Mariya Gonor is a member of the firm and concentrates her practice in the areas of labor and employment and litigation, working with clients on employment issues and providing counsel to individuals and businesses on commercial litigation matters.

Mariya provides guidance to clients regarding NJLAD, Wage and Hour Law, CEPA, New York Human Rights Law, and Federal Law. She has conducted corporate investigations into allegations of harassment and discrimination and works with her clients to navigate these issues.

Additionally, Mariya handles claims under the consumer protection laws, intellectual property protections, contractual disputes, insurance coverage disputes, construction matters and antitrust actions. She has experience arguing before the New Jersey Appellate Division and has served as general counsel to several clients, advising on a variety of corporate matters including contracts, employment-related issues, leasing, applications to government entities for grants/licensure, and other significant business issues.

Mariya also maintains an active pro bono practice and has represented victims of Domestic Violence during Restraining Order Hearings with the Partners For Women and Justice and Racheal Coalition.  She also served as pro bono in-house corporate counsel for Tri-Boro Volunteer Ambulance Corps.

Upon graduating from the Seton Hall University School of Law magna cum laude, Mariya served as a law clerk for The Honorable Douglas K. Wolfson in the New Jersey Superior Court. She is fluent in Ukrainian and Russian and is a New Jersey Court Certified Mediator. Mariya has been recognized in New Jersey Rising Stars since 2019.

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Benjamin Sheppard is an associate in the Firm’s Allentown office, where he works on matters involving beer law, liquor law, licensing, manufacturing, and distribution.

Ben has extensive experience conducting research on judicial opinions regarding a variety of disputes as well as the Post-Conviction Relief Act (PCRA). He has also conducted analysis regarding attorney-client privilege and mitigation of damages issues.

Prior to joining Norris McLaughlin, Ben served as a judicial law clerk in the Northampton County Court of Common Pleas. He also worked for the Mid-Atlantic Innocence Project reviewing trial transcripts and drafting materials regarding the viability of innocence claims.

Ben is a graduate of the George Washington University School of Law where he was a member of the Public Contract Law Journal and was recognized with the GW Law Pro Bono Teal Award for completing over 50 hours of pro bono work during law school. He also graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh with his B.A. in history and political science.

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Christopher N. McGann is an associate in the firm’s Estate Planning and Administration & Wealth Preservation Practice Group where he focuses his practice on preparing estate plans and representing estate fiduciaries.

Chris has extensive experience utilizing wills with testamentary trusts, A/B trusts, advance directives and power of attorney forms and provides strategic counseling on available estate planning strategies involving inter vivos revocable trusts, supplemental needs trusts, life insurance trusts and limited liability corporations. Chris represents both individuals and families and frequently collaborates with his client’s financial advisors and accountants to maximize wealth preservation and ensure his client’s estate planning goals are realized.

Additionally, Chris represents estate fiduciaries throughout the estate administration process. His counseling includes ascertaining the value of the assets of the estate, settling any legally-owed debts and claims of creditors and preparing and filing the applicable inheritance tax return, accounting and release agreements.

Prior to joining Norris McLaughlin, Chris worked as a trusts and estates associate for a New Jersey based commercial law firm and prior to that at a boutique trusts and estates firm. 

Chris is a graduate of Rutgers Law School and served as an articles editor for the Rutgers Law Journal. Currently, he is working towards his LL.M. in Taxation from Villanova University. After graduating from law school, he served as a law clerk to the Hon. Margaret Goodzeit, then in the Family Part of the Superior Court of New Jersey. In his spare time, Chris enjoys spending time with his family, golfing, tackling DIY projects and following the New York Rangers and Yankees.

He was selected for inclusion in the 2022 New Jersey Rising Stars list, published by Super Lawyers® and issued by Thompson Reuters.

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Alexander Short is an Associate in the firm’s Immigration Law Practice Group, where he focuses on matters involving immigration law and deportation defense, including employee immigrant and non-immigrant visas, I-9 compliance, import/export issues, family immigration, criminal investigations, and federal and administrative agency immigration appeals.

