ELLIOTT DAVIS - Key Persons
Having worked for two prominent regional firms, Todd's areas of practice include breach of contract, construction law, mechanic's liens, injury law (plaintiff and defense), professional negligence (plaintiff and defense), premises liability, unfair trade practices, trade disparagement, defamation, and multi-state litigation. Over the course of his career, Todd has handled mediation of disputes, several trials by jury, and appeals to the Superior and Pennsylvania Supreme Court. He has also served as an arbitrator in state court and a judge during mock trial competitions at the University of Pittsburgh.
On the defense side, Todd defended the outgoing CEO of Worldcom, Bernard Ebbers, who was sued in Pittsburgh for his alleged role in diminishing the value of Worldcom stock. In another case, Todd represented Nationwide Insurance Company when a group of Nationwide insurance agents broke off from Nationwide and formed a company that competed directly with Nationwide. Nationwide then filed suit in Western Pennsylvania against the former agents who, in turn, counter sued, resulting in a prolonged legal dispute involving claims (and counterclaims) for trade disparagement (defamation) and theft of trade secrets. Todd defended a Colorado corporation on a breach of contract suit filed in Allegheny County. In that case, the lower court dismissed the case based on a lack of jurisdiction and improper venue, and he ultimately argued the case before the Pennsylvania Superior Court. Likewise, in another breach of contract case, Todd represented a Las Vegas company concerning litigation in Pittsburgh.
Todd graduated magna cum laude from the University at Buffalo. He is a member of the Golden Key Honor Society, and Phi Beta Kappa (graduated top 10% of class). He earned his Juris Doctor degree from the Duquesne University School of Law in Pittsburgh.
Todd has significant experience throughout Western Pennsylvania, including not only Allegheny County (Pittsburgh) where he lives, but also the surrounding counties such as Beaver, Washington, and Butler Counties.
Upon graduating from law school, Todd served as a judicial law clerk for The Honorable Peter O. Steege, Court of Common Pleas of Beaver County, Pennsylvania. He also sat for and passed the West Virginia bar examination to expand his practice beyond Pennsylvania. Todd is a member of the Allegheny County Bar Association, Pennsylvania Bar Association (Civil Litigation Section), and the American Bar Association.
In addition to civil litigation, Todd also possesses experience representing clients in matters involving divorce, support, custody, PFA, and criminal defense. He won a custody trial involving a dispute over the child's religion. He also won a child support trial which the opposing party appealed to the Superior court, and Todd won again. The case was profiled in The New York Times. Todd's closing argument was quoted at length.
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Managing Partner at Elliott & Davis
Biography
Eric is the current Managing Partner at Elliott & Davis. His experience in structuring transactions, including joint ventures, partnerships, limited partnerships, limited liability companies and corporations makes him a valuable resource to businesses in need of a "strategic lawyer." Eric concentrates in providing corporate, business and tax counseling to privately-held companies, including representing clients in transactions involving equity and debt financing, formation and start-up, venture capital, sales, mergers and acquisitions, technology licensing, and information technology.
For years, Eric has helped nonprofits gain tax exempt status and deal with issues confronted by nonprofit boards. Eric is also a recognized expert on nonprofit fundraising and teaches grant writing classes for the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations and has served as a panel expert for the Association of Fundraising Professionals.
Eric also has extensive experience in the aspects of real estate transactions, including financing, leasing, development, purchasing and selling real estate. His specialty in this area of the law is using corporate entities to reduce tax and risk exposure.
James T. Tallman has over twenty years of experience as a trial attorney and litigator in state and federal courts, handling commercial litigation, breach of contract, construction litigation, mechanics' liens, employment contracts, and personal injury.
Biography
James T. Tallman has over twenty years of experience as a trial attorney and litigator with a wide breadth of experience in both state and federal courts. James draws upon these experiences to serve his clients in a variety of cases, such as commercial litigation, breach of contract, construction litigation, mechanics' liens, employment contracts, and personal injury.
Over the course of his career, James has helped his personal injury clients recover over $10 million. James practiced personal injury at a prominent personal injury firm in Pittsburgh for over a decade, and for nine years prior to that as a litigator at two leading Pittsburgh law firms, where he practiced commercial litigation, insurance coverage, antitrust law, and construction litigation.
James received his bachelor's degree from the University of Pittsburgh, and graduated magna cum laude and first in his class from Widener University School of law. While attending law school, James served as an editor of the law review. James serves on the Western Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association's Board of Governors. He is a regular author for the Western Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association's publication The Advocate. James is also active on the Allegheny County Bar Association's Civil Rules Committee and is a member of the Allegheny County Bar Association Construction and Civil Litigation Sections.
James resides in Ben Avon, PA, and has three sons. He is active in the community and charities. He is a member of the North Boroughs Rotary. He is past-president of the local youth soccer organization and is a former Cub Master.
For more than two decades, Jeffrey Gitchel has provided strategic and legal advice to companies and non-profit organizations of all sizes, from start ups to sole proprietorships to Fortune 500 companies.
