OUR ATTORNEYS

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Shareholder
Mr. Beck has almost 30 years of experience representing plaintiffs and defendants in civil litigation. As a law student Mr. Beck served the Honorable Charles P. Mirarchi and the Honorable Sandra Mazer Moss in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas’ asbestos litigation program. Mr. Beck went on to work at Philadelphia based law firms practicing in a wide range of areas including commercial subrogation, personal injury defense and mass-tort litigation. For 20 years before starting at McCormick and Priore, Mr. Beck represented individuals and businesses in matters arising from insurance benefit disputes, allegations of insurance bad-faith, ERISA benefit claims, and personal-injury disputes. Mr. Beck has litigated hundreds of cases in state and federal courts and argued before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and the Superior Court of Pennsylvania. Mr. Beck serves as the vice-chair of the Bad Faith Litigation Department. He now focuses his practice on complex first-party claims against insurers including insurance bad-faith litigation and uninsured/underinsured motorist claims. Mr. Beck serves as a Judge Pro Tempore in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas and an arbitrator in Philadelphia and Delaware Counties.

Bar Admissions:

• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
• Supreme Court of New Jersey
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Education:

• Widener University, Delaware School of Law (J.D., 1991)
• University of Maryland (B.A., 1988)

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Shareholder
During law school, Mr. Benedetto served as an editor of the Villanova Environmental Law Journal and successfully represented a client seeking asylum before the United States Immigration Court. In addition, Mr. Benedetto interned with the Honorable Rayford A. Means of the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Criminal Trial Division and in the United States of Appeals Third Circuit Mediation Program, and served as President of both the Justinian Society and the International Law Society. Prior to joining McCormick & Priore, Mr. Benedetto was an associate at a commercial litigation boutique in Philadelphia and was a law clerk for the Honorable Lynne A. Sitarski, U.S.M.J., Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Mr. Benedetto currently focuses his practice in the areas of products liability, construction litigation, premises litigation, complex civil and commercial litigation, and general casualty litigation.

Bar Admissions:

• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• Supreme Court of New Jersey
• U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
• Supreme Court of New York, Appellate Division
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York

Education:

• Villanova University School of Law (J.D., 2010)
• University of Pennsylvania (B.A., 2001)

Associations:

• American Bar Association
• Pennsylvania Bar Association
• New York Bar Association
• Justinian Society

Representative Publications:

Comment, “Is the European Laboratory Over-REACH-ing? The Experimentation, Reaction and Product Yielded by the European Union’s Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals,” 21 Vill. Envtl. L.J. 75(2010)

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Associate
During law school, Ms. Brown was an executive board member for the Black Law Students Association, and a member of the 2022 Regional Champion mock trial team at the Constance Baker Motley Mock Trial Competition. In addition, Ms. Brown participated in the Entrepreneurship Assistance Clinic at Penn State Law; as a student attorney, she represented entrepreneurs, startups and nonprofit organizations across the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania with various organizational matters. Her legal assistance included entity formation, initial investor agreements, commercial lease agreements, and compliance with regulatory requirements. Following graduation, Ms. Brown was inducted into the National Order of the Barristers for her commitment to trial advocacy, oral advocacy, and brief writing during law school. At McCormick & Priore, P.C., Ms. Brown focuses her practice on third-party defense litigation and premises liability.

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Senior Shareholder – Executive Committee
While in law school, Mr. Cahall clerked for McCormick & Priore. He also served as the Managing Notes Editor for the Rutgers Journal of Law and Public Policy. Prior to re-joining McCormick & Priore, Mr. Cahall served as the law clerk to the Honorable Richard R. Cooch, Resident Judge of the Superior Court of Delaware in and for New Castle County. Mr. Cahall serves as the chair of the Bad Faith Litigation Department. He currently focuses his practice in the areas of bad faith litigation, insurance coverage, complex liability litigation, employment litigation, and general casualty litigation.

Bar Admissions:

• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
• Supreme Court of New Jersey
• Supreme Court of Delaware
• U.S. District Courts for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
• U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Education:

• Rutgers University School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 2010)
• Rutgers University (B.A., summa cum laude, 2008)

Associations:

• Delaware State Bar Association
• Richard S. Rodney Inn of Court

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Associate
During law school, Mr. Cognetti served as the Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Land & Development and participated in the National Telecommunications Moot Court Competition. Mr. Cognetti was also the recipient of the Dean Citation Award, for providing outstanding service and enhancing the University’s reputation. After law school, Mr. Cognetti clerked for the Honorable Christopher L. Panos of Baltimore City Circuit Court. Prior to joining McCormick & Priore, Mr. Cognetti worked at a prominent regional defense litigation firm. Mr. Cognetti also previously worked for the United States Food & Drug Administration. Mr. Cognetti currently focuses his practice in areas of motor vehicle and premise liability litigation, products liability litigation, construction litigation, and general casualty litigation. He has published on the topics of premises liability, liquor liability, and products liability.

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Associate
During law school, Ms. Curran was a member of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity. Additionally, Ms. Curran completed an externship with Legal Aid of Southeastern PA, and an internship with Center for Employment Opportunities. In her position at Center for Employment Opportunities, Ms. Curran worked closely with Juvenile Lifers after incarceration to aid them with their return to society in order to reduce the rate of recidivism. At McCormick & Priore, P.C., Ms. Curran focuses her practice on automobile and third-party defense litigation.

