C&W designed the course as a way to help to educate and sensitize clients to the interdependence of pre-and post-litigation actions and ultimate success in closing files. From developing accident scene protocol, to case handling suggestions through litigation, this course offers a wealth of invaluable information for all lines of business.

Cipriani & Werner has a long-standing reputation of pro-active case handling; anticipating potential pitfalls and developing appropriate strategies to deal with them. What better way to do that than to impart some of our expertise to our clients? If you have legal questions or are interested in scheduling a seminar, please contact any C&W attorney.

The plaintiff was accompanying a special needs student on a School District bus when she alleges that another student assaulted her, causing personal injuries. The plaintiff took the matter to court claiming that the School District was negligent and careless in that it failed to protect other students on the bus by allowing this “very aggressive” student on board. It was further alleged that the District was culpable for both failing to provide other riders with adequate notice of the “dangerous condition” posed by this student and for not having the student restrained.

Attorneys Heffron and Stofko filed preliminary objections to the plaintiff’s complaint, arguing that the School District was immune from a lawsuit under the Political Subdivision Tort Claims Act. They further argued that as a local agency, the District was immune from suit and that none of the eight exceptions to municipal immunity applied in this case – including the “motor vehicle exception”. Heffron and Stofko then demonstrated that a suit may only be brought under this exception if the alleged injury arises out of the operation of the motor vehicle. In this case, the incident was alleged to occur between passengers. Despite arguments from the plaintiff’s counsel, the two attorneys successfully established that the allegations of negligence did not relate to the “operation” of the motor vehicle as defined through case law.

Both Cipriani & Werner’s attorneys and their client were satisfied with the outcome. For decades the firm has built its reputation on thorough research and knowledge of case law, which once again proved be the winning factor in an emotionally charged courtroom.

In a hotly contested litigation involving compensability and significant injuries, John Carvelli battled through conferences, took Petitioner’s testimony and, through his efforts on cross-examination, was able to convince a liberal Judge in a liberal jurisdiction to recommend a full and final settlement for less than $10,000. The case was then resolved and closed. This aggressive lawyering in a hostile jurisdiction likely saved the client medical, indemnity and permanency exposure in the neighborhood of $40,000.

Ms. Ferri joins C&W after having spent over twelve years at Levy, Angstreich, Finney, Baldante, Rubenstein & Coren. P.C. in Philadelphia. Her practice area at the Levy firm was concentrated in commercial litigation which encompassed a wide variety of legal matters including: breach of contract cases; collection matters; matters involving employment issues such as restrictive covenants, non-compete and confidentiality agreements, as well as due process issues; business torts such as intentional interference with a contract; consumer class actions; and legal malpractice cases. During those years, Ms. Ferri acquired and developed valuable skills regarding all aspects of litigation from the initial factual investigation and legal research of a matter, through the discovery process and motion practice (dispositive and non-dispositive), to trial preparation and appellate procedures.

Ms. Greenfield joins C&W following a clerkship with The Honorable Bill Mathesius in Trenton during his 2007-2008 term. Following her clerkship, Ms. Greenfield was employed as an associate attorney with the law firm of Lenox, Socey, Formidoni, Brown, Giordano, Cooley & Casey in Lawrenceville, New Jersey where she handled all aspects of pre-trial litigation, including research, writing legal briefs, taking and defending depositions, preparing and evaluating discovery, and making court appearances. Her areas of commercial litigation experience include contract claims, education law, employment law and general liability.

The attorneys at C&W are available at any time to discuss the commercial litigation needs you may have. Their experience over the years has touched on the following areas of the law:

• Breaches of contract
• Employment disputes
• Business dissolutions
• Interference with business relationships
• Disputes over non-compete clauses
• Civil RICO
• Breach of fiduciary duty
• Franchise issues
• Shareholder issues
• Partnership disputes
• Debt collection
• Construction litigation
• Real estate claims
• Professional negligence

155 Gaither Drive - Suite B
Mt. Laurel, NJ 08054

Our telephone numbers remain the same:
Phone: (856) 761-3800, Fax: (856) 761-0726

Mr. Cipriani is a 1975 graduate of the University and was named for his distinguished career in Law. The O’Hara Awards were presented during the Alumni Reunion Weekend, which was held June 11-13.