Matt is a Graduate of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. While completing his JD, he was a Co-Executive Editor and Research Editor of the Journal of Technology Law and Policy, a Founder of the Young Professionals in Energy - Pitt Chapter, and a member of the Phi Alpha Delta International Law Fraternity. He has been published in the Pittsburgh Journal of Technology Law and Policy - "Mining the Final Frontier: Keeping Earth's Asteroid Mining Ventures From Becoming The Next Gold Rush;" was invited to and attended the ABA Forum on Air and Space Law in Washington, DC; had his article republished in the Air Law Institute Commentary; and was given a scholarship and award for his work by the Air Law Institute in San Diego, CA.
Matthew Feinman is an experienced civil litigator in state and federal court throughout Western Pennsylvania. On the Plaintiff side, he has won six-figure awards for his clients, as well as repossession of property, and collection of debt. As Counsel for his Defendants, he has successfully defended against a variety of cases seeking possession of property or monetary damages, including defending against multi-million dollar suits.
Megan graduated with distinction from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2017 with a B.S. in Mathematics and a minor in Music. She played clarinet in the Marching Tar Heels and various other ensembles during her time there. After spending a year traveling Europe and the Caribbean, Megan attended law school in Florida at Stetson University College of Law. She excelled academically, joining the Honor's Program, serving as a teaching assistant and an editor for both Stetson Law Review and the Journal of Aging Law and Policy, interning for the Honorable Anthony E. Porcelli of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, and later graduating cum laude in the top 10% of her class. Megan is currently licensed to practice law in both Florida and Pennsylvania. Since her licensure, Megan has been at Elliott and Davis, PC assisting on corporate law, nonprofit law and estate planning matters.
Natasha N. Levin, Esq. concentrates her practice on all aspects of estates and trusts planning and administration, plus general corporate and business structuring matters. She also gives oil and gas title opinions. As an experienced title attorney, she has extensive knowledge in all areas of energy title law in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia.
Biography
Natasha N. Levin concentrates her practice on all aspects of estates and trusts planning and administration. Ms. Levin regularly prepares and reviews wills, revocable and irrevocable trusts, powers of attorney, and advance medical directives, customizing each estate plan to the goals and needs of her client.
Ms. Levin has experience in general corporate and business structuring matters, and supports clients with their entity formation, including limited liability companies, joint ventures, partnerships, limited partnerships and corporations. Additionally, her practice includes drafting and reviewing technology and business contracts, including negotiation of agreements and development of standard terms and conditions for the sale of goods and services, contract management, and dispute resolution.
Further, Natasha N. Levin's practice involves transactional and regulatory matters in the energy industry, drafting and reviewing certified oil and gas title opinions, managing due diligence projects for oil and gas clients, and preparing real estate closing documents and oil and gas leases. As an experienced title attorney, she has extensive knowledge in all areas of energy title law in Pennsylvania, Ohio and West Virginia.
Background
Ms. Levin received a J.D. and M.B.A from the University of Pittsburgh in 2012. During law school, she started a successful oil and gas consulting company, which she still owns and maintains today, working with high profile clients in various realms of the energy industry. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology accompanied by a minor in Business Administration. She has a broad background including working as an intern at The Robotics Institute Quality of Life Technology at Carnegie Mellon University.
Biography
Rohit Dharwadkar concentrates his practice on all aspects of immigration law, ranging from family and employment-related matters to asylum, naturalization, and citizenship matters. With an emphasis on business immigration, including H-1B visas and labor certifications, Rohit has helped bring employers and needed global talent together to insure that businesses can compete successfully in the marketplace and acquire and retain the necessary talent for proper growth and expansion. He speaks Hindi, Marathi, and also has a working knowledge of French. Rohit has represented immigration clients from all over the world.
Prior to joining Elliott and Davis, Rohit practiced law in both Pennsylvania and California at firms that focused exclusively on immigration law matters. Born in India and raised in Southern California, Rohit moved to Pittsburgh with his wife, who is originally from the area, where they have settled and started a family. Rohit is active with the Indian and business communities in the Pittsburgh area, including being a member of the Network of Indian Professionals (NetIP) and Pittsburgh Technology Council. He is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the Pittsburgh Subchapter.
Job Titles:
- Attorney
- Founding Partner of Elliott & Davis
Todd Elliott is a founding partner of Elliott & Davis, PC with 25 years of civil litigation experience in state and federal court. He handles cases designated "complex" involving injuries, accidents, construction disputes, and debt matters on the plaintiff and defense side.
Attorney Todd Elliott is a Pittsburgh area resident and a litigator by vocation. Since 1997, he has practiced civil defense litigation in state court proceedings throughout Western Pennsylvania. On the plaintiff side, he has received numerous six figure awards for clients involved in motorcycle and other accidents. Several of his cases have been deemed "complex" and were handled through a separate division of the courts.