BLOG POSTS
Electric Utility Smart Meters Not Mandated by Law in Pennsylvania, Commonwealth Court RulesNovember 30, 2020
Third Circuit Applies Pentagon Papers Precedent; Strikes Down Trial Court Order Forbidding Speech by Civil Litigant As Unconstitutional Prior RestraintAugust 14, 2020
PA Authorizes Wills to be Executed Remotely During Coronavirus CrisisMay 27, 2020
Electric Utility Smart Meters Not Mandated by Law in Pennsylvania, Commonwealth Court Rules
/in Blog /by Steve HarveyYou probably know that cell phones and other wireless devices emit radiofrequency electromagnetic energy (known as “RF” for short). Have you ever wondered whether RF could possibly harm you? While many people may assume no, or may not even think about it, there is some conflict in the scientific community and the most recent government […]
Third Circuit Applies Pentagon Papers Precedent; Strikes Down Trial Court Order Forbidding Speech by Civil Litigant As Unconstitutional Prior Restraint
/in Blog /by Steve HarveyLandmark Ruling Lifted Gag Order on Ex-Banker, Accused of Embezzlement, Who Engaged in Letter-Writing Campaign to Save His Good Name This is an overdue report on a late 2019 development, in which Steve Harvey Law achieved a notable free speech victory in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. In Bank of […]
PA Authorizes Wills to be Executed Remotely During Coronavirus Crisis
/in Blog /by Steve HarveyDuring the Coronavirus crisis, the Pennsylvania Department of State has authorized notaries to use audio-visual technology to notarize certain estate documents. This means that Pennsylvania citizens can execute wills and other important estate documents without having to leave their homes. Importantly, this authorization applies to the following estate documents: powers of attorney, self-executing wills, advanced […]
Highlighting the Addition of Barbara B. Hill and Fiduciary Practice at Steve Harvey Law
/in Blog /by Steve HarveySix years ago, I started Steve Harvey Law as a firm that focuses on complex and commercial litigation. Since then I have been through several business cycles that have shown me what works and what doesn’t work in our litigation practice. One thing learned is that an important area of demand for legal services is […]
Estate Planning Advice from Steve Harvey Law
/in Blog /by Steve HarveyTo meet a need caused by the coronavirus crisis, Steve Harvey Law has decided to expand its services for clients to include estate planning advice and documents. Our goal as always is to provide high quality, cost-effective legal services. Attorney Barbara B. Hill joined our firm after more than ten years at a leading trust […]
Criminal Justice During the Coronavirus Crisis
/in Blog, News /by Mike GehrigThe coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis has upended all aspects of everyday life in this country. By now, virtually all of us are at home, some working. Many aspects of life that we took for granted (going out to dinner, socializing with friends, seeing a movie, attending sporting events) have been put on hold, for how long […]
Court Deadlines and Statutes of Limitations in the Time of Coronavirus
/in Blog, News /by Steve HarveyAs I write this, many state courts have announced that they are closed to the public due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis and will continue to operate but only for designated “essential functions.” This could obviously affect deadlines in existing cases as well as statutes of limitations for filing new cases. States have already sought […]
Courts and Counsel Confront Coronavirus Closures— How Will Your Legal Matter Be Affected?
