Partner Archives - Page 3 of 7

Paul G. Mattaini

Paul concentrates his practice in the mergers and acquisitions, securities, banking and corporate areas. Paul’s practice includes complex and sophisticated transactions and counseling clients on a variety of business matters. While Paul has a significant amount of specialized experience, he has maintained the breadth of practice necessary to effectively lead transactions and client relationships and function as outside general counsel for clients without inside counsel. During his career, Paul’s client base has consisted largely of public companies and large to medium privately-held businesses.

Paul’s philosophy is to take a practical, hands on and results-oriented approach to his practice. In addition to paying attention to the details necessary to properly represent his clients, Paul maintains the ability to see the big picture by focusing on the outcome, rather than just the process. While he acts as an effective advocate for his clients’ interests, Paul recognizes that the best results often are achieved by taking a collaborative and reasonable, rather than adversarial, approach with other parties and their advisors.

Several years ago, Paul helped develop the firm’s guidelines that focus on client service as a leading firm core value and, more recently, he led the firm’s Practice Excellence® initiative – an ongoing firm-wide effort to constantly increase its capacity to provide excellent service, professional quality and outstanding value to its clients. Paul’s firm responsibilities during his career have included participation and leadership in almost every area of firm management, including management, compensation, opinion, marketing, hiring, practice group and associate review and training.

Paul was a partner at Devine, Millimet & Branch in Manchester, New Hampshire prior to joining Barley Snyder as a partner. During his career, Paul has developed a reputation among, and earned the recognition of, his peers as comparing favorably with business attorneys from larger firms; please see “Recognitions”.

For a representative sample of transactions in which Paul participated, please visit the firm’s tombstone announcements page here.

The following provides additional detail with respect to Paul’s experience:

Mergers and Acquisitions – Paul’s experience in the mergers and acquisitions area was initially concentrated in transactions in the banking industry. During his career, Paul has branched out into other industries in dozens of public and private transactions, many of which have been multi-million dollar, multi-state transactions. These transactions often require coordination of a number of different “moving parts” and various levels of financing.

– Representation of acquirors, targets, management teams and financing sources in M&A transactions

– Private equity and recapitalization transactions

– Leveraged and management buyouts

– Roll-ups

Securities – In the securities area, Paul has built a solid base of knowledge over the years with respect to public company disclosure requirements, including a working knowledge of accounting aspects of securities filings. This knowledge base is valuable to the firm’s public clients in both their periodic SEC reports and their capital raising activities.

– Representation of issuers and underwriters in registered 33 Act and Blue Sky public offerings, IPOs and follow-up offerings of equity and debt (over a dozen)

– Private placements of equity, debt and partnership interests

– Drafting and review of offering, underwriting and subscription documents

– 34 Act reporting for issuers (more than 15 reporting companies) and shareholders

– Stock benefit plans

– Corporate governance, including SEC and stock exchange listing requirements

– Tender offers

– Proxy solicitations

Financing – Paul has established expertise in financings, ranging from conventional bank borrowings to venture capital, private equity and mezzanine financings. In the financing area, Paul’s experience representing both lenders and borrowers is valuable in closing transactions.

Representation of lenders and borrowers in financings, including syndicated loans
Tax-exempt financings, including representation of banks providing credit enhancement and liquidity
Representation of investors in, and recipients of, venture capital and private equity financings

Bank Regulatory – Paul represents large, regional financial institutions and community banks. Paul’s knowledge of the financial services industry and his bank regulatory experience allow him to “add value” in his work for institutions in the industry.

– Representation of acquirors and targets in mergers and acquisitions of bank holding companies, banks and thrifts, including “mergers of equals”

– General bank regulatory practice

– Guidance on specialized bank disclosure requirements, including Industry Guide 3

– Mutual-to-stock conversions

– Bank holding company formations

– Representation of bank trade association

– Acquisition of failed institutions from the FDIC

Business – Paul strives to understand the businesses of his clients and, as a result, often becomes a counselor to, and an adjunct member of, his clients’ management team.

