MacElree Harvey, Ltd.

Initiative in Practice

Kennett Square, PA

Mary Kay Gaver

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Mary Kay Gaver

Partner – Business Department

Mary Kay previously worked with the Firm from August 2016 – September 2020 and represents clients in a wide variety of real estate, lending and commercial transactions.

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Mary Kay graduated from University of Maryland School of Law and earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the Loyola University of Maryland.  She is licensed to practice in Pennsylvania and Maryland.

PRACTICE AREAS

OFFICES

ADMISSIONS

  • Pennsylvania
  • Maryland

EDUCATION

  • University of Maryland School of Law
  • Loyola University of Maryland, B.A. in Political Science

ARTICLES

IN THE NEWS

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AWARDS

Tiffany M. Shrenk

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Tiffany M. Shrenk

Partner – Civil Litigation

Tiffany brings over 10 years of experience working with individuals with civil legal matters in Delaware and Pennsylvania. Tiffany brings over 10 years of experience working with individuals with civil legal matters in Delaware and Pennsylvania. She is an attorney in the firm’s Delaware and Kennett Square offices and is licensed to practice law in…

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Tiffany brings over 10 years of experience working with individuals with civil legal matters in Delaware and Pennsylvania. She is an attorney in the firm’s Delaware and Kennett Square offices and is licensed to practice law in Delaware and Pennsylvania. Tiffany represents clients in a wide range of civil litigation matters and has focused primarily on the handling of personal injury claims and estate litigation cases. Her personal injury experience includes automobile, truck, and motorcycle accidents, along with slip and fall, medical malpractice, and wrongful death cases.

In addition to her personal injury and estate litigation practice, Tiffany represents individuals in adult guardianship proceedings, contested and uncontested, fiduciary litigation claims, and contract claims.

Tiffany attended St. Mark’s High School in Delaware. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Economics from Boston University, then graduated summa cum laude from Duquesne University Law School in 2009. While in law school, she was a member of the Duquesne Law Review and interned for the Honorable Joy Flowers Conti, United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

Active in the community, Tiffany serves as a volunteer attorney guardian ad litem for The Office of the Child Advocate, a state agency charged with safeguarding the welfare of Delaware’s children, where Tiffany provides legal representation for dependent, neglected, and abused children in the foster care system.

Notable Representations

  • Car Accident – Wilmington, DE – Six-figure recovery for healthcare professional who suffered debilitating head and neck injuries in rear-end motor vehicle collision.
  • Car Accident – Smyrna, DE – Obtained a large recovery from the underinsured motorist coverage for a client injured in a rear-end motor vehicle collision.
  • Pedestrian Accident – Newark, DE – Recovered a six-figure underinsured motorist settlement for pedestrian struck by an erratic driver who veered off the roadway.
  • Partition Action – Chancery Court of Delaware – Represented owner of a beach property in a Chancery Court partition proceeding where the co-owner failed to contribute toward the expenses of the property
  • Adult Guardianship Proceedings – Chancery Court of Delaware – Represented petitioners and respondents in contested and uncontested proceedings for the appointment of a guardian for a disabled adult
  • Name Change Petitions – Court of Common Pleas Delaware – Representing individuals (adults and minors) seeking a legal name change
  • Pedestrian Accident – Newark, DE – Successfully filed an underinsured motorist claim for a client who stood on the edge of the roadway waiting to cross the street when struck by an erratic driver who veered off the roadway.
  • Bicycle Accident – Wilmington, DE – Client was riding her bicycle when she was struck by a motorist who ignored a stop sign. Ensured that the client received her no-fault benefits from the motorist’s insurer and achieved a settlement to compensate the client for pain and suffering.
  • Slip and Fall – Wilmington, DE – Successfully obtained a settlement in excess of $20,000 for a client who slipped and fell in a retail store due to uneven flooring. The client suffered a shoulder injury that resolved without invasive treatment.
  • Will Challenge – Chancery Court of Delaware – Successfully represented four siblings against a fifth sibling who had mother’s will changed and a new deed drafted just weeks prior to the mother’s death.
  • Challenge to Change of Life Insurance Beneficiary Form – Federal District Court of the District of Delaware – Represented a wife claiming upon undue influence and lack of capacity her husband’s execution of a change of beneficiary form appointing the husband’s brother as the beneficiary of the husband’s life insurance policy shortly before his death.
  • Wrongful Death and Medical Malpractice – Wilmington, DE – Successfully represented a mother alleging medical malpractice against a Delaware psychiatrist that lead to the death of her daughter.
  • Real Estate Fraud – Wilmington, DE – Represented buyers against the sellers of a condominium unit who failed to disclose to the buyers that the City of Wilmington had ordered repairs to the condominium building’s exterior walls resulting in a special assessment to unit owners in excess of $25,000.00.