/in Blog, News /by Barbara B. HillLike many other law firms, mine is subject to government mandated shutdown for all public business and physical human interaction due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This means that our attorneys and staff can continue to work, as long we do it remotely, without personal contact with anyone else, such as clients, courts, witnesses, and […]
On Election Eve, Pennsylvania Courts Enjoin Victims’ Rights Amendment to Constitution Pending Further Judicial Review
/in Blog, Civil Rights /by Barbara B. HillIn a split decision that came down after 4 p.m. on the eve of the November 5 election, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court affirmed an injunction issued last week by the Commonwealth Court in an important lawsuit regarding victims’ rights and the rights of criminal defendants. The action concerned a proposed amendment to the Pennsylvania constitution […]
Lower Susquehanna Riverkeeper Sues Fredericksburg Poultry Plant Over Pollution
/in Blog, Climate Change, Commercial Litigation /by Barbara B. HillSteve Harvey Law LLC is pleased to represent the Plaintiffs in this important environmental justice matter which was filed in federal court in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. The complaint alleges that the defendant, a poultry rendering facility, discharges over 350,000 pounds of nitrogen in excess of its permit limits in violation of the […]
Suit Alleges Sunoco Drilling Contaminated Homeowner’s Water Well
/in Blog, Climate Change, Commercial Litigation /by Barbara B. HillHere is a report on a case Steve Harvey Law LLC filed last week. We are proud to represent our client, David W. Anspach, III, as he seeks justice for the contamination of his water well caused by pipeline activities on his property in Eastern Pennsylvania. Follow the story here: http://bit.ly/2OiVsHi
Trial Lawyer, Litigator Mike Gehring Joins Steve Harvey Law
/in Blog, News /by Barbara B. HillSteve Harvey Law LLC is very pleased to announce that Michael E. Gehring has joined the firm’s commercial and complex litigation practice as Senior Counsel effective July 1, 2019. “I am super psyched to have Mike join me and the team at Steve Harvey Law,” said Steve Harvey. “He is a great lawyer. We worked together […]
Update: Additional Petitioners Added to Pennsylvania Cap-and-Trade Program Petition
/in Blog, Call to the Bar /by Rachel GallegosOn February 28, 2019, the Clean Air Council and other petitioners for an economy-wide cap-and-trade program in Pennsylvania submitted a supplemental petition for the purpose of adding to the list of petitioners. The list now includes 192 environment leaders. Supplemental petition can be found here: Climate Petitioner Feb 28 Supplemental Submission w email
CLE Program: Reflections on the 13th Anniversary of the Intelligent Design Case, Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District and its Legal Implications.
/in Blog, EVENTS, News /by Steve HarveyNovember 1, 2018 Speakers: Steve Harvey with Lauri Lebo and Eric Rothschild Steve will be joined by Eric Rothschild, his co-counsel in the noted case of Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District, and journalist Lauri Lebo, who covered the trial and later wrote a book about the experience, The Devil in Dover An Insider’s Story […]
Supreme Court Kiboshes Kids’ Climate Claims (For Now)
/in Blog, Call to the Bar, Climate Change, Supreme Court /by Steve HarveyOn Friday, October 19, Chief Justice Roberts issued an administrative stay order in Juliana v. U.S., a lawsuit over climate change in federal court in Oregon against the federal government with a group of children as plaintiffs. https://www.supremecourt.gov/orders/courtorders/101918zr1_086c.pdf?fbclid=IwAR0M2xwMUaoXOWUc8yuKFnXKqvImJk50pPiu0J8gULSPVhoN9jpoI9mlF5M The trial was scheduled to begin on October 29. The case survived motions to dismiss in […]
Advancement versus Indemnification: One Issue Every Litigator and Business Lawyer Should Spot
/in Blog /by Steve HarveyThe issue is called advancement of fees and expenses, and it can make or break a lawsuit for the client, the plaintiff’s counsel, and the business lawyer who had the foresight to include it in the operative contract. Here’s why. Indemnification for Corporate Agents Under corporation statutes in Delaware and most other states, when a […]
CLE Program: Scientific Expertise in the Courtroom
/in Blog, EVENTS, News /by Steve HarveyThursday, March 29, 2018 9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Science History Institute 315 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia Testimony by scientific experts plays a key role in criminal and civil cases throughout the U.S. Yet it is an area that is continually evolving as cutting-edge scientific procedures are developed and new ethical questions are raised. Villanova University Charles […]
