After a Complaint was filed, Preliminary Objections were aggressively pursued. Stuart and Anthony’s aggressive defense and pursuit of their Preliminary Objections forced the Plaintiff to dismiss the action in Court prior to any further pleadings or discovery being exchanged. Their legal strategy helped save the client significant time, effort, and cost.
While an appeal has been filed, James R. Schadel (Member) and Laura E. Benson (Associate) successfully obtained a dismissal of their clients, a lawyer and his law firm, in a legal malpractice matter arising from an underlying personal injury claim, and specifically, the settlement of that claim. Plaintiff asserted claims of professional malpractice and misrepresentation, alleging that the attorney had a conflict of interest in representing both her, and her then-husband’s, interest at the time of the settlement, and that the attorney concealed this conflict from her. Ultimately, Plaintiff was unsatisfied with the settlement amount she received for her loss of consortium claim, and alleged she was induced to accept less than it was worth. Attorneys Schadel and Benson’s Motion for Summary Judgment was granted three weeks before the start of trial, saving their clients the significant cost, time and burden of a lengthy and expensive trial.
Burns White Center was recognized by The Pittsburgh Business Times as one of Pittsburgh’s Coolest Offices. Each week, the paper showcases interesting, inspiring and attractive office spaces in the Pittsburgh region. (See the article here)
Burns White’s Pittsburgh headquarters is an 110,000 square-foot ‘urban flex’ facility which opened for business in March 2017. Located at the crossroads of 26th and Railroad streets on the Allegheny River, the firm is part of the Strip District’s expansion—an intensive effort to integrate the neighborhood’s historic and authentic past with technology start-ups, growing companies, and research and development firms. Modern yet warm, the building’s new collaborative work space challenges the traditional law firm model—outdated, heavy furniture is replaced with contemporary pieces, and floor-to-ceiling windows contribute to an open and light atmosphere. Terraces and a large, open café with a balcony offer scenic views of the city and river where employees and visitors can meet and relax.
Burns White Center was designed by Gensler, a collaborative design firm headquartered in New York City, and is designed and built to USBG LEED Silver standards.
Stuart T. O’Neal (Member), Katherine E. Senior (Of Counsel), and Anthony S. Cottone (Associate) successfully obtained a dismissal of their client, an outpatient radiology center, from a lawsuit involving a delayed diagnosis of cancer. The Complaint alleged that numerous Defendants were negligent in failing to identify and diagnose cancer in the Plaintiff. Claims against the radiology center included claims for ostensible agency and vicarious liability with regard to two (2) interpreting radiologists, as well as corporate liability and loss of consortium claims. Attorneys O’Neal, Senior, and Cottone were able to have their client dismissed prior to the undertaking of extensive discovery—saving their clients not only from potential liability, but significant time, effort, and cost of litigation.
Attorney Dorothy C. Wolbert is speaking at a Divorce Workshop for Women on Saturday, June 3rd in Pittsburgh. The event is hosted by Medallion Wealth Management, and provides an invaluable service for any woman facing the complexities of divorce. Ms. Wolbert’s presentation will focus on understanding the divorce process, protecting yourself legally, child custody, and child and spousal support.
Patrick Sorek participated in a webinar entitled, Trade Secrets in 2017: Recent Legal Trends and Developments, sponsored by The Knowledge Group. As part of a panel of distinguished professionals and thought leaders, Mr. Sorek shared his insights and experience with, among other matters, the:
The two-hour webinar was designed to assist practicing lawyers, trade specialists, trade counsel, and business leaders understand the ever-increasing threat of cyber attacks from rival companies and foreign governments, and to underscore best practices in protecting trade secrets.
PITTSBURGH, May 16, 2017 —Nineteen Burns White attorneys in offices in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia were named to the 2017 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers/Rising Stars lists. These attorneys have been identified as being outstanding among their peers in the legal profession.
