vast legal experience

Tom has more than 30 years of experience over broad and diverse areas of the law. 

Today, he is a partner in Gross McGinley, one of the county's most respected law firms, where he has practiced across a vast array of legal arenas. Importantly, Tom has extensive experience in civil law - the area of that law that accounts for more than 60% of the Common Pleas Court's caseload.

Serving in the courtroom will be nothing new to Tom.  An experienced litigator, he has spent significant time in court - handling cases in more than 50 of Pennsylvania's 67 counties, our own Lehigh County Common Pleas Court, Pennsylvania's Superior Court and Commonwealth Court, and in Federal Bankruptcy Courts in the Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Pennsylvania.

Tom has actually heard and decided on cases as a court-appointed Arbitrator and a former Hearing Officer for the Allentown Housing Authority. He has recently been appointed a Hearing Officer for the City of Allentown to hear and decide Paramedic disability benefit dispute cases.

Tom's work has earned the respect of the legal community with our Lehigh County Bar Association rating him 

"HIGHLY RECOMMENDED" to serve as Judge, and a national attorney review organization giving him the highest possible 

ethical rating as well as a distinguished peer rating for high professional achievement. 

  Tom's more than 30 years of experience include:

Litigation  

- Court of Common Pleas with cases in over 50 of PA's 67 counties

- Federal Bankruptcy Courts Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of PA  

Business  

-Formation of businesses, buy sell agreements, asset sales, and 

 related disputes

Real estate 

-Residential and commercial sales

-Landlord tenant

-Title issues

-Leases/Easements

- Foreclosures and Sheriff's Sales

Family, Divorce and Matrimonial law

- Adoption

- Divorce

- Child support/custody

- Spousal support

Municipal law

- Serves as firm solicitor for Coopersburg Borough and Coopersburg Municipal Authority

-Zoning

- Subdivision & Land Development

Workers' Compensation

-Represented both employers and injured employees

-Argued appeals to Worker’s Compensation Appeal Board and Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court

Wills, Trusts and Estate Matters

- Estate planning and prepare wills, trust and estate documents

- Handle estate administration following death of a family member

- Guardianships & Orphan Court matters

 Appeals to Pennsylvania’s Appellate Courts

-Handled appeals to and arguments before the Pennsylvania 

Superior Court and Commonwealth Court

Serves as Lehigh County Arbitrator

-Chair of a Lehigh County arbitration panel

Serves as Hearing Officer.

-One of two attorneys, the other being former Lehigh County Judge 

William E. Ford, appointed by City of Allentown/Allentown Paramedic

Union to serve as Hearing Officer for Heart and Lung benefit disputes.

-Former hearing Officer for the City of Allentown Housing Authority 

Member of the Lehigh County Inn of Court 

(Judge Donald E. Wieand Barristers Inn)

An organization consisting of Lehigh Valley lawyers and our own Judges of the Common Pleas, Superior, Commonwealth, and federal courts, dedicated to the development of outstanding lawyers who meet the highest ethical and intellectual standards