Eckell, Sparks, Levy, Auerbach, Monte, Sloane, Matthews & Auslander, P.C. is pleased to announce that Leonard A. Sloane, Guy F. Matthews, Jonathan E. Becker, Joseph E. Lastowka, Jr., David E. Auerbach, and Craig B. Huffman have been selected to this year’s Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list. Additionally, Michael J. Davey, Matthew J. Bilker, Christopher M. Brown, and Melanie E. Tunaitis were selected to this year’s Pennsylvania Rising Stars List. To be considered for Super Lawyers or Rising Stars, a lawyer must first be nominated and undergo a rigorous process that looks at a candidate’s trial record, the clients they work with, the awards they earned, and their law firm standing. Peer reviews and evaluations also factor into the final decision.
Leonard A. Sloane, a Shareholder and Chairman of the Firm’s Litigation and Personal Injury Department, practices auto accidents, medical malpractice, and personal injury law. He has been selected to Super Lawyers each consecutive year since 2004. Each year, no more than five percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. Leonard earned his Juris Doctor from Villanova University. Len is Past President of the Delaware County Bar Association and the Pennsylvania Association for Justice and a member of the Pennsylvania and Chester County Bar Association. He is also a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, which is limited to attorneys who made million and multi-million dollar recoveries for their clients, and is rated AV Preeminent by Martindale Hubbell. He is also a Vietnam Veteran.
Guy F. Matthews, an attorney, has been chosen to Super Lawyers each consecutive year since 2009. Each year, no more than five percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. He is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and focuses on estate planning and wills and estates matters, which involves the administration of complex estates, including postmortem planning, and estate tax audits. Guy earned his Juris Doctor from Temple University School of Law, obtained his Master of Laws in Taxation from Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law, and received the C.L.U. and Chartered Financial Consultant designation from the American College. He has been previously peer rated for high professional achievement by Martindale-Hubbell and was named a Top Tax Attorney by Main Line Today.
Jonathan E. Becker, an attorney, has been selected to Super Lawyers each consecutive year since 2011. Each year, no more than five percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. He earned his Juris Doctor from the Ohio Northern University Claude W. Pettit College of Law and his Master of Laws in Taxation from Georgetown University School of Law. Jonathan is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio, the District of Columbia, Tax Court, and the U.S. Supreme Court and assists clients with estate planning, estate and trust administration, complex trust, and tax issues. He has been previously recognized as a Top Attorney in Pennsylvania for Estate Planning and Probate by Philadelphia Magazine and as a Top Tax Attorney by Main Line Today.
Joseph E. Lastowka, Jr, an attorney, has been selected to Super Lawyers each consecutive year since 2008. Each year, no more than five percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. He focuses on estate planning, probate, and trust litigation matters. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania. Joseph is a member of the American Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Bar Association, and the Delaware County Bar Association. He is also an elected fellow of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel and is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. Joseph has been included in Best Lawyers in America™ for estate planning, trusts, and estates, and was featured nationally for the first court decision forcing the Internal Revenue Service to pay a taxpayer’s legal fees.
David E. Auerbach, head of the firm’s family law department, has been chosen to Super Lawyers each consecutive year since 2004. Each year, no more than five percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School and is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania. He is also a member of the Delaware County Bar Association and the Pennsylvania Bar Association. David established his career in general litigation before transitioning into family law. He is a frequent lecturer, having spoken to audiences throughout Pennsylvania about family law, including the Divorce Code of 1990 and its amendments. He was also previously recognized as a Top Lawyer in Divorce and Family by Main Line Today.
Craig B. Huffman, an attorney, has been selected to Super Lawyers each consecutive year since 2013. Each year, no more than five percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. He specializes in family law and Orphans’ Court litigation. Craig earned his Juris Doctor from Widener University Delaware Law School and is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania. He is a member of the Delaware County Bar Association, the Delaware County Bar Association Orphans’ Court Rules Committee, and the Pennsylvania Bar Association. Craig has earned numerous awards throughout his career for his work in family law, including the Eric D. Turner Award for elevating the standards of matrimonial law, the Nicholas D. Vadino, Jr. Memorial Award for significant contributions by a young lawyer to the organized bar, and the Pennsylvania Bar Association Pro Bono Service Award. He has also been previously recognized has a Top Lawyer in Divorce and Family by Main Line Today.
Michael J. Davey, who was recently named partner of Eckell Sparks, has been selected to Rising Stars each consecutive year since 2012. Each year, no more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. He heads the firm’s employment law and discrimination practice. Michael earned his Juris Doctor from Pennsylvania State University Dickinson School of Law and is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and the U.S. Supreme Court. He is also a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the New Jersey Bar Association, the Delaware County Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Association for Justice, the American Association for Justice, and the Delaware County Trial Lawyers Association. Aside from being selected to Rising Stars, Michael has a 10.0 attorney rating by AVVO.
Matthew J. Bilker, who was recently named partner of Eckell Sparks, has been selected to Rising Stars each consecutive year since 2019. Each year, no more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. He practices personal injury litigation, general civil litigation, and municipal law. Matthew earned his law degree from Widener University Delaware Law School, where he served as the Business Editor on the Editorial Board of the Widener Law Review and was an active member of the Moe Levine Honor Society for Trial Advocacy. He is currently admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the Delaware County Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers’ Association, the Dade County Bar Association (DCBA) Young Lawyers’ Section-Executive Board, and the Guy G. deFuria Chapter of the American Inns of Court. Matthew has also conducted Continuing Legal Education (CLE) seminars for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute and the Delaware County Bar Association.
Christopher M. Brown, an attorney, has been selected to Rising Stars each consecutive year since 2019. Each year, no more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. He currently represents clients in business formation and development, estate planning, administration, and litigation. He earned his Juris Doctor from the Widener University Delaware Law School and is admitted to practice in the Pennsylvania Trial Courts, the Pennsylvania Appellate Courts, and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Christopher is an active member of the Delaware County Bar Association in the Young Lawyers Section, as well as the Pennsylvania Bar Association. He is also an arbitrator in the Delaware County Court of Common Pleas and the Editor of the Delaware County Legal Journal.
Melanie E. Tunaitis, an associate in the family law department, has been selected to Rising Stars each consecutive year since 2019. Each year, no more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. She earned her Juris Doctor from Widener University Delaware Law School and is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania. After passing the bar, Melanie tried her first case just days later. She has also been previously recognized as a Top Lawyer in Divorce and Family by Main Line Today.
Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters business, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The annual selections are made using a patented multiphase process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates and peer reviews by practice area. The result is a credible, comprehensive and diverse listing of exceptional attorneys.
The Super Lawyers lists are published nationwide in Super Lawyers Magazines and in leading city and regional magazines and newspapers across the country. Super Lawyers Magazines also feature editorial profiles of attorneys who embody excellence in the practice of law. For more information about Super Lawyers, visit SuperLawyers.com.
The legal team at Eckell, Sparks, Levy, Auerbach, Monte, Sloane, Matthews & Auslander, P.C. are willing to help clients with their legal concerns. Fill out an online form or call 610-565-3701 today to get started. Located in Media and West Chester, Pennsylvania, the firm serves clients throughout Delaware County, Chester County, and Montgomery County.