The Pennsylvania Super Lawyers rating is a distinction received by no more than five percent of attorneys practicing in the state. Burns White’s distinguished recipients for this year include:
Pittsburgh
Philadelphia
The Pennsylvania Rising Stars rating is a distinction given to no more than 2.5 percent of the top up-and-coming attorneys in the state who are either 40 years of age or younger, or who have been in practice for ten years or less. Our firm’s recipients include:
Pittsburgh
Philadelphia
An annual rating service of the Thomson Reuters, Legal division, inclusion on the Super Lawyers lists is based on a rigorous, patented selection process that consists of:
Burns White LLC is a full-service law firm that provides corporate and litigation counsel to clients operating across a broad spectrum of industries nationwide. Harnessing the collective skill of more than 140 attorneys, the law firm operates offices in Delaware, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
Attorney Stephanie Solomon’s article, Cyber Crime: Liability and Prevention in Retail and Hospitality, was recently featured in DRI’s The Voice. Read the full article to learn more about the implications of a cyber-security breach, and strategies to protect your data.
Burns White Associates Ahsan A. Jafry and Brian D. Pagano of the firm’s Cherry Hill office were recognized as Rising Stars in the 2017 edition of New Jersey Super Lawyers.
Mr. Jafry has been selected by his peers for inclusion in the New Jersey Rising Stars for the past six years. In his practice, he defends physicians, nurses, dentists, hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other medical providers in medical malpractice matters. In addition, he teaches trial advocacy at Rutgers School of Law – Camden. Mr. Jafry also served on the New Jersey Supreme Court’s Committee on Model Civil Jury Charges from 2010-2014, and is currently participating as a Fellow as part of a program developed by the Leadership Council on Legal Diversity. He graduated from Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law.
Named to the New Jersey Rising Stars list since 2014, Mr. Pagano focuses his litigation practice on long-term care and medical and nursing home malpractice defense. Prior to joining Burns White, he practiced in the areas of professional liability and healthcare litigation, municipal and public entity litigation, and employment litigation. Mr. Pagano also served in the United States Army and the New Jersey National Guard. He received his J.D. from Rutgers University.
Rising Stars is an annual rating service of the Thomson Reuters, Legal division. No more than 2.5% of lawyers statewide are named to Rising Stars. To be eligible for list inclusion, a candidate must be either 40 years old or younger, or in practice for 10 years or less. The selection process for Rising Stars consists of:
• a statewide survey of lawyers in more than 70 practice areas,
• independent research to identify outstanding lawyers,
• candidate evaluations based on 12 indicators of peer recognition,
• a panel review by practice area, and
• a discipline check of each candidate
Burns White attorney, Jessica M. Jurasko, was named the 2017 Woman of the Year by Duquesne University’s School of Law’s Women’s Law Association (WLA). The annual event, held Thursday, April 20th, recognizes a female alumna who has demonstrated leadership, integrity, service, sacrifice, and a commitment to actively seeking change and expanding opportunities for women within the legal profession. In addition, the recipient has influenced women to pursue legal careers, has opened doors that historically have been closed to women lawyers, and has earned the respect of her colleagues by exemplifying the highest ideals of the legal profession.
“This award is so meaningful to me because I was selected as Woman of the Year by the students,” said Ms. Jurasko. “I am hopeful that any young woman in less than ideal circumstances, who has that will ‘stirring within’ to aspire, can see me and know that she too could one day be standing before a crowded room full of wonderful people, having the privilege to work for one the largest and most successful law firms in Pittsburgh, as she receives the Woman of the Year Award from her beloved law school.”
Ms. Jurasko is a 2004 graduate of Duquesne University School of Law, and has been an active member of the school’s alumni association for more than a decade. She served as an elected member of the Board of Governors, and as the President of the Duquesne Law Alumni Association in 2015-2016. She focuses her practice at Burns White in the areas of Healthcare and Long-Term Care, Litigation, and Professional Liability.
