Those who live outside of Western PA — where our Pittsburgh lawyers practice — may need to hire an attorney located in this geographic area in every season. Perhaps you suffered a physical injury in Western PA and need representation. Or, you entered into a contract with someone in the Pittsburgh area even though you don’t live here.
Every Season is One to Hire a PA Lawyer
This is true whether it’s:
- fall — you came to Pittsburgh to see your team play the Steelers or Penguins,
- Winter — you’re here for school at the University of Pittsburgh or other school, or for skiing,
- Spring – you’re doing hiking, visiting Falling Water, or fishing, or
- Summer — you enjoy white water rafting at Ohiopyle, or camping in the foothills of Western PA.
Or, perhaps, you were simply driving through Pennsylvania sightseeing or en route to somewhere else on the PA Turnpike or otherwise, but suffered injuries in a motor vehicle accident involving full or limited tort drivers. (What’s that? Click here.)
So now what?
Advantages of Hiring Representation In PA
If you live outside of Western PA, you might have a lawyer — local to your home state — that you trust. However, hiring a Western PA lawyer to serve as local counsel has advantages. Lawyers who practice mainly in Western PA:
- Know the local judges and know their practices, to save time by knowing who certain judges tend to rule on specific issues, and,
- Are familiar with local procedural rules. For example, every state — and county within each state — has its own local rules. In Allegheny County (Pittsburgh), has a new local rule requiring civil litigants to participate in mediation, a little like federal court. However, neighboring Butler and Beaver County PA have no such rule.
Required PA Lawyer For Injuries
Let’s say you live outside of Pennsylvania, but you suffered an injury in PA at the hands of a PA driver. Or, you were injured on property in PA that was negligently maintained, causing you to fall on snow, for example. It may be that the only state (or Commonwealth) in the entire United States having jurisdiction over the defendant is Pennsylvania. As such, if you live outside of PA — and want to rely on your lawyer friend not admitted to practice law in PA — your trusted lawyer may be of little help to you in PA.
Required Western PA Representation for Purchases or Business Litigation
Let’s say you intend to sue a business located only in Pennsylvania for a purchase you made in Pennsylvania, before returning to your local state of Ohio, West Virginia, New York, or New Jersey, etc. 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).
Similarly, if you live in Ohio, or West Virginia, or New York, and you incorporated your business in Pennsylvania, you consent to jurisdiction to be sued here in PA. 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
Our Pittsburgh attorneys 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.
Let’s Get Started!
Call or email any time!
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