On Saturday, October 20th, Siana Law attorneys Mike Crotty and Carolyn Flynn (together with their families) participated in the Wallace Trust “Run for the Woods” 5k at Wagenseller Park in Glenmoore, PA. It was crisp fall morning, ideal for running the parks, trails and rolling hills in the Township. Mike and Carolyn made the firm…
Siana Law recognizes attorney Eric M. Brown, Esquire for his recently published article in the October 2018 issue of PSAB‘s Borough News Magazine. His featured article breaks down the best practices for developing an effective social media policy for municipal employers. Read the full article provided by PSAB below: Full Article on Social Media by…
On June 27, 2018, in the decision of Janus v. American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Council 31, the United States Supreme Court held that an Illinois law that forces public employees to contribute an agency fee (also known as a “fair share” fee) if they choose not to join a union it…
The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court recently emphasized to developers and municipalities the need to properly justify waivers from provisions of a subdivision and land development ordinance (SALDO) during the land development process. In Lake MacLeod Homeowners’ Association, Inc. v. Pine Township Board of Supervisors and Cavalier Partners, LP, the Court sided with the objectors by holding…
Since anyone can remember, Pennsylvania’s Sunshine Act (“The Act”) has been the battleground for advocates of transparency in local government. The Act, with its allowances for executive sessions, seeks to balance transparency against the demands for confidentiality. But what about when deliberations take place behind closed doors? Otherwise known as a Smith fact-finding session –…
On February 14, 2018, Siana Law Partner, Eric M. Brown, Esquire discussed social media usage by municipalities during a live webinar presented by Strafford Publications. He identified best management practices to consider when developing social media policies; the parameters within which a municipal employer may regulate the social media conduct of public employees both on…
Siana Law recognizes partner, Eric M. Brown, Esquire, for his recent publication in the January 2018 issue of the Pennsylvania State Association of Boroughs’ Borough News Magazine. Read the full article here: Hiring Policies, A Checklist for Success in Your Borough Read Eric’s Bio |…
The First Amendment and Governmental Entities The First Amendment poses a special concern to governmental entities seeking to regulate comments and messages made by both the general public as well as public employees on social media platforms. These entities should identify the governmental interest(s) in support of any limitations the policy imposes on the…
It has been an eventful year for municipal land use. Here are a few of the highlights (or lowlights, depending on your perspective): The pipelines are coming! 2017 may very well be the year of the pipeline in Pennsylvania. With the Legislature grappling over whether to tax them and with ongoing legal battles on the…
Every employer should adopt a social media policy to govern employee use of both business and personal social media platforms. The importance of such policies has been highlighted by recent stories in news concerning the conduct of employees on social media, which show that even good employees sometimes post unprofessional or offensive comments. Prompt action…