PERSONAL INJURY - Key Persons
Alexander M. Glassman concentrates his practice in municipal law, real estate, tax matters, and general litigation, representing local governments, school districts, governmental entities, property owners, and corporations. Alex has argued in the Commonwealth Court, and routinely has hearings in Montgomery County, Bucks County, Delaware County and Chester County.
Alexander Glassman concentrates his practice in personal injury, municipal law, real estate and tax matters, family law and general litigation.
Alexander handles personal injury, including civil litigation, as well as family law matters and corporate matters for the firm. Alexander has argued in the Commonwealth Court and routinely has hearings in Bucks County, Montgomery County, Delaware County and Chester County.
He also represents the firm's municipal clients, including the Treasurer of Montgomery County, at public meetings and in matters before the courts in Pennsylvania. Alexander advises municipal clients on a multitude of issues including compliance with Federal and state laws and local ordinances.
Alexander grew up in Holland, Northampton Township, Bucks County and attended Council Rock High School South, graduating in 2005. He now resides in Upper Dublin Township, Montgomery County with his wife and Labrador retriever. The most rewarding part of being an attorney is getting your client an excellent result, whether through litigation or hard-fought negotiation.
Alexander regularly volunteers for legal aid handling protection from abuse cases.
Barbara R. Merlie joined Rudolph Clarke in the spring of 2015.
Barbara previously practiced in Bucks and Montgomery Counties, concentrating in municipal, land use and zoning, after practicing in Washington, D.C. with a concentration in broadcasting and cable television matters before the Federal Communications Commission. A New Jersey native, Barbara relocated to Bucks County in 1989.
Education
Ms. Merlie received her B.S. degree from College Misericordia in 1972. She earned her J.D. from The Columbus School of Law, The Catholic University of America, in 1981.
Education
B.S., College Misericordia, 1972
J.D., Columbus School of Law, The Catholic University of America, in 1981.
Job Titles:
- of Counsel
- Counsel to the Firm
Ben Sanchez is of counsel to the Firm. He is admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and before practicing law he was licensed as a Certified Public Accountant. Ben is now an experienced real estate attorney, concentrating his practice in zoning and land use and real estate tax matters, while maintaining a strong leadership role in his community. Ben has served on several boards, such as Jefferson Health/Thomas Jefferson University and continues to be a board member of the Inter-Faith Housing Alliance of Montgomery County (which oversees the Inter-Faith Food Cupboard in Abington).
He proudly served as an Abington Township Commissioner from 2014-2019. In November 2018, Ben was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on behalf of the 153rd Legislative District, which includes his hometown of Abington and part of Upper Dublin.
Ben is a graduate of Temple Law (JD) and Villanova University (BS). Ben is devoted to his wife, Karen and his three children, and you can often find him cheering his daughters on at softball games or teaching his toddler son how to fish.
Edward Rudolph is a founding partner at Rudolph Clarke, LLC. He is a Philadelphia area native who graduated from Temple University in 1965.
After receiving his law degree from Villanova University in 1968, Ed chose to concentrate his legal practice on municipal law, wills and estates, real estate and commercial transactions. Ed has represented municipalities and authorities throughout Bucks and Montgomery Counties for more than forty years. Ed advises the Firm's municipal clients on a multitude of issues including compliance with federal, state and local laws and represents the Firm's municipal clients at public meetings and hearings. He serves as solicitor to Bensalem Township, Northampton (Bucks County) Municipal Authority, Warwick Township Water & Sewer Authority, and Norristown Municipal Waste Authority. Ed enjoys using his experience to help communities find creative and effective solutions to complex problems.
Edward Rudolph is a founding partner at Rudolph Clarke, LLC. He is a Philadelphia area native and 1965 Temple University graduate.
Harrison joins the firm after serving in the Bucks County District Attorney's office. Prior to that, Harrison served for three years with the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office. Prior to working as an assistant District Attorney in Philadelphia, Harrison interned Bucks County District Attorney's Office, the Superior Court of NJ, and the National Conference of State Legislatures.
