Your Lawyers for Life
Our attorneys live and serve locally, from our offices in West Chester, Berwyn and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Greater Wilmington, Delaware, even as they participate in a multitude of cases on a regional and national basis. They champion Gawthrop’s core principle of providing the highest quality legal services to businesses, individuals and governmental entities — with a level of personal attention, efficiency and success that is seldom found elsewhere.
Select an attorney to view their contact information:
Denise Antonelli is a member of Gawthrop Greenwood’s Trusts & Estates department, practicing in the areas of Estate Planning and Estate and Trust Administration.
Kristen Bennett helps clients navigate potentially confusing areas of estate planning, as well as estate and trust administration, with care, understanding and compassion.
Elliot H. Berton protects condominium and homeowners’ associations in state and bankruptcy courts, with extensive experience representing banks & financial service companies
James D. Doyle practices in homeowners and condominium association law, real estate transactions and litigation, zoning and land use and buyer/seller disputes.
Walter P. Eells concentrates his practice in the Family and Orphans' Courts, including adoptions, guardianships, divorce, custody, support, pre- and postnuptial agreements, litigation and mediation.
Stacey L. Fuller practices Municipal Law, Land Use Law and Education Law, representing municipalities, townships, boroughs, planning commissions, zoning hearing boards and charter schools.
Annie Martino Frazier prepares complex estate plans for high net worth individuals, with background in corporate law and international tax and aspects of Delaware and Pennsylvania trusts & estate law.
Tod represents individuals with significant wealth in their estate planning and trust and estate administration, succession planning for businesses and farms, and generation-skipping transfers.
A lifelong Delaware resident, family lawyer Carl Heckert practices divorce litigation and mediation, including property division, custody, child support, alimony, protection from abuse & grandparents rights
Sandy Knapp practices in Business Law, Commercial Transactions, Admiralty/Maritime Law, Real Estate Law, Banking and Finance, transactional and general corporate matters.
Don Kohler focuses in family law, including divorce, custody, support, alimony, Orphans’ Court, guardianships, adoptions, and probate litigation.
Pat McKenna represents municipalities, zoning hearing boards, municipal authorities and planning commissions as well as private land owners and developers.
Steve McDonnell is a litigator who concentrates in contract disputes, construction claims, employment issues and insurance matters, helping corporations and individuals.
As head of the Business Law Department, Mike Merlie practices in finance, secured transactions, mergers, acquisitions, real estate and admiralty/maritime law.
Michael Naseef represents developers, builders and investors in residential and commercial land development and zoning matters, including real estate acquisition, financing, leasing and transfer.
Steve Olsen practices in Estate, Trust Administration, Estate Planning Taxation and Business Transactions. He also has wide experience supporting the legal needs of medical marijuana operators.
Mary Ann Plankinton practices in Pennsylvania and Delaware in family law (divorce, support, custody and adoption) as well as estate planning, administration and litigation. She is also a trained mediator.
A business and real estate law lawyer, Gordon Prince is the “go to” resource for businesses on compliance, transactions, formation, contracts, corporate governance and commercial real estate transactions.
Joanna Reiver practices in estate planning, planning for family members with disabilities, closely held business interests, charitable trusts and generation-skipping trusts.
Theo Speedy advises municipalities on a variety of issues including governance, personnel, compliance and public policy. As a litigator, he defends clients in state and federal court.
Steve Sugarman supports homeowners associations (HOAs), planned communities, condominium associations and cooperatives in Pennsylvania.
Connor J. Thomson is a lawyer for homeowners associations (HOAs), condominium associations, cooperatives and insurance companies that turn to Gawthrop Greenwood.
Emeritus
Gawthrop Greenwood’s legacy of superior service is rooted in a foundation of trust established by our emeritus attorneys who have retired from full-time practice. We invite you to contact Gawthrop Greenwood at 610-696-8225 for more information.
Kevin Holleran
Patrick C. O’Donnell
In Memoriam
Holly L. Setzler
Practicing for more than 30 years, Holly L. Setzler established a long-and-strong reputation as a highly respected community association law and real estate attorney. She was a leader in her field as well as within Gawthrop Greenwood, not only as a professional but as a dear friend. Holly was also an active member of her Chester County community, where she was an advocate for grieving children and families through A Haven. Please join us in honoring Holly’s legacy.
Latest News
Gawthrop Greenwood Attorney Theodore T. Speedy, Jr. Appointed Solicitor of West Marlborough Township Zoning Hearing Board
Gawthrop Greenwood, PC is pleased to announce that the law firm has been appointed solicitor of…
Gawthrop Greenwood Ranked Nationally in 2026 Edition of Best Law Firms
For an eighth consecutive year, Gawthrop Greenwood is ranked nationally in Best Law Firms®. The firm achieved national recognition once again for Land Use and Zoning Law as well as Trusts and Estates, while the majority of our 11 metropolitan recognitions were elevated to a higher tier for 2026.