Federal Judge Says School District Flunks Its Obligation to Educate Students Who Don’t Speak English by Making Them Take Class Taught Only In English
/in Blog, Civil Rights, Education, Federal Court /by Steve HarveyA decision issued by federal Judge Edward G. Smith in Pennsylvania last Friday confirms our faith in the ability of the legal system to get it right. The issue was whether 5 students living in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, who came from Somalia, Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo, and Burma had a right to attend a […]
How Hulk Hogan Scored $140 Million in a Single Lawsuit
/in Blog, Damages, Litigation /by Steve HarveySurely the most salacious legal development of 2016 (so far) is Hulk Hogan’s $140 million verdict in March from a Florida court against the online media company and blog network Gawker Media LLC for publishing a video of him having sex with the wife of his then friend, a radio personality by the name of […]
New Law Creates Federal Trade Secrets Cause of Action
/in Blog, Commercial Litigation, Complex Litigation, News /by Steve HarveyNew Law Creates Federal Trade Secrets Cause of Action On May 11, 2016, President Obama signed into law the Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA), which provides a federal cause of action for trade secret misappropriation. Prior to the DTSA, plaintiffs seeking to enforce trade secrets rights relied exclusively on state law; most states have adopted […]
Supreme Court Holds That Rule 68 Offer of Judgment Does Not Make Class Action Moot
/in Commercial Litigation, Complex Litigation, Federal Court, News /by Steve HarveyYesterday, the United States Supreme Court, in a 6-3 decision, with Justice Thomas providing the sixth vote, held that an unaccepted offer of judgment under Rule 68 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure in a case seeking class certification under Rule 23 does not render the case moot, even though the defendant’s offer of […]
A Student Loan Bill of Rights
/in Blog, Frontpage Article /by Rachel GallegosIn an effort to address the ongoing student loan crisis, Connecticut has become the first state to enact a student loan bill of rights. This law will serve as way to more closely monitor the lenders in this industry, as well as provide student borrowers with necessary education and resources. The law creates a Student […]
Supreme Court Rules in Favor Of Muslim Woman Who Wore Head Scarf to Job Interview
/in Blog, Frontpage Article, News /by Therese DennisEmployers must continue to ensure that applicant’s religious practices are not a factor in hiring decisions. So said the Supreme Court this week. The Court ruled Monday in favor of a Muslim woman whom Abercrombie & Fitch refused to hire because she had worn a hijab—a traditional Muslim head scarf—when she interviewed for a salesperson […]
Survey Shows Mortgage Servicing Still a Problem
/in Blog, Frontpage Article, News /by Rachel GallegosFor those facing foreclosure, problems persist in dealing with servicers. A recent National Consumer Law Center survey of consumer advocates and housing counselors about their experiences with the mortgage servicing industry revealed ongoing problems. These problems have been present since the financial crisis began in 2008 and unfortunately continue on today. Successors in interest (heirs, […]
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Takes on Student Loan Servicing
/in Blog, Frontpage Article, News /by Rachel GallegosWe are in the midst of graduations across the nation and it can be a bleak picture for graduates looking for employment. Finding a job in a specific field can be difficult, but students must also take into account looming student loan payments. Large student loan payments prevent students from making other financial investments and […]
The Corinthian Colleges Closure and Debt Cancellation Debacle
/in Blog, Frontpage Article, News /by Rachel GallegosAny discussion about student loan rip-offs should begin with Corinthian Colleges. The recent closure of this for-profit company left thousands of students stranded with no way to complete the education they had been promised and for which they took on crushing debt loads. The Department of Education has announced that students who were enrolled or […]
The Foreclosure Crisis: It’s Not Over Yet, and Not Even Close in NJ
/in Blog, Frontpage Article, News /by Rachel GallegosThe Philadelphia Inquirer reports that 1 in every 234 homes is in some stage of foreclosure in New Jersey. This is a 17% increase over 2014 and clearly shows that the crisis in not over yet. While New Jersey is unique in its rate of foreclosure, the issue still plagues many homeowners nationwide. In New […]
Education at a Cost