Harrison received his law degree from Temple University, Beasley School of Law, and earned a bachelor's degree in English from Moravian College in Bethlehem.
Job Titles:
- Deputy Chief of Grant Compliance and Fiscal Services at School District of Philadelphia
"Samantha did an excellent job at the School District of Philadelphia. She is clearly a hard working, smart, and adaptable person that any employer would be lucky to have on their team."
Languages
English
Joseph W. Pizzo is an experienced and respected municipal and litigation attorney with more than 30 years of service to municipalities, school districts and municipal authorities. He graduated magna cum laude from Temple University in 1986, and he received his J.D. from the Temple University School of Law in 1991.
Mr. Pizzo's areas of practice include municipal law, zoning and land use law, real estate law, election law and civil litigation. He has served as solicitor and special counsel to numerous municipalities and governmental agencies including Bensalem Township and Northampton Township where he currently serves as township solicitor. He has also served on the Board of Directors of the Bucks County Housing Development Corporation and the Bucks County Community College Foundation.
Mr. Pizzo's legal experience and expertise in local government law issues have led to his invitation to testify before the United States House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines and Hazardous Materials, before the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Human Services Committee, and before the Pennsylvania House Appropriations Committee, Subcommittee on Fiscal Policy. He was also appointed by then Governor Mark Schweiker to serve on an advisory commission that identified attorneys qualified for nomination to serve as Judge on the Court of Common Pleas of Bucks County. Mr. Pizzo also served as a faculty member and moderator of a seminar presented by the National Business Institute entitled "Legal Issues Involving Local Governments."
A native and life-long resident of Bucks County, Mr. Pizzo and his family reside in Bensalem, Bucks County.
Current Appointments
• Bensalem Township, Solicitor
• Bensalem Township School District, Solicitor
• Bucks County Sheriff, Solicitor
• Bucks County Technical School Authority, Solicitor
• Bucks County Water & Sewer Authority, Special Counsel
• Lower Southampton Township, Special Counsel
• Northampton Township, Solicitor
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Board Member, Camp Rainbow, Inc
- Municipal Attorney
Municipal attorney Lauren Gallagher advises the Firm's municipal clients on a multitude of issues including compliance with Federal and state laws and local ordinances.
Leslie Pregel DiNapoli began her legal career working in municipal law as a Staff Attorney with the City of Harrisburg Law Bureau. Over the past twenty years, Leslie has expanded her focus to include a concentration in human resource and employment fields.
Education
B.S., Pennsylvania State University, 1994
J.D., The George Washington University Law School, 1997
Job Titles:
- of Counsel
- Counsel to the Firm
Maria Collett is of counsel to the Firm. She is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania.
Maria began her career as an attorney representing the interests of children victimized by abuse and neglect as a Deputy Attorney General in Camden County, New Jersey. She then transitioned to a career in nursing, where she worked at the bedside as a Level I trauma nurse, in pediatric home health and in long term care working with aging adults. Most recently, Maria worked as a nurse educator, helping other nurses understand how to administer Medicaid programs.
In November 2018, she was elected to the Pennsylvania State Senate representing the 12 District (Montgomery & Bucks County). Maria is a graduate of the Rutgers University School of Law (JD), University of Maryland at College Park (BA), and Drexel University (BSN). Maria and her husband Len live in Lower Gwynedd Township with their 8-year-old August.
Job Titles:
- of Counsel
- State Representative
- Member of the Pennsylvania Association for Justice
Matt Bradford is currently serving as State Representative for the 70 th Legislative District in Montgomery County.
State Rep. Matt Bradford represents the 70th Legislative District in central Montgomery County and is no stranger to the issues most affecting working families.
In fact, not only does Bradford understand the issues confronting our communities - as an attorney, activist, municipal official and now state representative - Bradford also has a proven record of fighting for the people of Montgomery County. Additionally, as a husband and father of four young children, he knows that the decisions made in Harrisburg today have a real impact on our communities for years to come. That's why Bradford has taken the lessons he has learned while serving his community with him to Harrisburg where he is fighting for his constituents in the state House.