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Associate
During law school, Ms. Dovishaw was a member of the Women in Law Society. In addition, Ms. Dovishaw completed pro-bono work for the Pennsylvania Innocence Project. After graduating, Ms. Dovishaw worked as a Law Clerk in the Foreclosure Department of the Superior Court of New Jersey. In this position, Ms. Dovishaw acted as a mediator between mortgagors and mortgagees to determine if alternative resolutions were available in lieu of residential foreclosure. Following her clerkship, Ms. Dovishaw worked at an insurance defense firm in Montgomery County focusing on first-party property damage cases, first-party coverage litigation, and bad faith litigation. At McCormick & Priore, Ms. Dovishaw continues to focus her practice on first-party property damage, coverage litigation, and bad faith litigation, along with third-party liability cases, and underinsured and uninsured motorist benefits disputes.

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Associate
Ms. Griffith is a member of the firm’s Appellate and Insurance Coverage Unit where she handles complex litigation associated with insurance coverage, insurance bad faith, and personal injury disputes at both the trial and appellate level. During law school, Ms. Griffith was a member of the Art Law Society and completed an externship with Philadelphia Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts. In addition, Ms. Griffith participated in the Farmworker Legal Aid Clinic at Villanova; as a student attorney, she worked with immigrant farmworkers and their families in deportation defense matters, which included visa applications for immigrant youths and victims of serious crimes. Prior to joining McCormick & Priore, P.C., Ms. Griffith served as a law clerk to the Honorable Michael E. Erdos in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. During her clerkship, she assisted Judge Erdos by researching and analyzing legal issues and drafting legal opinions.

Bar Admissions:

• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

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Associate
During law school, Ms. Hecht served as an executive board member for the Pro Bono Society. In addition, Ms. Hecht participated in the Villanova Clinic for Asylum, Refugee & Emigrant Services; as a student attorney, she worked with immigrants seeking asylum and represented a client before the Philadelphia Immigration Court. Ms. Hecht also completed an externship with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission where she interpreted and applied employment discrimination laws in order to counsel members of the public on their employment rights. At McCormick & Priore, P.C, Ms. Hecht continues to work on a variety of cases including both first and third-party defense litigation.

Bar Admissions:

• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

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Associate
Ms. Keesler brings several years of litigation experience which spans a broad range of practice areas including general litigation, criminal law, and employment discrimination law. Prior to joining McCormick & Priore, Ms. Keesler served as an Assistant District Attorney for the Office of the Philadelphia District Attorney, where she prosecuted a variety of cases ranging from sex offenses, domestic violence, and multi-defendant complex gun violence cases, and conducted misdemeanor and felony bench and jury trials. More recently, Ms. Keesler practiced as an employment discrimination and civil rights attorney where she represented plaintiffs in various actions for violations of federal and state laws, including Title VII, Title IX, Section 1981, Section 1983, the American with Disabilities Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Family Medical Leave Act, Whistleblower Protection laws, and common law tort claims both in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Ms. Keesler currently focuses her practice in areas of premises litigation, products liability, and construction litigation.

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Associate
Mr. Kier’s practice focuses on the defense of clients in civil litigation involving first and third-party motor vehicle claims and construction-related accidents. Brett is recognized for his excellent research and writing skills and his ability to employ precise analysis and insight to tackle novel issues of law. Mr. Kier has several years of experience representing both plaintiffs and defendants in civil litigation in New Jersey and Pennsylvania courts. His knowledge and understanding of both sides of a case give him a unique advantage evaluating claims and reaching the best possible outcomes for his clients. Prior to studying law, Brett spent three years at a geotechnical engineering firm, where he provided corporate clients with recommendations for large and small construction projects.  He also spent the first two years of his undergraduate studies in a challenging architecture program, which helped him to develop a variety of abstract ways to confront problem solving. Mr. Kier draws on that experience to provide a broad and dynamic perspective to the legal profession.

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Associate
During law school at Villanova University, Ms. Klier was a federal judicial extern in the federal court of the Southern District of Ohio for the Honorable Michael Newman. Ms. Klier participated as a student attorney at Villanova Law’s Clinic of Asylum, Refugee, and Emigrant Services where she helped build and prepare an asylum seeker’s case for hearing. Additionally, Ms. Klier externed for Villanova Law’s Institute to Address Commercial Sexual Exploitation where she did criminal work on a post-conviction relief case, legislative and policy work regarding sex trafficking laws in Pennsylvania, and work bringing awareness to victims of sex trafficking. Ms. Klier was also a Student Bar Association Peer Mentor during her second and third years of law school and was a member of the Pro Bono Society, Women’s Law Caucus, Jewish Student Association, and Villanova Law Students Against Sexual Violence organizations. Ms. Klier holds a B.A. in Communication from Wake Forest University, where she graduated with Magna Cum Laude distinction, earned Departmental Honors in her Communication major, and successfully completed an Honors Thesis as well as a university funded Research Fellowship. Ms. Klier was actively involved in the Public Speaking Center and Writing Center on Wake Forest University’s campus which inspired her to pursue a career in Litigation. At McCormick & Priore, P.C., Ms. Klier focuses her practice on first-party and third-party defense litigation. In her free time, Ms. Klier is an avid Sixers fan and enjoys the NBA as well as rooting for Philadelphia sports teams​.

