George Joseph

Mr. Joseph has practiced as a school solicitor for more than 35 years, providing a full range of education law services. In addition to serving as general solicitor for four area school districts, the local Intermediate Unit and numerous nonpublic school systems, he has experience in handling special education matters including mediation and litigation of special education and Section 504 due process hearings. He has also, over time, provided representation on behalf of every public school district in Erie, Crawford and Warren counties as special counsel for a variety of specific assignments. Mr. Joseph has extensive experience in policy drafting, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, Open Meeting Law, State Officials Ethics Act and the Right to Know Law matters. He has been involved in contract drafting and review and construction projects, as well as other legal issues that confront both public and nonpublic school entities, their administrations and boards. Mr. Joseph also advises his education clients on matters of labor law, including grievance arbitration, employment practices and discrimination claims. He has extensive experience in negotiating collective bargaining agreements pursuant to provisions of the Pennsylvania Employee Relations Act. Mr. Joseph also has experience in tax-exempt financing for public entities and has served as issuer's counsel and underwriter's counsel in numerous general obligation bonds and tax anticipation borrowings. He also serves as general solicitor for a local sewer authority and a township, providing advice on diverse matters from public employment, financing, municipal liens and claims, zoning enforcement as well as developer agreements and contract drafting and review. As an assistant solicitor for Erie County, he conducts the annual County Upset Tax Sale and litigates tax sale objections on behalf of the Tax Claim Bureau. He also represents the Erie County Department of Health in matters of public health including restaurant food safety and licensure matters and sewage facilities matters. Mr. Joseph has been involved in labor and employment matters in the private sector as well. He has represented employers in matters of employee benefits, company policies and handbooks, employment discrimination and harassment, and unemployment compensation issues. In addition to these practices, Mr. Joseph has handled litigation of workers' compensation before Workers' Compensation Judges, the Workers' Compensation Appeal Board, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. His experience includes the representation of injured workers, employers and insurers in a full range of legal matters. Awards and Honors Super Lawyers® Selectees George Joseph included in a Super Lawyers® list Honors AV rating, Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory Other Sources of Feedback About George Joseph Included on the 2024Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list Past Lists 2023 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list

• Retired

• Quinn Law Firm, Associate, 1982 - 1989

• Adjunct Professor at Ursuline College, teaching “Pennsylvania School Law”, 1996, 1999

• Famageltto v. County of Erie Tax Claim Bureau, 133 A.3d 337 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2016)
• Schulze v. County of Erie, Bureau of Revenue and Tax Claim, 103 A.3d 455 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2014) affirmed 109 A.3d 681 (Pa. 2015) Petition for Writ of Certiorari denied 136 S. Ct. 297; 193 L. Ed. 2d 33 (2015)
• Drew v. Office of the District Attorney, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 95535, Petition for Habeas Corpus dismissed (W.D.Pa. 2013)
• Maya v. County of Erie Tax Claim Bureau, 59 A.3d 50 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2013)
• Gillette v. Wurst, 937 A.2d 430 (Pa. 2007) reversing 869 A.2d 488 (Pa. Super. 2005)
• Adams v. Erie County Tax Claim Bureau, No. 2804 CD 2002, unpublished opinion, (Pa.Cmwlth. 2003)
• Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association v. Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board (City Mission and MCRA, Inc.), 796 A.2d 412 (Pa.Cmwlth. 2002)
• Murphy v. Girard School District, 134 F.Supp.2d 431, 152 Ed. Law Rep. 615 (W.D. Pa., 1999)
• Whitehead v. Colwell, No. 1633 CD 1998, unpublished opinion, (Pa. Cmwlth. 1999)
• State Workman’s Insurance Fund v. Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board (Wagner), 677 A.2d 892 (Pa.Cmwlth. 1996)
• Snyder v. Datascope Corporation, No. 00475PGH93, unpublished opinion reported at 644 A.2d 815 (Pa. Super. 1994) alloc. denied 542 Pa. 673, 668 A.2d 1135 (Pa. 1995)
• Spencer v. McKean Township Zoning Hearing Board, 113 Pa.Cmwlth. 521, 537 A.2d 943 (1988)
• Erie Castings Co. v. Grinding Supply, Inc., 736 F.2d 99 (3rd Cir. 1984)