Bradford was raised in nearby Chester County, the youngest of three boys and the proud son of Marguerite and David Bradford. Marguerite served her country in the United States Naval Reserve and, later, her family as a working mom. David, though traveling extensively as a salesman while Bradford was young, instilled in Bradford a deep sense of duty and sacrifice for the betterment of one's family.
Later, Bradford's parents opened a small family business where Bradford frequently worked after school, on weekends and during the summer. From that experience, Bradford learned the importance of hard work. While continuing to work to help pay for school, Bradford earned his undergraduate and law degrees from Villanova University. While an undergraduate, Bradford was active in numerous charitable organizations as well as a volunteer as a youth basketball coach for the local C.Y.O. In law school, Bradford spent the summer working for the United Steelworkers Union's General Counsel's Office, the United States Attorney's Office and a federal district court judge.
After law school, Bradford was an associate in the law firm Drinker Biddle's litigation department. Bradford took a leave from his practice when he was appointed municipal administrator and chief executive officer of Norristown Borough, serving alongside Gov. Ed Rendell's special advisor to Norristown, Joseph C. Vignola.
In the wake of a municipal corruption scandal and with a state takeover looming, Bradford worked hand-in-hand with Vignola and local elected officials to navigate the financially distressed community away from bankruptcy. As a result of uncovering hundreds of thousands of dollars of waste, fraud and abuse, as well as from debt restructuring and contract concessions, Norristown - after nearly a decade of red ink - has seen a return to balanced budgets, a tremendous increase in public and private investment, and massive improvements in public services.
Bradford is Of Counsel at Rudolph Clarke, LLC and continues to assist local public officials in confronting the pressing policy issues that are most affecting our families and communities. Bradford previously served as a solicitor for several Montgomery County communities and a school board, where he found another outlet to serve while also advocating for better schools, better jobs and stronger communities.
Since being elected to the House, Bradford has built a reputation as a bipartisan consensus builder both locally and in Harrisburg.
Bradford resides in Worcester Township with his college sweetheart and wife, Renee, and their quickly growing family. Renee, having worked for an international trading company after graduating from Villanova University, is currently a full-time mom and is busy raising their four children: Katherine Sophia, or "Kate"; John Patrick, or "Jack"; Zachary Matthew, or "Zack"; and William, or "Will."
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Board Member and Legal Advisor to the LGBT Equality Alliance of Chester County
- Member of the American
Mr. Barbiero is a member of the American, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Bucks, Montgomery and Philadelphia Bar Associations, as well as the Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Associations. He is also a member of the Justinian Society of Lawyers.
Prior to joining the firm in 2002, Mike worked for a litigation firm in Philadelphia where he specialized in personal injury cases and business litigation. Mike has litigated cases in eight counties in Pennsylvania as well as before the U.S. District Court, The Third Circuit Court of Appeals, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Superior Court and Commonwealth Court.
Nicole concentrates her practice in the areas of Municipal Law and Education Law, with a special interest in Open Records/Right to Know Law compliance. In addition to offering representation on a variety of general matters for school districts and municipalities, she responds to questions regarding Right to Know ("RTK") requests on a daily basis and assists clients with the processing of RTK requests and handling of any appeals filed with the Office of Open Records. Her detail-oriented approach to RTK matters has secured many favorable decisions for her clients in OOR appeal matters.
Along with advising on RTK requests and appeals, Nicole also provides RTK training sessions for the Firm's clients. She has developed reference materials to assist clients in optimizing their RTK procedures. She has also presented Continuing Legal Education programming to other practicing attorneys on the topic of RTK compliance.
Nicole joined the Firm after graduating from Temple Law. Nicole obtained her undergraduate degree from Ursinus College, where she majored in English and minored in Media and Communication Studies.
Rudolph Clarke, LLC is very proud to announce that on Monday, September 13, 2021, firm attorney, Nicole Feight, presented a CLE (Continuing Legal Education) regarding RTK (Right to Know) law compliance in conjunction with the Bucks County Law Department.
"We are so grateful for Nicole's expertise, not only in presenting our first-ever CLE, but also in regularly providing sound advice as outside counsel," said County Solicitor Joe Khan.