Bar Admissions:

• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

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Of Counsel
Ms. Mayro Cohen has devoted her career in the defense of complex litigation, premises liability, construction, products liability and general litigation. She has handled cases in Pennsylvania State Courts and in Federal Court and she has argued before the Superior Court of Pennsylvania. Prior to attending law school, Ms. Mayro Cohen was a teacher in the Lower Merion School District. During College she was a member of the Political Science Honor Society where she served as its President. Ms. Mayro Cohen joined McCormick & Priore, P.C. in 2015. She currently focuses her practice on complex litigation cases and plaintiff’s personal injury work.

Bar Admissions:

• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
• United States Supreme Court
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Education:

• Villanova University School of Law (J.D., 1987)
• University of Pennsylvania (M.S., 1982)
• Villanova University (B.A., 1981)

Associations:

• Philadelphia Bar Association

DAVID M. McCORMICK
(1945-2017)

Dave’s law practice began in October, 1970, as an Assistant City Solicitor in the Litigation department of the Philadelphia City Solicitor’s Office. Dave left the City Solicitor’s Office in March, 1973, to become an associate, and eventually a partner, in the law firm of Liebert, Short, FitzPatrick & Lavin. While there he became a recognized expert in and frequent lecturer on all aspects of auto insurance law, including liability, coverage and uninsured and underinsured motorist matters, as well as claims alleging bad faith. For over 20 years, he co-authored, with his long-time friend and colleagues, Harris T. Bock, Esquire, an annual publication for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, Uninsured & Underinsured Motorist Law: A Digest of Reported cases in Pennsylvania.

On April 1, 1994, Dave and Philip Priore, Esquire, founded McCormick & Priore, P.C., where he continued his representation of a long list of insurance carriers and their insureds. Throughout his long career, Dave served as a mentor to many, teaching not only the craft of being a lawyer, but the professionalism, ethics and courtesy of his practice, the elements he valued the most. His uncanny intellect was renowned by both his colleagues and clients alike. As one of his longest-tenured clients recently described him, Dave was the “great barrister athlete of his class.”

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Senior Shareholder – Executive Committee

Mr. Priore’s experience and law practice spans several disciplines and two states. Mr. Priore began his law career with Liebert, Short, FitzPatrick & Lavin, P.C., initially developing extensive experience in products liability, insurance coverage and general litigation matters. Thereafter, he and David McCormick, Esquire founded McCormick & Priore, P.C., where he expanded his areas of practice to include employment and construction litigation, with a specialty in complex contractual indemnification and additional insured issues among owners, general contractors and subcontractors. Mr. Priore regularly speaks at continuing legal education seminars on such issues as coverage, products liability law, construction accidents and trial preparation. He has tried multiple cases to verdict in both state and federal courts in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Bar Admissions:

• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
• Supreme Court of New Jersey
• New York State Bar
• U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Education:

• Suffolk University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1983)
• Columbia University (B.A., 1980)

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Associate
While attending law school, Mr. Regan interned with the Honorable Steven C. Tolliver, Sr. in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, and with the Wawa corporate headquarters in Delaware County, Pennsylvania.  During and after law school, Mr. Regan also wrote and edited for the Villanova Environmental Law Journal.  Prior to joining McCormick & Priore, Mr. Regan served as the law clerk to the Honorable Robert J. Mellon in Bucks County, Pennsylvania.  In this role, Mr. Regan assisted Judge Mellon with legal research and drafting in the civil and juvenile court divisions.  In addition to his traditional law clerk responsibilities, Mr. Regan also coordinated the technical aspects of Judge Mellon’s virtual courtroom during the COVID-19 pandemic.  With McCormick & Priore, Mr. Regan has focused on third party liability cases and UM/UIM disputes.

Bar Admissions:

• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

Education:

• Villanova University School of Law (J.D., 2020)
• University of Pittsburgh (B.S., 2017)

Representative Publications:

• Christopher Regan, Mixed Nature: Avenues and Path(way)s to International Invasive Alien Species Regulation, 32 Vill. Envtl. L.J. 173 (2021).
• Christopher Regan, Note, Violations Abound: The Control of Water Pollution Liability in EQT Production Company v. Department of Environmental Protection of the Commonwealth, 30 Vill. Envtl. L.J. 295 (2019).

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Shareholder
Mr. Shikunov is the chair of the firm’s Appellate and Insurance Coverage Unit, focusing his practice in the areas of appellate advocacy, insurance coverage, insurance bad faith, and personal injury litigation. Mr. Shikunov has regularly argued before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and Superior Court both as appellate counsel and as amicus curiae on behalf of trade organizations and the Pennsylvania Defense Institute. As insurance coverage counsel on behalf of insurers, Mr. Shikunov has litigated hundreds of declaratory judgment actions focusing on insurance coverage issues, many of which involved matters of first impression. He also regularly presents seminars on novel litigation and appellate issues associated with the insurance industry and serves as a mediator and arbitrator in Philadelphia. Prior to joining McCormick & Priore, P.C., Mr. Shikunov was an Assistant District Attorney at the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office.

