John A. Gallagher, Esquire
Gallagher Law Group, P.C.
Paoli Office (Main Office)
171 W. Lancaster Avenue
Suite 100
Paoli, PA 19301
610-647-5027
610-647-5024 (fax)
LAWYER REVIEWS
These lawyer reviews are copied from my Linked-In page:
“John is a highly intelligent, aggressive, creative lawyer who works tirelessly for his clients. More than once I have seen him win a case that others thought was impossible to win- which is a tribute to his skill, preparation, energy, and work ethic.”
Top qualities: Great Results, Expert, Creative
1st thomas rees,
hired John A. as a Attorney in 1996, and hired John A. more than once
“John provides very high-quality legal representation to his clients. His ability to remember details and identify the issues in his clients' matters simply amazed me. John was a great role model and mentor for me.”
1st Jennifer Hanlin, Associate, Law Offices of John A. Gallagher, P.C.
reported to John A. at Gallagher Law Group, PC
CLIENT REVIEWS
These client reviews were copied from my Linked-In page:
“I have known John for over fifteen years. As a professional, I have always found John to be extremely creative and diligent in handling sensitive matters and in producing exellent results on my behalf. John is intelligent and personable. I would recommend him to anyone without hesitation.”
Top qualities: Great Results, Good Value, High Integrity
1st Thomas Horton,
hired John A. as a Attorney in 2008, and hired John A. more than once
“John was a gift from Heaven. Fair, trustworthy, brilliant, you name it, in my opinion he is it. 7 months later my wife and I still talk about how we loved to have him on our side. I can not thank him enough or recommend him enough to anyone and everyone. Without hesitation, I would use John again. Jim S.”
Top qualities: Great Results, Expert, High Integrity
1st Jim Solnosky,
hired John A. as a Attorney in 2011
The following client reviews are from my Avvo.com page.
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John A. Gallagher's Reviews Posted by: Bill G, a Employment client.
Client Review: John is a professional in every respect He knows the law and he knows the human condition , the legal process, the needs of his client, and has the unique ability to foresee the rhythm and flow of a case to a logical conclusion. . Through his perceptive insight into the case, he was able to guide me and my law suit to a very acceptable end outcome . He was always coaching me on the various options that he felt would develop and as a result, when faced with decisions that required action , I was well prepared and able to discuss with John the best outcome for my case. John kept me apprised of all correspondence and was available to me for the often needed point of clarification and ..... reassurance. John Knows the law and can asses the various challenges that the opposition in this case might take. In a phrase, Smarter Wins is how I would describe what took place. John was simply put Smarter, and more dedicated than the defending attorney. His experience and insight into any case he accepts will provide a client with the confidence to carry on thus it is reassuring to a client who may loose perspective through the law suit and find themselves in the legal weeds that are always cropping up throughout a case. John became my partner in the suit both emotionally, and strategically as we worked through the various issues and disagreement foisted upon us by the defendant. Needless to say, we prevailed and my new motto for the imprint on the back of a dollar bill , is " In John I trust".
Up front and very knowledgeable Posted by: Dominique, a Employment client.
Client Review: My UC claim was handled very efficiently and with dedication. John was on top of everything! If your UC claim is not a done deal, do not hesitate to contact John.
Solid Guidance Posted by: Charles, a Employment client.
Client Review: John has earned my trust. Outstanding work ethic. Creative thinking. Non-Compete lawsuit. Highly recommented.
I found the right Lawyer for the Job Posted by: a Wrongful Termination client.
Client Review: From beginning to end John Gallagher was a pleasure to work with. He was able to meet with me the first time within a day. At the first meeting I found him very easy to talk with He heard what I had to say, was understanding to my facts and feelings and was able to put me at ease by explaining the law and my options.John helped me in filing unemployement and diciphering my non compete agreement so I could begin to move forward with my career search. Once negotiations started, John kept me informed and always followed up in a timely manner. In the end he was able to almost double my severance agreement. I would recommend John and his staff to anyone seeking a top notch employment attorney
The BEST Lawyer You Will EVER Find! Posted by: John, a Contracts client.