– Negotiation, drafting and review of a variety of corporate contracts

– Development of procedures and documents for purchasing and sales functions

– Joint ventures, including formation of jointly-owned companies

– Training of client representatives on a variety of topics

RECOGNITIONS

Rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell
Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” in Harrisburg, 2020, Banking and Finance Law
The Best Lawyers in America®, Banking and Finance Law (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024), Corporate Law (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024), Mergers and Acquisitions Law (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024), Securities / Capital Markets Law (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024) (Securities, Corporate, Banking/Finance Areas)
Pennsylvania Super Lawyers (Mergers and Acquisitions)
Select Lawyers (Business/Commercial Law)

MEMBERSHIPS

New Hampshire Bar Association (former chair, Corporate Section)
Pennsylvania and Lancaster Bar Associations

PRESENTATIONS

“Current Challenges in Closing and Integrating M&A Transactions,” Barley Snyder Business Seminar (2023)
“ESG, DEI and Why You Should Care,” Association of Corporate Counsel’s In-House Lawyer All Day CLE program (2022)
“The Expected Impact of COVID-19 on M&A: A Look at the ‘New Normal’,” Barley Snyder Webinar Series (June 2020)
Featured speaker, NACD’s The Board’s Role in Risk Oversight and Cybersecurity (October 2017)
“Swaps in Loan Transactions.” Lendicon 2017 (March 2017)
“The Latest Changes in M&A Srategies,” Barley Snyder Business Seminar (2016)
“Jolley v. Chase Home Finance – Are Lenders Facing New Threats in Lender Liability Claims?” Lendicon (2015)
“Buying a Company: How to Position Yourself as a Buyer,” Barley Snyder Business Seminar (2014)
“Expanding Your Business Through a Joint Venture,” Barley Snyder Business Seminar (2010)
“Buying Businesses: Opportunities in a Down Economy?” Barley Snyder Business Seminar (May 2009)
“What Your Lender is Thinking in the Current Lending Environment”. Barley Snyder Business Seminar (Fall 2009)
“The Role of Private Equity in Mergers and Acquisitions, Parts I and II,” Barley Snyder Business Seminar (2008)

Paul W. Minnich

Paul practices commercial, real estate and fiduciary litigation and maintains an active trial practice in the state and federal courts of Pennsylvania and Maryland. In 25 years of practice he has handled a wide range of litigation matters including contract litigation, fiduciary litigation, minority shareholder litigation, restrictive covenant and trade secret litigation, insurance and coverage litigation and real estate, eminent domain and tax assessment appeal cases.

Paul also has a significant Orphans’ Court practice handling trust disputes, will contests and guardianship proceedings.

Paul’s practice also includes zoning and land development matters for some of the largest national and regional residential and commercial developers. Paul’s experience includes obtaining variances, special exceptions, conditional uses and other zoning relief.

A native of York, Paul has supported the growth and well-being of his hometown through his active community involvement. Paul serves on the board of directors for various non-profit organizations including social service agencies, and the local bar association.

In addition to being an active litigator, mentor and adviser, Paul has also been a well-received speaker, delivering presentations on construction, insurance, risk management and fiduciary law issues to a variety of public and private groups.

RECOGNITIONS

The Best Lawyers in America®, Litigation – Real Estate (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024)
Select Lawyer, Polk-Lepson Research Group; Commercial Litigation and General Civil Litigation
Pennsylvania Rising Stars (Litigation)
Central Penn Business Journal (Forty Under 40)

MEMBERSHIPS

Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum
Million Dollar Advocates Forum
York County Orphans Court, Rules Committee
Maryland State and Baltimore County bar associations
Pennsylvania and York County bar associations

PRESENTATIONS

“Trends in Zoning and Development,” – Panelist, Wake Up With Barley: A Morning on Real Estate Seminar (June 2023)
“Land Use Institute 2020” faculty member, Pennsylvania Bar Institute (September 2020)
“Civil Motions Court and Local Rules Compliance”, 2018 York County Bar Association Bench Bar Conference (October 2018)
“Guardianship Practice and Procedure”, York County Bar Association (March 2015)
“Risk Management: How to Mitigate Risk”, ACC Seminar: What Keeps You up at Night? (September 2013)
“Creating A Successful Inside-Outside Counsel Partnership”, ACC Seminar: What Keeps You up at Night? (September 2012)
“Construction Lien Law Seminar” Lorman Education Services
“Pennsylvania Construction Defect and Mold Litigation Seminar” National Business Institute
“Operational Considerations for Small Business” Pennsylvania Bar Institute Publication Counseling Small Businesses
“Should Punitive Damages be Recoverable from a Decedent’s Estate” Dickinson Law Review