Harry A. Short, Jr.
(1929-2022)

Mr. Short’s law practice began in 1955. In 1962 he and former colleagues of Judge John McDevitt’s office formed their own firm, eventually forming the firm of Liebert, Short & Hirshland. He has tried over 300 cases to jury verdict throughout his career concentrating in products liability litigation. His clients have included Sears, Roebuck & Co., Chrysler Corporation, General Electric, Mitsubishi, Suzuki Corporation and Otis Elevator.

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Associate
While in law school, Mr. Simon served as an academic fellow where he tutored first-year students, providing insight into the law, studying habits, organization skills, time management, and test taking skills. Mr. Simon also achieved academic excellence throughout his law school career, graduating magna cum laude. Prior to joining McCormick and Priore, P.C., Mr. Simon worked at a prominent personal injury firm in Philadelphia where he handled a variety of motor vehicle, premises liability, and uninsured/underinsured motorist cases.

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Senior Shareholder – Executive Committee
Mr. Tredwell started his career as the Chief Administrative Law Clerk to the Honorable John T.J. Kelly Jr. in the Superior Court of Pennsylvania. Thereafter, for nearly three decades, he has specialized in claims brought by or against insurance carriers directly. His practice focuses primarily on bad faith, coverage and first party claims. He has represented insurers in class actions in numerous jurisdictions, including Florida, North Carolina, Texas, West Virginia, Connecticut, Utah and Washington. He has testified as an expert witness and written and lectured frequently on various topics regarding bad faith and related claims by and against insurance carriers. For nearly fifteen years, Mr. Tredwell has served as the editor of a periodic publication Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Law: A digest of Reported Cases in Pennsylvania. He has regularly been appointed to serve as a Judge Pro Tempore, and as a neutral arbitrator and mediator in various matters involving insurance law.

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Senior Shareholder – Executive Committee
Mr. Zabel has a broad range of litigation experience in complex civil litigation, premises liability, construction accidents, products liability, motor vehicle accidents, insurance coverage, and breach of contract. He also regularly serves as an arbitrator in civil cases in Philadelphia County. Mr. Zabel’s previous legal practice for national law firms has involved reinsurance litigation, complex insurance contractual disputes, and political law. While in law school, Mr. Zabel was a law clerk for the Public Defender’s Office.

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Shareholder
Mr. Byron was a Law Clerk for the Honorable Joseph L. McGlynn, Jr., U.S. District Court Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania from 1984 to 1985. Since then, he has specialized in insurance coverage and defense litigation, including construction defect and contractual indemnity, premises liability, motor vehicle litigation, and employment litigation. He has tried numerous cases to verdict in both Pennsylvania state and federal courts and in private arbitration forums. He has also served as a defense arbitrator for State Farm, Allstate, and Travelers in UM/UIM actions. He is a partner in the firm’s Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania office.

Bar Admissions:

• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
• U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania

Education:

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Shareholder
From 1990-1992, Mr. Cella served as a Law Clerk to the Honorable John T.J. Kelly, Jr., in the Superior Court of Pennsylvania. Since then, he has devoted his career to civil defense litigation. Mr. Cella has participated in lectures and seminars on various topics including MIST defense, premises liability, uninsured and underinsured arbitrations and coverage issues. His current practice areas include automobile related litigation, premises liability and insurance coverage.

Bar Admissions:

• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
• U.S. Supreme Court

Education:

• Widener University School of Law (J.D., 1990)
• Temple University (B.A., 1985)

Associations:

• Philadelphia Bar Association
• Pennsylvania Bar Association
• Defense Research Institute
• Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association
• Pennsylvania Defense Institute

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Associate
Mr. Freeman has represented individuals and business entities in a variety of cases involving personal injury and property damage since his graduation from law school. His practice currently focuses primarily on both first and third party motor vehicle claims as well as premises liability and product liability claims.

Bar Admissions:

• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
• Supreme Court of New Jersey
• U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey

Education:

• Temple University School of Law (J.D., 2008)
• Millersville University (B.S., Industrial Technology, 1999)

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Of Counsel
Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. McManus was a chemical engineer specializing in the control system design for the operation of water, wastewater and hazardous waste treatment facilities. With respect to this work, Mr. McManus originally worked for Metcalf & Eddy in Boston and, later, for Leeds & Northrup in North Wales, PA. After graduating from Delaware Law School in 1986, Mr. McManus’ legal work has included a wide range of products liability, toxic torts, environmental actions, and construction litigation, including the insurance coverage issues that relate thereto. Mr. McManus has been involved in a myriad of mass tort litigation, including class actions, federal court MDL cases and other cases involving dozens of plaintiffs. These cases have involved claims pertaining to PCB’, latex gloves, Norplant birth control devices, the use of phentermine in the Fen-Phen litigation, and various claims of injuries and property damage resulting from landfills and the release of chemicals into the soil and water. In addition, Mr. McManus’ practice involved construction matters, premised liability claims, products liability actions, and insurance coverage matters. Mr. McManus also has been a frequent lecturer on such subjects as contractual indemnification, the analysis of coverage claims by entities seeking additional insured coverage, the handling of premises liability claims and lawsuits, and on other pertinent subjects. These seminars have been approved for CLE credits in Pennsylvania, as well as for CE credits by the insurance departments in multiple jurisdictions (Florida, Texas, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Arizona and Oklahoma). Having worked with Dave McCormick and Phil Priore at Liebert, Short & Hirshland, Mr. McManus joined them to start McCormick & Priore on April 1, 1994. Mr. McManus became an equity shareholder in the firm in 1998. As of March 1, 2024, Mr. McManus become Of Counsel with the firm. He now focuses his practice on the training and development of younger attorneys, as well as the development and presentation of seminars for lawyers and for clients’ legal and claims departments.

