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News Category: Industry News

15 Bernstein-Burkley Attorneys Named to 2025 Best Lawyers, Including Ones to Watch

(PITTSBURGH) August 15, 2024 – Bernstein-Burkley, P.C. is pleased to announce the inclusion of eleven attorneys in The Best Lawyers in America© 2025, including four attorneys in the 2025 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch.

Attorneys recognized in the publication include:

Managing partner Kirk B. Burkley for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Commercial Litigation, Litigation – Bankruptcy, and Real Estate Law

Partner Robert S. Bernstein for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law and Litigation – Bankruptcy

Partner Kit F. Pettit for Real Estate Law

Partner Harry W. Greenfield for Banking and Finance Law, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, and Litigation – Bankruptcy

Partner Jeffrey C. Toole for Banking and Finance Law, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, and Commercial Transactions/UCC Law, and Litigation – Bankruptcy

Partner Keri P. Ebeck for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law

Partner David W. Ross for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law

Partner Matthew J. Malcho for Real Estate Law

Partner Raymond P. Wendolowski for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights / Insolvency and Reorganization Law

Partner John J. Richardson for Commercial Litigation; and

Associate James M. Berent for Real Estate Law

 

2025 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch

In addition, Bernstein-Burkley is also honored to have four attorneys named in the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch publication:

Partner Trisha R. Hudkins for Commercial Litigation and Litigation – Labor and Employment

Partner David A. Jones for Commercial Litigation

Associate Matthew J. McClelland for Oil and Gas Law, & Real Estate Law; and

Associate Mary A. Shahverdian for Commercial Litigation

Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. Almost 94,000 industry leading lawyers are eligible to vote (from around the world), and we have received over 11 million evaluations on the legal abilities of other lawyers based on their specific practice areas around the world. For the 30th edition of The Best Lawyers in America, more than 13.7 million votes were analyzed. For the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America, more than 2.4 million votes were analyzed, which resulted in more than 25,000 lawyers honored in the new edition.

 

ABOUT BERNSTEIN-BURKLEY, P.C.

Bernstein-Burkley, P.C., is a highly regarded and respected law firm with locations in Pittsburgh, Pa., Wheeling, W.Va., and Cleveland, Ohio with a national reach in Bankruptcy & Restructuring, Creditors’ Rights, Business and Corporate Transactions, Litigation, and Real Estate. The firm has cultivated a reputation for excellence over the course of 50 years in the business community. Bernstein-Burkley’s core purpose is to create partnerships that provide clients with peace of mind through expert advice and zealous representation.

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For more information, visit www.bernsteinlaw.com or contact:

Victoria Davis

Marketing Coordinator, Bernstein-Burkley, P.C

vdavis@bernsteinlaw.com or 412-456-8114

PENNSYLVANIA REAL ESTATE ANNUAL ASSESSMENT DEADLINES FOR 2025

The following Pennsylvania counties listed below have an annual assessment appeal deadline of August 1, effective for the tax year January 1, 2025:

Adams, Blair, Bucks, Butler, Cambria, Chester, Clarion, Crawford, Dauphin, Delaware, Erie, Fayette, Franklin, Indiana, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lehigh, Luzerne, Monroe, Montgomery, Northampton, Susquehanna, Westmoreland and York.

The following Pennsylvania counties listed below have an annual assessment appeal deadline of September 1, effective for the tax year January 1, 2025:

Armstrong, Beaver, Bedford, Bradford, Cameron, Carbon, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Columbia, Cumberland, Elk, Forest, Fulton, Greene, Huntington, Jefferson, Juniata, Lebanon, Lycoming, McKean, Mercer, Mifflin, Montour, Northumberland, Perry, Pike, Potter, Schuylkill, Snyder, Somerset, Sullivan, Tioga, Union, Venango, Warren, Washington and Wayne.

Please make sure that you are aware of these appeal deadlines. If you are not sure if you should file an appeal on your property, please contact James Berent at 412-456-8100.

Wheeling Partner, Trisha Hudkins, Named to 2024 West Virginia Super Lawyers Rising Stars List

(PITTSBURGH) April 25, 2024 – BERNSTEIN-BURKLEY, P.C., IS PLEASED TO ANNOUNCE THAT, FOR THE FOURTH YEAR IN A ROW, WHEELING PARTNER TRISHA HUDKINS HAS BEEN NAMED TO THE 2024 WEST VIRGINIA SUPER LAWYERS RISING STARS LIST FOR CIVIL LITIGATION.

For the fourth year in a row, Trisha Hudkins, litigation partner with Bernstein-Burkley, P.C., has been named to the West Virginia Super Lawyers Rising Stars List. Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement based on a statewide survey of lawyers, independence research evaluation of candidates and peer reviews by practice area.

