HARRISBURG (May 16, 2017) — The Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) has presented awards that recognize outstanding leadership in the legal profession and extraordinary service and longstanding membership in the association.
PBA Special Achievement Awards recognize those lawyers and individuals who have provided time and resources to improve the association and the legal profession. The President’s Awards, bestowed at the discretion of 2016-17 PBA President Sara A. Austin, recognize extraordinary commitment to the association. PBA Fifty-Year Member Awards recognize lawyers who have been association members for five decades.
The awards were presented on May 12 during the association’s Annual Meeting at the Omni William Penn Hotel, Pittsburgh.
Allegheny County
Carol A. Behers, Raphael Ramsden & Behers PC, Pittsburgh: PBA Special Achievement Award — for progress made as co-chair of the PBA Family Law Section developing legislation that would reduce the waiting time for divorce in Pennsylvania.
Samuel W. Braver, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC, Pittsburgh: PBA Special Achievement Award — for his dedication and time served as a member of the Investigative Panel Division of the PBA Judicial Evaluation Commission.
James T. Collie Jr., Verona: Fifty-Year Member Award
Thomas L. Cooper, Cooper & Ziegler, Pittsburgh: Fifty-Year Member Award
J. Kent Culley, Tucker Arensberg PC, Pittsburgh: Fifty-Year Member Award
J. Murray Egan, Metz Lewis Brodman Must O'Keefe LLC, Pittsburgh: Fifty-Year Member Award
Retired Chief Justice John P. Flaherty Jr., Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, Glenshaw: Fifty-Year Member Award
Jon L. Friedman, Pittsburgh: Fifty-Year Member Award
H. Arnold Gefsky, Strassburger McKenna Gutnick & Gefsky, Pittsburgh: Fifty-Year Member Award
Samuel P. Gerace, Jones Gregg Creehan & Gerace LLP, Bethel Park: Fifty-Year Member Award
Andrea Geraghty, Meyer Unkovic & Scott LLP, Pittsburgh: PBA Special Achievement Award — for her dedication and time served as a member of the Investigative Panel Division of the PBA Judicial Evaluation Commission.
Mark J. Goldberg, Pittsburgh: Fifty-Year Member Award
H. Yale Gutnick, Strassburger McKenna Gutnick & Gefsky, Pittsburgh: Fifty-Year Member Award
Dale Hershey, Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott LLC, Pittsburgh: Fifty-Year Member Award
Retired Senior Judge Lawrence W. Kaplan, Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas, Pittsburgh: Fifty-Year Member Award
James E. Kopelman, Jacques & Jacques PC, Natrona Heights: Fifty-Year Member Award
John W. Latella, Law Office of John W. Latella, Pittsburgh: Fifty-Year Member Award
J. Richard Lauver, K&L Gates LLP, Pittsburgh: Fifty-Year Member Award
Stanton D. Levenson, Stanton D. Levenson PA, Pittsburgh: Fifty-Year Member Award
Maurice A. Nernberg Jr., Maurice A Nernberg & Associates, Pittsburgh: Fifty-Year Member Award
Wilbur McCoy Otto, Otto Law Group LLC, Sewickley: Fifty-Year Member Award
T. Lawrence Palmer, Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General Charitable Trusts and Organizations, Wexford: Fifty-Year Member Award
Alan Papernick, Papernick & Gefsky LLC, Pittsburgh: Fifty-Year Member Award
Samuel J. Pasquarelli, Sherrard German & Kelly PC, Pittsburgh: Fifty-Year Member Award
Joseph J. Pass Jr., Jubelirer Pass & Intrieri PC, Pittsburgh: Fifty-Year Member Award
John A. Pillar, Pittsburgh: Fifty-Year Member Award
