Position: Counsel

Sarah Rubright McCahon

When most people think of estate planning, they immediately think about a will. But Sarah, a member of the firm’s Trusts & Estates Practice Group, understands the complexity of a complete estate plan to ensure that a person’s wishes are carried out goes much further than a will.

While she has helped many clients draft their wills, she is also qualified at developing comprehensive estate plans and has a broad array of experience with estate and trust administration. This area of her practice includes:

  • Drafting of wills
  • Drafting of power of attorney documents
  • Drafting health care power of attorney documents and living wills
  • Trust creation
  • Trust administration
  • Special needs trust establishment

Her work often takes her to Orphans’ Court, where she assists clients regarding the intricacies of special needs trust administration and guardianships of the person and of the estate. Those are legal tools that allow a person or entity to make decisions for another person of any age who is incapacitated or has certain special needs.

In her business practice, Sarah deals almost exclusively with the needs of nonprofit corporations, including religious entities and youth sports organizations. Her work advising nonprofit corporations includes:

  • Entity formation
  • Compliance
  • Bylaw review
  • Real estate transactions
  • Asset acquisitions
  • Dissolutions

Sarah and her husband Brian live in Birdsboro with their daughters Maggie and Gracie. Her family can often be found enjoying the outdoors while camping in central Pennsylvania or spending time at the Jersey shore.

MEMBERSHIPS
  • Berks Estate Planning Council, board member
  • Dauphin County Bar Association
  • Schuylkill County Bar Association
  • Berks County Bar Association
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association
PRESENTATIONS
  • “Attorneys’ Duties to Protect Client Data”, Lancaster Bar Association Webinar (June 2020)
  • “COVID-19 Estate Planning Opportunities”, Herbein + Company Webinar (May 2020)
  • “Board Governance” Leadership Berks County (November 2012-18)
  • Transactional Law; Berks County Bar Association Law Explorer Post (January 2012)
  • “Entity Selection” Greater Reading Chamber of Commerce Small Business Summit (April 2011)
  • The Struggle of Punitive Damages in Arbitration: How to Get What you Want Out of an Arbitration; The Journal of American Arbitration
OTHER PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
  • Legal intern for the Honorable John E. Jones III of the U.S. District Court, Middle District of Pennsylvania, 2004.
RECOGNITIONS
  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) (2024)

W. Jeffrey Sidebottom

Jeff Sidebottom is the former chair the Workers’ Compensation Law Group and focuses his practice on advising clients regarding workers’ compensation issues and representing clients in related litigation. When providing counsel on workers’ compensation matters, he works closely with other members of the firm’s Employment Law Group to provide coordinated full-service risk management advice for the benefit of the firm’s clients.

Jeff has handled workers’ compensation cases throughout Pennsylvania for clients, including self-insured employers, insurance carriers and third-party administrators, as well as businesses such as hospitals, food processing companies, manufacturers and printing companies. Jeff has aggressively defended cases for businesses he represents to its final conclusion. When defending employers or businesses in workers’ compensation matters, Jeff believes it is absolutely essential to take a team approach in working and communicating on a regular basis with the insurer, third party administrator and representatives of the employer.

On many occasions, a workers’ compensation claimant has other employment-related issues with the client so Jeff takes a team-oriented approach with other members of the Employment Law Group to provide a coordinated approach while dealing with problem employees which can include FLMA, ADA, or termination issues. This coordinated advice approach is very helpful to clients when dealing with difficult or problem employees.

During his 45 years representing employers in the workers’ compensation field, Jeff has become very aware of the interests of businesses to reduce workers’ compensation costs, including litigation expenses. He has become an advocate for the interests of businesses dealing with the workers’ compensation system, both at the state and local levels. To this end, Jeff serves as a member of the Pennsylvania Chamber of Commerce’s Workers’ Compensation Executive Committee, which provides advice to the Chamber on possible legislative initiatives affecting the workers’ compensation system. Jeff has also been involved with the Lancaster Chamber of Commerce Workers’ Compensation Work Group which meets on a regular basis to address common issues of employers in Lancaster County dealing with workers’ compensation matters.

In addition, Jeff has served on the editing committee for the Pennsylvania Chamber’s Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Guide, a useful and informative book for businesses on how to deal with the workers’ compensation system in the state. Jeff authored an article that has been very useful for employers by providing a guide for understanding and dealing with the workers’ compensation litigation process and providing tips on how to increase the likelihood of a successful litigation outcome.