Trisha practices general civil litigation with a particular focus oil and gas litigation matters. Trisha represents landowners and mineral buyers in a wide variety of matters including royalty disputes and quiet title actions. Trisha also serves on the board of the National Association of Royalty Owners. Trisha has also developed a highly specialized practice area assisting American clients of Italian heritage in obtaining dual citizenship. Trisha offers the unique service of obtaining “One and the Same Person” or “OATS” orders for her clients seeking Italian citizenship.  This unique order cures inconsistencies in vital records by presenting documentary evidence to the court to reconcile the discrepancies in order for her clients to achieve Italian citizenship.

Trisha joined Pittsburgh-based, Bernstein-Burkley, P.C. in November 2019. She is a graduate of Ohio Valley University and received her Juris Doctorate Degree from Duquesne University School of Law with a concentration in Civil Litigation. Trisha is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the West Virginia Bar Association and serves as a sustainer with the Junior League of Wheeling.

ABOUT BERNSTEIN-BURKLEY, P.C.

Bernstein-Burkley, P.C. is a multi-faceted business-focused law firm headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with offices in Cleveland, Ohio and Wheeling, West Virginia.  The firm has more board-certified creditors’ rights and business bankruptcy specialists than any other law firm in Pennsylvania and is highly regarded and respected for its national reach in Bankruptcy & Restructuring, Creditors’ Rights, Corporate Law and Litigation.

For more information, visit the firm’s website: www.bernsteinlaw.com or call 412.456.8100 and ask for Victoria Davis.

12 Bernstein-Burkley Attorneys Named to 2024 Best Lawyers, Including Ones to Watch

AUGUST 17, 2023
BY: VICTORIA DAVIS

(PITTSBURGH) August 17, 2023 – Bernstein-Burkley, P.C. is pleased to announce the inclusion of twelve attorneys in The Best Lawyers in America© 2024, including three attorneys in the 2024 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch.

2024 Best Lawyers

Attorneys recognized in the publication include:

Managing partner Kirk B. Burkley for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Commercial Litigation, and Litigation – Bankruptcy

Partner Robert S. Bernstein for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, Litigation – Bankruptcy;

Partner Kit F. Pettit for Real Estate Law;

Partner Harry W. Greenfield for Banking and Finance Law, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, and Litigation – Bankruptcy;

Partner Jeffrey C. Toole for Banking and Finance Law, Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law, and Commercial Transactions/UCC Law; and

Partner Keri P. Ebeck for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law;

Partner David W. Ross for Bankruptcy and Creditor Debtor Rights/Insolvency and Reorganization Law.

Partner Kerri C. Sturm for Oil and Gas Law; and

Partner John J. Richardson for Oil and Gas Law.

 

2024 Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch

In addition, Bernstein-Burkley is also honored to have four attorneys named in the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch publication:

Associate Trisha R. Hudkins for Commercial Litigation and Litigation – Labor and Employment;

Partner David A. Jones for Commercial Litigation; and

Associate Matthew J. McClelland for Oil and Gas Law, & Real Estate Law.

Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers® has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence. Best Lawyers lists are compiled based on an exhaustive peer-review evaluation. Almost 94,000 industry leading lawyers are eligible to vote (from around the world), and we have received over 11 million evaluations on the legal abilities of other lawyers based on their specific practice areas around the world. For the 30th edition of The Best Lawyers in America, more than 13.7 million votes were analyzed. For the 2024 edition of Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America, more than 2.4 million votes were analyzed, which resulted in more than 25,000 lawyers honored in the new edition.

 

ABOUT BERNSTEIN-BURKLEY, P.C.

 

Bernstein-Burkley, P.C., is a highly regarded and respected law firm with locations in Pittsburgh, Pa., Wheeling, W.Va., and Cleveland, Ohio with a national reach in Bankruptcy & Restructuring, Creditors’ Rights, Business and Corporate Transactions, Litigation, and Real Estate. The firm has cultivated a reputation for excellence over the course of 50 years in the business community. Bernstein-Burkley’s core purpose is to create partnerships that provide clients with peace of mind through expert advice and zealous representation.

 

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For more information, visit www.bernsteinlaw.com or contact:

Victoria Davis

Marketing Coordinator, Bernstein-Burkley, P.C

vdavis@bernsteinlaw.com or 412-456-8114

US Supreme Court Rules “Debt Buyers” Not “Debt Collectors” Under FDCPA

On June 12, 2017 in the case of Henson, et. al. v. Santander Consumer USA, Inc., 817 F.3rd 131 (2017), the United States Supreme Court rendered an important decision that declared all debt buyers exempt from the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act’s (“FDCPA”) definition of a “debt collector.” This decision is important because it provides clarity to banks and other debt buyers that they will not be treated as “debt collectors” subject to the penalties of the FDCPA, it will provide debt buyers with a valid defense to FDCPA litigation, and it should eliminate many unnecessary and frivolous FDCPA suits.