Bar Admissions:

• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
• U.S. District for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• Supreme Court of New Jersey
• U.S. District for the District of New Jersey
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
• Court of Appeals of Maryland

Education:

• Delaware Law School (J.D., 1986)
• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (B.S., Chemical Engineering, 1979)

Associations:

• Defense Research Institute

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Senior Shareholder – Executive Committee

Mr. Priore’s experience and law practice spans several disciplines and two states. Mr. Priore began his law career with Liebert, Short, FitzPatrick & Lavin, P.C., initially developing extensive experience in products liability, insurance coverage and general litigation matters. Thereafter, he and David McCormick, Esquire founded McCormick & Priore, P.C., where he expanded his areas of practice to include employment and construction litigation, with a specialty in complex contractual indemnification and additional insured issues among owners, general contractors and subcontractors. Mr. Priore regularly speaks at continuing legal education seminars on such issues as coverage, products liability law, construction accidents and trial preparation. He has tried multiple cases to verdict in both state and federal courts in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Bar Admissions:

• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
• Supreme Court of New Jersey
• New York State Bar
• U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Education:

• Suffolk University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1983)
• Columbia University (B.A., 1980)

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Of Counsel
Ms. Rossi began her career as a law clerk at the Office of Legal Research in Connecticut, where she was assigned to the Stamford Judicial District. After moving to Pennsylvania, she was a law clerk in the Court of Common Pleas in Chester County for the Honorable Robert J. Shenkin until she joined McCormick & Priore in 1996 with a practice in insurance defense litigation. Her practice included construction accidents and defects, employment law, premises liability, and third-party automobile litigation in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Ms. Rossi recently re-joined the firm, and her practice now concentrates on insurance coverage, UM/UIM, construction litigation, and contractual indemnity.

Bar Admissions:

• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
• Supreme Court of New York
• Supreme Court of Connecticut
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

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Associate

Ms. Zook began her law career as an Intellectual Property Paralegal for the in-house legal department of Armstrong Flooring, Inc. During her years there, she found that she had a passion for law and decided to take the next logical step earning her law degree from Widener University – Delaware law School in 2020. Adding to the depth of her experience, Ms. Zook also holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice from York College of Pennsylvania.

Prior to joining McCormick & Priore, P.C., Ms. Zook worked at a firm focused on plaintiff and defense litigation as well as municipal law. Ms. Zook’s current practice is aimed at litigating insurance defense claims including premises liability, motor vehicle, and construction defects. She is an Associate at the Firm’s Plymouth Meeting Office.

Bar Admissions:

• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania

Education:

• Widener University – Delaware Law School (J.D., 2020)
• Harrisburg Area Community College (ABA Paralegal Certification, 2016)
• York College of Pennsylvania (B.S., 2015)

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Associate
Mr. Csakany began his legal career as a Mediator in the Municipal and Juvenile Courts of Toledo, Ohio.  In that capacity, he assisted adverse parties in working toward resolution of a variety of personal injury, property damage, domestic violence and criminal matters.  Through this work, Mr. Csakany gained valuable insight into the inner workings of judicial proceedings and exposure to civil tort claims that he now handles.  Prior to joining McCormick & Priore, Mr. Csakany worked at an insurance defense firm, focusing primarily on personal injury, and property damage liability defense, as well as premises and products liability claims.  Mr. Csakany’s current practice focuses on litigating a wide array of claims including motor vehicle, premises, and products liability, along with first and third-party claims involving bad faith, underinsured motorist benefits, and construction defects​.

Bar Admissions:

• Supreme Court of New Jersey
• U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

Education:

• University of Toledo College of Law (J.D., 2018)
• Bowling Green State University (B.A., 2014)

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Associate
During law school, Mr. Gallacher served as an editor of the New York Internal Law Review and St. John’s Journal of International and Comparative Law.  Prior to joining McCormick & Priore, P.C., Mr. Gallacher worked as an associate with a prominent insurance defense law firm in Southern New Jersey where he handled cases involving construction defects, personal injury, and premises liability​. He also has experience as an innovation brewer with Victory Brewing Company, where he focused on the fermentation, clarification and packaging of beer. Mr. Gallacher has joined the firm as an associate with the Princeton office, focusing his practice on first and third party insurance litigation, as well as premises liability.

