- Divorce
- GuardianshipFor individuals, we provide tax advice to clients at all stages of life, from establishing the best qualified college savings plan to gifts to minors for very young children to arranging for guardianship and health care issues for the very elderly. We also assist with Family Limited Partnerships, which can provide tax savings for those with oil and gas royalties.
- Criminal DefenseSo whether you need help with a contract, a partnership dispute, an injunction to enforce a non-competition or trade secret, or any other commercial dispute, we are here to protect your rights. We also have a white collar criminal defense practice that represents individuals and organizations who are facing internal investigations, grand jury investigations or state, federal or county prosecutions.
- DUI/DWIBill previously served as President of Mothers Against Drunk Driving of Allegheny/Westmoreland/Beaver Counties from 1997-99. He has also served as an advisor for PowerLink and on its Board of Directors from 1997-99.
- Fraud
- White Collar CrimesRothman Gordon’s White Collar Criminal Defense/Internal Investigations practice represents individuals and organizations who are facing internal investigations, grand jury investigations, and federal or state prosecutions. In addition to representing subjects, targets and defendants, we also provide services to victims and witnesses of crimes. White collar crime can include fraud, embezzlement, insider trading, bribery, tax evasion, and forgery. White collar criminal investigations usually take months to conduct, enabling investigators and prosecutors to gather witness statements, documents, information and other evidence long before criminal charges are filed. Consequently, individuals and organizations who are the subjects of such investigations need to quickly assemble a defense strategy, while mitigating risk, misinformation, and bad press.
- Theft
- Embezzlement
- Forgery
- Money Laundering
- Corporate LawRothman Gordon has focused its business and corporate law practice on closely-held companies, family-owned businesses, and financial institutions throughout Western Pennsylvania. Our clients rely upon us for pragmatic solutions to a wide variety of problems, from structuring complicated transactions to resolving internal disputes. Drawing upon their broad understanding business and corporate law, as well as our Primerus network, our lawyers advise local, regional, national and international businesses through the entire business life cycle.
- Mergers and AcquisitionsRothman Gordon lawyers regularly counsel our clients on mergers & acquisitions, as well as the sales of businesses (including asset deals, stock deals, and international transactions) and corporate reorganizations. We can assist you with due diligence, preparation and/or review of loan agreements and the strategic planning, negotiation and documentation of all aspects of the transaction. We are equipped to address issues involving real estate, environmental concerns, intellectual property and taxes in the context of the particular deal.
- Business DisputesFrank Salpietro is the Chair of Rothman Gordon’s Commercial and Business Litigation practice and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. He is a seasoned litigation and corporate/transactional practitioner representing regional, national and international clients, including individuals, family-owned enterprises, lending institutions and start-ups. Frank’s litigation experience includes complex commercial/business disputes, insurance coverage, lender liability, fraud, trade secret, real estate/leasing, gaming matters, and class actions. Frank’s class action experience has allowed him to give hundreds of thousands of individuals and consumers a voice in the courts, helping correct wrongs done to them by major retailers, banks, employers, and utility companies. His corporate experience includes stock and asset acquisitions and sales, formation and representation of business entities, loan documentation and a wide variety of contracts and leasing.
- Business TransactionsStructuring and Negotiating Business Transactions. Our attorneys are highly skilled in structuring and negotiating various forms of business transactions, including mergers, acquisitions, joint ventures, and other business combinations. We also assist clients with the purchases and sales of assets, stock and various other types of transactions.
- Limited Liability CompaniesSome business forms, if properly used, provide the owners with a shield from liability, so that only the business assets (and not the owner’s personal assets) can be reached if there is a judgment against the business due to a mistake. Corporations, limited partnerships, and limited liability companies can each provide a shield for personal assets against business debts. There are requirements that must regularly be met to keep that shield in place, however, and the costs of forming and maintaining one of those business entities may be more than the business can afford. Thus, some businesses prefer to operate as a sole proprietorship or general partnership.