Client Review: I was fired by a New York government entity in a highly controversial situation despite the fact that I had a 4-year employment contract. John sued the municipality, took the case all the way to the Court of Appeals in New York, and won. The municipality later settled by paying me for my 4-year entire contract. During that case, I was defamed and slandered in the newspapers and on TV. John sued the Networks and Gannett News. We eventually argued the case before the Second Circuit Court of Appeals, and John won again. We settled with the defendants for a nice amount after that. During all of this, John handled all of my media relations (there was a lot of news on both of these cases). Today, I have a great job in the same town, and my reputation has been restored. These were very complicated cases, and John was able to beat some pretty big law firms, as well as the Government, the Networks and Gannett News. He worked real hard, respected my opinions and thoughts, involved me in the case, and generally kicked butt on everything. I recommend him without reservation.
Excellent Attorney Posted by: Kai, a Employment client.
Client Review: I called John Gallagher's office in regards to a non-compete I had signed. John was able to see me that same afternoon. He was helpful in answering all of my questions, and most importantly, he brought to my attention some extremely important information that I was completely unaware of, which saved my career! I have complete confidence in John's work, and highly recommend him. |
CASE SUMMARIES
Employment Contract Attorney
These two cases in New York were among the most satisfying of my career. They involved a municipality attempting to breach two service agreements - one with a Father, and one with a Son. We had to go all of the way up to New York's highest Court,the Court of Appeals, to win the Son's case. We also had to go to New York's Appellate Division to win the Father's case. After we wone these two cases, we won another case on behalf of the Son for libel and slander against Gannet News, ABC and NBC. Now, the Father is happily retired, and the Son is the Tour Manager of the Dick's Sporting Goods Open, a Senior Tour event for the PGA, annuallly regarded as one of the top Senior Tour events in the Country. The cases received a lot of attention Iin New York and Nationally) because my clients worked at a public course that held a PGA Tour event then known as thew BC Open. Here is the Link discussing the cases for the Father and Son. http://www.tour-mgmt.com/.
Libel and Defamation Attorney
This is a link from a national watchdog group for the Media lamenting our win in New York's Second Circuit Court of Appeal (widely regarded as the Court that is the most protective of the Second Amendment in the Nation). http://www.gannett.com/go/newswatch/2005/september/nw0930-5.htm Despite the fact that my client was a "public figure, and despite the fact that the news stories were derived from coverage of a public political event, we still prevailed - even in media-liberal New York.
Lancaster Discrimination Lawyer
A man from Lancaster was referred to our office by the EEOC with a claim for Age Discrimination and Race Discrimination against an international company with a history of race-based discrimination. We filed suit in Philadelphia Federal Court. The defendant contended that our client, who had 30 years of experience in his field, was not competent enough to make it through the Company's 90 day probation period (after which time he would have become part of the Union and protected from baseless termination). During this same time period, a number of younger, Caucasian employees with less experience were able to make it through probation. During discovery, we established that the Company had inconsistent employee evaluation practices, and also obtained testimony from a number of employees who spoke favorably about our client. After 5 days of trial, during which we were able to prove the Company's historic tolerance of race-based discrimination and hostility, the defendant offered a settlement that was 8 times larger than what it had offered prior to trial and which our client was pleased to accept.
Villanova Unemployment Attorney
A man from Villanova came to us after he had lost a hearing for Unemployment Compensation. He had evidence that the employer had lied at the hearing. We appealed to the Unemployment Compensation Board of Review, and were able to convince the Board that a new hearing should be permitted so that proof of the employer's lie could be placed into evidence. At the new Hearing, the employer failed to show, the new evidence was placed into the record, and the initial decision by the Referee was reversed, so that our client was entitled to retroactive unemployment benefits.
Montgomery County Wage Lawyer
Five women from Montgomery County who worked for a large financial institution came to us and advised that their employer had reneged on a promise to pay to them bonuses if they did not resign their positions for a specified period of time. Under Pennsylvania's Wage Payment and Collection law, and employer is responsible for making such payments, and can be liable for the employees attorney fees if they are forced to go to trial to enforce their rights. We wrote a demand letter to the employer, setting forth the promise and the nature of our claims. Within weeks, all five of our clients were paid in full, and the attorney fees they had incurring in retaining our services were paid by the employer.