CLERKSHIPS

Cumberland County Court of Common Pleas (1992-1994)

Peter J. Faben

Peter Faben is a partner in the Health Care and Litigation groups at Barley Snyder. Peter focuses on the defense of health care facilities and physicians in medical malpractice litigation. He also represents medical service providers in state regulatory matters and assists his clients to identify potential risks to mitigate future liabilities. He also works with clients on HIPAA compliance as well as other state and federal health privacy compliance provisions.

In addition to his work in health care, Peter also works with private-sector clients on third-party discovery requests, responding to subpeonas and defending accusations of civil rights violations.

Prior to joining Barley Snyder in 2015, Peter worked as an attorney in Delaware, litigating a wide variety of cases at both the federal and state level. He has represented corporations and shareholders in disputes before Delaware’s Court of Chancery, debtors and creditors in bankruptcy actions, and parties in commercial disputes in federal courts in Pennsylvania and Delaware. Most recently, he has represented retailers and manufacturers in products liability actions in Delaware state and federal courts.

RECOGNITIONS

Central Penn Business Journal (Forty Under 40, 2021)
Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Rising Star (2019, 2020, 2021, 2022)
The Best Lawyers in America®, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants (2024)

MEMBERSHIPS

Lancaster Bar Association
Pennsylvania State Bar Association
Defense Research Institute
Pennsylvania Defense Institute
Philadelphia Association of Defense Counsel

Jeremy D. Frey

Jeremy Frey is the chair of the firm’s Business Practice Group, focusing his practice in the areas of planning, negotiation and execution of business and real estate transactions, real estate development, land use and zoning matters, real estate assessment appeals, business and real estate financing, and business planning.

In the real estate area, Jeremy has successfully represented numerous clients on zoning matters, has a broad knowledge of the Municipalities Planning Code, and has been involved in numerous successful land use and real estate assessment appeals (for both commercial and residential properties). Jeremy regularly advises clients in the purchase and sale of residential and commercial properties, including the sale of hotel properties and the transfer of liquor licenses. Jeremy is a mediator for the REALTORS Association of York & Adams Counties (RAYAC), and is a licensed title agent for Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Company.

In the area of business transactions, Jeremy works with clients on stock and asset purchases and sales and mergers between various types of business entities. Jeremy has assisted businesses in purchases and sales ranging from under $1,000,000 to more than $100,000,000 and he has also assisted borrowers and lenders in many types of loan transactions.

Jeremy is also part of the Food and Agribusiness Industry Group where he provides general counsel in a variety of areas to clients in the food and agricultural industries. In 2012, he successfully appealed the denial of a crop insurance claims for an Adams County orchard to the U.S. Federal Court.

He is very active in the community. He formerly was the president of the board of directors of the Hanover YMCA and was instrumental in the planning, fundraising and construction of the South Hanover YMCA. He is also very active in youth sports, coaching football, basketball and baseball in the local community.

Jeremy was selected to the 2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Rising Stars list.

RECOGNITIONS

Select Lawyer, 2016
Hanover Evening Sun Readers’ Choice Awards (Best Lawyer/Law Practice 2016, 2018)
Pennsylvania Rising Stars (2010, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017)
Central Penn Business Journal (Forty Under 40, 2011)
The Best Lawyers in America®, Closely Held Companies and Family Businesses Law (2024)

MEMBERSHIP

Mediator, Realtors Association of York and Adams County (RAYAC)