Richard E. Rush, Thomson Rhodes & Cowie PC, Pittsburgh: Fifty-Year Member Award
Francis V. Sabino, Pittsburgh: Fifty-Year Member Award
Edgar M. Snyder, Edgar Snyder & Associates LLC, Pittsburgh: Fifty-Year Member Award
Robert D. Yeager, K&L Gates LLP, Pittsburgh: Fifty-Year Member Award
Gerald N. Ziskind, Pittsburgh: Fifty-Year Member Award
Beaver County
Samuel J. Orr III, Beaver: Fifty-Year Member Award
Berks County
Jack G. Mancuso, Brumbach Mancuso & Fegley PC, Reading: Fifty-Year Member Award
Geoffrey M. Stoudt, Kozloff Stoudt PC, Wyomissing: Fifty-Year Member Award
Blair County
Alan R. Krier, Jubelirer Carothers Krier & Halpern, Altoona: Fifty-Year Member Award
Bradford County
Gerald W. Brann, Brann Williams Caldwell & Sheetz, Troy: Fifty-Year Member Award
Bucks County
Charles H. Dorsett Jr., Eastburn and Gray PC, Doylestown: Fifty-Year Member Award
John F. Grim, Grim Biehn & Thatcher PC, Perkasie: Fifty-Year Member Award
Thomas J. Profy III, Begley Carlin & Mandio LLP, Langhorne: Fifty-Year Member Award
Senior District Judge Donald W. Van Artsdalin, U.S. District Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Doylestown: Fifty-Year Member Award
Harold B. Vikoren, Harold B Vikoren & Associates, New Hope: Fifty-Year Member Award
Butler County
Retired Judge George Harold Hancher, Hancher Law Office, Zelienople: Fifty-Year Member Award
Cambria County
Nicholas O. Antonazzo, Johnstown: Fifty-Year Member Award
William K. Eckel, Johnstown: Fifty-Year Member Award
William L. Glosser, Smorto Persio Webb & McGill, Johnstown: Fifty-Year Member Award
Senior Judge F. Joseph Leahey Jr., Cambria County Court of Common Pleas, Ebensburg: Fifty-Year Member Award
Senior Judge D. Gerard Long, Cambria County Court of Common Pleas, Ebensburg: Fifty-Year Member Award
Centre County
Richard L. Campbell, Miller Kistler & Campbell, State College: Fifty-Year Member Award
Chester County
John C. Cameron, Penn State Great Valley, Malvern: PBA Special Achievement Award — for leadership and time served as co-chair of PBA Health Care Law Committee.
Lawrence A. Goldberg, Goldberg Meanix McCallin & Muth, West Chester: Fifty-Year Member Award
William P. Quinn, Gollatz Griffin & Ewing PC, Malvern: Fifty-Year Member Award
Joseph A. Ryan, Ryan Emory & Ryan LLP, Downingtown: Fifty-Year Member Award
Clearfield County
Robert M. Hanak, Hanak Guido & Taladay, DuBois: Fifty-Year Member Award
James Naddeo, Naddeo & Lewis LLC, Clearfield: Fifty-Year Member Award
Clinton County
Judge J. Michael Williamson, Clinton County Court of Common Pleas, Lock Haven: Fifty-Year Member Award
Cumberland County
Frances H. Del Duca, Carlisle: Fifty-Year Member Award
Jerry R. Duffie, Johnson Duffie Stewart & Weidner PC, Lemoyne: Fifty-Year Member Award
William E. Miller Jr., Camp Hill: Fifty-Year Member Award
Dauphin County
Arthur K. Dils, Dils & Dils, Harrisburg: Fifty-Year Member Award
Edward S. Finkelstein, Hummelstown: Fifty-Year Member Award
Pamela K. Kance, Harrisburg: PBA President’s Award — for her outstanding commitment and dedicated service to the PBA as section relations coordinator.
Herbert R. Nurick, Harrisburg: Fifty-Year Member Award
Delaware County
Allen Edwin Amgott, Havertown: Fifty-Year Member Award
Carmen P. Belefonte, Saltz Mongeluzzi Barrett & Bendesky PC, Media: PBA Special Achievement Award — for dedication and time served as a member of the Investigative Panel Division of the PBA Judicial Evaluation Commission.