Coatesville Long Term Disability Lawyer
A man from Coatesville was referred to us by his doctor because he had been denied Long-Term Disability benefits. He had a neuropsychological condition that defied precise diagnosis, and therefore the insurer had denied his claim. While meeting with him, we noticed that when he was under stress, his hands started to shake. We immediately began to film him, asking him questions that caused him to feel stress, to the point where he could not hold a Styrofoam coffee cup due to the uncontrollable shaking of his hands. We then sent this film to the insurer, along with our demand for benefits that discussed his extensive medical records. Within weeks, the insurer granted him Long-Term disability benefits, sending to him a substantial check for retroactive benefits. Our client was so pleased, he came unannounced to our office the following day to settle up on his contingent fee agreement.
Montgomery County Family Leave Attorney
Five people from Montgomery County came to us under the belief that they had been fired from an academic institution because they had sought overtime payments under the Fair Labor Standards Act. A substantial amount of time had passed between the date of the overtime demands and their termination, making it a difficult case. However, they had received only meager Severance offers given the length of their employment. They agreed to forego the severance offers, and we wrote a demand letter on their behalf laying out the nature of their claims. The university responded that our clients were terminated for poor performance, and initially offered little to resolve the claim. Within weeks, however, we were able to secure settlement substantially greater than the severance that had initially been offered, along with a significant payment towards our clients' attorney fees.
Pennsylvania Personal Injury Attorney
A woman from Northeast Pennsylvania was referred to us by an attorney because the woman had sustained personal injuries from tripping over a piece of rebar stuck in one of the islands where she was walking her dog in a shopping center parking lot. The shopping center owner and the nationally known businesses near where the woman tripped and fell denied having any control over the landscaping of the island and denied all liability. After conducting multiple depositions and obtaining expert reports related to the landscaping, the client's injuries, and the effect that her injuries would have on her lifetime earnings, we were able to secure a sizable settlement that the client felt amply compensated her for her losses.
Telford Family Leave Lawyer
A woman from Telford came to us believing she had been fired from a large company in retaliation for taking Family and Medical Leave to care for her daughter, who had a severe disability. We filed suit in Federal Court under the Family and Medical Leave Act, and were opposed by a large Philadelphia firm that put two lawyers on the case. The defendant contended that the client’s allegedly extensive history of work-related discipline, and not her taking of family leave, was the real reason for her termination. After discovery, the defendant tried to have the case thrown out of Court. We responded by citing the information we had learned during the case. The Court ruled in our favor, and held that the matter should proceed to trial. Thereafter, the defendant, who had offered nothing to settle the case, made an offer to settle. Following intense but quick negotiations, we resolved the case to our client's satisfaction. As a result of our representation, she suffered no loss of income, and indeed received more than she would have had she continued to be employed by the defendant.
North Wales Age Discrimination Lawyer
A 65 year-old man from North Wales called and told me that the large Massachusetts company he worked for had given him an ultimatum – retire or be fired. Working behind the scenes, we advised him on how to deal with the ultimatum through the use of e-mails. He eventually declined the retirement “offer” and was immediately fired. We filed suit in Federal Court for Age Discrimination under the Age Discrimination and Employment Act and were opposed by a prominent Massachusetts firm that put two lawyers on the case. The defendant contended that our client's alleged poor sales performance, and not his age, was the determinative factor in the termination decision. Following discovery, the defendant sought Mediation before a Federal Judge. The Mediation was successful, and our client received more money as a result of our representation than he would have had he continued to work for the company for another two years. He also received all of his retirement benefits and accrued vacation pay.
SpringFord Zero Tolerance Lawyer
This case was one of the earliest Zero Tolerance cases in the Country, and the first of its kind in Philadelphia to receive and signifdicant media coverage (we were featured on all 4 major netwrok 11:00 news channels on several occasions, as well as on KYW and the Wally Kennedy-Live Show. My client was an 11-year old boy who had been expelled for bringing a mini-exacto blade into school. We were able to get the expulsion reversed. http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=128949. There were elements of race discrimination in this case, and we pursued that claim as well.