Bar Admissions:

• Supreme Court of New Jersey
• New York State Bar

Education:

• St. John’s University, School of Law (J.D., 2017)
• Pace University (B.A., 2014)

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Associate
Mr. Konstankevich started his legal career at a plaintiffs’ firm handling all aspects of personal injury, workers’ compensation, and medical provider litigation. Since then, Mr. Konstankevich decided to turn his attention to the defense side of litigation handling general, premises, automobile liability, as well as high exposure/catastrophic workers’ compensation cases on behalf of insured and self-insured clients. At McCormick & Priore, he focuses on assisting insurance companies, as well as their insureds in a range of cases, including motor vehicle accidents, construction defects, and product liability cases. However, he primarily focuses on UM/UIM first-party, as well as bad-faith litigation. Presently, Mr. Konstankevich is focusing on bad faith litigation related to the newly adopted statute in New Jersey entitled the New Jersey’s Insurance Fair Conduct Act, N.J.S.A. 17:29BB-1, et seq., which created a new statutory cause of action related to the handling of an insured’s UM/UIM claim. Before his legal career, Mr. Konstankevich worked as a technology consultant working with institutional clients to assist in security and web development. Accordingly, he has detailed knowledge of information system technologies, limitations, and other data that could be obtained at discovery and utilized at trial. He also specializes in electronically stored information (ESI) and other related discovery issues. He is an Associate at the Firm’s Princeton, New Jersey office.

Bar Admissions:

• Supreme Court of New Jersey
• U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
• U. S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• New York State Court of Appeals
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Education:

• Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University (J.D., 2015)
• William Paterson University (B.A., 2010)

Associations:

• American Bar Association (ABA)
• New Jersey State Bar Association
• New York State Bar Association

Representative Cases:

• Brown v. CURE, et al. Docket No. AM-000525-22T2; New Jersey Appellate Division (obtained a New Jersey Supreme Court order enjoining the Appellate Division to review an interlocutory order of a trial court that denied a request to sever and stay bad faith claim pending the conclusion of the underlying coverage claim).
• Burton v. Davis, et al; Case No. 2021-00960; New York Appellate Division, First Department (successfully defended an appeal at the First Judicial Department, Appellate Division in New York where the Appellate Division upheld the trial court decision denying the plaintiff’s motion for summary judgment as to liability).

Representative Presentations:

• November 17, 2023; New Jersey Subpoenas and the UIDDA.

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Senior Shareholder –  Executive Committee
Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. McManus was a chemical engineer specializing in the control system design for the operation of water, wastewater and hazardous waste treatment facilities. With respect to this work, Mr. McManus originally worked for Metcalf & Eddy in Boston and, later, for Leeds & Northrup in North Wales, PA. After graduating from Delaware Law School in 1986, Mr. McManus’ legal work has included a wide range of products liability, toxic torts, environmental actions, and construction litigation, including the insurance coverage issues that relate thereto. Mr. McManus has been involved in a myriad of mass tort litigation, including class actions, federal court MDL cases and other cases involving dozens of plaintiffs. These cases have involved claims pertaining to PCB’, latex gloves, Norplant birth control devices, the use of phentermine in the Fen-Phen litigation, and various claims of injuries and property damage resulting from landfills and the release of chemicals into the soil and water. Presently, Mr. McManus concentrates his practice in the areas of premises liability (Dram Shop, security) to construction accidents and alleged construction defects to various products liability matters. Mr. McManus also defends matters involving Errors and Omissions, medical, nursing home and home healthcare liability, engineer and architect liability, insurance agents/brokers liability, insurance coverage analysis and associated declaratory judgment actions. He currently serves as the Managing Partner of the firm’s Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania office.

Bar Admissions:

• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
• U.S. District for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• Supreme Court of New Jersey
• U.S. District for the District of New Jersey
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
• Court of Appeals of Maryland

Education:

• Delaware Law School (J.D., 1986)
• Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (B.S., Chemical Engineering, 1979)

Associations:

• Defense Research Institute

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Associate
Ms. Petersen began her legal career as a clerk to both the Hon. Keith A. Bachmann J.S.C. and the Hon. Marc D. Ramundo, J.S.C. in the Bergen County Criminal Division of the New Jersey Superior Court during the 2022-2023 term. Prior to joining McCormick & Priore, Ms. Petersen worked in plaintiff’s personal injury focusing primarily on motor vehicle accidents, premises liability, and dog bites, and now Ms. Petersen works on a variety of cases including both first and third-party defense litigation. Ms. Petersen also has the honor of being a pupil of the Justice Morris Pashman American Inn of Court in Bergen County for the 2024-2025 term. Ms. Petersen attended law school at the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University where she was an integral member of their Advocacy Program. Ms. Petersen not only served as an Internal Competitions Director for the Pace Law Advocacy Program, but she was also selected to be the captain of her mock trial teams. Additionally, Ms. Petersen helped create The Advocate’s Advantage, which is a blog run by Pace Law Advocacy Program, and was the only student chosen to have her own recurring column, Booklore, where she reviewed a different book on Trial Advocacy each month. Lastly, Ms. Petersen was a research student and editor on her trial professor’s published book titled, Trial Advocacy: The Art of Story Telling; Strategies for Winning a Trial in New York State Court, authored by Jared J. Hatcliffe and published in 2022. Ms. Petersen holds a B.S. in psychology from Radford University where she was a member of Radford’s Division I Women’s Lacrosse team the first year the program began and was the first person to score a goal in Radford University Women’s Lacrosse history! While at Radford University, Ms. Petersen was honored with the Alpha Omega award from the Radford University Women’s Lacrosse team and the Unsung Hero Award from Radford University Athletics in Spring 2019.