PRESENTATIONS

Moderator – 2023 York Business Seminar (October2023)
Acquisition Activity Perspective, Food, Ag Summit (February 2019)
Planning and Sales Considerations for Condominiums and Planned Communities, Wake up with Barley: A Morning on Real Estate (September 2017)
“Common Legal Issues You Need to Know”, PA Treasury’s Small Business Initiative at York College (October 2016)
“Legal Issues Involved in Growing your Business “, PA Treasury’s Small Business Initiative (October 2016)
“Common Legal Issues for New Businesses”, PA Treasury’s Small Business Initiative at York College (October 2016)
Negotiating Indemnification Clauses, Representations and Warranties and Other Standard Contract Terms, Barley Snyder Business Seminar (October 2015)
Buying, Leasing and Owning: What is Best for Your Business? Barley Snyder Business Seminar, (October 2014)
Notes and comments editor, American University International Law Review

Jennifer McKenrick Stetter

Jennifer is a member of Barley Snyder’s Trusts & Estates Practice Group, and estate planning and estate administration are her primary practice areas. Jennifer’s estate planning work involves the preparation of wills, financial and health care powers of attorney, and other estate planning documents, as well as trust creation and administration. Her practice also includes probate and estate administration through which a deceased person’s property and other assets are distributed and the estate is managed and settled. Jennifer also represents clients in guardianship matters through which a person or entity is appointed by the court to make decisions for another person of any age who is incapacitated, as well as Medicaid planning matters in which individuals or couples determine how to best structure or transfer assets in order to qualify for Medicaid to pay for nursing care.

Jennifer’s diverse practice also includes preparation of prenuptial and postnuptial agreements which are often an integral part of the estate planning process. Jennifer has practiced in courts throughout central Pennsylvania, including Adams, Berks, Cumberland, Franklin, Fulton and York counties.

Her work in estate planning and administration also serves as a lead-in to the business and real estate elements of her practice. Her business and real estate experience includes:

Entity formation
Small business asset and stock purchases
Commercial and residential real estate settlement and refinancing
Preparation of commercial and residential purchase agreements

Jennifer is a native of Hanover and lives in the Hanover area with her husband and daughter. She is a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Hanover, and is a graduate of Delone Catholic High School.

MEMBERSHIPS

York County Bar Association
Pennsylvania Bar Association
American Bar Association

John M. Coles

John is a member of the firm’s Real Estate and Business practice groups regularly assisting business clients with a wide variety of general corporate issues, including such matters as entity formation, mergers and stock asset acquisitions. John has also provided counsel on commercial real estate, commercial leasing, planned communities, condominiums and the financing of all types of commercial transactions. He has also successfully represented clients in various industries involved in real estate tax assessment appeals throughout eastern Pennsylvania.

He also has experience in bankruptcy and workout situations, and works regularly with the firm’s commercial landlord clients who have been faced with tenant bankruptcies. He has also defended clients faced with bankruptcy preference claims and other adversary proceedings.

RECOGNITIONS

The Best Lawyers in America®, Real Estate Law (2022, 2023, 2024)
Leadership Harrisburg Area Class of 2005

MEMBERSHIPS

Pennsylvania Bar Association
Dauphin County Bar Association

PRESENTATIONS

Moderator – 2023 Harrisburg Business Seminar (October 2023)
Transportation Logistics & Trade Seminar (March 2023)
A Roundtable Discussion on Due Diligence for Real Estate Construction Project – Wake Up with Barley: A Morning on Real Estate (May 2022)
Project Financing: When Can I Start Work? – Wake up with Barley: A Morning on Real Estate (June 2018)
Key Terms in Commercial Leases and How They Can Hold Up Your Deal – Greater Harrisburg Association of REALTORS Commercial Council (April 2018)

Randy R. Moyer

Randy is a partner and practice group leader of the firm’s Trusts & Estates group. He concentrates his practice in both complex and simple estate and tax planning as well as estate and trust administration.

Randy is also a member of the firm’s Family Business group, working closely with family owned business owners in formulating succession plans and advising owners of closely held businesses with respect to their estate and retirement plans. Randy works with his clients to address their business and personal needs in a way that will minimize their future estate, gift, income and generation skipping transfer taxes while maximizing and preserving family wealth. Randy also works with his clients to identify potential family conflicts with respect to succession planning, estate and retirement planning matters and offers suggestions to incorporate into business planning to avoid such conflicts.

