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Trial Attorneys and Counselors At Law
At Picadio Sneath Miller & Norton, P.C., with offices in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, we strive to build strong relationships with our clients while assisting them with a range of legal matters, including business litigation, intellectual property, environmental law and toxic tort litigation, insurance coverage and bad faith, construction law, financial fraud and investor litigation, pharmaceutical, products and tort litigation. If you would like to learn more about any of our attorneys, click on their names below in order to access their attorney profile, or contact us for additional information.
Anthony P. Picadio
Mr. Picadio received his J.D. degree in 1970 from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law where he was elected Editor-in-Chief of the University of Pittsburgh Law Review and a member of The Order of the Coif. His entire professional career has been devoted to civil litigation and environmental law. He is listed in the 2011 issue of Best Lawyers, Pittsburgh as a Best Lawyer in the fields of Bet-the-Company Litigation, Commercial Litigation, Environmental Litigation and Personal Injury Litigation. Mr. Picadio is also listed in the 2011 Edition of Best Lawyers in America in Bet-the Company Litigation, Antitrust, Commercial Litigation, Environmental Litigation, and Personal Injury Litigation (Defense and Plaintiff).He is listed in the current Pennsylvania Super Lawyers in the fields of Business Litigation, Environmental Law and Insurance Coverage. He was designated a Top Lawyer by Corporate Counsel, a legal publication. Mr. Picadio has represented clients in a wide variety of matters including cases involving antitrust, corporate governance, unfair competition, contract disputes, copyright and trademark infringement, insurance coverage and bad faith, financial and securities fraud, professional negligence, litigation involving real estate, products liability and construction claims. He is Peer Review Rated AV Preeminent by Martindale Hubbell.
Henry M. Sneath
Mr. Sneath received his J.D. degree in 1983 from Duquesne University School of Law. During his last two years of law school, he served as a law clerk to the Chief Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. He has been designated by his peers as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer in the field of Business Litigation and is a member of the prestigious Academy Of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County. He is the President-Elect and Member of the Board of Directors of the 22,000 member international lawyer organization (DRI) Defense Research Institute, and is the former Chair of its Commercial Litigation Committee and Intellectual Property Subcommittee. He is a Regional Editor of the DRI national publication "The Business Suit" and is a frequent lecturer and course planner for seminars on a wide range of business litigation, intellectual property, products liability, insurance coverage and litigation topics. He is the Immediate Past Chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association's (PBA) Intellectual Property Law Section and formerly edited the PBA Civil Litigation Section newsletter magazine. Mr. Sneath serves on the Pittsburgh Federal Court Local Patent Rules Committee, is Peer Review Rated AV by Martindale Hubbell and is listed in Best Lawyers in America for Commercial Litigation.
Mr. Sneath has extensive federal and state court trial experience in cases involving commercial disputes, intellectual property matters, construction claims, professional negligence lawsuits, pharmaceutical, drug and device and products liability litigation, toxic torts and insurance coverage and insurance bad faith claims. He chairs the firm's Intellectual Property group and oversees its patent prosecution and litigation practices. He is currently representing clients in pharmaceutical, products liability, trademark and copyright matters, and in patent litigation matters pursuant to the Local Patent Rules promulgated in 2005 by the Judges of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. These rules are designed to make the Pennsylvania Western District a forum of choice for patent infringement and invalidation actions. He is also prepared to assist out-of-state law firms and their clients with the intricacies of these Local Patent Rules which provide a procedural mechanism for accelerated case disposition, and numerous changes to the processes of Federal Rule 26 disclosure, claim construction, use of experts and infringement and invalidation contention disclosure. He has tried over 90 cases to jury and non-jury verdict in Federal and State Court jurisdictions and has helped clients resolve disputes through a variety of Alternative Dispute Resolution Procedures. Mr. Sneath has also devoted substantial Pro Bono time to the representation of battered women in Protection from Abuse hearings and trials, and is active in his Church and community.