/in Blog, Frontpage Article, News /by Rachel GallegosStudent loan debt plagues the nation. Over 40 million people in the United States have student loans and approximately 7 million borrowers are in default. Higher education leads to higher paying and more satisfying work for life, but a crushing debt load can consume the pay and kill the satisfaction. In this article, the New […]
Lawyers’ Climate Change Campaign Reaches West Coast for Earth Day
/in Blog, Call to the Bar, Climate Change, Frontpage Article, News /by Steve HarveyIn early 2014, a small group of lawyers in Philadelphia began a campaign to enlist the support of the legal community for action on climate change. That campaign took root with the leadership of the Philadelphia Bar Association under the name A Call to the Bar: Lawyers for Common Sense on Climate Change. The […]
Leading Jurists, Scholars, and Advocates Say Unrelenting CO2 Emissions Violate International Law and Must Be Reduced to Prevent Catastrophe
/in Blog, Call to the Bar, Climate Change, Frontpage Article, News /by Steve HarveyA group of prominent jurists, scholars, and advocates on March 1, 2015, adopted the Oslo Principles on Global Climate Change Obligations. The Principles are based on the undeniable fact that “[t]he threats [to the Earth from climate change] are grave and imminent,” and the inescapable conclusion that “[a]voiding severe global catastrophe is a moral and […]
New Federal Study of Consumer Arbitration Clauses Finds That Consumers Lack Understanding and Clauses Limit Class Relief
/in Blog, Frontpage Article, News /by Steve HarveyOn March 10, 2015, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”) issued the second part of a long awaited study on arbitration clauses in consumer financial services contracts.[1] CFPB head Richard Cordray summarized two key study findings. “Tens of millions of consumers are covered by arbitration clauses, but few know about them or understand their impact,” […]
How I Decided to Market My Law Practice by Becoming a Leader on Climate Change
/in Blog, Call to the Bar, Climate Change, Frontpage Article /by Steve HarveyLast week, Law360 ran a story on me and the new non-profit I founded. For access to the article, click here if you are a Law360 subscriber or Google “Law360 Steve Harvey Climate Change”. Here is how this came about. In 2013, I left my position as a partner at one of Philadelphia’s oldest and most […]
The Twin Obstacles Of Standing And State Secrecy Live On In Surveillance Challenges
/in Blog, Frontpage Article, News /by Steve HarveyOriginally posted by Jeffrey Vagle on February 11, 2015 on The Center for Internet and Society at Stanford Law School Website As Federal District Judge Jeffrey White made plain in his order granting the government partial summary judgment yesterday in Jewel v. NSA, current judicial interpretations of both standing doctrine and the state secrets privilege […]
Supreme Court to Clarify Pregnant Workers’ Rights
/in Blog, Frontpage Article, News /by Steve HarveyThe U.S. Supreme Court recently heard oral argument in Young v. United Parcel Service, Inc.,[1] a case that is expected to clarify employers’ legal obligations when pregnant women with work limitations seek workplace accommodations. Petitioner Peggy Young was a driver for UPS, a positon that required her to lift up to 70 pounds. During her […]
Pennsylvania Supreme Court to Decide Fresh Consideration Rule for Employee Non-Competes
/in Blog, Frontpage Article, News, Supreme Court /by Steve HarveyYesterday, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court granted allocator in Socko v. Mid-Atlantic Systems of CPA, Inc., 99 A.3d 928 (Pa. Super. Ct. 2014). Socko is the Pennsylvania Superior Court decision from May 2014 that re-affirmed the rule that fresh consideration is required for a non-compete signed after the inception of employment. In Socko, the employer tried […]
Noted Climate Scientist Confirms That Climate Change is Real
/in Blog, Frontpage Article, News /by Steve HarveyThe headline reads like a spoof from the Onion. Anyone who reads the newspaper or follows the many reports from the leading scientific organizations, like the National Academy of Sciences and the Royal Society, already knows that global warming is real, and a real cause for concern. But don’t take it from me. Take it […]
How do I look? Supreme Court to Weigh In On Dress and Grooming Policies in Two Religious Liberty Cases
/in Blog, Frontpage Article, News, Supreme Court /by Therese DennisThe Supreme Court this term will consider two religious accommodation cases involving dress and grooming requirements. Regardless of how they are decided, the cases are a reminder to employers to consider employees’ religious rights when making employment decisions or developing policies, including policies on dress or grooming. In Holt v. Hobbs,[1] the Court will consider […]
Understanding the Science of Climate Change with Richard Alley, Ph.D., in Philadelphia on November 6, 2014