Bar Admissions:

• Supreme Court of New Jersey
• U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
• New York State Bar

Education:

• Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University (J.D., 2022)
• Radford University (B.A., 2019)

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Senior Shareholder – Executive Committee

Mr. Priore’s experience and law practice spans several disciplines and two states. Mr. Priore began his law career with Liebert, Short, FitzPatrick & Lavin, P.C., initially developing extensive experience in products liability, insurance coverage and general litigation matters. Thereafter, he and David McCormick, Esquire founded McCormick & Priore, P.C., where he expanded his areas of practice to include employment and construction litigation, with a specialty in complex contractual indemnification and additional insured issues among owners, general contractors and subcontractors. Mr. Priore regularly speaks at continuing legal education seminars on such issues as coverage, products liability law, construction accidents and trial preparation. He has tried multiple cases to verdict in both state and federal courts in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Bar Admissions:

• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
• Supreme Court of New Jersey
• New York State Bar
• U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Education:

• Suffolk University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1983)
• Columbia University (B.A., 1980)

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Senior Shareholder – Executive Committee
Mr. Tredwell started his career as the Chief Administrative Law Clerk to the Honorable John T.J. Kelly Jr. in the Superior Court of Pennsylvania. Thereafter, for nearly three decades, he has specialized in claims brought by or against insurance carriers directly. His practice focuses primarily on bad faith, coverage and first party claims. He has represented insurers in class actions in numerous jurisdictions, including Florida, North Carolina, Texas, West Virginia, Connecticut, Utah and Washington. He has testified as an expert witness and written and lectured frequently on various topics regarding bad faith and related claims by and against insurance carriers. For nearly fifteen years, Mr. Tredwell has served as the editor of a periodic publication Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Law: A digest of Reported Cases in Pennsylvania. He has regular been appointed to serve as a Judge Pro Tempore, and as a neutral arbitrator and mediator in various matters involving insurance law.

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Shareholder
During law school, Mr. Benedetto served as an editor of the Villanova Environmental Law Journal and successfully represented a client seeking asylum before the United States Immigration Court. In addition, Mr. Benedetto interned with the Honorable Rayford A. Means of the Pennsylvania Court of Common Pleas, Criminal Trial Division and in the United States of Appeals Third Circuit Mediation Program, and served as President of both the Justinian Society and the International Law Society. Prior to joining McCormick & Priore, Mr. Benedetto was an associate at a commercial litigation boutique in Philadelphia and was a law clerk for the Honorable Lynne A. Sitarski, U.S.M.J., Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Mr. Benedetto currently focuses his practice in the areas of premises liability, product liability, construction, automobile and insurance litigation.

Bar Admissions:

• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• Supreme Court of New Jersey
• U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
• Supreme Court of New York, Appellate Division
• U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York

Education:

• Villanova University School of Law (J.D., 2010)
• University of Pennsylvania (B.A., 2001)

Associations:

• American Bar Association
• Pennsylvania Bar Association
• New York Bar Association
• Justinian Society

Representative Publications:

Comment, “Is the European Laboratory Over-REACH-ing? The Experimentation, Reaction and Product Yielded by the European Union’s Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals,” 21 Vill. Envtl. L.J. 75(2010)

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Associate
During law school, Mr. Gallacher served as an editor of the New York Internal Law Review and St. John’s Journal of International and Comparative Law.  Prior to joining McCormick & Priore, P.C., Mr. Gallacher worked as an associate with a prominent insurance defense law firm in Southern New Jersey where he handled cases involving construction defects, personal injury, and premises liability​. He also has experience as an innovation brewer with Victory Brewing Company, where he focused on the fermentation, clarification and packaging of beer. Mr. Gallacher has joined the firm as an associate with the Princeton office, focusing his practice on first and third party insurance litigation, as well as premises liability.

Bar Admissions:

• Supreme Court of New Jersey
• New York State Bar

Education:

• St. John’s University, School of Law (J.D., 2017)
• Pace University (B.A., 2014)

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Shareholder
Mr. Gustavson is a trial lawyer with extensive, nationwide experience in all phases of complex civil litigation including numerous jury and bench trials. After initial experience as a prosecutor, he has compiled a winning record as a civil litigator in public and in private practice, while advising and counseling a broad range of clients including individuals, public entities, Fortune 500 corporations and start-up companies. Mr. Gustavson’s litigation experience has encompassed a variety of civil litigation, including responsibility for defense of insureds and self-insureds, premises liability (slip and falls, sexual abuse, fire causation, shootings/criminal acts, NYC Code issues), construction site damages to persons and property (including NY Labor Law issues), products liability, civil rights suits, and extensive involvement with commercial disputes and all manner of intellectual property rights. In addition he has argued successfully before state and federal appellate courts and administrative fora.