- Trade Secrets
- Intellectual Property
- Workers Compensation
- Wrongful TerminationOften people are rightfully worried about providing for themselves and their families until they can find a new job. They just look at how much pay they will get in their severance package and then sign the papers. But severance agreements can be high technical, with terms that seem unimportant at the time, but could create difficulties later. The agreement may contain a non-compete provision, which could hinder your job search, preventing you from taking a position with a competitor. It may restrict your right to sue your employer for wrongful termination, even if you were terminated for an illegal reason. Although this is a difficult time, you owe it to yourself to fully understand what your soon to be ex-employer is asking you to sign.
- Employment DiscriminationRacial discrimination occurs when a person is negatively singled out because of that person’s race or color. Harassment may include, for example, racial slurs, offensive or derogatory remarks about a person’s race or color, or use of racially offensive symbols. While one time teasing or offhand comments are not considered to be illegal, harassment that occurs so frequently or severely that it creates a hostile or offensive work environment IS a sign you may want to consult a race discrimination lawyer. Our Pittsburgh office has helped people throughout Western PA deal with illegal harassment.
- Employment ContractNoah provides counsel to numerous local unions in Western Pennsylvania representing professional, para-professional, and non-professional employees on collective bargaining, labor arbitration, and contract administration matters in both the public and private sectors. Noah also represents and counsels clients in various employment matters, including litigating discrimination claims on behalf of employees, negotiating and reviewing separation, severance, non-compete, and other types of employment agreements, and representing parties in unemployment compensation hearings. Noah was named a Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in 2021 and 2022 by
- Employment LitigationAll the work I do, whether representing unions in traditional labor law matters, or representing individuals with employment issues, is focused on helping to achieve more fairness in the workplace. A job is not just what someone does to earn a living – it is an extension of who they are. Everyone, regardless of what they do, deserves to feel pride in their work and to be treated with the respect they deserve from their employer. My goal is to put my knowledge, skills, and experience to use by helping my clients to accomplish this.
- Non-compete AgreementEven if the non-compete agreement is not enforceable, it may affect your job search, as not only you, but your new employer, may be subject to legal action if found in violation of the contract. We represent employees in Pittsburgh and Western Pennsylvania who have been sued by their former employer for violating a non-compete agreement. With more than a quarter-century of experience in the courtroom, we have a deep understanding of employment law and the litigation skill needed to protect your rights.
- Severance AgreementIf your employment has been terminated, your employer may offer you a severance agreement package. While it may be tempting to sign it right away, you have the right to have an experienced employment attorney review the document, within a reasonable time frame.
- Sexual HarassmentSexual harassment is a form of employment discrimination because a person is subjected to unwelcome and offensive acts based upon sex. Sexual harassment has been generally broken up into two categories: (1) “hostile environment” in which you are subjected to severe and pervasive sexually offensive conduct, such as unwelcome touching and grabbing, pornography, sexually suggestive jokes or comments in the workplace that a reasonable person would find offensive or (2) “quid pro quo” sexual harassment, in which your employment conditions, such as a promotion or the threat of being fired, are dependent upon sexual favors or advances. Our Pittsburgh office has dealt with numerous cases like these.
- Real Estate LitigationNat Hunter practices Real Estate law, including purchase/sale, development, title insurance, commercial leasing, and lending law. Nat has represented numerous local and national banks as both lead and local counsel for various real estate transactions, including construction, refinancing and permanent lending for both commercial and residential development matters. In addition, he serves in the firm’s Oil and Gas practice, drawing on his knowledge of Pennsylvania mineral law. Nat previously served as the Western Pennsylvania Manager of a national title insurance company, and then as Associate Counsel/Underwriter with another national title company.