"Nicole and her colleagues at Rudolph Clarke are always there for us when we need them, and we look forward to our continued collaborations."
It was the first CLE that the Bucks County Law Department has presented and Rudolph Clarke, LLC was asked to participate in our role as outside counsel on RTK matters. Nicole presented on the procedure for appeals before the Office of Open Records and provided an update on current caselaw as well as examples of recent significant victories by our firm.
Nicole Feight joined Rudolph Clarke after graduating from Temple Law. She focuses her practice on personal injury law, as well as assisting with the firm's representation of municipal clients and school districts. Nicole is dedicated to offering zealous and thoughtful advocacy for her clients. By helping to navigate legal issues for clients, Nicole knows she is supporting the efficient operation of foundational entities in our community.
She has been a resident of Montgomery County since obtaining her undergraduate degree from Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pa., where she majored in English and minored in Media and Communication Studies. During her time there, she participated in the English Department's tutoring program helping other students develop their writing skills, secured a summer research fellowship, and received the Elizabeth Rockefeller McCain Award for exemplary writing skills.
After college, Nicole took time to travel and explore different areas of the workforce in sales, marketing and customer service roles before finding her way to a career in law. She decided to become an attorney because she wanted to help people understand and navigate the complex legal issues that often arise out of everyday life. While working full-time as a paralegal, Nicole completed her law degree as an evening student at Temple University's James E. Beasley School of Law. During her time at Temple, Nicole developed an interest in access to justice initiatives and participated as a finalist in a competition through Temple's Fox School of Business, resulting in her team securing $5,000 of initial funding for the implementation of a legal incubator in Philadelphia. She continues to support the ongoing effort to bring an incubator to our region that would offer "low bono," affordable legal services to those of modest means and provide training for attorneys who are committed to community lawyering.
Peter Amuso concentrates his practice on education law and zoning matters, as well as handling the firm's criminal defense matters.
Peter Amuso's law career was inspired by his hero, his grandfather. Peter's grandfather immigrated to the United States as a young boy from Sicily in 1913, and became a prominent attorney in his hometown. No matter how successful he became, the door of his office was opened to all who needed legal advice or help, even if payment came in produce, eggs, meat or other items from those, often fellow immigrants, who had no money.
Peter followed in his grandfather's footsteps and attended Georgetown University on an Army ROTC Scholarship, graduating magna cum laude in 1994. He delayed his active duty service in the Army to attend Harvard Law School, graduating with honors in 1997.
Peter began his law career in the military. After graduating from Harvard, Peter served overseas as an active duty Army officer in the Judge Advocate General's Corps. While in the JAG Corps, Peter worked on the defense team of an innocent Army soldier accused of homicide while serving in Kosovo. The soldier's acquittal made the banner headline "NOT GUILTY" in the Stars and Stripes. His boss framed the article, and it still hangs in Peter's office.
After four years on active duty, Peter left the Army in 2002, and returned home to Pennsylvania. He joined a large Philadelphia law firm, where he handled litigation at every level from Pennsylvania state trial courts, the federal district courts in Pennsylvania, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
Peter then managed zoning and land-use litigation for a major developer throughout eastern Pennsylvania and across the country.
Simply put, Peter likes being able to use his legal expertise to right wrongs. His duty is to help clients navigate increasingly complex laws and procedures to get to the result they want. Peter loves marching into a courtroom or boardroom and saying, "My client is right, and the other side is wrong." Then he proves his case and the client wins.
Peter is especially passionate about school labor law. He believes that every student deserves to have a teacher of the highest personal and professional caliber. As a parent of young children, he wants to make sure all students are safe and engaged in learning. When advising school districts or arguing in court, his frame of reference is always his children and how he wants them to be educated. Peter recently won the first case in front of the Pennsylvania Secretary of Education interpreting the PA School Code on the quality of transportation a school district must provide to the students of a charter school. Peter is a frequent speaker for the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, addressing issues ranging from labor negotiations to legal ethics.