Westfield Insurance Company has bestowed their prestigious 'Golden Gavel Award’ on Cipriani & Werner Partner, Jack Hayes. The award is given annually by the insurer to a defense attorney whose superior advice and counsel has resulted in an extraordinary outcome. Initially Jack was one of five attorneys nominated across the U.S. by Westfield for outstanding performance in 2009, and ultimately was chosen to win the award based on his successful defense of a complex Workers’ Compensation claim.

Mr. Hayes recently handled a matter involving a significant motor vehicle accident which resulted in ‘severe disabilities’ including permanent brain damage. Initial analysis of the facts of the case indicated the possibility of substantial exposure for Westfield Insurance in excess of $3 million. Working in partnership with claims professionals, Kevin Ruth and Jim Greenwald, the claim was recently resolved for less than $400,000.

Mr. Greenwald and Mr. Ruth presented Jack with the Golden Gavel in a surprise announcement made recently in our Philadelphia Office. We congratulate Mr. Hayes for all the hard work and leadership he has provided to the entire Firm for many years.

As a former partner with the Weir firm, Mr. Datto brings nearly twenty years of experience in complex commercial litigation to the Cipriani firm. He has represented clients in disputes involving high-level contract, construction, environmental, banking, insurance, real estate and employment issues, as well as business torts, and all aspects of professional negligence claims.

Mr. Datto is a member of the Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association, the Philadelphia Bar Association, the Justinian Society, and is a former barrister in the Temple American Inn of Court, a group designed to improve the skills, professionalism and legal ethics of the bench and bar. Mr. Datto presently serves as a Judge Pro Tempore for both the major jury and Commerce Court programs in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. Mr. Datto has served as the Vice President of the Board of Directors of the Cheltenham Center for the Arts, and presently serves on the Board of Directors of the Blue White Scholarship Foundation at Villanova University. For the past five years, has managed a little league baseball team in Cheltenham Township where he resides with his wife and two children.

Mr. Datto graduated from Villanova University, cum laude, in 1987. He earned his law degree from Widener University School of Law in 1990. He is admitted to practice in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

450 Sentry Parkway – Suite 200
Blue Bell, PA 19422

Our telephone numbers remain the same:
(610) 567-0700, Fax: (610) 567-0712

Mr. Hamilton also brings with him a team of accomplished liability associates, including; Attorney John M. Giunta, an alumni of Duquesne University School of Law who for the last twenty years had concentrated his practice on complex civil matters; Attorney Philip J. Sbrolla who earned his J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law in 2002 and Attorney Johnna D. Hutnick a 2003 J.D. graduate of the Villanova University School of Law.

In addition, the Pittsburgh Workers’ Compensation group welcomes Attorney Jessica L. Herndon. A 2004 Graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, Ms. Herndon was an articles editor for the Journal of Technology, Law & Policy and she published a scholarly work with the Oklahoma Journal of Law & Technology. "

Mr. Cipriani, a 1978 graduate of Duquesne University’s School of Law founded the Pittsburgh-based firm in 1985 and was subsequently joined by Mr. Werner. Since that time Cipriani & Werner P.C. has grown to five offices in the Northeast United States and employs over fifty attorneys. Mr. Hamilton, a 1979 graduate of The University of Pittsburgh School of Law, recently joined the Pittsburgh office with several associates.

The selections for Super Lawyers are made by Law & Politics, a division of Key Professional Media, Inc. of Minneapolis, Minn. Each year, Law & Politics undertakes a rigorous multi-phase selection process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, independent evaluation of candidates by Law & Politics attorney-led research staff, a peer review of candidates by practice area, and a good-standing and disciplinary check.

Law & Politics publishes Super Lawyers magazines across the country. In addition to the magazines, Law & Politics publishes newspaper inserts and magazine special sections devoted to Super Lawyers. In 2008, Super Lawyers will reach more than 13 million readers.

Super Lawyers can be found online at superlawyers.com, where lawyers can be searched by practice area and location

The bipartisan tone that we tried to set carried over to many different offices and to the different political parties and candidates, all working toward the common goal of having an election above reproach, and with the utmost integrity. To the extent that we, as the election board, were able to achieve that goal, the efforts of many partners need to be recognized.

