Adah Municipal Lawyers

Andrew Bellwoar has been practicing law for over 30 years; representing individuals, businesses, and public entities. His areas of practice consist of Wills/Trusts/Estate Administration, Business Contracts, Real Estate/Land Development/Zoning, and Municipal Law. In the beginning of his career, he served as an Assistant District Attorney at the Delaware County District Attorney's Office. After serving as an Assistant District Attorney, he went on to work in a law firm out of Delaware County. In 1998, Mr. Bellwoar then became a partner in a law firm, where he represented many clients. Andrew has won the Top Lawyer Award for many consecutive years,...

Rich Sokorai is a Partner at High Swartz LLP. Rich concentrates his practice in trials, appeals and related advice on behalf of business entities, municipalities and individuals in municipal, commercial, and tort matters. Significant cases that Rich has handled include disputes over control of closely held corporations, franchise disputes, claims for breach of fiduciary duty for both non-profit and for profit corporations, construction disputes, ordinance validity challenges, and large tort cases.

Rich has tried cases in state courts, federal courts and boards of view, as well as administrative courts such as the Environmental Hearing Board and the Public Utility Commission. He...

Michael is an experienced, well-respected litigator and trial attorney. He concentrates his practice in litigation, specifically personal injury matters including wrongful death and catastrophic injury, as well as a wide range of complex municipal matters. He also currently serves as the Solicitor to the Montgomery County Controller. Born in lower Bucks County, Bristol, Pa, Michael learned to value both hard work and education from his mother, who taught at Pennsbury for 40 years and his father who was a laborer and roofer. Michael’s father immigrated here from Calabria, Italy, where most of his relatives still live in a small southern...

Scott MacNair is a graduate of the Villanova University School of Law. He began his legal career in 1998 with the Pennsylvania State Education Association where he specialized in labor and education law. In 1999, he obtained a judicial clerkship with a Court of Common Pleas Judge, the Honorable Linda K.M. Ludgate, in Berks County, Pennsylvania. In 2001, Scott obtained employment as an Assistant District Attorney with the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office. In 2004, he was promoted to Chief of Narcotics with the District Attorney’s Office. In 2005, he was promoted to Deputy District...

Thomas E. Panzer’s practice areas focus on administrative litigation, including zoning and workers’ compensation. Mr. Panzer has represented multiple zoning hearing boards over the past 20 years. He also represents both claimants and defendants in workers’ compensation matters, which has made him a sought-after and frequent lecturer on Pennsylvania workers’ compensation topics.

Mr. Panzer joined High Swartz in 2016 as a result of a merger with McNamara, Bolla & Panzer, Attorneys at Law, a firm for which he served as Managing Partner. Mr. Panzer has been practicing law in southeastern Pennsylvania for nearly 25 years.

In addition to the practice of law,...

David J. Brooman has more than three decades experience in zoning and land use development, as well as environmental law. His background includes negotiating creative solutions in complex land use and environmental disputes, during project development and litigation. He has also counseled public and private companies, developers and lenders, and municipal governments on the business risks and economic impacts of federal, state and local land use and environmental regulations. Brooman is well-versed in crisis management and controversial land uses.

Brooman’s engagements include serving as special environmental and land use counsel to a Pennsylvania municipality in its acquisition and redevelopment of a...

Gilbert P. High, Jr. has devoted his career primarily to the practice of Municipal, Real Estate and Land Use Law and Estates & Trusts. He has extensive experience in legislative drafting, subdivision and land development, zoning litigation, public employment issues, local taxation, public contracting, and the law of easements and rights of way. He regularly speaks on issues pertaining to municipal liability, particularly regarding the maintenance of the Urban Forest, a subject on which he has lectured nationally.

Mr. High also practices in the area of estate planning, particularly in the administration of complex estates, will drafting, the creation and...

Mr. Joseph has practiced as a school solicitor for more than 35 years, providing a full range of education law services. In addition to serving as general solicitor for three area school districts, the local Intermediate Unit and numerous nonpublic school systems, he has experience in handling special education matters including mediation and litigation of special education and Section 504 due process hearings. He has also, over time, provided representation on behalf of every public school district in Erie, Crawford and Warren counties as special counsel for a variety of specific assignments.

Mr. Joseph has extensive experience in policy drafting, Family...

Kathleen M. Thomas concentrates her practice in the areas of municipal law, small business, non-profit law, and civil litigation. Kathleen is also experienced in other areas of municipal law, including Right to Know, land development, zoning, code enforcement and litigation.

Recognized as an expert in the areas of Pennsylvania Act 511 taxation, Kathleen serves as Special Act 511 Tax Counsel to the Townships of Lower Merion and Abington, among others. She also serves as the Act 511 Hearing Officer to multiple municipalities in Montgomery and Delaware Counties. She also serves as Special Tax Consultant for ordinance and Regulation Revision and litigation...

Mr. Smith's practice focuses on commercial and real estate litigation, business disputes and municipal litigation. Mr. Smith is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania and practices in the five-county Philadelphia metropolitan area.

Through his commercial litigation practice, he represents clients in contract and warranty disputes, as well as construction conflicts, mechanics’ liens, contractor and subcontractor payment act claims, and unfair trade practice claims. As part of his real estate and title litigation practice, Mr. Smith handles matters concerning adverse possession, easements...