Memberships

  • American Bar Association
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association
  • Delaware State Bar Association
  • Delaware Trial Lawyers Association

Community Involvement

  • Centreville Civic Association, Board Member
  • The Office of the Child Advocate, Volunteer Attorney

Videos

Car Insurance Tips
Personal Injury and Social Media
Partition Action
Deposition Process
Expert Witnesses
Deposition in Upstate NY
Medical Experts
What I Do Outside of Work
How to Find a Good PI Attorney
What I Like Most About Being An Attorney
How Social Media Affects Your Case
What is a Contingent Fee?

PRACTICE AREAS

OFFICES

ADMISSIONS

  • Delaware
  • Pennsylvania
  • United States District Court for the District of Delaware

EDUCATION

  • Boston University, Economics
  • Duquesne University School of Law, Pre-Professional Studies

ARTICLES

IN THE NEWS

AWARDS

Top-Lawyer-2019-MLT
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Timothy F. Rayne

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Timothy F. Rayne

Partner – Personal Injury

“You exhibit the highest sense of ethics and honesty.  I felt as if my case was presented fairly and honestly.  Most importantly, I felt that you truly cared about me and my family.” – Client Review

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Tim Rayne is an experienced Personal Injury and Medical Malpractice attorney. For over twenty-five years, Tim has been helping people injured in accidents understand their legal rights and receive fair compensation from insurance companies.

Tim has extensive experience in negotiating settlements with insurance companies and trying cases including:

Tim has an advanced Master’s Degree in Trial Advocacy and is Board Certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. SuperLawyers has honored Tim as one of the Top 100 Lawyers in Philadelphia and Pennsylvania, and he has been listed by the National Trial Lawyers as a Top 100 Trial Lawyer.

Tim has the highest AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell and has a 10.0 “Superb” rating from AVVO. Tim has been recognized as a “Top Lawyer” in Personal Injury by Main Line Today Magazine and he is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum. Tim has been selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America© in the field of Personal Injury Litigation.

Tim regularly practices in Chester County with offices in Kennett Square and West Chester. Tim also helps clients with Personal Injury cases in neighboring counties including Bucks County, Delaware County, Lancaster County, Montgomery County, and Philadelphia County.

Notable Representations

  • Car Accident – Chester County, PA – Settlement in excess of one million dollars for a client who sustained serious foot injuries following a broad-side collision between a Corvette and an SUV that failed to yield while turning left.
  • Truck Accident – Chester County, PA – Settlement in excess of one million dollars when a car was rear ended by a tractor trailer resulting in neck injuries and surgery.
  • Car Accident – Underinsurance Claim – Philadelphia, PA – Mediated settlement in excess of 1.5 million dollars for a client who sustained neurological injuries in a car accident.
  • Car Accident Verdict – Chester County, PA – A broad-side collision resulted in neck and back injuries to client. Insurance company offered a low-ball settlement of $12,000. Chester County jury trial resulted in $50,000 verdict.
  • Car Accident Verdict – Greensboro, NC – $4,250 Allstate Insurance Company offer was rejected and the jury verdict totaled $62,977.21.
  • Medical Malpractice – Operating Room Fire – Cecil County, MD – Operating room fire resulted in first and second degree face and shoulder burns. The case resolved just before trial.
  • Slip and Fall – Lancaster, PA – Tenant fell on steps at an apartment building due to a defective railing. The case settled for six figures prior to trial.
  • Slip and Fall – Chester County, PA – Client slipped and fell in a McDonald’s restaurant due to wet tile floor without mats or warning signs. The case settled for $125,000.
  • Nail Gun Injury – Federal Court – Philadelphia, PA – A construction worker who was seriously injured when a nail gun misfired and shot a three-inch nail into his chest. Legal claims were filed against the nail gun manufacturer alleging that the tool was defective and dangerous because it did not have a safety switch. The case settled prior to trial.

Memberships

PRACTICE AREAS

OFFICES

ADMISSIONS

  • Pennsylvania

EDUCATION

  • Temple University Beasley School of Law, LL.M. Trial Advocacy
  • Widener University School of Law, Philadelphia Trial Lawyer’s Award for Trial Advocacy Law Review
  • University of Delaware, Economics

ARTICLES

IN THE NEWS

AWARDS

Super Lawyers Top 100

J. Charles Gerbron, Jr.

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J. Charles Gerbron, Jr.

Partner – Land Use and Litigation

J. Charles Gerbron, Jr. is a dynamic attorney who represents businesses, developers, non-profits, and individuals on a variety of litigation, corporate, and land use-related matters.

