Experienced Lawyers in Media, PA

At Gibson and Perkins, our lawyers take the weight of legal challenges off their clients’ shoulders that would otherwise leave them overwhelmed. Our skilled lawyers in Media, PA practice throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. We assist individuals and organizations with business transactions, tax problems, estate challenges, and litigation. We serve a sophisticated client base, resolving complex issues.

Our experienced attorneys have extensive experience in many specialized areas of the law:

Business Law Firm in Media, PA

Our business lawyers in Media, PA assist clients with the kaleidoscope of challenges business owners commonly face. We are adept at providing guidance to companies of all sizes and focus areas. Our skilled attorneys in Media can often resolve your business disputes before they escalate into the courtroom. Let us help you chart a successful course by pointing out opportunities and potential risks so your business can be out front and in the lead. – LEARN MORE

Real Estate Law Firm in Media, PA

Our experienced real estate lawyers provide a full range of services. We handle sales contracts, and closings, loans, foreclosures, draft deeds, filing liens, address boundary and title disputes, and help resolve zoning issues. We can also help reduce your real estate taxes. Dealing with real estate challenges saves our clients from the emotional toll they often take. Our skilled lawyers can deal efficiently with the legal issues at hand, saving our clients stress and time. – LEARN MORE

Personal Injury Law Firm in Media, PA

At Gibson and Perkins, we fight to protect the rights of victims who’ve been seriously injured due to negligence. We have the knowledge to stand up to insurance companies and make sure your voice is heard. We handle personal injuries of every kind; whether you’ve been injured in a slip and fall, by a dog bite, in an automobile accident or other injury event, call and learn how we can help you. – LEARN MORE

Legal Malpractice in Media, PA

If you’ve hired an attorney that failed to provide you with the quality of legal representation you deserve, causing you harm, you have the right to pursue a claim. Our law firm in Media, PA have the experience and knowledge to fight for your right to hold the attorney who has done you harm accountable.   – LEARN MORE

Employment Law Firm in Media, PA

Running a business is almost always complicated. This is never truer than when you’ve got employees. At Gibson and Perkins, we provide strategic counseling to employers on labor employment law issues of all kinds, including things like workplace discrimination, overtime laws, and employee termination. Let us help you with your employment law issues with strategic and smart to resolve the most problematic workplace challenges. – LEARN MORE

Estate Planning Law Firm in Media, PA

Administering a trust or estate is complicated. Our experienced estate planning attorneys can help you navigate the process, no matter the size and value of the estate. Wrapping up the final debts of an estate and distributing assets is a heavy responsibility and often involves dealing with intense emotions as those involved process the death of their loved one. We can guide you through minimizing the estate’s tax burden, preserving the wealth of the estate, and moving through probate. In addition, we also assist with living wills and trusts.  – LEARN MORE

Landlord Tenant Law Firm in Media, PA

Our skilled landlord tenant attorneys handle a broad range of commercial and residential landlord tenant challenges that include the creation of leases and dealing with lease disputes and evictions. We’ve helped landlords with the eviction of difficult tenants in a and cost-effective and time-efficient way. We have extensive experience in assisting landlords and management companies resolve all the challenges they may face. – LEARN MORE

Tax Controversy Law Firm in Media, PA

We help resolve tax issues at every stage of the process, whether you’re dealing with an audit or are working through an administrative appeal. Our tax lawyers have extensive knowledge of tax law and help businesses and individuals achieve the best available resolution for their specific situation. If you’re burdened with taxes you cannot pay or believe you’re paying more than you should, we can help with that, too. – LEARN MORE

Civil Appellate Law Firm in Media, PA

The process of appealing the decision of a court can be time-consuming, tedious, and expensive. At Gibson and Perkins, our experienced lawyers can take this burden off smaller law firms that may even be sole practitioners. Think of us as your own appellate division without the significant additional expense and overhead. When you bring us into the appellate process, we can take on as little or as much as you like. You may choose to do the research and have us make the arguments. You may want to handle arguments and have us take care of drafts and briefs. Or you may need us to take care of the entire process for you. Contact us today to find out how we can help you with your appellate case. – LEARN MORE

Common Problems You May Face When Dealing with Legal Matters

Delays

One of the most common frustrations people encounter when working through legal issues is delays. While some level of delays is to be expected whenever you are entering the complex arena of law, there are times when delays are used unfairly as a strategy by the opposition.