Perhaps attorney James F. Tierney IV should be first. As the solicitor to the election board, he made our essential work his priority, and his work product was timely and consistently legally sound. Our challenges were many, and his ability to research the myriad of legal issues confronting the election board enabled us to keep current on the election calendar. Mr. Tierney’s sound legal advice was irreplaceable.

Paul Taramelli, chief clerk to the county commissioners, performed admirably all the many formidable tasks we requested of him. He marshaled the resources of county government, including those of the Lackawanna County Coordinated Transportation group, who also deserve our thanks for their proficiency at transporting election materials, first to St. Mary’s Center and next to the Office of Voter Registration. Mr. Taramelli coordinated our efforts with the sheriff’s office. We thank the sheriff and his deputies for a superb job of providing security on each van and at the site of the unofficial count.

The Lackawanna County district attorney’s office did a first-rate job of providing comprehensive video surveillance security for the unofficial count.

Interestingly, when county employees were told the task, it was their innovation, their planning and their execution of the tasks that made this election work. We never micromanaged. Judge Munley and I merely defined our needs and county employees stepped up to the challenge of formulating and implementing efficient workable plans.

Special acknowledgment to the Bureau of Elections, Office of Voter Registration and its staff, Marion Medallis, Cathy Hardaway, Charlie Spano and others. Faced with the decertification of new election technology between the primary and general elections, they faced a daunting and unprecedented challenge and yet they, too, responded superbly. They found new technology, educated poll workers and judges of election, candidates and party operatives. They also helped arrange and secure ballot transportation while performing their customary responsibilities. Their achievements superimposed on their normal job descriptions deserve to be acknowledged as well.

Additionally, we were blessed with the bipartisan cooperation of attorney Harry McGrath, the Democratic Party chairman, and Paul Catalano, the Republican Party chairman. They both provided bipartisan watchers on each transport van to accompany the deputy sheriff. They also provided counting assistance when the slow pace of new technology became apparent. In short, they did everything we asked of them in a constructive and bipartisan fashion.

The bipartisan spirit continued in the superb board of review that we appointed for election night issues. Two Democratic attorneys, Morey Myers and Henry Burke, worked seamlessly with the two Republican attorneys, Richard S. “Sandy” Campagna and Ernest Gazda. All of their decisions needed to be unanimous and their bipartisan cooperation provided yet another example for all to follow. Their burden was greatly underestimated and the duration of their commitment was much longer than anticipated. Their determination to press on to completion was greatly appreciated.

Pennsylvania Secretary of State Pedro Cortes and his office recognized the election challenges facing Lackawanna County. They stepped up to assist us technically and financially.

The other partnership that arose out of this election was the one with the media. Broadcast media were great in covering the new electronically tabulated paper ballots, but perhaps The Scranton Times-Tribune best educated the electorate. Their cogent articles along with the accompanying photographs operated like a well- written textbook to educate the electorate as to what to expect from their third new voter technology change in two calendar years. Their formidable task was well performed by their reporters, photographers and their editorial staff.

Finally, we thank the voters, who took the time to learn the new voting system and come out and cast their vote. The electorate was the final partner who made this process a successful one.

Many thanks to all, the government, the media and the electorate, for all of their good work. When good people work together in a bipartisan fashion, great things can be accomplished for the public which we all serve.

JUDGE CARMEN D. MINORA JUDGE THOMAS J. MUNLEY

LACKAWANNA COUNTY COURT

Graduate of Rutgers School of Law and certified New Jersey Civil Trail attorney, Mr. Carlson will join Attorneys, Gregory DiCarlo and Laura Kerns, in the new office location on South Lenola Road in Marlton, New Jersey.

Attorney Carlson concentrates his practice in the defense of personal injury claims, he has also handled commercial, insurance coverage, fire loss, Dram Shop, subrogation and first party "Personal Injury Protection" ("PIP") claims. Further, he has handled numerous Workers’ Compensation claims throughout New Jersey.

Mr. Carlson is active in his community, twice running for county office and volunteering his time with several community organizations. He will be a welcome addition to the C&W team.

The office’s address is 1000 South Lenola Road, Building Two, Suite 101, Maple Shade, NJ.