Bar Admissions:

• New York State Bar
• District of Columbia Bar
• State Bar of California
• U.S. Courts of Appeals for the Second, Ninth, and Federal Circuits
• U.S. District Courts for the Southern, Northern, and Eastern Districts of New York
• U.S. District Courts for the Southern and Central Districts of California
• U.S. District Courts for the Eastern District of Michigan
• U.S. District Courts for the Northern District of Illinois

Education:

• Boston University School of Law (J.D., 1983)
• Columbia University (B.A., 1979)

Associations:

• Service as the Chairman and Co-Chair of the Trademark Law and Practice Committee of the New York Intellectual Property Law Association
• Serves yearly as a Judge in the International Trademark Association (INTA) Saul Lefkowitz Moot Court Competition
• Presenter and panelist at seminars for the Practising Law Institute, INTA, and the William C.Conner (IP) Inn of Court

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Senior Shareholder – Executive Committee
Mr. Priore’s experience and law practice spans several disciplines and two states. Mr. Priore began his law career with Liebert, Short, FitzPatrick & Lavin, P.C., initially developing extensive experience in products liability, insurance coverage and general litigation matters. Thereafter, he and David McCormick, Esquire founded McCormick & Priore, P.C., where he expanded his areas of practice to include employment and construction litigation, with a specialty in complex contractual indemnification and additional insured issues among owners, general contractors and subcontractors. Mr. Priore regularly speaks at continuing legal education seminars on such issues as coverage, products liability law, construction accidents and trial preparation. He has tried multiple cases to verdict in both state and federal courts in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Bar Admissions:

• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
• Supreme Court of New Jersey
• U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Education:

• Suffolk University School of Law (J.D., cum laude, 1983)
• Columbia University (B.A., 1980)

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Of Counsel
Ms. Rossi began her career as a law clerk at the Office of Legal Research in Connecticut, where she was assigned to the Stamford Judicial District. After moving to Pennsylvania, she was a law clerk in the Court of Common Pleas in Chester County for the Honorable Robert J. Shenkin until she joined McCormick & Priore in 1996 with a practice in insurance defense litigation. Her practice included construction accidents and defects, employment law, premises liability, and third-party automobile litigation in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Ms. Rossi recently re-joined the firm, and her practice now concentrates on insurance coverage, UM/UIM, construction litigation, and contractual indemnity.

Bar Admissions:

• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
• Supreme Court of New York
• Supreme Court of Connecticut
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

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Partner
Mr. Shields joined the firm in 2019, with experience concentrated in insurance defense litigation. His experience spans a broad spectrum of cases including products liability, construction litigation, premises liability, and workers’ compensation. Throughout his years of practice, Mr. Shields has participated in mediations on high exposure cases. While in law school, Mr. Shields taught contracts and research to first year law students and participated in a legal externship program with a focus in environmental land use. Mr. Shields currently focuses his practice in areas of premises liability, automobile and construction litigation.

Bar Admissions:

• New York State Bar

Education:

• New York Law School (J.D., 2014)
• Long Island University, C.W. Post Campus (M.S., 2010)
• Long Island University, C.W. Post Campus (B.A., 2010)

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Shareholder
Mr. Shikunov is the chair of the firm’s Appellate and Insurance Coverage Unit, focusing his practice in the areas of appellate advocacy, insurance coverage, insurance bad faith, and personal injury litigation. Mr. Shikunov has regularly argued before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and Superior Court both as appellate counsel and as amicus curiae on behalf of trade organizations and the Pennsylvania Defense Institute. As insurance coverage counsel on behalf of insurers, Mr. Shikunov has litigated hundreds of declaratory judgment actions focusing on insurance coverage issues, many of which involved matters of first impression. He also regularly presents seminars on novel litigation and appellate issues associated with the insurance industry and serves as a mediator and arbitrator in Philadelphia. Prior to joining McCormick & Priore, P.C., Mr. Shikunov was an Assistant District Attorney at the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office.

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Senior Shareholder – Executive Committee
Mr. Tredwell started his career as the Chief Administrative Law Clerk to the Honorable John T.J. Kelly Jr. in the Superior Court of Pennsylvania. Thereafter, for nearly three decades, he has specialized in claims brought by or against insurance carriers directly. His practice focuses primarily on bad faith, coverage and first party claims. He has represented insurers in class actions in numerous jurisdictions, including Florida, North Carolina, Texas, West Virginia, Connecticut, Utah and Washington. He has testified as an expert witness and written and lectured frequently on various topics regarding bad faith and related claims by and against insurance carriers. For nearly fifteen years, Mr. Tredwell has served as the editor of a periodic publication Uninsured and Underinsured Motorist Law: A digest of Reported Cases in Pennsylvania. He has regular been appointed to serve as a Judge Pro Tempore, and as a neutral arbitrator and mediator in various matters involving insurance law.

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Senior Shareholder – Executive Committee
While in law school, Mr. Cahall clerked for McCormick & Priore. He also served as the Managing Notes Editor for the Rutgers Journal of Law and Public Policy. Prior to re-joining McCormick & Priore, Mr. Cahall served as the law clerk to the Honorable Richard R. Cooch, Resident Judge of the Superior Court of Delaware in and for New Castle County. Mr. Cahall currently focuses his practice in the areas of bad faith litigation, insurance coverage, complex liability litigation, employment litigation, and general casualty litigation.

Bar Admissions:

• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
• Supreme Court of New Jersey
• Supreme Court of Delaware
• U.S. District Courts for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey
• U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware
• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit

Education:

• Rutgers University School of Law (J.D., magna cum laude, 2010)
• Rutgers University (B.A., summa cum laude, 2008).

Associations:

• Delaware State Bar Association
• Richard S. Rodney Inn of Court