What’s New?
Happy holidays from the editorial team at Cohen Seglias! In our final issue of 2019, you will learn the pros and cons of arbitration provisions in construction contracts, the legal implications of text messages, and how to challenge OSHA citations with the Unpreventable Employee Misconduct Defense. In the Q&A, Lane Kelman discusses our Green Building Group and how he assists clients on sustainable projects.
Please reach out to us with any questions. We hope you have a wonderful holiday season!
Ashling A. Ehrhardt, Co-Editor-in-Chief
Christopher W. Sexton, Co-Editor-in-Chief
Sydney Pierce, Associate Editor
New Faces
Ryan Boonstra returns to Cohen Seglias as an associate in our Government Contracting Group. He serves the firm’s clients in a wide variety of matters, including bid protests, small business matters, defense contracting, weapon development and research contracting, government construction, and matters relating to the Federal Acquisition Regulation. While in law school, Ryan was a summer associate in the firm’s Government Contracting Group.
Sally J. Daughtery joined our Wilmington, DE office as senior counsel. She is a focused and creative litigator with a keen business judgment honed over three decades of representing small and medium-sized businesses throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Clients turn to Sally for guidance in areas including employment and labor matters, contract negotiation and interpretation, competitive business disputes, and business best practices. She prides herself on providing sound, executive-level advice to business clients, helping them to avoid litigation whenever possible and positioning them for the best possible outcome when litigation cannot be avoided.
Brionna L. Denby recently joined our Wilmington, DE office as an associate in the firm’s Government & Regulatory Law, Internal Investigations, and Title IX Groups. She counsels corporations, educational institutions, non-profit groups, and other entities faced with allegations of wrongdoing. Brionna draws on her experience both in the government and in the private sector to help her clients successfully navigate complex investigations and disputes resulting in legally defensible decisions. Before joining Cohen Seglias, Brionna served as a Deputy Attorney General for the Delaware Department of Justice in the Civil Division, Defensive Litigation Unit, and in the Office of Civil Rights and Public Trust.
Michael I. Schwartz joined our Construction Group as an associate in our Philadelphia office. His practice focuses on construction litigation. Michael represents contractors, subcontractors, design professionals, owners, and other parties on both private and public construction projects. Prior to joining Cohen Seglias, Michael was an attorney at a Philadelphia law firm where he defended owners, contractors, and subcontractors against catastrophic injury and construction defect claims. He also completed a judicial clerkship with New Jersey Superior Court and a judicial internship with the United States Bankruptcy Court.
Robert S. Turchick joined our Philadelphia office as a construction associate. He focuses his practice on all aspects of construction litigation. Bob represents design professionals, contractors, subcontractors, owners, and other parties involved in public and private projects. Before joining Cohen Seglias, Bob was an associate at a Philadelphia law firm where he represented architects, engineers, contractors, and subcontractors against a wide variety of claims. His experience includes defending clients in catastrophic injury cases involving the use of heavy equipment at job sites, as well as design and construction defect claims.
Jeffrey P. Valacer recently joined Cohen Seglias’ Newark office as an associate in the Construction Group. He represents a diverse group of general contractors, subcontractors, construction managers, and design professionals in construction law and related litigation. Jeff has an extensive litigation background in both state and federal court, including the United States Bankruptcy Court. He handles all facets of complex litigation, including claim preparation, discovery, motion practice, and trial preparation. Jeff also has significant experience handling settlement negotiations, mediations, and arbitrations for a wide array of clients.
Cohen Seglias Founder Roy Cohen Named a 2019 Pennsylvania Trailblazer by The Legal Intelligencer
Roy Cohen was named a 2019 Pennsylvania Trailblazer by The Legal Intelligencer in its inaugural list. The Pennsylvania Trailblazer list spotlights individuals who are agents of change and have made significant marks on the practice, policy, and technological advancement of their practice.
Cohen Seglias’ Philadelphia Office Building Success with Habitat for Humanity of Philadelphia
On October 16, Cohen Seglias’ volunteer team returned to Habitat for Humanity Philadelphia’s Sharswood Site for their final build day of 2019. The team worked on the interiors of the homes as they installed floor protection, door frames, and cabinetry, building on the work completed at our volunteer day earlier this summer in support of the Neighborhood Revitalization project.