• Pennsylvania Bar Foundation, Life Fellow
• Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University Alumni Trustee, Board of Trustees, 1994 - 1997
• Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University Northwestern Pa. Alumni Association, 1992 - 2014
• Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University General Alumni Association, Board of Directors, 1992 - 2014
• Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University General Alumni Association, Treasurer, 2000 - 2003
• Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University General Alumni Association, Vice President, 2003 - 2006
• Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University General Alumni Association, President, 2006 - 2009
• Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University Penn State Alumni, Council Member, 2006 - 2008
• Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University Penn State Dickinson School of Law Alumni Society, Founding Member
• Family Services of Northwestern Pennsylvania, Consumer Credit Counseling
• Family Services of Northwestern Pennsylvania, Services Advisory Board, 1999 - 2002
• Family Services of Northwestern Pennsylvania, Board of Directors, 2002 - Present
• Family Services of Northwestern Pennsylvania, Board Secretary, 2003 - 2006
• Family Services of Northwestern Pennsylvania, Program Committee Chairman, 2003 - 2006
• Family Services of Northwestern Pennsylvania, Resource and Planning Committee, 2007 - Present
• Family Services of Northwestern Pennsylvania, Board Chairman, 2006 - Present
• Athena PowerLink, Advisory Panel Member, 2002 - 2003
• Kiwanis Club of Erie, Member, 2003 - Present
• Pennsylvania Bar Foundation, Member, Board of Directors, 2011-2017
• Pennsylvania Bar Foundation, Member, Nominations Committee, 2017
• Pennsylvania Bar Foundation, Member, Grants Committee, 2017-2019
• Representative Clients
• Conneaut School District
• Crawford County Technical Center
• Diocese of Erie, Catholic Schools Office
• Elk County Catholic School System
• Erie Catholic School System
• Erie County Department of Health
• Erie County Tax Claim Bureau
• Fairview School District
• Ft. LeBoeuf School District
• Mercyhurst Preparatory School
• Northwestern Region Employee Benefit Trust
• Northwestern School District
• Penncrest School District
• Pleasant Ridge Manor
• Shenango Valley Catholic School System
• Summit Township Sewer Authority
• Union City Area School District

• Pennsylvania, 1982
• U.S. District Court Western District of Pennsylvania, 1982
• U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit, 1982

• Pennsylvania Bar Association, Education Law Section (Member)
• Pennsylvania Defense Institute
• Pennsylvania School Boards Solicitors Association, 2001 - 2004 (Region 1 Director)
• Pennsylvania School Boards Solicitors Association, Secretary, 2006
• Pennsylvania School Boards Solicitors Association, President-Elect, 2007
• Pennsylvania School Boards Solicitors Association, 2008
• Erie County Bar Association, Executive Committee, 2003 - 2005 (Member)
• Erie County Bar Association, Law Day Committee (Member)
• Erie County Bar Association, Workers' Compensation Committee (Member)
• Erie County Bar Association, Lawyers Referral Service Committee (Member)
• Erie County Bar Association, Lectures Section
• Erie County Bar Association, Labor Negotiations Section
• Erie County Bar Association, Community Involvement Section
• Erie County Bar Association, Recipient, President’s Award, 2002
• Erie County Bar Association, Municipal Solicitors Section, Vice-Chair, 2015, 2017; Chair, 2016, 2018
• Erie County Bar Association, Second Vice President, 2018
• Erie County Bar Association, First Vice President, 2019
• Erie County Bar Association (President, 2020)
• Fraternities and Sororities
• Phi Alpha Delta
• Omicron Delta Kappa