We Have You Covered: Western PA Attorneys

In today’s global economy, it is increasingly common for Americans to do business with individuals and companies located overseas. International travel, online commerce, remote work, and foreign investment have made cross-border disputes far more common than they once were.    If a U.S. court has jurisdiction over the dispute—for example,…

Understanding Pennsylvania’s Common Interest Privilege Most people know that conversations with their attorney are generally confidential. That protection is called the attorney-client privilege. However, what happens when two different people or companies, each with their own lawyers, need to work together on the same legal problem?  Examples include:  Plaintiff falls…

The Pennsylvania Superior Court’s recent decision in Carmen Enterprises, Inc. v. Ely Goldin, Esq. and Fox Rothschild, LLP is a important reminder about PA’s Wrongful Use of Civil Proceedings Act (“WUCP”), 42 Pa.C.S. §§ 8351–8354 (often called the “Dragonetti Act“).  The Superior Court confirmed that a WUCPA claim can be…

Introduction Electronic signatures now dominate modern commerce, employment relationships, consumer transactions, and litigation. Yet Pennsylvania courts continue to confront a recurring question: when a party denies signing an electronic agreement, what evidence sufficiently authenticates the electronic signature and proves assent?  The Pennsylvania Superior Court’s recent decision in Levin v. Prime…

Pennsylvania’s General Veil-Piercing Standard Pennsylvania strongly presumes that corporations and LLCs are separate legal entities, meaning, the entity generally protects the owners of the entity from personal liability. Courts “pierce the corporate veil” only in limited circumstances and only “whenever justice or public policy demand.” The doctrine is equitable in…

Pennsylvania Superior Court Clarifies In a recent non-precedential decision, the Pennsylvania Superior Court revisited two issues that often arise in civil litigation in Pennsylvania: first, when hearsay evidence may nonetheless be considered in opposition to summary judgment, and second, when a plaintiff’s tort claim is barred because the alleged wrongdoing…

Change Your Mind After Signing a ​Home Improvement Contract?  It happens more often than people think. A contractor shows up at your home in Allegheny County. There is a problem—maybe a sewer backup, a cracked pipe, or a roofing issue. You feel pressure to act quickly. So, you sign a contract. …