Our Team

Defended major religious organizations and non-profits in suits alleging physical, mental and/or sexual misconduct. Defended doctors, healthcare providers, nursing homes, accountants and engineers in professional liability lawsuits. Defended a variety of manufacturers in defense of product liability claims, including medical device product liability. Defended entities in “bet the company” litigation, mass tort claims and class actions. Defended companies in asbestos-related lung cancer and mesothelioma claims. Defended employers in employment and civil rights litigation. Defended trucking companies and automobile operators in personal injury lawsuits.  Defended contractors, independent contractors and engineers in defective construction lawsuits.

Tried to verdict a wide variety of lawsuits in virtually all State and Federal Courts in Western Pennsylvania and Northern West Virginia.

Education

• Undergraduate:

  Indiana University of Pennsylvania, 1981 (Dual majors in Psychology and Criminology)

• Law School:

   Ohio Northern University, 1985 (published author and Associate Editor of the Ohio Northern University of Law Review)

• Other:

   Attended the University of Notre Dame, London Law Centre

Admissions

• Pennsylvania State Bar Association
• West Virginia State Bar Association
• United States District Courts for the Western and Middle Districts of Pennsylvania
• United States District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of West Virginia
• United States Courts of Appeals for the Third and Fourth Circuits

Memberships and Organizations

• Pennsylvania Super Lawyers – Recognized as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer in the area of civil litigation defense since 2009
• Martindale Hubbell – AV^® Preeminent^™ Peer Review rated
• Allegheny County Academy of Trial Lawyers – Member of this select invitation-only organization that promotes the highest standards of integrity, civility and competence in the legal profession, limited to 250 lawyers who are actively engaged in a civil trial practice
• Defense Research Institute
• Pennsylvania, West Virginia and American Bar Associations

Venue Experience

• State trial courts and administrative bodies in Pennsylvania and West Virginia
• Pennsylvania appellate courts, including arguments before the Pennsylvania Superior Court
• Federal District Courts of Pennsylvania and West Virginia
• United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Previous Positions/Experience

• Zimmer Kunz, PLLC, 1988 to present. A founding member of Zimmer Kunz and served as President/Managing Partner from 1998 – 2005.
• Adjunct Professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, 2003 to present. Instructing courses in trial advocacy and tactics and pre-trial pleadings and practice.
• Mediation/ADR. Trained in Alternative Dispute Resolution and maintains an active mediation practice. Has successfully conducted over 1,000 mediations and frequently serves as an independent arbitrator. Invited speaker at multiple continuing legal education seminars covering mediation and ADR in Pennsylvania and West Virginia.

Alternative Dispute Resolution

• Successfully mediated well over 1,000 cases throughout Pennsylvania and West Virginia
• Invited speaker at multiple continuing legal education seminars covering mediation and ADR
• Frequently selected as an independent Arbitrator and Early Neutral Evaluator
• Successful mediations include matters in the following areas:
  • Construction
  • Professional liability involving doctors, hospitals and other medical professionals, accountants, engineers, architects and lawyers
  • Personal and commercial automobile accidents
  • Trucking and transportation accidents
  • Wrongful death actions
  • Product liability claims
  • Class actions
  • Insurance coverage action
  • Toxic and mass tort litigation
  • Employment law
  • Business and commercial litigation