Our Team

“Throughout my career, I strived to create strong, lasting client relationships by understanding my client’s goals, keeping an open line of communication with my client and working to achieve my client’s goals through the litigation process.”

Since joining the firm in 2005, Kerri has represented individual clients, businesses, non-profit organizations and insurance carriers on general commercial and tort litigation matters, motor vehicle and transportation claims, premises liability claims, contractual disputes, toxic torts, and other general liability litigation.  She has secured favorable decisions and verdicts for her clients at all levels of litigation, including at the preliminary objection and summary judgment stages, mediation, arbitration, and at trial.  Kerri is admitted to practice law in both Pennsylvania and West Virginia and has successfully litigated cases in multiple state and federal district courts in each state.   Ms. Shimborske-Abel has also handled cases in the Superior Court of Pennsylvania, where after argument the Court affirmed the lower court’s grant of judgment of non pros in favor of her client.

Kerri is a Westmoreland County resident and works primarily out of the firm’s Greensburg office.  She was elected to the Westmoreland Academy of Trial Lawyers.  Ms. Shimborske-Abel is also active in the Ned Nakles Inns of Court and serves on its board of directors.

Education

• Undergraduate:

  California University of Pennsylvania, B.A. Political Science (cum laude), 2001

• Law School:

   Duquesne University School of Law, 2004
  • Received the CALI Award for Academic Excellence in Constitutional Criminal Procedure

Admissions

• Pennsylvania
• West Virginia
• United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania
• United States District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of West Virginia

Memberships

• Pennsylvania Bar Association
• Westmoreland County Bar Association (Prior Chair, Young Lawyers Committee; member, Planning, Nominating and Young Lawyers Committees)
  • Named Outstanding Young Lawyer – 2012
• West Virginia Bar Association
• Ned J. Nakles American Inns of Court
• Westmoreland Academy of Trial Lawyers

Venue Experience

• State trial courts in Pennsylvania
• State trial courts in West Virginia
• Federal District Courts of Pennsylvania
• Federal District Courts of West Virginia

Previous Experience

• 2004-2005: Law Clerk for the Honorable John F. Wagner, Jr., Fayette County Court of Common Pleas

Significant Matters

1. Temsick v. Tedesco, et al., (Westmoreland County, PA 2013), received a defense verdict after a three day jury trial, wherein Plaintiff alleged that he sustained injuries and damages as a result of an altercation with the Defendants and brought causes of action for assault, battery, and negligence against Defendants.
2. Adams v. Goodwill Industries of Fayette County (Fayette County, PA 2013), successfully defended Goodwill in a personal injury claim made by plaintiff as a result of slip and fall that plaintiff alleged occurred as a result of an accumulation of water on a bathroom floor. Summary judgment entered by the trial court.
3. Motorists Insurance Group, et al. v. Hibbs Awning Company, Inc., et al. (Fayette County, PA 2010), successfully defended an awning manufacturer and installer wherein multiple Plaintiffs had delivered their awnings for winter storage under a bailment situation and said awnings were destroyed in an accidental fire. Although the damages exceeded the compulsory arbitration limit, the parties agreed to submit the case to arbitration. After an arbitration hearing it was determined that Plaintiffs failed to prove that the awning manufacturer was negligent in its storing of the awnings and a verdict was entered in favor of the Defendant.
4. Hajek v. Pyramid Healthcare, Inc.and Strength, Inc. (Allegheny County, PA 2010), received a defense verdict following an arbitration hearing on a slip and fall case wherein the Plaintiff alleged that as he was exiting the door of the insured’s premises, he was caused to fall due to a disparity in elevation between a section of the hallway floor and surrounding floor area. After hearing testimony, it was determined that the Defendant did not have any notice of the condition that allegedly caused Plaintiff’s fall. Accordingly, the arbitration panel found in favor of the Defendant.
5. Scheibler v. The Assurance Group, Inc., et al, (Westmoreland County, PA 2007), obtained summary judgment for Defendant, The Assurance Group, Inc., wherein Plaintiff brought claims against all Defendants, which included specific performance, bad faith insurance denial, unjust enrichment, violation of the Unfair Trade Practices Act, and misrepresentation and fraud in the inducement.