Leo Francis Doyle, Springfield: Fifty-Year Member Award
John B. Eurell, Lansdowne: Fifty-Year Member Award
Daniel I. Murphy, Bryn Mawr: Fifty-Year Member Award
John G. Shea, Shea & Shea, Bryn Mawr: Fifty-Year Member Award
Richard C. Tinucci, Glenolden: Fifty-Year Member Award
Joseph A. Walheim, Joseph A. Walheim & Associates, Havertown: Fifty-Year Member Award
Elk County
James A. Meyer, Meyer Wagner Brown & Kraus, Saint Marys: Fifty-Year Member Award
Erie County
Charles D. Agresti, Marsh Spaeder Baur Spaeder & Schaaf, Erie: Fifty-Year Member Award
Andrew J. Conner, Conner Riley Friedman & Weichler, Erie: Fifty-Year Member Award
Joseph T. Messina, Erie: Fifty-Year Member Award
Edward P. Wittmann, Elderkin Law Firm, Erie: Fifty-Year Member Award
Fayette County
George L. Hallal, Brownsville: Fifty-Year Member Award
Carmine V. Molinaro, Molinaro Law Offices, Connellsville: Fifty-Year Member Award
Indiana County
Edwin M. Clark, Holsinger Clark & Armstrong PC, Indiana: Fifty-Year Member Award
Lackawanna County
John B. Beemer, Beemer & Beemer, Clarks Summit: Fifty-Year Member Award
Dorrance R. Belin, Oliver Price & Rhodes, Clarks Summit: Fifty-Year Member Award
Ernest J. Gazda Jr., Gazda & Penetar: Scranton: Fifty-Year Member Award
Melinda C. Ghilardi, Federal Public Defenders Office, Scranton: PBA President’s Award — for her outstanding leadership, professionalism and dedication to the PBA Bar Leadership Institute, the PBA Federal Practice Committee, the PBA Diversity Team and the Commission on Women in the Profession.
Richard T. Mulcahey, Scranton: Fifty-Year Member Award
Judge James M. Munley, U.S. District Court Middle District of Pennsylvania, Scranton: Fifty-Year Member Award
Jacob I. Nogi, Nogi Appleton Weinberger & Wren PC, Scranton: Fifty-Year Member Award
Otto P. Robinson Jr., Penn Security Bank, Scranton: Fifty-Year Member Award
Benjamin S. Schnessel, Carbondale: Fifty-Year Member Award
C. H. Welles IV, Welles & McGrath, Scranton: Fifty-Year Member Award
Lancaster County
William A. Atlee Jr., Atlee Hall LLP, Lancaster: Fifty-Year Member Award
William E. Chillas, Law Office of William E Chillas, Lancaster: Fifty-Year Member Award
Lawrence County
Richard E. Flannery, Nicolls Flannery & Palmer PC, New Castle: Fifty-Year Member Award
Frank G. Verterano, Verterano & Manolis, New Castle: Fifty-Year Member Award
Lehigh County
Martin D. Cohen, Cohen Feeley Altemose & Rambo, Bethlehem: Fifty-Year Member Award
Martin J. Karess, Karess Reich & Furst, Allentown: Fifty-Year Member Award
E. Keller Kline III, Kline & Kline, Allentown: Fifty-Year Member Award
Barry N. Mosebach, Mosebach Funt Dayton & Duckworth PC, Allentown: Fifty-Year Member Award
Senior Judge William H. Platt, Superior Court of Pennsylvania, Allentown: Fifty-Year Member Award
Palmer Kress Schreiber, Old Zionsville: Fifty-Year Member Award
Rudolph Zieger Jr., Whitehall: Fifty-Year Member Award
Luzerne County
Elaine Cook, Cook Law PC, Drums: PBA Special Achievement Award — for leadership and time served as co-chair of PBA Health Care Law Committee.
Joseph F. Flanagan, Forty Fort: Fifty-Year Member Award
Daniel G. Flannery, Rosenn Jenkins & Greenwald LLP, Wilkes-Barre: Fifty-Year Member Award
Harry Hiscox, Hiscox & Musto, Kingston: Fifty-Year Member Award
Paul R. Mahler, Mahler Law Firm LLC, Forty Fort: Fifty-Year Member Award
James A. Schneider, Schneider Law Offices PC, Hazleton: Fifty-Year Member Award
David E. Schwager, Chariton Schwager & Malak, Wilkes-Barre: PBA Special Achievement Award — for his leadership as chair of the PBA Planning Committee in the development of a strategic plan for the association.