Selected Cases
To view cases by practice area, click on the link below:
Commercial Litigation/Intellectual Property/Construction Claims
Insurance/Professional Liability
Life, Health and Disability Insurance
Pharmaceutical, Products and Toxic Tort Liability
Civil Rights
Alan S. Miller
Mr. Miller received his J.D. degree in 1982 from The National Law Center, George Washington University, where he graduated with honors. He is a former trial attorney for the United States Department of Justice, Lands and Natural Resource Division, where he conducted litigation on behalf of the United States Environmental Protection Agency. He has been with the firm, or its predecessors, since 1987, where his practice has been concentrated in the areas of environmental law, insurance coverage and bad faith, products liability, professional errors and omissions and commercial litigation. He is listed in the 2005-06, 2006-07 and 2007-08 editions of The Best Lawyers in America in the field of Environmental Law. He also has been designated a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer and one of Pittsburgh's top 50 lawyers for 2005-2007 by Law & Politics Magazine. Mr. Miller is a frequent lecturer, course planner and author in topics falling within the scope of his practice. He is Peer Review Rated AV by Martindale Hubbell.
Selected Cases
To view cases by practice area, click on the link below:
Environmental Law
Insurance
Commercial Litigation
Bridget M. Gillespie
Ms. Gillespie received her J.D. degree, cum laude, in 1993 from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, where she was a Managing Editor of the Law Review. She is co-author of Norton on Insurance Coverage in Pennsylvania, Second Edition, published by PBI Press. Her practice is concentrated in representation of insurance carriers in insurance coverage and bad faith matters and representation of clients in commercial and tort litigation. She is licensed in Pennsylvania and is admitted to practice in all Pennsylvania state courts, the District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, the District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and the Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. She is a former Captain in the Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps and served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Northern District of New York.
Jeffrey J. Ludwikowski
Mr. Ludwikowski graduated from the University of Southern California in 1983 and received his J.D. degree, cum laude, in 1987 from Southwestern University School of Law. While in law school, Mr. Ludwikowski served as Managing Editor of the Law Review and was nationally recognized for his oral advocacy skills. Mr. Ludwikowski is a frequent lecturer and course planner for seminars on a wide range of commercial litigation, professional responsibility and trial technique topics. He is Peer Review Rated AV by Martindale Hubbell.
Kelly A. Williams
Kelly Williams' practice focuses on complex commercial litigation, insurance coverage and intellectual property law. Ms. Williams handles all phases of litigation in state and federal courts. Ms. Williams represents national insurance companies involving coverage claims by policy holders and has experience overseeing large scale e-discovery in federal court. In addition, Ms. Williams has defended corporations against trademark infringement claims and has acted as local patent infringement counsel. Ms. Williams' experience also includes representing corporations in product liability litigation. Before joining Picadio Sneath Miller & Norton, Ms. Williams practiced law at McGuireWoods LLP and has practiced in both Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
Joseph R. Carnicella, Associate
Joseph R. Carnicella is an associate with Picadio Sneath Miller & Norton, P.C. and focuses his practice in the areas of intellectual property and commercial litigation. Joseph also works with clients to register, monitor and defend trademarks. Joseph received his J.D. degree in 2005 from Duquesne University School of Law and his B.S. degree in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from The Pennsylvania State University in 2002. While in law school, Joseph served as a judicial extern for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Joseph is admitted in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and is licensed to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Also, Joseph is admitted into the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
Katherine C. Dempsey, Associate
Ms. Dempsey focuses her practice in the areas of commercial litigation and insurance coverage litigation. Ms. Dempsey previously worked as an associate at a banking and business law firm, concentrating her practice in the areas of collection, bankruptcy, appellate practice and general litigation. Ms. Dempsey received her Juris Doctorate degree from Duquesne University School of Law where she served as a research editor for the Duquesne University Law Review. While in law school, Ms. Dempsey also interned for the Honorable David S. Cercone of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. Ms. Dempsey obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 2004, graduating summa cum laude.
Cara L. Disheroon, Associate
Ms. Disheroon is an associate with Picadio Sneath Miller & Norton, P.C. and focuses her practice on insurance coverage and commercial litigation. Before joining the firm, Ms. Disheroon worked in international real estate consulting in Europe, advising on commercial acquisitions and valuations for major institutional investors. In addition to performing financial analyses, feasibility studies and portfolio valuations, she also negotiated lease terms for commercial property investors. She received her J.D. degree in 1995 from George Mason School of Law in Arlington, Virginia and her B.A. from Penn State University in 1992 graduating with honors. Ms. Disheroon is a member of Phi Beta Kappa and speaks Italian and French.
