Pennsylvania Supreme Court Closes Courts to the Public Statewide (April 1)
On Wednesday, April 1, 2020, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court updated its order directing the closure of all state Courts, beginning at the end of the day, Thursday, March 19, 2020 and is now “extended through April 30, 2020.” This closure includes not only stays of all trials, but also all in-person pretrial conferences, hearings, and […]
Court Dismisses Claims Against City Arising from Fatal Traffic Accident
On March 24, 2020, the Lehigh County Court of Common Pleas granted summary judgment in favor of the City of Allentown, and dismissed plaintiff’s claims alleging the existence of a dangerous intersection. The case arose out of a tragic accident in 2015 in which the plaintiff’s car was struck by another vehicle driven by an […]
COVID-19 Guidance for Commercial Landlords
The impact of COVID-19 continues to be felt throughout the economy, with a collapse of demand in basically every consumer-facing industry, including restaurants, hotels, airlines, gas stations, and non-grocery retail stores. These problems flow through the economic food chain, with storefronts unable to pay landlords, who in turn have trouble paying their lenders. They may […]
Third United States Judicial Circuit Courts are Open and Operational (March 20)
The Third Circuit Court of Appeals has reported that all courts within the Third United States Judicial Circuit are open and operational, despite a curtailment of certain court functions and the closure of several court facilities. The Third Circuit encompasses Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and the Virgin Islands, and includes the federal district and bankruptcy […]
FLB Wins Dismissal of Wrongful and Retaliatory Employment Discharge Claim
Following an extensive discovery process and a multi-day arbitration hearing, Fitzpatrick Lentz & Bubba won dismissal of a wrongful and retaliatory discharge claim by the former controller of our client, a Pennsylvania-based startup company. The former employee claimed that the company fired her in retaliation for objecting to the company’s alleged fraudulent submissions to a […]
Gretchen L. Geisser Petersen Named Shareholder
Fitzpatrick Lentz & Bubba, P.C. is pleased to announce that Gretchen L. Geisser Petersen has been named Shareholder of the Firm. Ms. Petersen serves as a member in FLB’s Litigation & Trial Practice. Her practice focuses on civil litigation, including commercial litigation, real estate litigation, landlord-tenant law, personal injury, bankruptcy and creditor’s rights, and the Right to […]
FLB Secures Another Jury Verdict on Behalf of the City of Allentown
Shareholder Maraleen D. Shields successfully represented the City of Allentown in a case stemming from slip and fall on a City pedestrian bridge. After a week-long trial, a Lehigh County jury found in favor of the City, saying it was not negligent in its maintenance of the bridge. During the trial, the plaintiff claimed that the […]
District Court Upholds Administrative Pledge Policy of Bank in Bankruptcy Case
A recent decision from the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York upheld the “Administrative Pledge Policy” of Wells Fargo Bank N.A. This decision echoed earlier court decisions, including from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, and the 1995 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Citizens Bank of Maryland v. Strumpf. It […]
Help! I Have New Neighbors Every Weekend!
Last month, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court issued its long-awaited decision in Slice of Life v. Hamilton Township. As the prevalence and impact of short-term rentals continues to increase, this case will have important implications from both land use and litigation perspectives. The Court decided that the Township’s Zoning Ordinance was clear enough to prohibit the […]
FLB Wins Dismissal of Employment Discrimination and Retaliation Claims Against Lehigh University
A former development research analyst for Lehigh University sued the school in state court for employment discrimination, alleging that after almost 13 years of employment, the school harassed her and terminated her employment based on her age, disabilities (fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome and sleep apnea), and retaliated against her for requesting leave to address her […]