Melissa R. Chandy is a Partner with Pond Lehocky and has focused her practice exclusively on Pennsylvania workers’ compensation law since graduating from Penn State – Dickinson School of Law. Ms. Chandy was born and raised in Canada where she attended the University of Toronto and was accepted into a highly competitive Specialist Program in Commerce and Finance. Following law school, Ms. Chandy served as a law clerk for two Commissioners on the Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board. She then joined a leading regional firm, where she developed her legal writing and trial advocacy skills. When Ms. Chandy joined Pond Lehocky, she continued to devote her time to protecting the rights of injured workers. While working at Pond Lehocky, Ms. Chandy earned the title of Partner. Additionally, she manages the brief writing department in the law firm. In this role, Ms. Chandy uses her knowledge to train and teach new associates the nuances of the brief writing processes, to ensure that from start to finish, Pond Lehocky cases are passionately and articulately argued. Ms. Chandy also plays an active role in Pond Lehocky’s Summer Associate and Clerkship Program.

INJURY LAWYER – LET OUR FAMILY OF ATTORNEYS HELP YOU Serious injury cases are not just business for us – they’re personal. When we take on a new client, we adopt them as part of our family, and we fight for them in every way possible. That has been our motivating force in capturing hundreds of millions of dollars for clients we have represented during the past 40-plus years. It is also the reason we aspire to be the best personal injury firm in the country.

Bryan Arce is a New York City employment discrimination attorney and a Managing Partner at the law firm of Phillips & Associates. Mr. Arce is committed to representing workers who have been subject to harassment and other misconduct, such as wage and hour violations. Through his prior law firm, Mr. Arce and his associates have been part of million-dollar-plus verdicts - Including a $1.6 million verdict, a $2.5 million verdict, a $2.2 million verdict, and a $4.25 million verdict. Unlike many other litigators, Mr. Arce has first-hand experience with these violations. He spent 12 years working as a chef in the food service and hospitality industry, and he understands the kinds of harm that may result.

The firm’s principal attorney, Nigel S. Scott, Esquire, began his legal training in the Delaware County Office of the Public Defender, where he represented indigent defendants charged with criminal offenses. Nigel then represented the citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a prosecutor in the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office. There he continued to hone his trial advocacy skills prosecuting misdemeanors and minor felonies. The combined experience allowed Nigel to gain valuable insight and training with regards to both defending and prosecuting criminal cases in Philadelphia and neighboring jurisdictions. Nigel took the experience, skills, and training he acquired in the criminal courtroom and applied them to civil trials as well, zealously protecting the rights of clients who were injured by the negligence of others. With very little advertising, Nigel has been able to develop a growing practice based largely on the word of mouth referrals of satisfied clients, as well as fellow attorneys familiar with the quality of his work and the depth of his commitment to equal justice. As part of our commitment to equal justice, our firm dedicates a minimum of 50 hours each year to pro bono service, with Mr. Scott being named to the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania’s Pro Bono Honor Roll for each of the past five years. As a firm, we are honored to continue in service to Pennsylvania’s vulnerable communities.

Michael J. Parker earned his undergraduate degree in history from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2001 and went on to receive his J.D. from The Dickinson School of Law of The Pennsylvania State University in 2004. Mr. Parker has focused his practice on advocating for the disabled for almost fifteen years. He is a board-certified Social Security Disability Advocate by the National Board of Legal Specialty Certification, an American Bar Association accredited organization. Mr. Parker has been recognized for his legal expertise as a Super Lawyers® Rising Star, which represents the top 2.5 percent of all attorneys under the age of 40 in 2010-2017. In January of 2018, Mr. Parker spearheaded the formation of our Pond Lehocky’s Long-Term Disability Department. Mr. Parker has taken his passion for representing disabled individual and applied to helping disabled individuals who are wrongfully denied insurance benefits. He is very involved in the legal community and is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, the Lackawanna County Bar Association, the Pike County Bar Association and the National Organization of Social Security Claimant’s Representatives. Mr. Parker is admitted to practice law in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Middle District of Pennsylvania, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Affairs and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.

