HARRISBURG (May 20, 2014) � Thirty-two lawyers have been certified by the Pennsylvania Bar Association Workers� Compensation Law Section as specialists in the practice of workers� compensation law. They comprise the second group of lawyers to have successfully completed the workers� compensation certification process and join the 149 lawyers who completed the process last year.

Thirty-six lawyers took the workers� compensation law certification exam on March 14 in Mechanicsburg, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh. The passage rate was 88.9 percent. A list of the newly certified lawyers is attached.

In 2012, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court approved a recommendation of the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) Review and Certifying Board to grant accreditation to the PBA Workers� Compensation Law Section as a certifying organization in the area of workers� compensation law. With the Supreme Court�s order, the PBA Workers� Compensation Law Section became the first bar association entity in Pennsylvania to receive approval as a certifying organization.

Certified applicants are permitted to use the following language when communicating their certifications to the public: "Certified as a specialist in the practice of workers� compensation law by the Pennsylvania Bar Association�s Section on Workers� Compensation Law as authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court." A lawyer successfully completing the exam is certified for five years.

"This new opportunity to become certified in the area of workers� compensation is beneficial for experienced lawyers in the field and their clients," said Frank X. O�Connor, president, Pennsylvania Bar Association. "Certification gives those in need of legal services in the workers� compensation field valuable guidance when seeking counsel, and it offers legal practitioners the ability to highlight their knowledge and expertise."

The certification exam focused on familiar portions of workers� compensation law and rules, as well as leading case law, said John Bagnato of Johnstown, chair of the 12-member Certification Committee that oversaw the creation and implementation of the certification program. The exam included 100 multiple-choice questions (each worth one point) and two essays (each worth 10 points), which were required to be completed within four hours. Passage of the exam required a score of at least 80 points.

"The application process to take the exam makes it clear from the outset that the certification is for those lawyers who have expertise in the worker�s compensation field," said Bagnato. "To pass muster to qualify for the exam, an applicant must establish by documentation that he or she is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania, is actively engaged in the practice of law for a minimum of five years and devotes a minimum of 50 percent of his or her practice to the specialty field of workers� compensation."

Certification Committee Vice Chair Stanley Siegel of Lewistown said the applicants also were required to submit a variety of documents showing active practice in the workers� compensation law field and participation in Mandatory Continuing Legal Education in workers� compensation law and related fields.

It is anticipated that the exam will be given at least once per year, and examination questions will be revised annually to incorporate new developments and eliminate repetitive questions.

An application fee of $325 was required upon submission of an application to take the exam, and an exam fee of $150 was required after the application was processed and verified.

There is an annual maintenance fee of $90 in years two, three, four and five of the certification period. Six months prior to the expiration of the five-year certification, the lawyer can complete another certification application and pay a $325 fee, but the lawyer will not be required to take the exam.

The Certification Committee has the authority to revoke certification under certain circumstances, and the committee has an appeal process for such cases.

Founded in 1895, the Pennsylvania Bar Association strives to promote justice, professional excellence and respect for the law; improve public understanding of the legal system; facilitate access to legal services; and serve the 27,000 lawyers who are members of the association.

The following lawyers have been certified as a specialist in the practice of workers� compensation law by the Pennsylvania Bar Association�s Section on Workers� Compensation Law as authorized by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
They are sorted by county based on the location of their professional offices.

Allegheny County
Anthony Colangelo, Gaitens Tucceri & Nicholas, Pittsburgh
Harry Klucher, Dapper Baldasare Benson Behling & Kane PC, Pittsburgh
George Power, Dell Moser Lane & Loughney LLC, Pittsburgh
Michael Sherman, The Chartwell Law Offices, LLP, Pittsburgh
Fred Soilis, Caroselli Beacher McTiernan & Conboy LLC, Pittsburgh

Bucks County
Kevin Bradway, Stark & Stark PC, Yardley
Peter Classetti, Stief Gross Sagoskin & Classetti, Newtown

Carbon County
Gerald Strubinger, Strubinger & Gazo PC, Palmerton

Chester County
Ian Landman, Steiner Segal Muller & Donan PC, Paoli

Cumberland County
Richard Hollingworth, Dethlefs-Pykosh Law Group LLC, Camp Hill
Karl Januzzi, Shollenberger & Januzzi LLP, Enola

Dauphin County
Lawrence Barone, Freeburn & Hamilton, Harrisburg
Edward Knauss, Metzger Wickersham PC, Harrisburg
Stephen Schneider, Freeburn & Hamilton, Harrisburg
Ronald Tomasko, JSDC Law Offices, Hershey

Delaware County
Thomas Sacchetta, Sacchetta & Baldino, Media

Fayette County
Joseph Brodak, Monaghan & Monaghan LLP, Uniontown

Lehigh County
Alexis Berg-Townsend, Law Office of George A Berg, Whitehall

Monroe County
Leo Jackson, Jackson Law LLC, Stroudsburg

Philadelphia County
Kassandra Aristide, PearsonKoutcher, LLP, Philadelphia
Paul Cipriano, Sand & Saidel PC, Bridgeport
Joseph Conlan, Martin Banks, Philadelphia
John Dogum, Martin Banks. Philadelphia
Paul Himmel, Freedman & Lorry PC, Philadelphia
Howard Rosen, H. Rosen Law PC, Philadelphia
Amit Shah, Martin LLC, Philadelphia
Matthew Slater, Willig Williams & Davidson, Philadelphia
Jeffrey Zeitz, Sand & Saidel PC, Philadelphia

Schuylkill County
Robert Frantz, Pfeiffer Brown DiNicola & Frantz, Pottsville
Andrew Onwudinjo, Krasno Krasno & Onwudinjo, Pottsville

Washington County
Michael Brant, Brant & Associates PC, Canonsburg

York County
Jennifer Kline, Katherman Briggs & Greenberg LLP, York