/in Blog, Frontpage Article /by Steve HarveyI am very pleased to report that Bill Fedullo, Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association, will be hosting a Chancellor’s Forum onNovember 6, 2014, on the subject of climate change. Bill has asked me to introduce the speakers. The principal speaker will be Noted Climate Scientist Richard B. Alley, Ph.D. of Penn State. Dr. Alley will […]
Payroll Cards Must Comply With Federal and State Law
/in Blog, Frontpage Article /by Steve HarveyIn an era where technology equates with convenience, it’s not surprising that employers incorporate the latest technology in all facets of the workplace, including the way employees get paid. One way in which this is done is by issuing payroll cards instead of cash, check, or direct deposit. However, as is often the case with […]
NYC Climate Rally
/in Blog, Frontpage Article /by Steve HarveyThe huge climate rally last week in New York City and other cities around the globe kicked off UN Climate Summit 2014, perhaps the most important government initiative ever. To show my support, I attended the rally on my folding bicycle and filmed what I saw with a GoPro camera strapped to my helmet. This […]
Philly Bar Association Demands Action on Climate Change
/in Blog, Frontpage Article /by Steve HarveyWith all the news about the call for action on climate change at the UN last week, you may have missed the news that the oldest association of lawyers in the US just passed a resolution calling for action on climate change. In 2008, the ABA passed a similar resolution. To my knowledge no other […]
Lawyers Convince Court Client Never Died
/in Blog, Frontpage Article /by Steve HarveySharolyn Jackson never died. So ruled a Philadelphia court on June 10, 2014. As a result, the formerly homeless, 51-year-old Ms. Jackson can obtain social security benefits including medical care. This unique judicial ruling arose from unusual facts. Ms. Jackson is physically and cognitively disabled and thus entitled to social security. With the help of […]
Thinking of starting your own law firm?
/in Blog, Frontpage Article /by Steve HarveyIf so, then you may wish to listen to this podcast of an excellent panel discussion, Making Private Practice Leap, sponsored by the Philadelphia Bar Association on June 4, 2014, as part of its Law Firm Laboratory Series. The panelists were Steve Harvey of Steve Harvey Law LLC; Kevin V. Mincey of Mincey & Fitzpatrick, […]
They’re back! More employers using noncompete clauses.
/in Blog, Frontpage Article /by Steve Harvey“”There has been a definite, significant rise in the use of noncompetes, and not only for high tech, not only for high-skilled knowledge positions.” That’s according to law professor Orly Lobel quoted in the New York Times today. The truth is that noncompetes never went away. They have been used in many industries dating back to […]
Litigating Life … or Death—One Year Later
/in Blog, Frontpage Article /by Steve HarveyOn June 5, 2013, federal judge Michael Baylson in Philadelphia made national news when he issued a temporary restraining order directing Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius and the federal organ allocation system to disregard the age of Sarah Murnaghan (then ten) for purposes of allocating new lungs she needed to live. Sarah […]
Supreme Court in Town of Greece v. Galloway Approves Overtly Sectarian Prayer Chosen by Local Majority for Public Town Meetings
/in Blog, Frontpage Article /by Steve HarveyThe Supreme Court disappoints with its decision in Town of Greece v. Galloway. The case concerned the constitutionality under the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause of government-sponsored prayer at public town meetings, where over a period of nine years the town engaged in a practice of monthly prayer that can only be characterized as overtly sectarian. […]
Auernheimer Case Leaves Unsettled Key Issues of Internet Freedom
/in Blog, Frontpage Article /by Steve HarveyThe U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (federal appellate court for New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware) in April 2014 decided to duck, that is, not decide, whether the U.S. Department of Justice had overstepped its bounds in prosecuting 28-year-old Andrew “weev” Auernheimer for violating the federal Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (“CFAA”). Instead, […]
Dr. Strangelaw or: How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love Deposition Disputes
/in Blog, Frontpage Article /by Steve HarveyA courtroom trial is the law at its most glamorous. Hollywood has made it so. Think Spencer Tracy, Gregory Peck, Al Pacino, Tom Cruise, Paul Newman, Denzel Washington, Joe Pesci, and many others. We all know the roles and the scenes: the cross exams, courtroom speeches, fights with judges, one-liners, and dramatic objections. This is […]
Irish Elk, Anyone?