Randy’s estate planning practice includes the following:

Drafting complex and simple estate plans that include wills, revocable trusts, dynasty trusts, irrevocable insurance trusts, qualified personal residence trusts, grantor retained annuity trusts (GRATs), charitable remainder trusts, family limited partnerships, limited liability companies and powers of attorney for both finance and health care needs.
Assistance with retirement planning and charitable giving.
Counseling owners of closely-held businesses on business succession planning, business formation, governance issues including buy-sell agreements and planning for the sale or disposition of family businesses.
Advising clients of the consequences of proposed transfers and transactions as they relate to estate, gift, generation-skipping and income taxes.
Assistance with estate administration and the probate process.
Planning for the creation, preservation and transmission of wealth among generations.
Creating charitable foundations/trusts and assisting in corporate governance and formation of such charitable entities.

Randy’s practice also focuses in the area of tax exempt organizations, including the formation of non-profit organizations and obtaining tax exempt status from the IRS. Randy also works with governance issues affecting tax exempt organizations, including public charities, private foundations, colleges, universities and other non-profits.

Randy served in the United States Marine Corps and was stationed in the Persian Gulf as part of operation Desert Shield. He also served in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba during the Haitian refugee crisis from 1991-1992 and was awarded the Navy achievement medal.

MEMBERSHIP

Pennsylvania and Lancaster Bar Associations

CLERKSHIPS

Judicial Clerk for Judge James P. Cullen (Court of Common Pleas, Orphans’ Court Division)

OTHER PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

U.S. Marine Corps

John T. Reed

John is a member of the firm’s Business Law Group and Family Business Law group. John’s primary practice is comprised of two separate but related areas: (i) counseling family-owned and closely held businesses; and (ii) buying and selling businesses, and in many cases, acting as a general counselor for the business on an ongoing basis after the transaction is completed.

Counseling Family Owned and Closely Held Businesses

John’s work in this area is extremely varied and from the broadest standpoint, John acts as a virtual in-house counsel to these businesses. In this “in-house counsel” role, John learns about the business, the owners, the objectives, and outlook of the owners, and then combines this information with his legal knowledge and the expertise of colleagues at Barley Snyder to provide counsel to the business on legal and business related issues. John has been involved in specific family-related matters such as succession planning, developing both advisory boards and boards of directors with outside directors, developing family councils, facilitating family meetings, navigating owner disputes, and negotiating and implementing Shareholder Agreements (Buy-Sell Agreements). Of course, John also advises on general business issues such as contract review and negotiation, real estate purchases or sales, employment issues, strategic planning, and general business strategy.

Barley Snyder is also one of the founding members and a current corporate sponsor of the S. Dale High Family Business Center at Elizabethtown College. John leads the firm’s efforts at the Center and is a frequent speaker and a regular resource for the CEO Roundtable and Emerging Leaders Groups at the Center.

Buying and Selling Businesses

John regularly represents clients buying or selling businesses. This representation can include very complicated transactions involving mergers of entities, multi-level financing and equity arrangements, earn-out provisions, and floating purchase prices or straightforward deals as well as advising clients on the proper entity to form for a purchase, negotiating and drafting letters of intent and term sheets, guiding the due diligence portion of the investigation, negotiating and securing financing, analyzing financing options, determining value, and leading the team of advisors in the negotiation of the deal.

Outlook

John finds working with family businesses and their owners extremely rewarding. Barley Snyder has a tradition of representing generation after generation of family businesses. Family business owners have a very different outlook and approach to business than the Fortune 500s. The family business owner does not base his or her decisions on what will maximize profits for the next month (and his or her bonus), but rather makes decisions keeping in mind that he or she is just holding the business in trust for the generations to follow. These owners make decisions that will benefit the business in the long run to ensure the business survives from generation to generation. John understands this approach and acts as a partner and strategic advisor with his family business clients.