Alex has extensive experience advocating for clients in a wide range of proceedings, including depositions, contested hearings, and appellate proceedings. He has additional experience negotiating and drafting complex settlement agreements, releases, and contracts. Alex has drafted appeals to the Workers Compensation Appeal Board, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court, the Pennsylvania Superior Court, and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.

Prior to joining Norris McLaughlin, Alex worked as a litigation and worker’s compensation defense associate. He also served as an Assistant District Attorney in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, where he handled misdemeanor and felony cases while specializing with the Treatment Court Program.

A graduate of Penn State’s Dickinson School of Law, Alex was a founding member of the Dickinson Law Addiction Legal Resource Team, which provided legal research to those affected by substance use disorder. In that role, Alex published articles involving healthcare law in Pennlive and Harvard Law School’s Bill of Health Blog. Prior to attending law school, Alex served as a Congressional Page in the 109^th Congress of the U.S. House of Representatives.

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Anthony M. Brichta concentrates his practice on liquor law, municipal law, commercial litigation, and corporate matters.

Anthony is part of our expansive Liquor Law Practice Group and brings his wide-ranging experience to our alcohol manufacturing and distribution clients.

Anthony has handled a broad range of civil litigation matters for private and municipal clients. He has extensive experience in creditors’ rights, municipal representation and litigation, tax assessment and tax claim litigation, appellate practice, insurance defense and coverage, plaintiffs’ litigation, commercial disputes, bankruptcy, and juvenile dependency matters.

Anthony has successfully briefed and argued cases before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Commonwealth Court, and Superior Court. He obtained a unanimous reversal from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court of a trial court’s grant of nonsuit in a precedent-setting interpretation of a statutory immunity provision, obtained numerous favorable decisions involving tax assessment matters, and successfully defended confessed judgments for banking clients.

A resident and native of the Lehigh Valley, Anthony is co-founder and CEO of a start-up craft distillery in Allentown and Easton. He was selected for inclusion in the 2019 – 2022 “Rising Stars” lists in Philadelphia Magazine by Super Lawyers®.

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Tom Dinkelacker concentrates his practice in the areas of municipal, land use, and real estate law, serving as the solicitor for several municipalities in the Lehigh Valley and counsel to various community groups and private entities. In addition, he serves or has served as special counsel handling land development and related land use and construction matters for both first and second class townships, sewer authorities, and a school district.

For both municipal and private clients, Tom has handled the purchase, sale, and leasing of real estate; the development of brownfields, zoning, code and land development litigation; the preparation of zoning and land development ordinances; and a host of other ordinances and regulations relating to, among other things, mixed use development, historic districts, age restricted communities, craft beverage production facilities, sanitary sewer service and rates, and stormwater management. In addition, he provides municipal representation with respect to general government, labor, tax, environmental, and other matters.

Tom represents municipal and private clients before zoning hearing boards, code appeal boards, governing bodies, and various Pennsylvania Courts. With 40 years’ experience, including 4 years of criminal trial and appellate litigation, over 20 years of insurance defense and other litigation, and over 20 years of municipal representation, Tom brings a wealth of knowledge, experience, and maturity to problems affecting municipalities, businesses, developers, and citizens alike.

Recognizing the importance of community service, Tom is a member of the Board of Directors of the Greater Valley YMCA and the Board of Associates of Muhlenberg College. He also volunteers as a legal advisor to the Delaware & Lehigh National Heritage Corridor.

Tom has lectured on topics as varied as land use matters, the purchase and sale of municipal real estate, employer cell phone use policies, and medical marijuana.

After graduating from the Naval Justice School in Newport Rhode Island, Tom served in the United States Navy on active duty from 1981 to 1985. He has been a resident of the Lehigh Valley since 1987.

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William R. Murphy III concentrates his practice on the defense of individuals involved in civil litigation for general liability matters.

Representing clients and major insurance carriers in a variety of legal matters, Billy litigates matters from arbitration hearings to jury trials. He is experienced in complex litigation and legal principles ranging from criminal prosecutions to personal injury matters.

Billy spent over five years in the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office, where he honed his trial advocacy skills and developed a deep understanding of Pennsylvania laws and regulations. He was assigned to the Homicide by Vehicle, Narcotics, and Insurance Fraud Units. Billy also worked for the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office in the Insurance Fraud Unit. He brings years of experience in the areas of insurance fraud investigations and motor vehicle accidents.