Sandor Yelen, Yelen Law Offices, Wilkes-Barre: Fifty-Year Member Award
Lycoming County
George V. Cohen, McNerney Page Vanderlin & Hall, Williamsport: Fifty-Year Member Award
Scott A. Williams, Williams & Smay, Williamsport: Fifty-Year Member Award
Mercer
Joseph P. Valentino, Joseph P Valentino PC, Hermitage: Fifty-Year Member Award
Mifflin
Former Judge Francis A. Searer, Searer Schrum & Searer, Lewistown: Fifty-Year Member Award
Thomas M. Torquato, Torquato Law Office, Lewistown: Fifty-Year Member Award
Monroe County
Bernard M. Billick (recently deceased), Law Offices of Bernard M. Billick, Stroudsburg: Fifty-Year Member Award
Montgomery County
David J. Ackerman, Wynnewood: Fifty-Year Member Award
Robert A. Bacine, Friedman Schuman PC, Jenkintown: Fifty-Year Member Award
Linda F. Berman, Linda F. Berman Attorney at Law, King of Prussia: PBA Special Achievement Award —for dedication and time served as a member of the Investigative Panel Division of the PBA Judicial Evaluation Commission
Robert A. Bildersee, Bildersee & Silbert LLP, Abington: Fifty-Year Member Award
Joseph Boardman, Joseph Boardman PC, Bala Cynwyd: Fifty-Year Member Award
Dominic P. Costa, Oreland: Fifty-Year Member Award
John M. Demcisak, Hatboro: Fifty-Year Member Award
Mary Cushing Doherty, High Swartz LLP, Norristown: PBA Special Achievement Award — for progress made as co-chair of the PBA Family Law Section developing legislation that would reduce the waiting time for divorce in Pennsylvania.
John M. Elliott, Elliott Greenleaf, Blue Bell: Fifty-Year Member Award
Larry Friedman, Wynnewood: Fifty-Year Member Award
Senator Stewart J. Greenleaf, Elliott Greenleaf, Blue Bell: Fifty-Year Member Award
Barry W. Kerchner, Pottstown: Fifty-Year Member Award
Allen M. Metzger, Jenkintown: Fifty-Year Member Award
Melvin B. Miller, Melvin B Miller Ltd., Gladwyne: Fifty-Year Member Award
Robert F. Morris, Morris Wilson PC, Plymouth Meeting: PBA President’s Award — for the high level of professionalism, dedication, and commitment that he demonstrated as chair of the PBA Judicial Evaluation Commission.
J. Edmund Mullin, Hamburg Rubin Mullin Maxwell & Lupin PC, Lansdale: Fifty-Year Member Award
Michael J. O’Donoghue, Wisler Pearlstine LLP, Blue Bell: Fifty-Year Member Award
Stanton S. Oswald, Jenkintown: Fifty-Year Member Award
Michael O. Peale Jr., Timoney Knox LLP, Fort Washington: Fifty-Year Member Award
Paul F. Prestia, RatnerPrestia PC, King of Prussia: Fifty-Year Member Award
M. Melvin Shralow, Shralow ADR LLC, Bryn Mawr: Fifty-Year Member Award
Bernard F. Siergiej, Jenkins Siergiej & Smith, Ambler: Fifty-Year Member Award
Joseph M. Walker, Blue Bell: Fifty-Year Member Award
Richard E. Wells, Wells Hoffman Holloway & Medvesky LLP, Pottstown: Fifty-Year Member Award
Frederic M. Wentz, McGrory Wentz LLP, Plymouth Meeting: Fifty-Year Member Award
Northampton County
Herbert G. Litvin, Easton: Fifty-Year Member Award
Alan B. McFall, McFall Layman & Jordan PC, Bangor: Fifty-Year Member Award
Henry R. Newton, Herster Newton & Murphy, Easton: Fifty-Year Member Award
Salvador J. Salazar, Bath: Fifty-Year Member Award
Philadelphia County
Bennett L. Aaron, Pepper Hamilton LLP, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
Daniel J. Allan, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
Paul C. Astor, Astor Weiss Kaplan & Mandel LLP, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
Jerome R. Balka, Balka & Balka, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
Jack R. Bershad, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
Herbert Brener, Kovler & Rush PC: Fifty-Year Member Award
John J. Cahill Jr., Schubert Gallagher Tyley & Mulcahey, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
Michael Churchill, Public Interest Law Center of Philadelphia, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
William H. Clark Jr., Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP, Philadelphia: PBA Special Achievement Award — for his leadership in evaluating and drafting amendments to Title 15, the short title for the Pennsylvania Uniform Unincorporated Nonprofit Association Law, through the PBA Business Law Section Title 15 Committee.
