Siana Law Partners, Christopher P. Gerber, Michael G. Crotty and Eric M. Brown look forward to speaking at the 2024 PSATS Southeast Regional Forum on Wednesday, October 30th at the Chester County Sheraton in Frazer. Mr. Gerber will present Hot Issues in Municipal Police Department Management, which will discuss pertinent issues, including the pros and…
DetailsSiana Law Partner Christopher P. Geber is proud to participate in the 2024 PSATS Fall Solicitors Seminar on October 9th in Enola, PA. Mr. Gerber will present the following seminar: Hot Issues in Police Department Management. With police costs a substantial portion of township budgets and an increasing spotlight on police issues around the country,…
DetailsThe Firm is pleased to announce that Siana Law Partner, Eric Brown, has become a Certified Mediator for the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Mr. Brown was invited to become a certified mediator at the request of Chief Judge Matthew W. Brann. He was one of only 14 attorneys selected…
DetailsSiana Law is proud to welcome Rachel M. Sorokin to our legal team. Ms. Sorokin is a native of Bucks County and currently resides in, West Chester, PA. She is a graduate of Widener University Delaware School of Law and James Madison University, where she earned a BA in Philosophy and Religion with a Minor…
DetailsSiana Law Partner, Christopher Gerber, is proud to present the following National Academy of Continuing Legal Education (NACLE) course on Wednesday, August 28th, 2024: Conducting Police Internal Affairs Investigations “This CLE course is designed to provide government lawyers and others practical knowledge and sample policies on how to conduct effective police internal affairs investigations. The…
DetailsOn Sunday, July 21, 2024 Sherry Brown completed the Ben to the Shore, a 65-mile bicycle ride from the Ben Franklin Bridge to Atlantic City to benefit the Families Behind the Badge Children’s Foundation. The Foundation provides immediate relief to families of fallen or critically injured First Responders in addition to providing grants to organizations…
DetailsThe importance of having an employee social media policy was at the forefront in a recent Commonwealth Court decision. In Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education v. PASSHE Officers Association, the Court was asked to decide whether the lack of such a policy would prevent an employer (Kutztown University) from terminating a campus patrol officer…
DetailsSiana Law congratulates Partners, Eric Brown and Michael Crotty, for being selected as top-rated lawyers by Super Lawyers, part of Thomson Reuters, this year. Well done, Eric and Mike! Get to know these outstanding members of our team.
DetailsSiana Law is proud to welcome James B. Halligan III to our team of Associate Attorneys. Mr. Halligan is a native of Havertown and currently resides in Upper Providence, PA. He is a graduate of Penn State University and Widener University School of Law. Mr. Halligan also completed a Master of Law (LLM) in Cyber…
DetailsThe Third Circuit made clear that the test to determine whether a police officer in Pennsylvania is entitled to civil service protections, is not the number of hours worked but rather, whether the officer is “available for full employment – that is, on call at any and all times.” (Townsend/Deforte v. Borough of Worthington et…
DetailsPennsylvania ranks 49th in the country in funding its state institutions of higher learning and 48th in affordability. In an effort to improve these statistics, Governor Shapiro has recently proposed a 15% funding increase for Pennsylvania’s state institutions of higher learning, including all fifteen (15) of the state’s community colleges. The interesting component of this…
Details“Publicity is justly commended as a remedy for social and industrial diseases. Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants; electric light the most efficient policeman.” —Louis D. Brandeis On January 31, 2024, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives enacted a resolution designating the week of March 10 through 16, 2024, as “Sunshine Week.” “Sunshine…
DetailsSiana Law Partner, Chris Gerber, is proud to join the National Business Institute (NBI) and a team of knowledgeable Pennsylvania attorneys as a speaker for the following webinar on Friday, April 26th, at 9:00 am: Pennsylvania Police Liability Claims: A Primer – Civil Actions Under State Law, Use of Force, Trial Essentials, and More Click…
