Tucker Arensberg, P.C. Elects the Largest New Class of Shareholders in Firm History

December 6, 2022

PITTSBURGH, PA, November 17, 2022. The law firm of Tucker Arensberg, P.C., one of the premier law firms in Pittsburgh with offices in Harrisburg, New York, and the San Francisco Bay Area* is pleased to announce the election of six of the firm’s members to a shareholder status.

“Since our inception in 1900, this is the largest group of shareholders that we have ever elected” said Irving Firman, the firm’s Managing Shareholder. “These appointments are not only indicative of our growth and expansion as a firm but also our client-first mentality that these new shareholders have welcomed. These individuals have forged client relationships, embraced training and mentoring, and shown that they can handle a variety of complex client issues.”
These appointments signal the next generation of leadership for the firm. “These six attorneys embody the entrepreneurial spirt and fierce client advocacy that has been the backbone of our firm for over a century,” said Firman. 

The six newly appointed shareholders are listed alphabetically by last name:
1.    David Mongillo - municipal and school attorney who also represents corporate clients in commercial transactions, litigation and environmental matters.  As a former special education teacher with a Master’s Degree in Special Education from George Washington University, David regularly advises school district clients regarding special education issues including compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). He negotiates a variety of agreements for his clients in the financial sector and advises on environmental law issues in the context of real estate transactions. In addition, David also has significant experience in litigation, at both the trial and appellate levels. 

2.    Andrew Salemme - litigation attorney focused on civil and criminal appeals, post- conviction matters, and representing vaping businesses in tax and product liability matters. He has represented clients in various counties all throughout the State of Pennsylvania as well as in the District of North Dakota, and the Federal Western District of Pennsylvania. Andrew has also defended individuals prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office, the State Attorney General’s Office and District Attorney’s Offices throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He has argued cases before all of the Pennsylvania state appellate courts and has litigated cases pro hac vice in the Middle District of Pennsylvania and New York. He also regularly represents clients before the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue’s Board of Appeals and Board of Finance and Revenue.

3.    Maribeth Thomas - bankruptcy and creditors’ rights attorney who handles all aspects of bankruptcy, collections, foreclosures, receiverships, representation in bankruptcy cases and debtor’s work and related disputes. Maribeth has handled litigation and bankruptcy counsel for financial institutions, mortgage servicers, homeowners associations and automotive financing companies. She also has experience with collections litigation and collection of money judgments for both individuals and commercial clients.  In addition, she has represented multiemployer trust funds with issues related to withdrawal liability and transactions to “evade or avoid” withdrawal liability, as well as controlled group liability along with multiemployer trust funds in contributing employers’ bankruptcy proceedings nationwide to assert and protect the funds’ interests as creditors.

4.    Christopher Voltz - municipal and school district attorney with a focus on zoning, Title IX, and the Right-to-Know Law. Chris addresses issues commonly faced by school districts and has specific experience opposing, negotiating and litigating applications for real estate tax exemptions filed by entities claiming to be institutions of purely public charity. In addition, Chris has advised school districts on transportation issues and successfully litigated challenges to a school district’s transportation policy filed by charter schools. Chris has also handled hundreds of commercial and residential tax assessment appeals for school districts and municipalities. Chris also frequently assists the firm’s school district clients in responding to Right-to-Know Law requests and with Title IX complaints and investigations.

5.    Ashley Wagner - corporate and real estate attorney with a focus on mergers and acquisitions, commercial leasing, and real estate purchase transactions. She also represents clients in corporate governance matters, entity formation, zoning and land use issues, and general legal advice.  Additionally, Ashley has experience guiding entities through obtaining certification as a women-owned or diverse-owned business. Ashley regularly drafts and negotiates a broad range of complex contracts and agreements for her clients and handles due diligence for her merger and acquisition clients.  Ashley focuses on the representation of public and private sector clients, including municipalities, physicians, corporations and business-owners on a wide-variety of legal matters. In addition, Ashley serves as Solicitor to multiple municipalities.

6.    Barbara Zemlock - criminal defense and appellate attorney, with more than 30 years of experience representing businesses and individuals at both the federal and state level, at all stages and in all types of government investigations, including grand jury investigations and prosecutions. Barb has tried a multitude of cases, including cases involving complex scientific principles and expert testimony, including DNA. Her trial experience also includes capital case representation. Barb has argued appeals before all Pennsylvania state courts. She is also admitted to practice in all Pennsylvania federal district courts, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, and the United States Supreme Court. In addition to her criminal defense and appellate practices, Barb represents individuals, including doctors, pharmacists, nurses, and others holding professional licenses, whose license is subject to discipline by the applicable board. Barb also represents entities in the unique practice of government pooling. Barb was a Chief Deputy Public Defender in Dauphin County in charge of appeals. She is a past President of the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and is a former Chair of its Amicus Committee.

About Tucker Arensberg
Tucker Arensberg, P.C. has over 75 attorneys and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, PA with offices in Harrisburg, PA, New York, NY and providing legal services through Tucker Arensberg, L.L.P. with an office in Foster City, CA*. It is a full-service firm providing service to its clients in the areas of general business law, mergers and acquisitions, labor and employment, insolvency and creditors’ rights, health care, litigation, estates and trusts, school and municipal law, technology and intellectual property, energy, real estate, workers’ compensation, employee benefits, banking, criminal defense and investment management and fiduciary services. For more information on the firm, please visit http://www.tuckerlaw.com. 

*As Tucker Arensberg LLP