MEMBERSHIPS
  • American Bar Association
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association
  • Lancaster Bar Association, co-chair of the Workers’ Compensation Practice Section
PRESENTATIONS
  • “Workers’ Compensation: The Role of Medical Evidence in Litigated Cases”, Barley Snyder Employment Law Seminar (April 2015)
  • “Workers’ Compensation: The Role of the Occupational Medicine Physician”, Barley Snyder Employment Seminar, (May 2014)
  • “Workers’ Compensation: Aggravations of Degenerative Conditions”, Barley Snyder Employment Seminar (May 2013)
  • “Workers’ Compensation: Repetitive Injuries”, Barley Snyder Employment Seminar (May 2012)
  • Faculty, Pennsylvania Bar Institute’s advanced workers’ compensation course, “Tough Problems in Workers’ Compensation Cases”
  • Member of editing committee for the Workers’ Compensation Guide, published by the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry
  • Seminar Speaker for programs dealing with workers’ compensation issues, the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry, Lancaster Chamber of Commerce Workers’ Compensation Work Group

Larry C. Heim

Larry is a seasoned litigator in both state and federal courts, bringing more than four decades of courtroom experience to Barley Snyder. While his practice deals mainly with cases in York County and in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, he also has experience in courts outside of Pennsylvania, having been admitted pro hac vice in the federal courts of Maryland, New Jersey and Florida and the state courts of Montana, Texas and West Virginia. In addition he has represented clients before many Pennsylvania administrative agencies such as:

  • Liquor Control Board
  • Real Estate Commission
  • Board of Finance & Review
  • Human Relations Commission
  • Consumer Protection Bureau
  • Environmental Hearing Board

On the federal level, Larry has had cases before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission. With OSHA he successfully defended a charge that resulted in a decision of industry-wide significance to the benefit of security agencies.

Larry also brings decades of experience in helping businesses in the hospitality industry with one of their most valuable assets, their liquor license. He has represented clients on issues before the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, defended liquor liability (“dram shop”) cases in state courts, and violations brought by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Liquor Code Enforcement, a division of the Pennsylvania State Police. He was the first attorney in Pennsylvania to obtain a limited winery license for a winery located in Europe. He is currently working on three manufacturing projects in South America to obtain state liquor licenses.

In his career, Larry has been a name partner at two different York County law firms. He’s volunteered and held leadership positions at different organizations throughout that time, including national and local organizations that fight diabetes, help people overcome disabilities and aid the community in general. He’s worked in leadership positions for a number of professional and fraternal organizations in York County, throughout central Pennsylvania and across the state.

MEMBERSHIP
  • Herbert B. Cohen Inns of Court
PRESENTATION
  • “Reopening the Hospitality Industry: Current Guidelines, Possible Risks and Future Scenarios”, Barley Snyder Webinar Series (June 2020)
RECOGNITION
  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Real Estate Litigation (2024)

Sarah Yocum Rider

Sarah concentrates her practice in Real Estate law and Business law. Her Real Estate law practice includes the purchase, sale, leasing and financing of residential and commercial real estate. A significant portion of her practice involves land use law, working on zoning, commercial land development and related land use matters. She frequently represents individual and business clients in obtaining variances and special exceptions. Sarah’s real estate clients include medical facilities, educational institutions, financial institutions, property managers, professional organizations, development companies, non-profit corporations, and individuals.

In addition, Sarah frequently handles real estate assessment appeals and tax exemption requests. She also handles various agricultural real estate matters, which include review of agricultural conservation easements and issues related to the Clean and Green Program, Act 319. She also has experience in construction law representing owners and contractors in reviewing and negotiating architect agreements and construction contracts.

Sarah counsels business clients on matters including entity formation and selection. She also has particular expertise in liquor licensing matters, including the sale and transfer of liquor licenses and the completion and submission of liquor license applications.

MEMBERSHIPS
  • Lancaster Bar Association
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association
PRESENTATION
  • “Mechanic’s Lien, Leases and Landlord Tenant Law”, Wake up with Barley: A Morning on Real Estate (September 2017)

Kevin M. Scott

Kevin concentrates his practice in federal tax planning and tax litigation for corporations, pass-through entities, individuals and tax-exempt organizations for the firm’s Business and Trusts & Estates practice groups.

In addition to his federal tax focus, Kevin has represented numerous multi-state and Pennsylvania entities before the state’s administrative tax boards and courts in tax controversies regarding various taxes including:

  • Corporate net income tax
  • Capital stock/franchise tax
  • Insurance premiums tax
  • Gross receipts tax
  • Motor carrier and liquid fuels taxes
  • Sales and use tax
  • Realty transfer tax
  • Public utility realty tax
  • Local business privilege, amusement and real estate tax
  • Escheat matters

In addition to his tax planning and controversy work, Kevin practices in the areas of estate planning and administration. He also serves as counsel to several family-held businesses and provides advice regarding transactional matters.