/in Blog, Frontpage Article /by Steve HarveyWe are approaching the ten-year anniversary of the events that set into motion the “modern day Scopes monkey trial,” the 2005 landmark intelligent design case of Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District. On June 7, 2004, a parent by the name of Barrie Callahan had the temerity to ask why the school board had not […]
Auernheimer Case Will Define Extent of Internet Freedom
/in Blog, Frontpage Article /by Steve Harvey“He had to do all kinds of things I don’t even understand.” That was a quote from the government’s attorney on March 19, 2014, at the Third Circuit oral argument in U.S. v. Auernheimer. He was referring to the alleged criminal activity of the defendant, 28-year-old Andrew “weev” Auernheimer, who is now serving time in […]
Everything You Wanted to Know About Predictive Coding But Were Afraid to Ask
/in Blog /by Steve HarveyWhen I was a lawyer at the Department of Justice in Washington, DC, in the early 1990s, I worked on this crazy case in federal court involving electronic records preserved in the last days of the Reagan White House, following the Iran Contra Affair. The lead counsel on the case for the government was my […]
New Law Firm Experiences Strong Growth; Doubles Size in Just Three Months
/in Blog /by Steve HarveyThe trial and litigation boutique law firm known as Steve Harvey Law LLC is celebrating its three-month anniversary by announcing the hiring of David V. Dzara as Counsel. David is a terrific trial lawyer/litigator who formerly worked in the commercial litigation group at Pepper Hamilton. Please join me in welcoming David to the Steve Harvey […]
More Inspiration from 11-Year-Old Sarah Murnaghan
/in Blog /by Steve HarveyFormer client Sarah Murnaghan continues to inspire not just children and adults fighting disease but anyone facing difficulty. In June 2013, Steve Harvey filed a lawsuit in federal court on behalf of Sarah asking that she not be discriminated against based on her age in the national system for allocating organs. A federal judge agreed […]
Main Issues That Will Be In the News in 2014 for Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
/in Blog /by Steve HarveyThe New York Times on January 10 published an excellent overview of the most important agenda items in 2014 for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the still relatively new and very powerful federal regulator and enforcer for the consumer financial services industry. The Bureau will focus this year on the use of arbitration clauses in […]
Does Size Matter When Hiring a Law Firm?
/in Blog /by Steve HarveyToday is the first day of month two of my law firm. I founded this firm based on the idea that changes in the economy and legal market have opened up room for boutique firms that offer high quality legal services, personalized attention, and flexible financial terms. Reaction in month one from clients, prospective clients, […]
Inquirer Prints My Letter About Global Warming Concern
/in Blog /by Steve HarveyIt’s no secret that I am concerned about global warming. Why? Because of the steady drumbeat of reports from the legitimate scientific community warning that this is a very real and serious danger for us, our children, and future generations. The scientific community also reminds us that we possess the means to avert or substantially […]
Law360’s Dan Packel Interviews Steve Harvey About Firm Opening
/in Blog /by Steve HarveyLast week, Dan Packel interviewed me about my new firm. I like the whole article, but I am particularly fond of two parts of it. First, he quotes me as saying “It’s a counterintuitive bet. A lot of people see economic dislocation and unemployed younger lawyers, along with a shrinking legal budget for general counsels. […]
Legal Intelligencer Covers Opening of Steve Harvey Law LLC
/in Blog /by Steve HarveyOver the years my more noteworthy cases have been the subject of excellent articles written by Gina Pasarella, reporter with The Legal Intelligencer. Today in The Legal Gina reports on the opening of my law firm, Steve Harvey Law LLC. Check it out and tell me what you think. I have also included Gina’s tweet, […]
Litigation Boutique Opens in Philadelphia
/in Blog /by Steve HarveyToday in Philadelphia veteran lawyer Steve Harvey announced the opening of his law firm, Steve Harvey Law LLC, a litigation and trial boutique specializing in business disputes, banking and financial services, and government claims. “I had many great years as a partner at Pepper Hamilton, but starting my own law practice marks the fulfillment of […]