DetailsThe Education Clause of our Commonwealth’s Constitution imposes a requirement which, given current economic climate consisting of inflation and increase in wages, any school official would call onerous. Under the Education Clause, the Commonwealth must “provide for the maintenance and support of a thorough and efficient system of public education to serve the needs of…
DetailsSave the date for the Local Government 201 Training Course on Saturday, January 20th, 2024. The Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee is offering this informative course to municipal Officials, municipal staff and individuals who serve the municipality at no cost. Siana Law Partners, Christopher Gerber and Eric Brown, look forward to…
DetailsSiana Law is proud to welcome Theodore T. Speedy, Jr. to our team of Associate Attorneys. Mr. Speedy is a native of Pottstown, PA and currently resides in Exton, PA. When asked what inspired him to pursue a career in law, he noted “From an early age, I realized that those who knew the law…
DetailsThe Annual Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors Conference is scheduled for April 23rd to April 26th, 2023. 2023 marks the conference’s 100th year! The following Siana Law Partners look forward to attending and presenting seminars on four different topics this year: Mike Crotty will present “Fun and Games at Community Day” and “Signs, Signs,…
DetailsSiana Law is proud to welcome Demetrios S. Mikelis, Esquire to our team of Associate Attorneys. Demetrios (James) S. Mikelis is a native of New Jersey and currently resides in Bryn Mawr, PA. Mr. Mikelis is a graduate of Villanova University and Villanova University’s Charles Widger School of Law. Mr. Mikelis comes from a long…
DetailsIn November 2019, Governor Wolf signed into legislation the ninth exception to governmental immunity, titled the Sexual Abuse exception, which imposes liability on local agencies for the following sexual crimes against victims under age 18: trafficking individuals, sexual involuntary servitude, rape, statutory sexual assaults, involuntary deviate sexual assault, institutional sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault, and…
DetailsSiana Law attorney Christopher Gerber is proud to team up with the Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce and fellow presenters, Jack Hines and Amanda Sundquist, Esq., for the Local Government 201 course on Saturday, January 21, 2023. As stated on the WCCCC website, “This day long course is…
DetailsThe firm is proud to congratulate Partner, Andrew M. Rongaus, for his well deserved achievement as a 2022 Vista Leadership Megastar. The article, featured on the VISTA Today website, describes this recently launched initiative as a collaboration with the Chester County Council, Boy Scouts of America, “For years, the Chester County Council hosted its Distinguished…
DetailsWhere a public body essentially acts as a pass-through of funds used on a construction project, the “economic reality” of the transaction is that the work is not “public work” under the Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Act. In Ursinus College v. Prevailing Wage Appeals Bd., Ursinus challenged a Pennsylvania Prevailing Wage Appeals Board’s decision that a…
DetailsOn July 24, 2022, Siana Law Partner, Sherry Brown, completed a 65-mile bike ride from the Ben Franklin Bridge, Philadelphia, to Atlantic City, New Jersey – otherwise known as the Ben to the Shore (formerly Tour de Shore) along with 2100 other riders. Although the weather was a little warm – with heat records being…
DetailsSiana Law Attorneys, Christopher P. Gerber, Andrew M. Rongaus, Michael G. Crotty and Eric M. Brown look forward to presenting the following seminars at the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs 2022 PA Municipal Legal Update, scheduled for July 27th & July 28th in Hershey, PA. Visit the PSAB website to register and view the full…
DetailsSiana Law attorney Christopher P. Gerber is proud to partner with PSAB to present the following online learning series that covers three essential areas of police department management. View the description (originally published on the PSAB website) below: 1. Municipal Police Department Supervision Tuesday, June 7, 2022 – 10-11:30 am Part One will be an overview…