MEMBERSHIPS
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association, Tax Section
  • York Estate Planning Council, member
  • Estate Planning Council of Central Pennsylvania, past president and former board member
PUBLICATION
  • Governor Corbett Signs House Bill 1950 into Law
RECOGNITION
  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Tax Law (2024)

Keith Mooney

Keith concentrates his practice in municipal, real estate and labor and employment law. As a municipal law counselor, Keith advises and represents local municipal governments and municipal authorities in matters involving the Sunshine Law and Open Records Act, condemnations, administrative matters, labor and workforce issues, civil service issues, zoning and land planning matters, public bidding and contract negotiations. Keith has also represented municipalities before the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection regarding alleged violations of the Clean Water Act and the Pennsylvania Clean Streams Law. Keith represents both municipal and development clients in matters involving requests for variances, special exceptions, conditional uses, zoning appeals and other land use issues. He has drafted amendments to zoning ordinances and guided municipalities through the amendment process mandated by the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, and assists municipalities and developers in guiding real estate development projects through the subdivision and land development process.

Keith currently serves as solicitor for the Boroughs of Kutztown and Shoemakersville, West Cocalico Township, Bern Township and has served as special counsel for Spring Township involving land use issues. Keith also serves as solicitor and legal counsel for the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Reading and has assisted the Redevelopment Authority in such areas as redevelopment projects, brownsfields issues and condemnations. Recently Keith successfully represented Spring Township in a matter in which a national retailer attempted to locate a shopping center within its borders. Recent projects in which Keith has assisted the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Reading include the Goggleworks Center for the Arts, the City of Reading Sovereign Center and the R/C Theatres project, which involved the development of an eleven-screen multiplex including an IMAX theatre.

As a labor and employment counselor, Keith represents employers in grievance arbitration and in the resolution, settlement and/or adjudication of unfair labor practice complaints before the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board. Keith has negotiated public sector collective bargaining agreements between municipalities and AFSCME, the FOP, the Teamsters and the IAFF. In negotiating public sector collective bargaining agreements, Keith has participated in fact finding mediation.

Prior to joining the firm, Keith served as solicitor for the City of Reading, Pennsylvania.

MEMBERSHIPS
  • Member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Constitutional Review Commission

  • DMC Reduction Steering Committee

  • Pennsylvania Bar Association

PRESENTATIONS
  • Condos in the City, Wake up with Barley: A Morning on Real Estate (June 2019)

  • Consumer Credit: Foreclosure and Bankruptcy Update, Barley Snyder LendiCon Seminar (May 2014)

  • Residential Foreclosure Issues, Barley Snyder LendiCon Seminar (November 2012)

OTHER PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
  • Former City Solicitor, City of Reading, PA

Silas M. Ruiz-Steele

Silas Ruiz-Steele chairs Barley Snyder’s Immigration group. She has focused her practice exclusively on immigration and nationality law for more than twelve years, regularly counseling and assisting employers and their employees as well as private individuals in their immigration needs, including those skilled and highly trained in:

  • The Sciences 
  • Engineering
  • Education
  • Health Care
  • Business
  • The Arts

As a corporate immigration law counselor, Silas assists employers in a variety of industries including agri-business, manufacturing, and gaming and hospitality, among others, in devising successful immigration programs to meet their needs. She represents employers in securing non-immigrant work visas for new hires and permanent residence for permanent personnel; multi-national companies in transferring their executives, managers or individuals with specialized knowledge; universities with foreign-born faculty, researchers, and graduates; and entrepreneurs forming start-up companies or re-locating to the U.S. in securing treaty-based visas.

A frequent speaker and author on business immigration topics, Silas regularly hosts seminars on visa-related topics, immigration compliance and strategic planning. She provides guidance and training to corporate clients of all sizes, human resources professionals, supervisors and managers on worksite enforcement issues, IRCA compliance, I-9 employment verification matters, Social Security mismatch issues, and developing and implementing system-wide immigration policies and protocols.

In addition to her employment-based immigration work, Silas provides assistance in naturalization and family-based immigration matters including both immigrant visas (green cards) and non-immigrant visas (K1 fiancé(e)).

Silas is able to represent immigration clients in every jurisdiction of the U.S., handling matters before the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, U.S. Department of Labor and consulates worldwide.

