorous evaluation process that includes the collection of client and lawyer evaluations, peer review from leading attorneys in their field, and review of additional information provided by law firms as part of the formal submission process. Clients were asked to provide feedback on firm practice groups, addressing: expertise, responsiveness, understanding of a business and its needs, cost-effectiveness, civility, and whether they would refer another client to the firm. Lawyers also voted on expertise, responsiveness, integrity, cost-effectiveness, whether they would refer a matter to a firm, and if they consider a firm a worthy competitor. Read More
Pietragallo is pleased to announce that 23 lawyers have been named as 2022 Super Lawyers and Rising Stars, including partner Marc Raspanti who was recognized in the Top 100 in Pennsylvania and Philadelphia.
Super Lawyers is a service of Thomson Reuters legal division which compiles a list of outstanding lawyers from more than 74 practice areas. Each year, a research team at Super Lawyers conducts a multi-phase selection process reviewing independent research, peer nominations, and peer evaluations. With the objective being to provide a reliable, wide-ranging list of attorneys that can be used as a source for finding exceptional legal counsel.
The following were chosen as Pennsylvania Super Lawyers:
Gaetan J. Alfano
Joseph J. Bosick
Mark Gordon
P. Brennan Hart
Christopher A. Iacono
James W. Kraus
Michael A. Morse
William Pietragallo, II
Francis E. Pipak, Jr.
Kevin E. Raphael
Marc S. Raspanti (Top 100 in Pennsylvania and Top 100 in Philadelphia)
Lourdes Sánchez Ridge
Douglas K. Rosenblum
Clem C. Trischler
Paul K. Vey
The following were chosen as Pennsylvania Rising Stars:
Jeremy E. Abay
Rebecca Johnson Barksdale
Ashley J. Kenny
John W. Kettering
Alexander Owens
Peter St. Tienne Wolff
About Pietragallo
Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP is a multi-disciplined business and commercial litigation firm headquartered in Pittsburgh with six offices throughout Pennsylvania, Florida, Ohio, and West Virginia from which we are able to serve our clients in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Read More
April 4, 2025
On April 10, in Miami, FL, partner Marc S. Raspanti will be co-hosting “False Claims Act Enforcement Roundtable” for the American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section Qui Tam Subcommittee. Read More
October 16, 2024
Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP is pleased to announce the promotion of three lawyers to partnership: Rebecca Johnson Barksdale in Pittsburgh, PA, and Alexander M. Read More
