Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP is pleased to be recognized by Chambers USA in its 2021 guide in the area of Litigation: White-Collar Crime & Government Investigations in Pennsylvania. Chambers ranks leading law firms and attorneys across the U.S. based on the opinion of their clients and peers, and by the quality of their work.
Chambers USA acknowledges that the team has experience “handling actions brought under the False Claims Act and tackling significant cross-border mandates.” Clients and peers are quoted as saying, “Pietragallo Gordon has an excellent securities and white-collar practice” and as having “a good statewide footprint.”
Additionally, the following partners are ranked:
William Pietragallo— Litigation: General Commercial— Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh & Surrounds
Marc S. Raspanti— Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations— Pennsylvania Read More
In a significant expansion of the firm’s litigation practice, Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP is pleased to announce the addition of four new associates to the firm’s Pittsburgh and Philadelphia Offices.
“This is an exciting time for our firm as we continue to expand our litigation team and attract top talent in the legal market,” said Pietragallo Chairman William Pietragallo, II. “We are fully committed to providing our clients with the best possible talent and we are delighted to welcome this young and talented group of associates.”
The group of four new associates includes:
Stephen Raiola joins our Commercial Litigation team in our Pittsburgh office. Stephen brings our clients mid-level expertise in litigation and investigations, including product liability and mass tort, class actions, and commercial litigation. Before making the decision to return to Pittsburgh, Stephen spent five years with a leading international law firm in Washington D.C. Prior to Stephen’s move to D.C., he was an associate at an international law firm in New York City and clerked for Judge D. Michael Fisher on the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He is a magna cum laude graduate of Georgetown University Law Center.
Daniel P. Wotherspoon joins our Government Enforcement, Compliance, and White Collar litigation team in our Philadelphia office. Daniel brings our clients mid-level experience in white collar criminal defense and government investigations related to securities and False Claims Act matters. He joins us from a nationally based law firm and clerked for Judge Jane Richards Roth on the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Daniel graduated cum laude from Villanova University School of Law.
Christin M. Roberts joins our Government Enforcement, Compliance, and White Collar litigation team in our Pittsburgh office. Christin completed an internship in the Legal Department and Compliance Department at a leading global pharmaceuticals company where she concentrated her research on the False Claims Act and Whistleblower laws. Read More
Takeaway:
Big Corporations can be sued anywhere they conduct business, no matter how insignificant the local sales are compared to the national sales.
Although plaintiffs have the advantage in choosing the forum, defendants have the assurance that they cannot be sued in forums where they do not conduct significant business. On March 8, 2021, that assurance became smaller – by about 95.995%. In an en banc opinion, the Pennsylvania Superior Court determined that venue was proper in Philadelphia County even though Defendant’s, Husqvarna Professional Products (HPP), local sales only accounted for .005% of its $1.4 billion national sales.
The Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure provide that venue is proper against a corporation or similar entity in a county where it “regularly conducts business.” In determining whether venue is proper under this Rule, courts “employ a quality-quantity analysis.” In ruling that venue was not proper in Philadelphia County, the trial court determined that Defendant satisfied the quality prong, but not the quantity prong; the trial court granted Defendant’s motion to transfer the case to Buck’s County. On appeal, the Pennsylvania Superior Court held that it was an abuse of discretion for the trial court to rely almost exclusively on the percentage of defendant’s business in a county when addressing whether venue was proper.
Specifically, the Court noted “[t]he percentage of a company’s overall business that it conducts in a given county, standing alone, is not meaningful and is not determinative of the ‘quantity’ prong. Each case turns on its own facts, and we must evaluate evidence of the extent of a defendant’s business against the nature of the business at issue.” The Court determined that because “the percentage of sales a multi-billion-dollar company makes in a particular county will almost always be a tiny percentage of its total sales [,] Courts thus should not consider percentages in isolation.” Read More
As published in Lawyers Journal
Pennsylvania applies two important, yet distinct, time limitations on construction claims. A statute of limitations sets a mandatory period within which an injured person must file a lawsuit after suffering the injury, or the injured person will forever lose the claim. A statute of repose establishes a bright-line deadline that precludes any claims against a contractor after a certain period of time, even if a person is injured by the construction after that deadline has passed.