If, for instance, you have filed a personal injury claim, it’s possible that the insurance company may drag your case timeline out as an intentional “stall tactic” to wear you down. If you’re barely hanging on financially as you heal and wait for your claim to be resolved, you may grow desperate and decide to accept a low offer.

At Gibson and Perkins, we know how to handle insurance company tactics to prevent an unfair advantage on the part of those who owe you compensation.

Time

Like the issue of dragging out the timeline of a case, people often struggle with the time necessary to take on a case by themselves. They’ve already got more than enough responsibility, between a business or job and family obligations. Taking the time required to figure out how to straighten out a legal matter alone on top of other obligations is often unfathomable. The lawyers at Gibson and Perkins completely understand this struggle. One of the best reasons to retain an attorney to resolve your specific situation is our ability to take the burden of your claim off your hands. We can include you in the process as little or as much as possible, according to your wishes.

An excellent example of this is when we handle civil appellate claims for other attorneys. This is an area of law that has many regulations and statues unto itself that come with specialized knowledge of this area of law. A lawyer may be too busy with other claims to be able to be able to focus on an appellate case at an in-depth level. Or they may simply prefer to focus on specific areas of the case and hand off other areas to an appellate attorney. We can help your firm, no matter how large or small, achieve the best results available by working on your appellate case. You get to decide how much or how little involvement you want. Either way, we’ll bring the appellate expertise specific to this area of the law that’s needed for a successful outcome.

Cultural and Social Differences

Even though the judicial system was created with intention of treating people fairly according to the law, people sometimes mistrust turning over their important and often very personal situations to a stranger to advocate on their behalf. They may come from a culture where distrust for government is high, or personal matters are not aired in what is considered a public forum, or they may simply find the entire process intimidating and confusing. At Gibson and Perkins, we strive to bring equity and justice to every client.

Our lawyers care about what you’re going through. We want to know what your goals are for your situation, and what matters to you. Our mission is to bring you a resolution to your situation that brings you as close to your desired outcome as possible. You deserve justice, and we want to bring it to you.

Expenses

Many people struggle to pay for their legal costs until their claims are resolved. In addition to the cost of court fees, there are the expenses of a lawyer and possibly expert witnesses. The potential for taking on such a significant financial burden can make people decide against filing a claim. They often also worry that if they lose, they’ll be responsible for the legal costs of the other side.

Specialized Expertise

Even if you’re a business owner with extensive experience in your field and an accountant, you can benefit from adding a lawyer with specialized knowledge to your case. This is true for any law specialization, but a great example of this is tax law. Even if you are a business owner with an accountant, bringing in a tax lawyer can give you the perspective of a person with the accounting expertise but also the skill to research, argue, and negotiate your case. A tax lawyer can make arguments on your behalf drawing on an extensive knowledge of the law as applied to your tax situation. At Gibson and Perkins, the specialized combination of abilities our lawyers possess can take the potential for success with your claim to a whole new level, whether you need help with tax law, estate law, real estate law, or one of the other areas we have expertise in.

Frequently Asked Legal Questions

Do I really need a business attorney, or can I handle my case on my own?

There are several reasons it’s to your advantage to hire a business attorney. One of them is that an experienced business lawyer knows how to resolve many situations before they escalate to a trial. They can also help you look at several outcome options and decide which one is worth pursuing, based upon your budget and time. With the right legal guidance, you may be able to resolve your issue in mediation, for example, which is preferable to the time and expense of litigation. For this reason, bringing in a business attorney early can be of great help in avoiding expensive mistakes that may push you into a trial. If you do end up going to trial, having a lawyer on your side early will help you avoid costly liabilities, as they can make sure you follow all your obligations and requirements as a business during the trial.

Will I have to go to court to win my business dispute?

Many cases can be resolved through mediation or arbitration before escalating to litigation. Settling your dispute through one of these alternatives to trial saves a significant amount of time and money. It also usually requires the experience of a skilled business lawyer. If a dispute does move into litigation, it is possible for it to be resolved by voluntary settlement, upon approval of the court. When negotiating settlement agreements, having a business lawyer handle and document that settlement is essential to achieving the desired outcome and protect you from liability.