Brian J. Headley, Associate
Brian J. Headley has been practicing law since 2004, concentrating in litigation and appellate work, Much of Mr. Headley's experience has been gained through his practice in West Virginia, his home state. Prior to joining Picadio Sneath Miller & Norton, P.C., Mr. Headley worked for litigation firms in Charleston, West Virginia, and Pittsburgh where he primarily handled West Virginia matters. Over the years, Mr. Headley has litigated a wide variety of commercial litigation, insurance coverage, bad faith, employment, product liability, construction, toxic tort, wrongful death, and personal injury actions. Mr. Headley now focuses his practice in the areas of commercial, products liability, toxic tort, environmental, and insurance coverage litigation. Mr. Headley received his J.D. degree in 2004 from the West Virginia University College of Law where he was a member of the West Virginia Law Review and Order of the Coif. He also served as a law clerk to the Honorable Robert B. King of the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit during his final semester of law school. Mr. Headley received his undergraduate degree from West Virginia University in 2001 and graduated summa cum laude. Mr. Headley is licensed to practice in West Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky, as well as the United States District Courts for the Northern and Southern Districts of West Virginia and the Western District of Pennsylvania.
R. Brandon McCullough, Associate
Mr. McCullough is an associate with Picadio Sneath Miller & Norton, P.C. and focuses his practice in the areas of commercial, products liability, environmental, and insurance coverage litigation. Mr. McCullough previously worked as an associate at a litigation firm in Pittsburgh where his cases involved a variety of areas, including commercial litigation, insurance coverage, bad faith, employment, products liability and personal injury actions. Mr. McCullough received his Juris Doctorate degree from Duquesne University School of Law in 2008 and graduated cum laude. While in law school, Mr. McCullough was a student attorney for the Duquesne University School of Law Securities Arbitration Practicum, representing low income investors in resolving disputes with investment professionals, as well as a Staff Writer/Editor for the Duquesne Business Law Journal. During his law school career, Mr. McCullough also completed judicial internships with the Honorable Joy Flowers Conti of the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania and the Honorable John A. Zottola of the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Mr. McCullough obtained a B.S. in Information Science from the University of Pittsburgh in 2005 and graduated magna cum laude.
Jason A. Spak, Associate
Jason Spak is a civil litigator who resolves complex commercial and insurance coverage disputes. He has a particular focus on financial services litigation, and he has handled Fair Credit Reporting Act cases from Maine to California and from Minnesota to Texas. But his practice involves commercial lawsuits of all kinds, including antitrust claims, contract disputes, collections and foreclosures, and disputes over the handling of investments and pensions. He is familiar with all phases of litigation, from pleadings through discovery, motions practice, and trial. He comments on FCRA litigation at http://fcradefense.wordpress.com/.
Jason was an award-winning high school and college prep teacher before he decided to attend law school, and he likes to think that this experience helps him translate legal jargon into plain English. He received his own education from the University of Michigan Law School (J.D., cum laude, 2002) and the University of Notre Dame (B.A., Honors Program, 1995). While both institutions have been nationally acclaimed (US News & World Report ranks Michigan Law among the top ten among national law schools and Notre Dame among the top twenty national undergraduate programs), Jason cheers for Notre Dame when the two play football.
Robert L. Wagner, Associate
Robert Wagner's practice focuses on complex commercial litigation and intellectual property law. Dr. Wagner is an accomplished litigator with a strong background in civil litigation involving technical issues, such as patent infringement and trade secret litigation in the computer, electrical, and mechanical fields, as well as complex commercial and corporate litigation matters, including breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, and RICO litigation. Dr. Wagner handles all phases of litigation, from inception, through discovery and pre-trial motion practice, to trial, and finally to post-trial motion practice. Dr. Wagner has extensive experience taking and defending depositions and examining witnesses at trial, as well as arguing motions before the court.
In addition to his litigation work, Dr. Wagner is licensed to practice before the United States Patent and Trademark Office, where he has prosecuted patents on behalf of his clients. With his strong scientific and technical training, Dr. Wagner is well-positioned to handle complex patents, especially in the optical, electrical, computer, and mechanical fields.Before joining Picadio Sneath Miller & Norton, Dr. Wagner practiced law at Wildman, Harrold, Allen & Dixon LLP in Chicago, where he successfully represented numerous Fortune 500 and mid-sized companies in patent infringement and complex commercial cases.
Kevin J. Fiore, Of CounselAn attorney with 15 years experience in civil litigation. Mr. Fiore has devoted much of his practice to Construction Law and currently maintains an active practice in Florida. Licensed in Pennsylvania and Florida.
Bruce M. Wolf, Of Counsel
A business lawyer with over 20 years experience in negotiating, documenting and overseeing major asset acquisitions and divestitures and private placements and public offerings of securities.