In addition to his legal work and when he is not chasing his three sons, John is actively involved in the community. Since John arrived in Lancaster, he has made community involvement a high priority and believes the community is made stronger through dedicated volunteers and that a stronger community results in a strong and more stable business environment. The central Pennsylvania region is proof of that.

RECOGNITIONS

Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” in Harrisburg, 2020, Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law
The Best Lawyers in America©, Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law (2013-2024)
Lancaster Family YMCA “Volunteer of the Year” (2004)
Pennsylvania Rising Stars
Inaugural recipient of “Wall of Fame” of the High Center for Family Business

MEMBERSHIP

American, Pennsylvania and Lancaster County Bar Associations

PUBLICATION

Family Business Center Webcast – Succession Planning for Family Businesses

PRESENTATIONS

“The Expected Impact of COVID-19 on M&A: A Look at the ‘New Normal’”, Barley Snyder Webinar Series (June 2020)
“Recent Developments in the M&A Market”, Barley Snyder Business Seminar (October 2016)
“Succession Planning”, High Center for Family Business (May 2016)
“Business Succession & Wealth Transfer: Considerations of Death, Taxes and Achieving Family Harmony”, Barley Snyder Business Seminar (October 2014)
“Diamonds in the Rough: Working With Troubled Borrowers”, Barley Snyder LendiCon Seminar (May 2014)
“Is an M&A the Right Course for Your Business?”, S. Dale High Center for Family Business: Mergers and Acquisitions Panel (January 2013)
“Guiding Wealth through Generations”, S. Dale High Center for Family Business, “Keeping it in the Family” (November 2011)
“Succession Planning: Today’s Planning, Tomorrow’s Success”, Barley Snyder Business Seminar (October 2011)
“Who’s in Charge Here: Succession Planning for Business”, Barley Snyder Business Seminar (May 2006)

OTHER PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Director, The Wenger Group Board of Directors
Captain, U.S. Air Force (1986-1992)

Maria Di Stravolo Elliott

Maria is a member of the firm’s Real Estate Practice Group. She counsels international, national, regional and local businesses and individuals on complex real estate and construction transactions. She takes the time to understand her clients’ business so she can design legal and business solutions to best meet their needs.

Real Estate Law
Much of her real estate work involves commercial, residential and mixed use projects, including hospitals, banks, colleges, water and sewer treatment plants, apartment buildings, shopping centers, nursing homes and continuing care retirement communities (CCRCs). She prepares documentation for developers for a variety of condominium and planned communities (commercial, residential, mixed use and site condos) and has also represented homeowner’s associations.

She collaborates with her clients through every step of the real estate matter, including:

– negotiating and preparing sales agreements

– assisting clients with due diligence

– obtaining any zoning and land development approvals

– obtaining liquor license approvals

– forming entities for real estate ownership

– reviewing title commitments and resolving any title matters

– reviewing and negotiating loan documents from banks and state agencies

– closing the deal by preparing settlement documents and attending settlement

– paying attention to any post-closing matters, such as tax assessment appeals or in the case of non-profits and educational institutions, tax exemption appeals

Maria has successfully negotiated leases and related documents for all types of commercial and residential properties, including college campuses, medical office buildings, health campuses, professional office buildings, retail and shopping centers, cell towers, apartment buildings, banks, farms, parking lots, hotels, and industrial, manufacturing and warehouse buildings. She represents both landlords and tenants on a regular basis.

She also gets involved in various agricultural real estate matters for clients, including Clean and Green (Act 319), Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program (CREP) and agricultural preservation easements.

Construction Law
Maria’s construction law practice involves issues during all phases of the construction process, including drafting and negotiating construction contracts, providing advice on claims avoidance and handling bond claims. She also counsels clients on various alternative dispute resolutions for construction matters, including mediation, arbitration and litigation.