Pennsylvania applies a two year statute of limitation for personal injury and property damage and a four year statute of limitations for breach of contract actions. 42 Pa. C.S.A. § 5524; 42 Pa. C.S.A. § 5525. Thus, if a person or property is injured by negligent construction, the person must bring the claim within two years of being injured. Similarly, if a general contractor wishes to bring a claim against a subcontractor for breach of contract, the general contractor will have four years after discovery of the breach to bring the claim.
But Pennsylvania also applies a 12 year statute of repose for claims against any person performing or furnishing the design, planning, supervision or observation of construction, or construction of any improvement to real property. 42 Pa.C.S. § 5536. If an injury occurs within the last two years of the statute of repose, the time period will be extended by up to two years. The statute of repose acts to prevent claims for latent defects in construction. The Pennsylvania Superior Court has recognized that, “[a]s a statute of repose, Section 5536 does not merely bar a party’s right to a remedy as a statute of limitations does, but it completely abolishes and eliminates the cause of action.” Noll v. Harrisburg Area YMCA, 643 A.2d 81 (Pa. 1994) (citing Schmoyer by Schmoyer v. Read More
Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti LLP, a business and litigation law firm with five offices across Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, is proud to announce that nineteen of our distinguished attorneys have been recognized in The Best Lawyers in America® 2021 edition.
“The legacy of our law firm is the depth of our courtroom talent,” noted Managing Partner, William Pietragallo, II. He continued, “I could not be more proud.”
Recognition by Best Lawyers® is based entirely on peer review within the legal industry. The Best Lawyers® methodology is designed to capture the consensus opinion of industry-leading lawyers regarding the professional capabilities of their colleagues. Best Lawyers® distinction is demonstrative of the respect that recognized lawyers have earned amongst their peers.
The following individuals of The Pietragallo Law Firm have been recognized for their work in the following industries:
Gaetan J. Alfano (2012)
Commercial Litigation
Employment Law – Individuals
Employment Law – Management
Litigation – Labor and Employment
Pamela Coyle Brecht (2021)
Qui Tam Law
Marc S. Raspanti (2006)
Health Care Law
Doug Rosenblum (2021)
Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Phillip R. Earnest (2021)
Construction Law
Insurance Law
Mark Gordon (2011)
Litigation – Insurance
Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers
James W. Kraus (2021)
Criminal Defense: White-Collar
Litigation – Health Care
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
James F. Marrion (2021)
Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
Shelly Pagac (2021)
Employment Law – Individuals
Litigation – Labor and Employment
William Pietragallo II (2005)
Bet-the-Company Litigation
Commercial Litigation
Mass Tort Litigation / Class Actions
Personal Injury Litigation – Defendants
Francis E. Pipak, Jr. (2011)
Workers’ Compensation Law – Employers
Eric G. Soller (2021)
Commercial Litigation
Litigation – Intellectual Property
Peter St. Tienne Wolff (2021)
Litigation – Trusts and Estates
Clem C. Trischler, Jr. (2011)
Commercial Litigation
Product Liability Litigation – Defendants
Paul Kenneth Vey (2011)
Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants
Sharon, PA
Richard Parks (2021)
Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law
“Ones to Watch”
Leslie A. Read More
Partner Pamela Coyle Brecht of Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP has been appointed as a Hearing Committee Member serving the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania effective July 1, 2020. This appointment is a three-year term.
Ms. Brecht also serves as Chair of the firm’s national Qui Tam/False Claims Act (FCA) Practice Group. She is experienced in white-collar criminal litigation, internal investigations, and complex health care litigation. Some of Ms. Brecht’s largest FCA cases have included alleged fraud by a large multi-state Medicaid managed care contractor and FCA violations by three of the largest hospital corporations in the country.
The Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania is dedicated to protecting the public, maintaining the integrity of the legal profession, and safeguarding the reputation of the courts. The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania established the Disciplinary Board in 1972. In regard to the appointment, Ms. Brecht commented, “I’m honored and proud to accept this appointment. I will do my very best to assist our system of discipline.” Read More
Chambers & Partners recently released their High Net Worth Guide which combines a list of leading High Net Worth Professionals worldwide. Within, Managing Partner William Pietragallo, II and Partner Peter St. Tienne Wolff were recognized for their work in Private Wealth Law in the state of Pennsylvania.