Can an LLC or corporation represent itself in court without an attorney?

The simple answer to this question is no. While there are exceptions the lower court, called the Magisterial District Judges (MDJ) court, the higher courts especially require that a company be represented by an attorney. This is true even if the business is appealing a ruling made in MDJ court.

What can I do to protect my business ideas and intellectual property?

There are a few ways to protect intellectual property. These include filing patents, trademarks, and copyrights. Another way to protect your business-related ideas is through properly written agreements, such as a non-disclosure agreement, which limits the conditions under which protected information may be disclosed, and to whom.

If someone sues my business, can they take aways my personal assets?

Owning a business involves numerous risks. Filing for incorporation is one of the ways to protect your personal property and assets from liability. Even after incorporating, however, it’s important to know that a breach of fiduciary duty on the part of the business owner can cause this protection to be nullified. When this liability shield is lost, a business is said to be ‘pierced.’ This can happen, for example, if a business owner fraudulently transfers business property to a third party to prevent the loss of that property to pay a creditor. Our law firm in Media, PA can guide you on the allowable protections for your business, as well as the terms of those protections.

How can I involuntarily split from my business partner?

If you’re business break up isn’t going to be mutually voluntary and there is an agreement, you’ve got to resort to what the agreement says. Hopefully, during the life of the company, you have put a plan in place in anticipation of this situation.

An agreement provides a formula for valuing the company and the process of carrying out the termination of the partnership. It specifies whether the company’s value is to be determined via appraisals, agreements, or a set determination by the accountant or a business advisor who puts a number on the business’s value. Such an agreement also sets forth how you’ll pay it out the value owed to the departing shareholder or shareholders.

If one partner wants to remain in the company, then the buyout provision sets forth how the buyout will be paid, in these amounts, and the payment schedule. Or it may be in the form of a cash settlement.

The issue you can have is your partner may not want to go. If you trigger the exit process however, based on your assessment that the two of you cannot move forward together, the person who stays buys out the other, or you both leave and close shop.

Be careful, however, when offering to buy out your partner, that you don’t establish too low of a price to buy out your partner, because this can become fair game for you to be bought out at the same price, should the ruling be turned around on you in arbitration or court.

Resolving these types of disputes can go three ways. The least favorable is litigation in court and the best is mediation. Arbitration falls in between and involves a final ruling by a third party based on evidence presented to support the argument of each side. Whether the ruling of the arbitrator is binding will depend on the terms the partners have agreed to.

What is involved in filing a personal injury claim?

While every claim is different, in general, the first thing we do is conduct a thorough accident investigation. We gather as much evidence as possible, speaking to witnesses and going through all documentation, such as witness statements, police reports, and medical reports. Fault is determined when going through this process. We assist in submitting your claim and you work on your recovery, adhering to all doctor’s instructions. When you recover from your injuries as much as you are going to be expected to, we negotiate a settlement with the insurance companies involved. If they refuse to offer a fair settlement, we go to court on your behalf and sue.

Will I have to go to court to win my personal injury claim?

While it’s possible, it’s not necessary for every case. One of the things we specialize in at Gibson and Perkins is the ability to achieve our clients’ desired outcome without needing to drag their case into court. Should your claim go to trial, however, our highly skilled attorneys are more than equipped to fight for your rights in the courtroom.

What are the negligence laws in Pennsylvania?

The State of Pennsylvania operates on the grounds of comparative negligence. This means how much you can collect depends on the percentage of fault that lies with you. To collect compensation for damages in an automobile accident, you must be less than 51% responsible for that accident. If you’re over 50% at fault, you cannot seek compensation for damages from the other party or parties involved.

When seeking to collect compensation, what will be available to you is going to be adjusted according to how much of the fault you possess. If you are responsible for 30% of the blame for the accident, for example, then the most you will be able to recover is 70% of the settlement award.

How does inheritance tax work in Pennsylvania?

The laws pertaining to inheritance tax in Pennsylvania are unique. In general, there is a maximum of 15 percent inheritance tax on assets that are transferred from an individual who has died to the person who inherits. This, however, depends on who is inheriting. The exceptions to those paying 15 percent tax are spouses, lineal descendants, and siblings.