While in law school, Billy was a member of the Public Interest Fellowship program. He lives in the Lehigh Valley with his two young children and wife. In his spare time, Billy enjoys spending time with his family and working outside.

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Christopher R. Gray focuses his practice in the areas of estate planning, estate administration, and income tax planning.

In addition, Christopher is experienced in corporate matters, business transactions, non–profit issues, health care governance, elder law, and general litigation. He represents high net-worth clients and their businesses in developing estate, gift, income tax, and succession planning strategies. Chris has also represented clients in merger and acquisition transactions as well as tax-free reorganizations.

Prior to joining Norris McLaughlin, Christopher worked with a financial strategies company advising affluent private clients on business investments, multigenerational estate preservation, and wealth planning.

Christopher is a past officer of the Lehigh Valley Estate Planning Council and currently serves on the Northampton Community College Foundation Board of Directors, where he is also Chair of its Planned Giving Committee.

With 25 years of experience, Christopher frequently makes presentations on tax law and initiatives, estate planning tools and techniques, and asset protection.

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The Honorable Emil Giordano (Ret.), Co-Chair of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group,  focuses his practice on estate and commercial litigation, and mediation and arbitration.

Judge Giordano served as a presiding judge on the Court of Common Pleas of Northampton County, Third Judicial District, from 2004 through 2018. He was Northampton County’s first administrative Judge of the Orphans’ County Division, overseeing estates and trusts of the county, and was named to the Statewide Orphans’ Court Task Force, an organization charged with implementing changes to Orphans’ Court. He was also the first Judge in Pennsylvania to institute guardianship certification requirements for the protection of senior citizens.

For 15 years, Judge Giordano presided over jury trials and non-jury trials, hearings and motions, and a wide range of disputes under Pennsylvania and federal law, including construction, commercial litigation, professional malpractice, CERCLA, Civil Rights, condemnations, labor and land use appeals, criminal, and domestic relations.

As an arbitrator and mediator, Judge Giordano is certified through Harvard Law School Negotiation Institute in Advanced Mediation, is a fellow of the American College of Civil Trial Mediators, and is affiliated with the American Arbitration Association (AAA) Mediation. He serves as an arbitrator and mediator to the Judicial Roster, Real Estate, and Pennsylvania at Large ADR Panels of Distinguished Neutrals for the International Institute for Conflict Prevention & Resolution.

Judge Giordano is Chair of the Orphans’ Court Procedural Rules Committee for the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. He is a Diplomate Member for mediation for the Pennsylvania Chapter of the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals. Judge Giordano serves on the Board of Trustees of the Center for Guardianship Certification. He is a member of the Board of Governors for Saint Thomas More Society and in the Northampton County Bar Association Wills and Trusts Committee Lecturer. In 2005, Judge Giordano was the first judicial recipient of the Lehigh Valley Crime Victims Council Award for Outstanding Commitment to Victim’s Rights. He also received the Bethlehem Catholic High School Distinguished Graduate Award. Judge Giordano received the Title IX Hearing Chairs Certification and Title IX Hearing Officer & Decision-Maker Certification from the Association of Title IX Administrators.

Born in Brooklyn to Italian immigrant parents, Judge Giordano was the first to attend high school, graduating from Bethlehem Catholic High School. A proud Moravian College alumnus, he currently serves as an Adjunct Professor for undergraduate classes.

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David Berger concentrates his practice on business, real estate, and liquor law.

David counsels clients on general business topics including organization and formation, corporate governance, lease negotiations, restructurings, and finance.

A licensed title insurance agent, David works closely with lenders, real estate developers, and homebuilding companies. He handles both residential and commercial real estate development including acquisitions, land use and zoning matters, title review, and other due diligence requirements. He has also gained extensive experience representing both developers and hosts of Solar projects.

In his liquor law practice, David handles sale and purchase of liquor licenses and provides transactional counseling, including defending licensees who have received citations from the Pennsylvania Bureau of Liquor Control Enforcement.

Prior to joining the firm, David was a senior associate at Florio Perrucci Steinhardt & Cappelli LLC, specializing in liquor law, real estate development, and commercial transactions.

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