Prior to joining the firm, Silas maintained her own immigration law practice, where she represented clients in matters involving Immigrant Visas through Adjustment of Status or Consular Processing, Temporary Work Visas such as those involving Treaty Traders and Investors, business visas such as B’s, F’s, H’s, L’s, O’s, and P’s, and naturalization. In addition, she provided guidance and training on employment verification procedures and immigration-related discrimination practices.

Having immigrated to the United States herself, Silas has personal experience with the complexities of the immigration process. With this experience in mind, she obtained her Juris Doctorate degree from Georgetown University Law Center in Washington, DC. She frequently presents at seminars and has served as an invited guest speaker for professional associations and organizations on topics such as I-9 compliance and employer sanctions, immigration risk management for employers, and nonimmigrant and immigrant visa options and strategies for businesses and individuals. Silas is a member of the Florida State Bar Association, the American Bar Association, the American Immigration Lawyers Association, and the Society for Human Resources Management. Silas is fluent in Spanish and French.

MEMBERSHIPS
  • Florida State Bar Association
  • American Immigration Lawyers Association
  • American Bar Association
PRESENTATIONS
  • “Immigration Compliance in the COVID-19 Era,” 37th Annual Barley Snyder Employment Law Seminar (September 2020)
  • “Preventative I-9 Audits – Better To Be Safe Than Sorry,” Barley Snyder Employment Law Seminar (May 2019)
  • “Hot Topics in Employment, Labor & Immigration,” Food & Ag Summit (February 2019)
  • “Immigration Enforcement in the Trump Era,” 35th Annual Employment Law Seminar (May 2018)
  • “Immigration Under the New Administration,” 2017 Barley Snyder Employment Seminar (April 2017)
  • Employment Verification and the Form I-9, Barley Snyder Employment Law Seminar (May 2016)
  • “Workplace Enforcement – Avoiding I-9 Issues & Pitfalls,” Barley Snyder Employment Law Seminar (April 2015)
  • “Immigration Law: Where Things Stand and Where Things Might Be Going?” Barley Snyder Employment Seminar (May 2014)
  • “Immigration Update,” Barley Snyder Employment Seminar (May 2013)
  • “Worksite Enforcement of Immigration Laws,” Barley Snyder Employment Seminar (May 2012)

Jayne R. Katherman

Jayne is a dedicated member of the Barley Snyder Real Estate, Business and Hospitality groups, with a strong background in municipal law and estate planning.

Jayne primarily focuses her practice on municipal development, representing clients in zoning and land development matters. She handles complex land use issues such as variances, special exceptions, conditional uses, zoning appeals, and other land use matters for municipal and development clients. Jayne also has experience serving as Solicitor for several municipalities and general authorities in York County. In the realm of real estate, Jayne is well-versed in planned community representation, serving both developers and homeowner association boards. She further provides comprehensive legal support to individuals, guiding them through every phase of real estate acquisition, financing, operations, development and sales.

Jayne also maintains a small practice in estate planning and estate administration. She frequently assists clients with the preparation of basic estate planning documents including wills, powers of attorney and medical directives in addition to the administration of estates.

In her hospitality practice, Jayne has experience with the sales and acquisitions of hotels and guiding clients through the process of liquor license transfers. Furthermore, Jayne holds broad experience in general business law which consists of entity formations, review and negotiations of contracts and contract drafting.

Outside of the firm, Jayne serves on the Junior Board of the YWCA of Greater Harrisburg, a dynamic group of young women who raise awareness and funds in support of the organization’s mission and operations. In addition, Jayne was previously involved with volunteering for the Pennsylvania Immigration Resource Center in York to help provide “Know Your Rights” educational programs to immigration-related detainees in the York County Prison.

In her free time, Jayne enjoys playing the part of “Auntie Jay” to her five nieces and nephews, reading, spending time outdoors, traveling and cooking.

MEMBERSHIPS
  • York County Bar Association
  • Lancaster Bar Association
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association
  • York Young Professionals
  • Pennsylvania State Association of Township Solicitors
  • Herbert B. Cohen Chapter of the American Inns of Court
RECOGNITIONS
  • Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America, Municipal Law (2024)
PRESENTATIONS
  • “Real Estate Investments and LLC’s: An Introduction”, Real Estate Hackers Pottstown Meetup Group (September 2023)

Stanley A. Smith

Stan’s decades of experience have not only earned him a statewide reputation in the field of personal planning, but for nearly 15 years, it has also earned him the distinction of being named to the prestigious “Best Lawyers in America” list that U.S. News and World Report publishes annually to recognize the cream of the attorney crop throughout the country.