DetailsSiana Law Partner, Christopher P. Gerber, is proud to present the following seminars at the 2022 Annual Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs Conference, May 22 – May 25th at Hershey Lodge. Police Department Operations Tuesday, May 24th, 3:15 – 4:15 pm Chris Gerber, Esq., Siana Law and Ashley Heiberger, Police Practices Advisor & Adjunct Professor.…
DetailsSiana Law attorneys Michael G. Crotty and Andrew M. Rongaus look forward to attending the 2022 Annual PSATS Educational Conference & Exhibit Show, April 24-27 at Hershey Lodge and presenting the following seminars: Mr. Rongaus will present with Steve Wheeler from SRW Strategies, “Issues in Policing 2022 – A Briefing for Public Officials” Mr. Crotty…
DetailsSiana Law Partner, Christopher P. Gerber and former Police Captain Ashley Heiberger will present the course, Municipal Police Department Supervision and Oversight, on Wednesday, April 6th, 2022. This course will provide an overview of the legal framework in which police departments work in PA and present an overview of the elements necessary for an effective…
DetailsAs part of his continued involvement with the Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce, Siana Law Partner, Chris Gerber, will serve as the moderator at the March 18th Legislative Round Table. Siana Law is a proud sponsor of this event. “Western Chester County Chamber’s annual Legislative Roundtable brings together elected officials and business owners to…
DetailsSiana Law Partner, Christopher P. Gerber, is proud to present Building Trust in Law Enforcement – With Effective Internal Affairs Policies to the PA Chiefs of Police Association. Chris and Associate Executive Director, Scott Bohn, will host this virtual lunch-n-learn on March 9th at 11am. Register here: https://www.pachiefs.org/training-events-calendar All rights reserved. This publication may…
DetailsFollowing a three day jury trial in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Siana Law partner Sherry Brown recently obtained a jury verdict in favor of its client for over $313,000 in a breach of contract claim. Additionally, the Court Amended the Judgment to include over $189,000 worth of contractual interest; and granted the Motion for…
DetailsOn Thursday, January 20th, 2022, Siana Law attorneys Chris Gerber and Andrew Rongaus will present, Best Practices for Municipal Employers, as part of an ongoing webinar series and collaboration with PIRMA. This online training will provide essential information for both experienced and new local elected officials. As originally described on the webinar registration page, it…
DetailsChristopher P. Gerber’s article, CODE BLUE, Building Trust In Law Enforcement: Recommendations for Local Elected Officials on Constitutional Policing and Transparency, is featured in the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association 2021 Winter Bulletin. Read the full article below: Chris Gerber 2021 Building Trust In Law Enforcement All rights reserved. This publication may…
DetailsSiana Law is proud to welcome Associate Attorney, Robert T. Sing, to the Firm. Mr. Sing is a native of Glen Mills, PA and currently resides in Wynnewood, PA. He is a 2019 graduate of Widener University Delaware Law School, and a 2016 graduate of Widener University, where he earned a BA in Criminal Justice…
DetailsSiana Law is proud to be the presenting sponsor for this year’s Local Government 101 event on November 20th, 2021. The Western Chester County Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee offers this in-person series of workshops to elected officials at no cost. The event will feature training sessions by professionals from a variety of fields,…
DetailsOn July 14, 2020, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf signed Act 57 of 2020 into law which is intended to provide police departments with information regarding an officer’s prior work history to make reasoned hiring decisions. It also prevents officers with disciplinary issues from moving to another Department to find employment without knowledge of the officer’s…
DetailsSiana Law recognizes Christopher P. Gerber, Esquire for his article, Legal Implications of Mandatory Mental Health Evaluations for PA Police Officers, which is featured in the August 2021 issue of the PA State Association of Boroughs (PSAB), Borough News Magazine. Chris’s Bio | Areas of Practice | Contact Us All rights reserved. This publication may…
DetailsSiana Law recognizes Andrew M. Rongaus, Esquire for his recent article, Proof of COVID-19 Vaccines: What Your Borough Needs to Know which is featured in the August 2021 issue of the PA State Association of Boroughs (PSAB), Borough News Magazine. Andrew’s Bio | Areas of Practice | Contact Us All rights reserved. This publication may…