Major Changes to Pennsylvania Building Codes Affect Municipal Code Officials, Designers, Contractors and Builders Starting January 1, 2026
After a lengthy delay and final regulatory review process, Pennsylvania will officially implement the International Code Council 2021 Code Series, with amendments, as the Commonwealth’s Uniform Construction Code, anticipated to take effect on January 1, 2026. All municipalities and municipal code officials across the Commonwealth, in addition to designers, contractors and builders who work with them, must ensure compliance with the new code.
What Can Happen If I Use AI as a Condo or HOA Board Member?
Members of association boards must now be on the look-out for certain exclusions to their directors & officers liability policies relating to artificial intelligence. Recently, a large commercial lines insurance company introduced a new “absolute” exclusion to its D&O policies that seeks to eliminate coverage for nearly all claims related to AI-generated content, including using AI-generated content to assist with making complex financial, legal or governance decisions, as well as creating budgets, contracts, declarations, bylaws and more.
Denise M. Antonelli
Denise Antonelli is a member of Gawthrop Greenwood’s Trusts & Estates department, practicing in the areas of Estate Planning and Estate and Trust Administration.
P. Kristen Bennett
Kristen Bennett helps clients navigate potentially confusing areas of estate planning, as well as estate and trust administration, with care, understanding and compassion.
Elliot H. Berton
Elliot H. Berton protects condominium and homeowners’ associations in state and bankruptcy courts, with extensive experience representing banks & financial service companies
James D. Doyle
James D. Doyle practices in homeowners and condominium association law, real estate transactions and litigation, zoning and land use and buyer/seller disputes.
Walter P. Eells
Walter P. Eells concentrates his practice in the Family and Orphans' Courts, including adoptions, guardianships, divorce, custody, support, pre- and postnuptial agreements, litigation and mediation.
Stacey L. Fuller
Stacey L. Fuller practices Municipal Law, Land Use Law and Education Law, representing municipalities, townships, boroughs, planning commissions, zoning hearing boards and charter schools.
Ann L. Martino Frazier
Annie Martino Frazier prepares complex estate plans for high net worth individuals, with background in corporate law and international tax and aspects of Delaware and Pennsylvania trusts & estate law.
J. Stoddard Hayes Jr.
Tod represents individuals with significant wealth in their estate planning and trust and estate administration, succession planning for businesses and farms, and generation-skipping transfers.
Carl W. Heckert
A lifelong Delaware resident, family lawyer Carl Heckert practices divorce litigation and mediation, including property division, custody, child support, alimony, protection from abuse & grandparents rights
Sandra L. Knapp
Sandy Knapp practices in Business Law, Commercial Transactions, Admiralty/Maritime Law, Real Estate Law, Banking and Finance, transactional and general corporate matters.
Donald F. Kohler
Don Kohler focuses in family law, including divorce, custody, support, alimony, Orphans’ Court, guardianships, adoptions, and probate litigation.
Patrick M. McKenna
Pat McKenna represents municipalities, zoning hearing boards, municipal authorities and planning commissions as well as private land owners and developers.
Stephen R. McDonnell
Steve McDonnell is a litigator who concentrates in contract disputes, construction claims, employment issues and insurance matters, helping corporations and individuals.
Michael F. Merlie
As head of the Business Law Department, Mike Merlie practices in finance, secured transactions, mergers, acquisitions, real estate and admiralty/maritime law.
Michael V. Naseef
Michael Naseef represents developers, builders and investors in residential and commercial land development and zoning matters, including real estate acquisition, financing, leasing and transfer.
Stephen J. Olsen
Steve Olsen practices in Estate, Trust Administration, Estate Planning Taxation and Business Transactions. He also has wide experience supporting the legal needs of medical marijuana operators.
Mary Ann Plankinton
Mary Ann Plankinton practices in Pennsylvania and Delaware in family law (divorce, support, custody and adoption) as well as estate planning, administration and litigation. She is also a trained mediator.
Gordon W. Prince
A business and real estate law lawyer, Gordon Prince is the “go to” resource for businesses on compliance, transactions, formation, contracts, corporate governance and commercial real estate transactions.
Joanna Reiver
Joanna Reiver practices in estate planning, planning for family members with disabilities, closely held business interests, charitable trusts and generation-skipping trusts.
Theodore T. Speedy, Jr.
Theo Speedy advises municipalities on a variety of issues including governance, personnel, compliance and public policy. As a litigator, he defends clients in state and federal court.
Steven L. Sugarman
Steve Sugarman supports homeowners associations (HOAs), planned communities, condominium associations and cooperatives in Pennsylvania.
Connor J. Thomson
Connor J. Thomson is a lawyer for homeowners associations (HOAs), condominium associations, cooperatives and insurance companies that turn to Gawthrop Greenwood.