Practice/Organization Description
Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture - Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Assistant Counsel, September 2008 – Present
*Advise Department on policy rationale, coordinate implementation of Department enforcement action with particular consideration on cross-entity collaboration, and provide policy-driven answers on behalf of Department upon inquiry by media sources.
*Represent Department’s legal and policy interests through all aspects of litigation, civil and criminal, in varying courts throughout Pennsylvania while simultaneously acting as trial counsel for Department in multi-bureau/commission administrative hearings.
*Charged with providing statewide continual education and training in both statutory and regulatory matters to Department employees.
*Developed written examination to be used by Department in evaluating employee knowledge and understanding of job duties.
*Mentor and on-call resource for employees seeking guidance on interpretation of statutes and their regulations, incident investigation, and case litigation.
*Review and revise inspection reports submitted by wardens scrutinized by defense counsel and interest groups that ultimately serve as backbone of Department action.
Cipriani & Werner, P.C. - Blue Bell, Pennsylvania
Insurance/WC Litigation Associate, January 2007 – September 2008
*Worked on varying insurance/WC claims with risk management professionals using case analysis to reach optimum resolution of disputes while managing/organizing a high volume docket.
*Formulated overall case strategy for clients, answered discovery, drafted motions/pleadings, took/defended depositions, litigated arbitration/magisterial/workers’ compensation/unemployment compensation court hearings, and negotiated settlements.
*Authored Pennsylvania Superior Court Eastern District brief on issue of first impression relating to high-end coffee industry nationwide practice of double-cupping.
*Authored successful United States District Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania brief regarding fraudulent joinder challenging long-standing previously unquestioned case law precedent.
Dauphin County District Attorney’s Office - Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Deputy District Attorney, October 2003 – January 2007
*Prosecuted 23 trials before a jury.
*Processed individual caseload encompassing 40+ criminal cases per month to include motion practice, discovery, and case resolution.
*Analyzed initial case investigation for determination of proper filing of criminal charges.
*Secured victims and other lay persons as witnesses necessary for the prosecution of cases through compassion and gaining of trust.
*Worked contemporaneously as member of Juvenile Court unit, prosecuting 60+ additional juvenile cases per month with an emphasis on case settlement through negotiation.
*Successfully argued 1st Amendment case before Pennsylvania Superior Court, Middle District.
*Prepared motions, memos, briefs, and reports based upon research of varied issues of Pennsylvania criminal law.
Nestico & Druby, LLP - Hershey, Pennsylvania
Summer Associate, 2001
*Walked economically depressed area of Harrisburg city to investigate, analyze, and report probable abandoned residences ripe for refurbishment by Dauphin County Industrial Development Authority.
*Researched vast volumes of legal precedent for preparation of briefs and memos on issues including land dispute, automotive accident, trademark infringement, and ADA violations.