In his practice, Stan develops individualized estate plans that preserve and protect clients’ assets not only during their lifetime but also makes sure those assets ultimately pass to the clients’ heirs in a tax-efficient fashion. He seeks to understand each client’s unique goals, and crafts and implements practical estate plans to accomplish those goals.

Stan routinely advises individual and corporate fiduciaries in the structuring and administration of:

  • Wills
  • Revocable trusts
  • Irrevocable trusts
  • Buy-sell shareholder agreements
  • Charitable and non-charitable transfers

He assists with the preparation and presentation of fiduciary accountings, the negotiation and drafting of non-judicial settlement agreements among fiduciaries and heirs and petitions to the Orphans’ Court where appropriate.

Succession planning is an important piece of Stan’s practice, as he has worked with business owners to craft plans for the smooth transfer of ownership to younger generations through buy-sell agreements and partnerships, LLC and limited partnership agreements.

In addition to his work with individual and corporate clients, Stan has helped enrich his community by serving as counsel to various non-profit organizations. Charitable organizations such as colleges, universities and hospitals, as well as numerous private foundations, have benefited from Stan’s legal advice. 

Outside of his legal work for charitable organizations, Stan has used his experience to serve on the boards or committees of various charitable, educational and religious organizations throughout Pennsylvania. 

RECOGNITIONS
  • Best Lawyers, 2015 Harrisburg Trust & Estates “Lawyer of the Year”
  • The Best Lawyers in America©, Trusts & Estates (2006-2024), Non-Profit/Charities Law (2006-2024)
PUBLICATIONS
  • Income Tax Deduction for Gift of Right to Develop Real Estate
  • Does a Family Foundation Fit in Your Planning?
  • Governor Corbett Signs House Bill 1950 into Law
PRESENTATION
  • “Estate Planning After the 2010 Tax Act”, McKonley & Asbury webinar

Stephen R. Lazun

Steve Lazun has extensive experience representing banks, closely-held companies and nonprofit corporations in a broad range of corporate and banking matters. He serves as general counsel to medium-sized companies operating in the manufacturing, agribusiness, packaging, construction and service industries.

Steve concentrates his practice in the finance, banking, creditors’ rights, real estate and general corporate areas. He routinely represents lenders, borrowers and other parties in complex commercial loan and municipal finance transactions, including asset-based loans, construction loans, letter of credit enhanced financings and tax-exempt and taxable bond financings. Steve’s creditors’ rights practice involves the representation of banks, landlords and other creditors in connection with non-judicial restructurings and workouts, confessed judgment actions, foreclosures, collections, Article 9 asset sales, mechanics’ liens and municipal claims.

Steve devotes a substantial portion of his practice to representing business clients in corporate, partnership and general business matters, including business formation and governance, shareholder and partner relations, contract review, preparation and negotiation, mergers and acquisitions and commercial real estate transactions. In addition, he advises clients with respect to debt and equity public and private offerings and securities law compliance issues. When litigation becomes unavoidable, Steve provides a business attorney’s insight and perspective to the civil litigation process.

Steve is listed in The Best Lawyers in America (2013-Present) for the practice area of Corporate Law.

Representative Matters

  • Representation of troubled development project in connection with $40,000,000 letter of credit enhanced refinancing transaction.
  • Representation of regional bank in connection with complex litigation resulting in judgments and recoveries totaling more than $5,000,000.
  • Representation of numerous issuers, banks and other parties in connection with financing transactions totaling hundreds of millions of dollars.
  • Representation of banks and other creditors in connection with collection efforts resulting in loan recoveries totaling tens of millions of dollars.
  • Representation of several privately-held companies in connection with the formation of a holding company structure through a tax-free reorganization.
  • Representation of several nonprofit corporations in connection with multi-state public offerings of debt securities used to fund loan pool programs totaling several hundred million dollars.
  • Representation of creditors in connection with defending against bankruptcy preference claims and obtaining relief from the automatic stay.
  • Representation of business owners in connection with business succession, product distribution, intellectual property and general business matters.
RECOGNITIONS
  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Corporate Law (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021) Business Organizations (including LLCs and Partnerships) (2024) 

  • Select Lawyer, Polk-Lepson Research Group

  • Central Pennsylvania’s Top Lawyer

MEMBERSHIPS
  • Admitted to practice in Pennsylvania

  • Pennsylvania, Lancaster and York Bar Associations

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