Initiative in Practice.®
For every client. Every day.
Founded in 1880, we serve individuals and businesses.
We’ve transformed the way we practice law to meet the technological and social requirements of the day.
ABOUT US

MacElree Harvey 145 Years Of Experience
With roots that reach back to 1880, MacElree Harvey uses the traditional values of professionalism and excellence as the foundation for the firm’s identity. Our attorneys are encouraged to build on these traditional values through Initiative – creative problem-solving, proactive planning, and strategic positioning.

Initiative in Practice® . For Every Client. Every Day.
Our 45+ attorneys and their staff are dedicated to providing clients with superior representation and are committed to achieving the best outcomes. We serve individuals and businesses in the Pennsylvania and Delaware area with our expertise in various areas of the law.

Client Focused Law Firm
We believe that we’re only as good as the reputation of our clients—which is why we work diligently to ensure our clients come first. We never hesitate to put our reputation on the line to ensure they get as much out of the relationship as we do.
NEWS & INSIGHTS
Application of Privilege in the Era of Generative AI
One Reason Homeowners Miss Tax Sale Notices
Overturning a Tax Sale: Why Acting Quickly Matters
MacElree Harvey Elects Andrew R. Silverman as Shareholder
Employment Law Update January 2026
When Safety Meets the Law: The Power and Consequences of Protection From Abuse Orders in Pennsylvania
Judge Lou Mincarelli Returns to MacElree Harvey After Service on the Chester County Bench
Employment Law Update December 2025

CLIENT TESTIMONIALS
It is easy when getting divorced to make emotional decisions. Lance helped keep me on track by constantly benchmarking my emotional choices against my long term goals. His ability to steer my communications and ultimately my decision making to achieving my goals was an enormous benefit. Lots of lawyers understand the law. Lance not only is a great lawyer, he also understands people and how to motivate them to success.
After encountering an issue with adopting our dog, we didn’t really know where we would ever find help and support. After having John recommended to us by a family friend, we knew immediately we were going to get the help we needed. John took our story very seriously, he was compassionate and right away began to identify solutions for us. Through his well spoken and confident demeanor, John explained each part of the legal process in terms we grasped easily. He educated us, upheld our values and held consistent professional communication throughout the process. His high expectations for his clients coupled with his legal expertise allowed us to have a smooth case. Thanks to John’s hard work and dedication, we are more than pleased with the outcome of our suit and highly recommend John to everyone we know. Thank you John for advocating for us – you changed our lives!
Caroline Donato was my criminal attorney. She was by far the smartest and most insightful person in the court room. She was also a delightful person and a pleasure to work with. Caroline handled everything that came her way in a complex case with an exceptional level of confidence and discernment. Her attention to detail, academic excellence, and commitment to her clients shined brightly from the beginning, and she sustained that level of promise to the end. Caroline delivered on all of her promises, was responsive in all of our communications, and came more than prepared to every meeting. She maintained utmost professionalism and poise in the courtroom and was always ten steps ahead of the opposing counsel. Whenever the situation called for it, she was as fierce as a lion on my behalf. Her closing arguments were on point; they deserved a standing ovation if not for the serious context of the case at hand. Any claims from opposing counsel were addressed and put to rest thanks to Caroline’s preparedness and noteworthy eloquence in speaking. As a result of her efforts, justice was served. Caroline is who you want by your side in a crises. I highly recommend her services to anyone who needs a criminal attorney.
Caroline helped me out with a dire situation, without going into too much detail Caroline won me the case with her very high-level skill set that she brings as lawyer, these skills are but not limited to, her attentiveness during trials, her competitive attitude, genuine care for client and of course her very clear clean and well organized notes that she brings with her everywhere, on top of all this she always responds in a timely manner although she prefers emails for documentation purposes she will text and keep in touch with client at all times to make the trial process seem very seamless and make an already stressful situation as simple as possible!
I highly recommend her to anyone whos looking to find a reliable trustworthy compassionate and strong lawyer who will not back down from any challenge and always has a plan of action in the very unpredictable legal world of our judicial system!
Lance Nelson helped me with many issues over several years. I would and do highly recommend him for all legal issues, especially child custody.















































