Bill’s practice — extending to many of the counties in Western Pennsylvania — is limited to the representation of clients in matrimonial and family law matters. His initial exposure to family law-over thirty (30) years ago-was as a judicial law clerk to the Administrative (Chief) Judge of the Allegheny County Family Division, the Court in which family law matters are litigated. Following that, he served as a law clerk to the Pennsylvania Superior Court, which decides appeals from decisions rendered by the trial Courts throughout the state. The experience gave him the unique opportunity to observe and participate in the process from the "inside". In the years since, as the law continues to develop and evolve, he has devoted his practice to family law.
Bill is a frequent speaker on family law issues and has been a course planner and instructor in family law courses sponsored by the Pennsylvania Bar Institute and the Allegheny County Bar Association. He has served as a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Institute's Family Law Advisory Committee which develops course topics and publications for continuing legal education programs for attorneys. In addition, he has served in a variety of leadership positions in the state and local bar associations including Chair of the Committee on Professionalism and the Court Relations Committee, which acts as liaison between attorneys and the Family Court Judges of Allegheny County. He is also a past member of the Allegheny County Judiciary Committee which interviews, evaluates, and issues recommendations regarding judicial candidates.
In addition to maintaining a traditional family law practice, Bill is certified as a Collaborative Family Lawyer, an alternative approach to dispute resolution in divorce. He is a member of both the Collaborative Law Association of Southwestern Pennsylvania (CLASP), serving on its Executive Committee, and the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP).
Accomplishments and leadership positions:
- Selected for fifteen consecutive years for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America, the most respected peer- review publication in the legal profession.
- Fellow, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.
- Designated a Pennsylvania Family Law Super Lawyer in every year's edition of the publication.
- Past Chair, Allegheny County Bar Association Family Law Section.
- Recipient of the highest ratings in both legal ability and ethical standards by Martindale-Hubbell, the leading rating and information services company to the legal profession.
- Co-Editor, Pennsylvania Family Lawyer, a quarterly publication of the Pennsylvania Bar Association.
- Past-member, Executive Committee, Pennsylvania Bar Association Family Law Section.
Education:
Boston University (B.S.)
Duquesne University School of Law (J.D.) (Associate Editor, Law Review)