DetailsThe Pennsylvania Supreme Court has written the ending chapter of a bike race accident case stretching back to May of 2015. The finale is a lesson in caution. Municipalities cannot rely on releases alone in hosting, allowing or condoning third party events on municipal property (including roads). In Degliomini v. City of Philadelphia, a cyclist…
DetailsChristopher P. Gerber, Esquire is proud to join Ashely Heiberger at the PSAB PA Municipal Legal Update on Wednesday, August 5th to present, Conducting a Proper Internal Affairs Investigation (1:30 – 2:30 pm). Visit the PSAB website for further details about the upcoming Virtual Legal Update. All rights reserved. This publication…
DetailsChristopher P. Gerber, Esquire is proud to participate in the Pennsylvania Bar Institute’s 2021 Municipal Colloquium. Mr. Gerber will present, Use of Force and Other Policing Issues, with James E. Gavin, Esquire on Friday, June 18th from 11:20 – 12:20 pm. Registration information and a complete description of the seminar can be found via PBI.org. This…
DetailsSiana Law attorney Christopher P. Gerber is proud to collaborate with PSAB on the three-part online learning series: Proper Supervision of Municipal Police Departments. The program runs from May 4th, 2021 to May 18th, 2021. Visit the PSAB website to register. The program description below was originally published on the PSAB website: Operating a police…
DetailsAs government officials and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) continue to relax restrictions for individuals who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19, many employers are looking for guidance to determine if they can legally obtain information regarding the vaccination status of their employees. There are many reasons that an employer may wish to maintain…
DetailsPSAB Webinar on 04/21/21 at 12:00 pm: Proper Supervision of Municipal Police Departments Local law enforcement has been the target of the national news media as municipalities around the country contend with allegations of police misconduct and acts of violence committed against police. There is no better time than the present for local governments to…
DetailsVirtual Class Presented by PSATS | Live webinar on 04/09/2021 at 10:00 AM (EDT) New Developments In Police Liability & How To Evaluate Your Police Department In this virtual class, Chris Gerber of Siana Law and Captain Ashley Heiberger (Ret.) will address new developments in police liability with a practical approach that allows for an…
DetailsSiana Law is pleased to announce the admission of Andrew M. Rongaus as a Partner to the Firm. Mr. Rongaus concentrates his practice in the areas of civil rights, public official and police liability, internal investigations, law enforcement operations, municipal law, labor law, and employment law. As a member of the Firm’s litigation team, Mr.…
DetailsIt has been a different year for all of us, and a difficult year for many. Despite the unforeseen challenges of 2020, we found ways to stay connected to family and friends, worked together to support essential community workers and businesses, and have prioritized keeping one another safe. The members of Siana Law are grateful…
DetailsSiana Law recognizes Christopher P. Gerber, Esquire for his recent article, Building Trust in Law Enforcement – Recommendations on Constitutional Policing and Transparency, which is featured in the October 2020 issue of Borough News Magazine. Read the full article here: 10.20 Borough News – Building Trust in Law Enforcement by Christopher P. Gerber, Esquire Christopher’s…
DetailsSiana Law attorney, Christopher P. Gerber, is proud to participate in the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs’ 2020 Fall Conference Experience. Mr. Gerber will present Police Department Management & Community Engagement Amid Increased Public Scrutiny on Tuesday, October 20th at 5:30 pm. To learn more about this year’s online conference experience and view the agenda, click…
DetailsMichael G. Crotty, Esquire recently contributed to the feature article, What You Need to Know About Personal Liability, Township Officials Can Combat Lawsuits with Knowledge, Best Practices, and Insurance, which was published in the August 2020 issue of the Pennsylvania State Association of Township Supervisors‘ PA Township News. “There is such a range of claims that…
Details