East Norriton Overtime Lawyer
A woman from East Norriton contacted us and said she believed that she had been fired because she had complained about not receiving overtime. She had been employed by one of the largest mortgage companies in the World. We sought pre-litigation settlement, but the employer offered nothing. We filed suit in Federal Court, alleging that she had been the victim of retaliation for asserting her rights to overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Not surprisingly, the defendant was represented by one of the largest firms in America, located in Philadelphia which immediately put two lawyers on the case. The defendant contended that the client was fired as part of a reduction in force and that she was less capable then other employees who were retained. Following discovery, a miniscule offer was made. We rejected it and the defendant filed a motion in Court trying to get the case thrown out. We filed a response, citing all of the evidence we had learned during discovery. After receiving our response, the defendant called, and within one week had offered a settlement that was six times as large as any offer it had made before.
Exton Non-Compete Lawyer
A man from Exton advised that he was being sued for violating a Non Compete Agreement with his former employer. The man had been fired when he refused to sign a new Non Compete that the company mandated that he sign. After his employment ended, he went to work for a direct competitor of the employer, and was able to take more than $100,000 in business with him within three months. The employer, one of the largest distributors of corporate forms in America, hired one of the oldest and best regarded firms in Chester County to represent its interest, immediately placing two senior partners on the file. We contended that the Non Compete was unenforceable because the client had been terminated because he refused to sign the Non Compete. We argued further that the Non Compete only applied if he was fired for good cause. The employer refused to back off, probably emboldened by the success it had had throughout the Country enforcing similar Non Competes under similar circumstances. It argued that the employee’s decision not to sign the new Non Compete was tantamount to him quitting his job. It further argued that, even if the Non Compete was unenforceable, our client had misappropriated confidential business information which he had used to take away clients of the employer after his employment ended. Following expedited discovery, we proceeded to a Hearing in the Chester County Court of Common Pleas. Within one week of the conclusion of the 6 hour Hearing, the Court ruled in our client’s favor. He remains gainfully employed with his new employer, and continues to service the clients that he had brought with him upon his departure from the former employer.
Malvern Unemployment Lawyer
A man from Malvern came to us and stated that he had been fired because he had missed too much time from work. He had filed for Unemployment Compensation benefits, which had been denied. We reviewed the circumstance, and determined that his absence resulted from a serious health condition, and was therefore protected under the Family and Medical Leave Act. He was unaware of his rights under the Act, and there was an issue as to whether he had given appropriate notice of his need for leave to his employer. When I showed up with my client at the Unemployment Hearing, the employer was surprised – and unrepresented by counsel. I was able to obtain excellent testimony on the record from the unprepared employer. We won the Unemployment Hearing. Then, with the transcribed record of the proceedings in hand, we demanded that the employer compensate our client for violating his FMLA rights. Seeing that the record created at the Unemployment Hearing was clearly in our favor, the employer immediately paid a handsome settlement, and we never had to even file suit.
Pottstown Sexual Harrassment Lawyer
Three women from Pottstown who worked for a very large hotel chain came to us with allegations that they had been the victim of Sexual Harassment by a manager at the hotel. All three of three of the women had been fired for what appeared to be legitimate reasons. We engaged in an extensive analysis as to exactly what exactly the manager had done to each of the women, and determined that a definite pattern of harassment existed. We also concluded that the manager’s conduct, which was observed by but not disciplined by his superior, created a Hostile Work Environment intolerant to the rights of women. We therefore concluded that each of the women had a Title VII claim for hostile work environment, and that each of the terminations was a sham. We also concluded that one of the victims had a claim for quid pro quo sexual harassment (i.e. she had been required to exchange sexual favors for job security). We prepared a very detailed Complaint, which we filed with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. At the fact-finding conference before PHRC, we reached settlements in all three cases that totaled in the six-figures. Our clients were spared the anguish of having to relive their gut-wrenching experiences in Court, and received what they viewed as fair compensation for the wrongs that had visited upon them.