She regularly addresses general construction matters involving liquidated damages, change orders, performance and payment bonds, termination of contracts, and mechanics’ liens waivers and releases. She has extensive experience with the American Institute of Architects (AIA) construction contracts, including creating standard changes for clients working on multiple construction projects. Maria is familiar with the Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, having assisted clients with ensuring their construction contracts meet the requirements of the act. She advises clients on the amendments to the Pennsylvania Mechanics’ Lien Law and how the changes affect their construction projects. She is familiar with amendment to the Mechanic’s Lien Law to address the Pennsylvania Construction Notices Directory, which was implemented in 2017 for construction projects over $1.5 million. She is also knowledgeable with the Pennsylvania Uniform Construction Code and the International Building Code. In 2020, Maria was named a Fellow at the Construction Lawyers Society of America, joining the invitation-only international honorary association composed of preeminent lawyers specializing in construction law and related fields.

Examples of her real estate and construction experience include:

– Successfully handled the purchase of a $5 million corporate headquarters site for a food manufacturer including the preparation of condominium documents in connection with Pennsylvania Industrial Development Authority (PIDA) financing and handling a Machinery and Equipment Loan Fund (MELF) loan for equipment financing.

– Was instrumental in the purchase and partial lease-back of a $10 million industrial building along with obtaining successful zoning approval for a special exception to allow the client to manufacture its recycled rubber surface and flooring products at the site.

– Created condominium documents for a hospital pavilion, a shopping center, a studio complex, an industrial/business site condo and a mixed use urban building condo.

– Obtained successful zoning approvals for a sewer authority to install a pumping station and sewer lines in existing residential development and worked on sewer line easement agreements.

– Negotiated a warehouse lease for an international manufacturer of fishing equipment and construction documents for the tenant fit-out as well as resolving a change order dispute for the client.

Maria regularly presents on real estate and construction matters. She has given presentations before Associated Builders and Contractors, Inc. – Keystone Chapter, Building Industry Association of Lancaster County and the Commercial & Industrial Real Estate Council of the Lancaster County Association of Realtors. In addition, she has taught continuing legal education classes for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute and the Lancaster Bar Association. She is conversational in Italian and speaks Spanish.

Maria has three active kids and lives in Lititz. She sings as a cantor at St. James Catholic Church in Lititz and can be found doing karaoke now and then. She loves theatre and has performed in musicals and comedies when she was younger. Now, she can often be found playing pickleball at the Lititz recCenter.

MEMBERSHIPS

Construction Lawyers Society of America
Associated Builders and Contractors Keystone Chapter
Building Industry Association of Lancaster County
St. Thomas More Society
Lancaster Bar Association
Pennsylvania Bar Association

PRESENTATIONS

“Understanding Complex Lease Provisions,” – Moderator, “Wake Up With Barley: A Morning on Real Estate” Seminar
“What Residential Builders Need to Know About Construction and Land Development”, Building Industry Association of Lancaster County Morning Mingle (Sept. 2022)
“Exploring and Negotiating Key Clauses in Construction Contracts”, ABC Keystone’s Fall Regional Construction Wake-up Call Series (Fall 2022)
“Doing Business with Coronavirus: Managing Tenant Relationships and Protecting Landlord Interests”, CCIM Webinar (May 2020)
“Condos in the City”, Wake up with Barley: A Morning on Real Estate (June 2019)
Moderator: “Structuring & Financing Real Estate Deals”, Barley Snyder LendiCon (March 2019)
“Managing & Protecting Your Online Reputation”, ABC Keystone Seminar (October 2018)
“Ever-Changing Challenges of Construction & Development in PA”, Wake up with Barley: A Morning on Real Estate (June 2018)
Featured speaker, Pennsylvania Bar Institute’s “The Year in Review for the General Practitioner 2017” (December 2017)
“Planning and Sales Considerations for Condominiums and Planned Communities”, Wake up with Barley: A Morning on Real Estate (September 2017)
“Construction Risk Management: From Contract to Completion”, Wake up with Barley: A Morning on Real Estate (September 2017)
“Understanding the Construction Process – From Inception to Completion”, ABC Keystone Seminar (April 2017)
“Current Trends in Commercial Lending”, Lendicon 2017 (March 2017)
Right to Repair Act, BIA Morning Mingle (April, 2016)
Symposium on New Federal Closing Requirements, TRID – Making It Work For You (May 2015)
“Leasehold Mortgages”, Barley Snyder LendiCon Seminar (March 2015)
“Buying, Leasing and Owning: What is Best for Your Business?”, Barley Snyder Business Seminar, (October 2014)
“Facing Land Development and Construction Issues”, Barley Snyder LendiCon Seminar, (November 2012)