- Real Estate TransactionsRonald Backer is an attorney who practices in both the Real Estate Department and the Commercial & Business Litigation Department of Rothman Gordon. He specializes in transactional work, such as negotiating commercial leases and real estate purchases and sales, He also represents clients in real estate tax assessment appeals. He has authored two pieces on Pennsylvania Landlord Remedies: “Pennsylvania Landlord Remedies: Collection of Rent and Recovery of Possession” and “Pennsylvania Landlord Remedies: An Update”, for
- Eminent Domain
- Land Use and Zoning
- Property DamageMarcellus is a boon to our economy. With so much money involved, there will be disputes over mineral & gas rights, oil and gas lease terms, royalties and bonuses, property damage, environmental issues, etc. Is the oil and gas company complying with the lease? Are you receiving the right royalty? How do you check that your royalty check is correct? Our oil and gas attorneys have litigated numerous oil and gas matters for many landowners, royalty owners, and their families.
- Medical MalpracticeOur attorneys have functioned as arbitrators, mediators, and early neutral evaluators for the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, the American Arbitration Association National Panel of Mediators, Financial Industry Regulating Authority (FINRA), the National Employment Mediation Services Panel, Justice ADR Services, JUSTUS Medical Malpractice Group, USA&M, and JAMS/Endispute.
- Social Security DisabilityRothman Gordon’s Social Security Disability Lawyers represent injured and disabled individuals and their families, helping them obtain Social Security Disability benefits. Our attorneys will counsel you from the initial application for benefits through any denial processes and preparation for hearing. Social Security Disability reviews can be nerve racking.
- Medicaid PlanningMedicaid planning is essential if you want to preserve any assets for your spouse or children but the planning is complicated. When you are faced with needing nursing home care, either for yourself, your spouse, or your parent, you want to be able to apply for Medicaid with dignity and without losing everything that has taken a lifetime to build. We can discuss your options, help you to develop a plan, and assist you with your Medicaid application.
- Disability DiscriminationThe Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects you from discrimination at work if you have a physical or mental impairment. Employers covered by the ADA are prohibited from discriminating against employees and job applicants in all employment practices, including, job application procedures, hiring, firing, promotions, compensation, training, and conditions of employment. The Act also covers recruitment, advertising, tenure, layoff, and leave. Additionally, it is illegal to harass an employee or job applicant because of a disability.
- Estate PlanningDeath comes to us all. We will encounter it many times in our lives with the final encounter being our own eventual demise. It is human nature to avoid the topic. No one wants to deal with his or her own mortality. Very often, the tendency is to put off estate planning to a later date. We don’t want to deal with issues of death and the changes it brings until we must. Unfortunately, by the time they are forced to deal with these events, our survivors are faced with choices and tasks that are made much more difficult than they would have been had we taken the time to plan for that day that we all must face.
- WillsDickinson Law Review and has lectured extensively on that subject. With regard to litigation, he represents clients across the spectrum, including real estate, business and corporate disputes, will contests, labor and employment matters, and zoning hearings.
- TrustsOur Estates, Trusts & Taxation Lawyers can also assist with the formation and representation of charitable trusts, asset protection trusts, revocable trusts, irrevocable trusts, private foundations, and public charities.
- Power of AttorneyOur Estates & Trusts lawyers work with you to create a plan that includes a Will or Trust, Power of Attorney and Healthcare Power of Attorney or Advance Directive/Living Will. Your plan will distribute your assets to the people you choose with the least possible tax consequences. At Rothman Gordon, we focus on four objectives...
- Probate
- BankruptcyNoah earned a B.A. in English and U.S. History with distinction from the University of Michigan and his J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. During law school, Noah served as Topics Editor for the Pitt Journal of Environmental and Public Health Law and president of the Pitt Legal Income Sharing Foundation. Before joining the firm, Noah interned with the Neighborhood Legal Services Association and the Office of the Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Trustee for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
- Tax LawWhether you need a simple will or a complex estate plan, our Pittsburgh Estates, Trusts & Taxation attorneys can develop a plan that fits the needs of you and your loved ones. We can also assist with administering estates in Pennsylvania, helping with tax planning, provide elder care law advice, and guide you through Orphans’ Court.