Chambers & Partners is a legal ranking service which conducts in-depth interviews with clients in order to assess the reputations and expertise of business lawyers worldwide. From their research regarding Mr. Pietragallo’s practice they concluded Mr. Pietragallo is ” … a well-established private client lawyer. Additionally clients noted, “He is very seasoned” and “He’s seen a lot and does not rush to judgement. He is calculating and careful while also being an aggressive litigator.” Of Mr. St. Tienne Wolff, one client noted, “Mr. Wolff is an excellent trial attorney who leaves no stone unturned.” Another client submitted to Chamber & Partners, “Peter is very responsive and thorough, and has an indefatigable work ethic.”
Chambers & Partners is committed to maintaining the esteem of its ranking service and only acknowledges lawyers in their field who have deep technical legal ability, high professional conduct, deliver exceptional customer service, demonstrate commercial awareness, and demonstrate diligence, commitment, and other qualities most valued by clients.
For more information about Chambers & Partners, we invite you to visit their website. You can find the High Net Worth Guide in which Mr. Pietragallo and Mr. St. Tienne Wolff are featured below. Read More
Pietragallo partner Douglas K. Rosenblum will be speaking at PBI’s upcoming program, “Intellectual Property Law Institute 2020” on Tuesday, July 28th, 2020. Mr. Rosenblum’s panel segment is titled, “Trials and Tribulations of Virtual Hearings, Depositions, etc. in the Age of Covid-19.” This year marks the 14th anniversary of the ‘IP Institute’ and the program will be held virtually.
Intellectual property is a burgeoning practice area with nuances and ever-changing innovations and issues that can try the patience of even the most seasoned practitioners. No one can afford to remain unacquainted with the rights and potential liabilities that may arise. That’s why those in the know attend PBI’s Intellectual Property Law Institute year after year. Their 14th Institute has something for everyone from the novice to the expert.
For more information about the PBI program, including to register, please click here.
For more information about Douglas K. Rosenblum, please visit his contact page. Read More
Twenty-one Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP attorneys were named to the 2020 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars list, including founding partners William Pietragallo, II, Mark Gordon, Joseph J Bosick, Gaetan J Alfano, and Marc S Raspanti. These designations are awarded to lawyers who receive the highest feedback regarding their legal practice based on independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations.
In addition to all of the Firm’s founding Partners, the following lawyers were acknowledged by the rating service as 2020 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers: P. Brennan Hart, Christopher A. Iacono, James W. Kraus, Michael A. Morse, Shelly R. Pagac, Francis E. Pipak, Kevin E. Raphael, Douglas K. Rosenblum, John A. Schwab, Eric G. Soller, Clem C. Trischler, and Paul K. Vey.
The following firm lawyers were recognized by the rating service as 2020 Pennsylvania Rising Stars: John R. Brumberg, Joseph L. Gordon, Leslie A. Mariotti, and Peter St. Tienne Wolff.
In addition to the recognition above, Super Lawyers further distinguished Gaetan J. Alfano as “Top 100: 2020 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers” and “Top 100: 2020 Philadelphia Super Lawyers.” Managing Partner William Pietragallo, II was also further distinguished as “Top 50: 2020 Pittsburgh Super Lawyers List.”
For more information about any of our attorneys, we invite you to visit Our Team page. If you would like to reach one of our attorneys, their direct contact information can be found within their biographies.
For more information about Super Lawyers, we invite you to visit their website: www.superlawyers.com. Read More
Chambers & Partners, an international legal research firm, recently announced their 2020 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business. Within, founding Partners William Pietragallo, II and Marc S. Raspanti have been recognized for their “outstanding legal practice” in the fields of “Litigation: General Commercial” and “White-Collar Crime and Government Investigations,” respectively.
Chambers & Partners recognizes lawyers after extensive and in-depth research including interviews with clients and members of the legal community.
Alongside Mr. Pietragallo’s review, Chambers shares client feedback, “He is very practical and is the go-to guy for any case of significance in Western Pennsylvania.” Another source adds, “He is persuasive and is very good in front of judges and juries.” Commentators on Mr. Raspanti’s practice prize him for being “a good diligent lawyer” who is “excellent in his field.”
For additional information about Chambers & Partners, we invite you to visit their website. For additional information about William Pietragallo, II and Marc S. Raspanti, we invite you to view their biographies.
Read More
November 28, 2023
Marc Raspanti and Pamela Coyle Brecht‘s presentation “A Practitioner’s Guide to American Whistleblower Programs” is now available through World Online Lawyers With Excellent Practice (WOLEP). Read More
August 17, 2023
Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP is pleased to announce that 27 lawyers have been named as 2024 The Best Lawyers in America® and Ones to Watch. Read More