LANGUAGE

Italian

RECOGNITIONS

Central Penn Business Journal’s Women of Influence List (2022)
The Best Lawyers in America®, Real Estate Law (2024)

Luke T. Weber

Luke is a trial attorney in the Litigation and Health Care groups. In his career, Luke has represented clients in numerous cases throughout Pennsylvania in both state and federal courts. He prides himself on applying methodical case preparation and strategic litigation planning to obtain favorable outcomes for his clients. Luke is experienced in all stages of litigation from addressing disputes prior to the filing of a lawsuit through presenting the case to a jury at trial and on appeal. He is also adept at resolving matters through alternative dispute resolution, including confidential mediations and arbitrations when advantageous to the client goals in any particular case.

Luke devotes a substantial portion of this practice to defending doctors, hospitals and other health care professionals against medical malpractice claims. While collaborating with some of the most highly respected medical experts in the country, Luke has experience defending malpractice claims in a wide variety of specialties: obstetrics and gynecology, neurosurgery, pediatrics, cardiovascular and thoracic surgery, general surgery, neurology, radiology, oncology, dermatology, urology, anesthesiology, neonatology, infectious disease, emergency medicine, hospital medicine, pathology, nursing care, and primary care medicine.

In addition to defending medical malpractice cases, Luke has defended product liability cases, class actions, regulatory prosecutions and various personal injury matters in the health care sector. He also supports hospital clients in conducting peer review investigations and medical board adjudications.

Luke maintains an active commercial litigation practice in addition to his medical malpractice docket. He frequently represents clients in commercial cases involving contract and business disputes, including those against governmental entities, and provides guidance to clients regarding potential claims or liabilities. In addition to pursuing and defending actions in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, Luke has been granted special admissions to practice in other states where necessary to litigate cases on behalf of clients. In handling complex litigation, Luke has experience conducting multi-state and transnational discovery as well as coordinating electronic discovery.

Luke was recently recognized for his experience by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and received an appointment to its Committee on the Rules of Evidence. The committee provides recommendations to the court regarding evidence matters by monitoring the application of rules and developments in case law as well as identifying areas in which rules of evidence should be revised or clarified. The committee typically consists of a small number of judges and attorneys throughout the state.

Luke also regularly engages in pro bono work. For example, as part of a project with the Pennsylvania Immigration Resource Center and the Lancaster Bar Association, Luke filed a pro bono suit against the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and its related agencies seeking protected immigration status and employment authorization for a victim of domestic violence. Ultimately, to resolve the matter, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services awarded Luke’s client deferred action status, issued her an employment authorization and placed her on a pathway to citizenship.

Before going into private practice, Luke trained under a series of judges, including in the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court, and the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. By working for both state and federal judges, Luke gained first-hand experience in a wide array of matters including employment and labor disputes, municipal claims, state regulatory prosecutions, land use litigation and constitutional law challenges at both the trial and appellate levels.

At Penn State University Dickinson School of Law, he was a member of the schools national trial competition team and an associate editor of the Penn State Law Review. Luke also participated in a medical-legal colloquium in conjunction with the Milton S. Hershey School of Medicine.

A Lancaster County native, Luke lives just outside Lancaster with his wife, Ashley, and their two young daughters.

RECOGNITIONS

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch™ (2023)
The Best Lawyers in America®, Medical Malpractice Law – Defendants (2024)
Central Penn Business Journal “Legal Excellence Awards” — Up and Coming Lawyers (2022)
Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Rising Star (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021)
Litigation Counsel of America — Associate Fellow

MEMBERSHIPS

Pennsylvania Bar Association
Lancaster Bar Association
American Bar Association
Defense Research Institute
Lancaster Young Professionals
Dauphin County Bar Association
William W. Lipsitt Inn of Court

PRESENTATION

“Responding to Error”, Pennsylvania Patient Safety Summit for the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority (April 2018)

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