If the person who inherits is a spouse, they don’t pay inheritance tax. Children and grandchildren (referred to as “lineal descendants”) will pay 4.5 percent tax. Siblings pay 12.5 percent tax. Contact our estate planning lawyers for information on minimizing the tax burden to those you wish to leave your estate to.

Help! I’ve been designated to be the executor of an estate and don’t know where to begin

Our estate administration lawyers in Media, PA can help you through the process of wrapping up the debts of an estate and distributing assets according to the wishes of the person who has passed. The process of administering an estate may involve:

• Tax preparation
• Filing of required paperwork
• Paying debts
• Opening bank accounts
• Distributing assets

How do I know if an employee qualifies for overtime?

Answer: The easiest way to answer this question is to identify those employees who are exempt from overtime wages. Some examples include:

• Fisherman
• Commission-based employees
• Professionals, to include teachers and attorneys
• Farm workers on small farms

You can find a more extensive list on the website for the Department of Labor.

What should I do if I’m being sued for discrimination?

If you are an employer in Pennsylvania, you must meet certain requirements regarding treatment of certain classes of employees. Federal laws are relevant here, as well, due to the establishment of federal laws regarding anti-discrimination. The basic principles are that you cannot discriminate based on:

• Age
• Race
• Gender

There are complicated ways in which these biases are determined and can relate to the way in which you apply the policies or implement the policies. If you do discriminate based upon these factors, the provision in the law allows for a person to file a claim against you for compensation, loss of an opportunity, a limited amount of pain and suffering, and generally for their attorney fees in pursuing the claim.

What do I do if I owe taxes I can’t pay?

If you can’t pay your taxes, the best course of action is to file by the due date and explore payment options for the unpaid tax. Waiting to file until you have the money to pay is going to cause you much bigger problems, so always make sure you at least file your paperwork on time. If you’ve got a tax problem, you’d like help with, give our tax lawyers in Media, PA a call. We can intervene on your behalf with the IRS to help you achieve to the resolution available to you.

What kinds of issues can arise from a real estate transaction?

One of the problems people encounter is purchasing property under their personal name, and later look to transfer the property to an entity that provides liability protection, such as a corporation or limited liability company. In Pennsylvania, this is a mistake, because the transfer of title from the individual to the corporation will trigger a real estate transfer tax. This can be very expensive, even when they own the company 100%.

So, it’s important for a buyer to understand the law around limiting liability and take title originally in a corporate or limited liability company format so you can avoid any additional real estate transfer tax later.

How much does it cost to evict a tenant?

This will depend on the circumstances of your case, as well as how many tenants are in the property. Generally speaking, however, a typical eviction should cost you around $100-$200 to file the complaint. An attorney should then provide a flat fee of several hundred dollars to attend the hearing and make sure the judgement is executed on and possession of the property is regained. If you have questions about landlord tenant issues, call our landlord tenant attorneys in Media, PA.

What should a landlord consider when creating a lease?

When preparing to create a lease, a landlord should consider several factors. The factors to be considered will depend on whether the lease is for a residential property or a commercial property. As an example, a residential landlord, be sure to identify who the tenants are and make sure you include them all on the lease. This will result in them all being obligated in the event there is damage to your property or failure to pay rent, giving you multiple avenues of recovery.

You also want to make sure you identify the term of the lease. Is it month-to-month? Is it yearly? When that least is up, does it automatically renew or does it terminate?

You also want to be sure to cover any additional terms specific to your property. Do you want to allow pets? Is there onsite or offsite parking? Who is responsible for various types of maintenance or upkeep? The more specific you get in the lease, the less opportunity there is for a misunderstanding or dispute as to who is responsible for what.

If you have questions about landlord tenant issues, give our landlord tenant attorneys in Media, PA a call.

Call Our Law Firm in Media, PA Today

As you can see, there are many issues the experienced lawyers in the Gibson and Perkins Law Firm in Media, PA can assist you with. If you’re overwhelmed and seeking help for an overwhelming legal matter, reach out and let our lawyers shoulder the burden for you. We know how to guide you through; call us today.