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J. Charles Gerbron, Jr. is a dynamic attorney who represents businesses, developers, non-profits, and individuals on a variety of litigation, corporate, and land use-related matters. As a trial attorney, Charlie is an experienced practitioner and skilled courtroom advocate who has successfully represented clients in the courts of common pleas of Chester, Philadelphia, Montgomery, Delaware, Bucks, and Berks County, as well as in Federal Court. His trial litigation practice regularly involves corporate litigation, complex commercial litigation, land use litigation, real estate litigation, and construction litigation, among other practice areas.

As a zoning and land use attorney, Charlie regularly represents clients before municipal boards of supervisors/commissioners, planning commissions, and zoning hearing boards. He is frequently retained by developers, businesses, non-profits, and individuals to assist them in obtaining approvals, relief under applicable zoning and land development ordinances, and challenging the validity of zoning ordinances on procedural and substantive grounds.

Charlie’s appellate practice is focused primarily on land use, zoning, corporate, complex commercial, real estate, and construction-related litigation in Pennsylvania’s Commonwealth Court, Superior Court, and Supreme Court. His experience, expertise, and enthusiasm for the practice area make him a formidable appellate advocate.

Charlie joined MacElree Harvey in 2012 and was elected partner in 2018. Before joining MacElree Harvey, Charlie served as an appellate prosecutor in the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, where he gained extensive experience litigating before the Pennsylvania Superior and Supreme courts. Charlie has also litigated civil rights and labor and employment matters in the federal courts.

Notable Representations

Zoning & Land Use Litigation

  • Successfully represented a developer in challenging the procedural validity of an amendment to a zoning ordinance.
  • Successfully represented a developer in obtaining the necessary zoning and land development approvals for a 55+ community.
  • Successfully represented an independent school in obtaining zoning and land development approvals for a new STEM/STEAM center and outdoor instruction area.
  • Successfully represented a large agricultural supply company in obtaining extensive zoning relief to construct a cutting-edge composting operation.
  • Successfully represented a biotech firm that produces and distributes environmentally friendly products in obtaining a variance under local zoning ordinances to construct a critical addition to the facility.

Charlie also regularly leads representations involving variances, special exceptions, conditional uses, zoning officer determinations and notices of violation, development rights, conservation easements and other zoning and land use related matters.

Construction Litigation

  • Successfully represented a large electrical subcontractor in a multi-claim, multi-action dispute with the owner and general contractor of a multi-million dollar casino project.
  • Successfully represented a developer-owner in a multi-million dollar mechanics’ lien and breach of contract dispute.
  • Successfully litigated construction defect disputes on behalf of general contractors, subcontractors, and owners.
  • Successfully represented a builder-developer against allegations of defective stormwater management facilities.
  • Successfully represented an owner in a dispute over charges pursuant to a commercial construction agreement.

Charlie also regularly leads representations concerning construction defects, payment disputes, mechnics liens, and subcontractor-contractor disputes.

Corporate Litigation

  • Successfully represented a managing member in a dispute among members of a limited liability company.
  • Successfully represented a corporation following a books and records demand.
  • Successfully litigated a partnership dispute.
  • Successfully represented a minority shareholder in a “freeze-out” dispute.
  • Successfully represented a construction material supplier in a shareholder dispute.

Real Estate Litigation

  • Successfully represented a builder-developer in a dispute with a bank concerning a multi-million suburban development.
  • Successfully represented a landowner in obtaining an injunction to ensure continued access to property after threats by an adjacent landowner to block access.
  • Successfully represented a general contractor in an easement and boundary dispute with an adjacent landowner.
  • Successfully represented a homeowners’ association in a dispute with an association member involving violations of restrictive covenants and claims under the Fair Housing Act.
  • Successfully represented a homeowner in a dispute with a homeowners’ association motivated by bias as demonstrated by selective enforcements of restrictive covenants.

Charlie also regularly leads representations involving easements, boundary disputes, adverse possession and prescriptive easement claims, agreement of sale termination and deposit disputes, claims of misrepresentation or non-disclosure in the sale of real property, homeowners’ association disputes, and stormwater litigation.

Complex Commercial Litigation

  • Successfully represented a financier involved a loan-procurement dispute that included allegations of fraud, misrepresentation, and deceptive acts.
  • Successfully represented a food service provider in a complex breach of contract dispute.
  • Successfully represented a produce cooperative in a contract and payment dispute with members.
  • Successfully represented a produce grower involved in a complex contractual dispute with a partner-grower and produce purchaser.
  • Successfully represented a produce grower involved in a payment dispute with a produce purchaser implicating the Perishable Agricultural Commodities Act (PACA).