Most debt buyers have long believed that they should not be classified as “debt collectors” under the FDCPA, but there was a lack of case law supporting that contention. The absence of strong controlling case law led to unnecessary litigation for many debt buyers. Debt buyers can now adjust their business models to account for the Supreme Court’s decision. If a debt buyer is now sued under the FDCPA, the Henson decision will act as the first line of defense in rebuffing such a suit. As word of the Supreme Court’s decision quickly spreads through the legal community, Plaintiff’s attorneys who have made a habit of suing debt buyers for alleged FDCPA violations should quickly change course and cease what will now be considered frivolous litigation.

If you believe you may qualify as a debt buyer that should be protected from classification as a “debt collector” under the FDCPA and are facing the threat of a potential suit, or even a pending suit, call us today to discuss how we may be able to defend your interests. The Henson decision will give you additional leverage to help make these threats and lawsuits go away.

Bernstein Law Firm Announces Firm Name Change

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Bernstein Law Firm Announces Change of Firm Name

PITTSBURGH – Bernstein Law Firm, P.C., has now changed its name to Bernstein-Burkley, P.C.

“Kirk Burkley has become such a significant force in our business and in the community in general that we wanted to make it clear that he is part of the future of our firm,” said Bob Bernstein, managing partner of the firm. “When Joe Bernstein started this firm so long ago, he knew that it would grow and change with the generations. Joe would be just as thrilled as we are with this change”

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Robert S. Bernstein Key Speaker at Pittsburgh Legal Administrators Association

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Robert S. Bernstein Key Speaker at Pittsburgh Legal Administrators Association

PITTSBURGH, September 27, 2010 – Robert S. Bernstein of Bernstein-Burkley, P.C. was the key speaker at the PLAA Conference held at the Oglebay Resort and Conference Center in Wheeling, West Virginia. His presentation, Get P.A.I.D. TM: A Guide to Getting Paid Faster and What to do if You Don’t lays out an innovative strategy for businesses to successfully manage their credit policy and collect for their sales. Get P.A.I.D.TM is Bernstein’s comprehensive system for businesses and credit managers to increase profits, reduce costs and delays, while developing better relationships with customers.

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Robert S. Bernstein and Kirk Burkley Named 2010 Best Lawyers in America

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Robert S. Bernstein and Kirk Burkley Named 2010 Best Lawyers in America

PITTSBURGH, PA – Robert S. Bernstein, managing partner of Bernstein-Burkley, P.C. and Kirk Burkley, partner of the Bankruptcy & Restructuring practice area were recently selected by their peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2010 in the field of Bankruptcy. (Copyright 2008 by Woodward/White, Inc., of Aiken, S.C.).

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Robert S. Bernstein Speaks at 2010 National Association of Credit Management Credit Congress

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Robert S. Bernstein Speaks at 2010 National Association of Credit Management Credit Congress

robert bernstein creditor's rights attorneyPittsburgh, PA – Robert S. Bernstein Creditors Rights Attorney traveled to Las Vegas, Nevada to speak at the National Association of Credit Management’s Credit Congress. His presentation, The Ten Most Important Things That the Collection Professional Needs to Know About Bankruptcy was well received by all that attended. NACM® was founded in 1896 to promote good laws for sound credit, protect businesses against fraudulent debtors, improve the interchange of credit information, develop better credit practices and methods, and establish a code of ethics. Mr. Bernstein has been a regular speaker at the annual conference as well as an active member in the NACM.

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Nicholas Krawec elected chair of the Creditors Rights section of the CLLA

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Pittsburgh, PA – Nicholas Krawec has been elected chair of the Creditors Rights section of the Commercial Law League of America at the 80th Annual Spring Meeting this past April.

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2010 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars

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2010 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers and Rising Stars from Bernstein-Burkley, P.C.

Pittsburgh, PA – Robert Bernstein, Charles Bobinis and Nick Krawec of Bernstein-Burkley, P.C., located in Pittsburgh have been named 2010 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers. This prestigious award goes out to only the top 5 percent of lawyers in Pennsylvania. Additionally, Kirk Burkley and Jillian Nolan have been named 2010 Pennsylvania Rising Stars.

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Pennsylvania’s New Right To Know Law: A Powerful Tool in the Discovery Process

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Pennsylvania’s New Right To Know Law: A Powerful Tool in the Discovery Process

On January 1, 2009, Pennsylvania’s new Right To Know Law (“RTKL”) took effect. The new RTKL, which replaces a since-repealed law of the same name, makes it easier for a person or entity to obtain records from Pennsylvania state and local agencies. Under the the new RTKL, codified at 65 P.S. § 65.101 et seq., a party requesting records from a state or local agency no longer bears the burden of establishing why a record should be produced. Under the new law, the agency to which a RTKL request is directed now bears the burden of establishing why a record should be withheld from production.

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