FAQ - When Are You REQUIRED to Hire Local Counsel?

Required PA Representative For Injuries

Perhaps you live outside of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and you suffered an injury in PA as a result of a negligent PA driver. Or, let’s say you were injured on property in PA that was negligently maintained, causing you to slip and fall on ice, for instance. In some instances, only PA will have jurisdiction over the Defendants, located in PA. As such, if you live outside of PA, you may need local counsel in Pennsylvania.

Your Contract Requires You to File Suit Only in PA

Courts typically enforce agreements to apply Pennsylvania law to a dispute, even if neither party resides in Pennsylvania. Similarly, a choice of forum clause requiring all disputes between the parties to be litigated exclusively in Pennsylvania is generally upheld.

It’s important to note that if you signed such a contract, filing a lawsuit in any state other than Pennsylvania could be considered a breach of the contract or agreement. In such a scenario, you might need to hire a local attorney in Pennsylvania if your current attorney is not admitted to practice in Pennsylvania.

Required Western PA Counsel for Purchases or Business Litigation

Here’s another example.

Let’s say you intend to sue a business located only in Pennsylvania for a purchase you made in Pennsylvania. However, you live in Ohio, West Virginia, New York, or New Jersey, for example. Your local court may not have personal jurisdiction over a PA company doing business primarily in PA, alone, unless the PA business has “certain minimum contacts” exist with your home state. International Shoe Co. v. Washington, 326 U.S. 310 (1945).

Likewise, if you live in Maryland, or Tennessee, or Ohi, and you incorporated your business in Pennsylvania, you consent to jurisdiction to be sued here in Pennsylvania. WEBB-BENJAMIN, LLC. v. International Rug Group, LLC, 192 A.3d 1133, 2018 P.A. Super 187 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2018).

A Pittsburgh Lawyer For Every Season

We stand ready to represent you in Western PA for any civil litigation matter. Alternatively, we can have your favorite attorney — even if he’s your “cousin Vinnie” — admitted in PA also, via a process called pro hac vice.