Memberships

  • Chester County Bar Association
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association

Community Involvement

  • Trustee, Upland Country Day School
  • Lawrenceville School Invitational Ice Hockey Tournament Committee

PRACTICE AREAS

OFFICES

ADMISSIONS

  • Pennsylvania
  • United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania

EDUCATION

  • Villanova University School of Law (J.D.)
  • Georgetown University (B.A., Government)

ARTICLES

IN THE NEWS

AWARDS

Martindale-Hubbell Ratings 2019
Rising Stars 2019
J. Charles Gerbron selected Rising Star 2018
Charlie Gerbron
Top-Lawyer-2019-MLT
Top Lawyers 2018-MLT
MLT-Top-Lawyer-logo 2017
MLT-Top-Lawyer-2016
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William J. Gallagher

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William J. Gallagher

Of Counsel – Litigation and Estates

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William J. Gallagher has been practicing law and serving the community for over 60 years. His practice focuses on general litigation and estates.

Mr. Gallagher currently serves on the Board of Directors of Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania and is a past president of the organization. He is also a member of the Chester County Bar Association’s Pro Bono Committee and Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Legal Services to the Public Committee. Additionally, Mr. Gallagher served as Board Chair for the Chester County Community Foundation from 2014 to 2016.

A longtime resident of Kennett Square, Mr. Gallagher has also served as zoning hearing board solicitor for the Kennett Township for over forty years.

A graduate of La Salle University, Mr. Gallagher received his law degree from Villanova University.

Memberships

  • Chester County Bar Association, Pro Bono Committee, and Past President
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association, Legal Services to the Public Committee, Senior Lawyers Committee and Investigation Panel of Judicial Evaluation Commission
  • American Bar Association

Previous Memberships

  • Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, Disciplinary Board Hearing Officer

Community Involvement

Videos

Quality Of MacElree Harvey’s Staff
My Favorite Charities
Why I Practice Law

PRACTICE AREAS

OFFICES

ADMISSIONS

  • Pennsylvania
  • Supreme Court of the United States

EDUCATION

  • Villanova University School of Law
  • La Salle University, Government

IN THE NEWS

AWARDS

Super Lawyers 2019
William J. Gallagher
MLT-Top-Lawyer-logo 2017
Top Lawyer
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Criminal Defense

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Criminal Defense

Being investigated or prosecuted for a crime is obvious cause for anxiety. It is imperative to have an experienced, proficient, and accessible defense attorney to guide you through this process.

Our team of criminal defense attorneys will assess your matter and advise of the most effective way to defend or mitigate it. We will advise you of the realistically obtainable outcomes and also of how to manage or avoid any collateral consequences to the allegations.

Our team has handled diverse criminal matters involving felony and/or misdemeanor offenses in Chester County and throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as well as the Federal Courts. With well over a decade of combined experience, our criminal defense attorneys are uniquely qualified and well prepared to assist you with matters including:

  • Felony Offenses
  • Homicide – Murder and Manslaughter
  • Set of Offenses – Rape, Sexual Assault, Child Pornography, Corruption of Minors
  • Aggravated Assault
  • Arson
  • RICO
  • Insurance Fraud
  • Drug Offenses – Possession with Intent to Deliver, Drug Delivery Resulting in a Death
  • Burglary
  • Theft
  • Misdemeanor Offense
  • Simple Assault
  • Recklessly Endangering Another Person
  • Terroristic Threats
  • Retail Theft
  • Indirect Criminal Contempt
  • Traffic Offenses
  • DUI
  • Homicide by Vehicle
  • DUS
  • State and Federal Grand Jury Representation

We rely upon our knowledge and experience to render thorough assessments and prompt advice. We handle our criminal defense cases proactively and, when appropriate, creatively. In defending our clients, we also may utilize a variety of resources, including experienced investigators and reputable forensic witnesses.

At MacElree Harvey, we will guide and assist you throughout the criminal process and we will work hard to achieve the best possible outcome in your case, whether that be a declination of prosecution by the government, acquittal, or other favorable disposition.

REPRESENTATIVE CASES:

  • Acquittal by juries of multiple clients accused of rape and related allegations.
  • Acquittal by jury of physician accused of felony offenses of illegally dispensing controlled substances.
  • Acquittal by jury of client accused of homicide.
  • Exoneration of client accused of felony insurance fraud.
  • Acquittal by juries of multiple DUI clients.
  • Successful Pre-Trial Motions dismissing prosecution for multiple clients.
  • Favorable sentencings for clients accused of financial fraud and other felony offenses.
  • Alternative sentences (i.e., house arrest or in-patient treatment) in lieu of otherwise mandatory incarceration.

PRACTICE AREAS

ATTORNEYS

OFFICES

ARTICLES

ALL PRACTICE AREAS

If you would like to schedule a consultation, please call the firm at 610.436.0100 or submit the contact request form.

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Centreville, DE

5721 Kennett Pike
Wilmington, DE 19807
302-654-4454
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Hockessin, DE

724 Yorklyn Rd #100
Hockessin, DE 19707
302-239-3700
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Kennett Square, PA

209 East State Street Road
Kennett Square, PA 19348
610-444-3180
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West Chester, PA

17 West Miner Street
West Chester, PA 19382
610-436-0100
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