Peter has expertise across the full spectrum of zoning matters. He is the solicitor for the East Norriton Township Zoning Hearing Board. Over the years, he has represented developers, individuals, and public and private schools, and non-profit organizations in every conceivable zoning and land use matter in front of zoning hearing boards across southeastern Pennsylvania.
Peter gets results in the courtroom. From his days in the Army, Peter has always zealously fought for clients facing the full power of the criminal justice system. From military panels to civilian juries, Peter has earned "not guilty" verdicts for clients facing difficult cases. Peter understands the full range of options for his criminal defense clients and he uses his expertise to ensure the best possible outcome.
Peter is also involved in the community. Peter was elected to the school board of the School District of Springfield Township in 2005, and he served his four-year term as Chair of the Property Committee, overseeing the construction of a new elementary school as well as the substantial renovation of a middle school. He was the 2007 Democratic nominee for District Attorney of Montgomery County, as well as the 2010 Springfield Township Democrat of the Year. He is a Life Member of his local VFW Post 7919, and a member of the Arthur Savage American Legion Post 100 in Wyndmoor.
Peter is married to his college sweetheart, with whom he has four children, ages 6 to 12. He serves as the CYO Athletic Director and coaches the track team at his parish, Our Mother of Consolation, located in the Chestnut Hill section of Philadelphia.
Peter has served as pro bono counsel for the Friends of Historic Bethlehem Pike, and has taught business law and criminal procedure as an adjunct professor at Chestnut Hill College. He is currently on the Board of Keystone Hospice and Keystone Health in Wyndmoor for which he serves as Secretary.
He spent time in the Burgundy wine region in France while in the Army, and proudly stomped on grapes to help his cousins make wine in Sicily, nearly 90 years after his grandfather left.
Peter is an active member of the Montgomery County Bar Association, Bucks County Bar Association, Pennsylvania Bar Association and Pennsylvania School Boards Solicitors Association.
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Advisory Committee Member for Delaware County Children
Samantha concentrates her practice on education law and municipal law. Samantha's law career was inspired by her time student teaching in Delaware County Schools and her early internships in the Office of General Counsel at the School District of Philadelphia.
Prior to attending law school, Samantha attended Widener University where she obtained her Bachelor's degree in Elementary and Special Education, graduating suma cum laude in 2017. During her undergraduate career, Samantha presented at numerous conferences regarding education, including the National Character Education Forum, the Keystone State Reading Association conference, and the Eastern Educational Research Association Conference. After becoming a certified elementary and special education teacher, Samantha enrolled at Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law.
During law school, Samantha focused on following her dream of public service and becoming a school district attorney. Samantha also spent a year interning for the School District of Philadelphia's Office of Federal Programs where her focus was on compliance with Title I and IDEA.
Samantha also felt a strong desire to serve her community while at Villanova Law. Samantha ran for Rutledge Borough Council during her first semester of law school. Upon her swearing in, Samantha became the youngest elected official in Delaware County, and one of the youngest elected officials in the Commonwealth. Samantha has continued to serve as a councilwoman for Rutledge Borough, most recently being appointed Vice President.
Samantha also serves as an Advisory Committee Member for Delaware County Children and Youth Services. When Samantha is not at the office or in her community, she enjoys spending time with her dog Nellie Nova, and her family.
Education
Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law
Degree Name Doctor of Law - JD
Sara J. Johnson concentrates her practice on the Firm's municipal clients, with a focus on Education Law. A former Bucks County Deputy District Attorney, Sara spent years prosecuting the sexual abuse of children and domestic abuse. She also led the overhaul of the Bucks County DA Office's first-time offender program for nonviolent crimes.
Sara previously served on the Upper Dublin School Board in Montgomery County, where she chaired the Policy Committee and served as the board liaison to the Teachers' Union. She was first appointed in 2014 and was elected to a four year term in 2015. Sara's extensive experience with complex legal issues combined with her fluency in education policy matters makes her a powerful advocate for our School District clients.
Sara has a son and a daughter, her and her family live in Upper Dublin Township.
Education
B.A., History, University of Nebraska -Lincoln, 2001
J.D., Temple University-James E. Beasley School of Law, 2005