Jennifer S. Coatsworth, Margolis Edelstein, Philadelphia: PBA Special Achievement Award — for the enthusiasm and professionalism she brings to her involvement with several committees and sections of the PBA.
Leonard J. Cooper, Cozen O'Connor, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
Vincent B. Corsetti, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
John P. Crampton, Dilworth Paxson LLP, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
Samuel E. Dennis, Fox Rothschild LLP, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
Stanton Dubin, AnapolWeiss, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
Edward M. Glickman, Cozen O’Connor, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
John Francis Gough, Gough Law Associates RLLC, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
Goncer M. Krestal, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
William M. Labkoff, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
Michael B. Lee, Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity, Philadelphia: PBA Special Achievement Award — for his work as managing attorney of the Criminal Record Expungement Project, where he trains pro bono attorneys, organizes community education events and argues expungement and redaction petitions.
Domenic M. Masciantonio, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
Lawrence G. Metzger, Metzger & Kleiner, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
Jerrold V. Moss, Astor Weiss Kaplan & Mandel LLP, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
Wesley R. Payne IV, White and Williams LLP, Philadelphia: PBA Special Achievement Award — for his work as chair of the PBA Military and Veterans Affairs Committee and pro bono efforts for veterans.
Richard B. Pearl, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
Joseph F. Ricchiuti, Young Ricchiuti Caldwell & Heller LLC, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
Lila G. Roomberg, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
Carl W. Schneider, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
Senior Judge Anthony J. Scirica, U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
Retired President Judge A. Leo Sereni, Court of Common Pleas of Delaware County, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
Thomas J. Tumola, Duane Morris LLP, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
Schuylkill County
James J. Curran Jr., Pottsville: Fifty-Year Member Award
Ronald Thomas Derenzo, Derenzo & Zerbe, Pottsville, Fifty-Year Member Award
Snyder County
Marvin J. Rudnitsky, RHP Law Group LLC, Philadelphia: Fifty-Year Member Award
Somerset County
John J. Barbera, Barbera Clapper Beener Rullo & Melvin, Somerset: Fifty-Year Member Award
Senior Judge Eugene E. Fike II, Somerset County Court of Common Pleas, Somerset: Fifty-Year Member Award
Robert M. Philson, Meyersdale: Fifty-Year Member Award
Mary E. Schellhammer, Somerset: PBA President’s Award — for her dedication and outstanding leadership of several sections of the PBA, as well as her commitment to building a relationship between the Somerset County bar and the PBA.
Venango County
Michael J. Antkowiak, Franklin: Fifty-Year Member Award
Ralph L. Montgomery Jr., Franklin: Fifty-Year Member Award
Washington County
D. Keith Melenyzer (recently deceased), Melenyzer Sam & Agrafiotis, Charleroi: Fifty-Year Member Award
Wayne County
Albert G. Rutherford, Rutherford & Rutherford, Honesdale: Fifty-Year Member Award
Westmoreland County
Judge John J. Driscoll, Westmoreland County Court of Common Pleas, Greensburg: Fifty-Year Member Award
David B. Wasson, Lower Burrell: Fifty-Year Member Award
York County
D. Reed Anderson, Stock and Leader, York: Fifty-Year Member Award
Peter Reigle Andrews, CGA Law Firm, York: Fifty-Year Member Award
Gilbert G. Malone, Malone & Neubaum, York: Fifty-Year Member Award
Out of State
Meyer A. Bushman, University Park, Fla.: Fifty-Year Member Award
Donald H. Cuozzo, Osprey, Fla.: Fifty-Year Member Award
Michael M. Dean, Peoa, Utah: Fifty-Year Member Award
Giles J. Gaca, Chapel Hill, N.C.: Fifty-Year Member Award
William M. Hoffman, Baltimore, Md.: Fifty-Year Member Award
David J. Humphreys, Stow, N.Y.: Fifty-Year Member Award
Retired Senior Judge Peter J. O'Brien, Pompano Beach, Fla.: Fifty-Year Member Award
Peter O. Price, New York, N.Y.: Fifty-Year Member Award
Sheldon S. Toll, Sheldon S. Toll PLLC, Southfield, Mich.: Fifty-Year Member Award
Founded in 1895, the Pennsylvania Bar Association strives to promote justice, professional excellence and respect for the law; improve public understanding of the legal system; facilitate access to legal services; and serve the 27,000 lawyers who are members of the association.