Kajal Alemo is admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. She is a member of both the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association and American Association for Justice, where she serves on the Social Security Executive Council. Before joining Pond Lehocky, Ms. Alemo practiced for a large Philadelphia law firm, where she assisted senior counsel with the coding of potentially discoverable corporate documents, including privilege determinations for a high profile merger. She was also co-editor of a legal textbook regarding law and business enterprise. A graduate of Villanova University School of Law, Ms. Alemo was the Villanova Law student director of Face to Face Legal Clinic for the Pro Bono Society. She interned at Face to Face during all three years of law school. She was also a student attorney at the Villanova Civil Justice Clinic where she handled her first Social Security case. Prior to law school, Ms. Alemo obtained a B.A. in Psychology from George Washington University, graduating in 2008 on the Dean’s List. She is also a member of the National Society of Collegiate Scholars and Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity International. Under her leadership as President/Justice, Phi Alpha Delta’s King Chapter was awarded most improved chapter in its district.

Frank N. Ciprero graduated from Dickinson College in 1995 with a B.A. in Anthropology. In 1998, he earned a law degree from The Dickinson School of Law of The Pennsylvania State University. He served as a legal intern for the Pennsylvania Office of the Attorney General in the Medicaid Fraud Control Division. He then became a Senior Associate with a mid-sized defense firm handling Workers’ Compensation and general liability defense litigation in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. With over five years of experience in Workers’ Compensation, he then joined a leading regional firm, where he focused his practice exclusively on Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Law. In June 2010, he joined Pond Lehocky, where he continues to focus his practice on Pennsylvania Workers’ Compensation Law and protecting the rights of injured workers as a Partner.

PAMELA COYLE BRECHT is a partner at Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP. Ms. Brecht serves as Chair of the firm’s national Qui Tam/False Claims Act Practice Group. She is also experienced in white-collar criminal litigation, internal investigations, and complex health care litigation. Ms. Brecht has litigated many of the most complex False Claims Act cases filed in the United States. Her cases have included alleged fraud by a large multi-state Medicaid managed care contractor, FCA violations by three of the largest hospital corporations in the country, and dissecting complex financial relationships among healthcare providers including Stark and Anti-Kickback issues. She has also litigated cases involving hospital fraud, emergency room fraud, medical device allegations, Medicare Part C and Part D fraud, government contractor fraud, laboratory fraud, as well as all types of pharmaceutical fraud. One of the whistleblower matters that Ms. Brecht has worked on was recognized in 2018 by The National Law Journal as one of the “Top 100 Verdicts.” The matter, Lutz v Health Diagnostics Laboratory, ranked as #39 on the list of highest verdicts throughout the nation for that year and came in at #2 for the highest verdicts coming out of Pennsylvania. In addition, Ms. Brecht has served as an expert witness related to alleged conduct involving potential exposure to government enforcement actions. Ms. Brecht has been involved in the recovery of over $406.5 million for state and federal taxpayers and has litigated numerous high profile Qui Tam cases including: United States of America et al v. BlueWave Healthcare Consultants Inc. resulting in a $114 million recovery United States ex rel. Mason, Folstad, and MEMA v. HMA, et. al. resulting in a $74.5 million recovery and confidential settlement of Relators’ claims, believed to be the largest resolution of private claims stemming from retaliation United States ex rel. Miller & Metts v. HMA, et. al. resulting in a $55 million recovery United States, et al. ex rel. Lutz, et al. v. Health Diagnostic Laboratory, Inc., et al. resulting in a $47 million recovery from Health Diagnostic Laboratory and a $1.5 million recovery from Singulex, Inc United States ex rel. Cho v. Surgery Partners Inc., et al. resulting in a $41 million recovery United States ex rel. Mason, Folstad, and MEMA v. EMCARE, et. al. resulting in a $30 million recovery United States ex rel. Baker v. Physician Partners of Am LLC resulting in a $24.5 million recovery United States ex rel. Lutz et al. v. Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings resulting in a $19 million recovery Ms. Brecht received her Juris Doctorate from Temple University School of Law where she served on Temple Law Review. She also graduated on the Dean’s List and received honors for Distinguished Class Performance. Prior to Temple University School of Law, Ms. Brecht graduated cum laude from Villanova University, where she was a competitive Rower on The Women’s Crew Team. Ms. Brecht has also served as a Hearing Committee Member for the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Ms. Brecht is a member of the Philadelphia Bar Association, the Federal Bar Association Qui Tam Section, the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, the Brehon Law Society, and the Justinian Law Society. She also serves on the Advisory Board for the Federal Bar Association’s Qui Tam Section. Ms. Brecht frequently speaks, writes, and lectures nationally on False Claims Act and health care fraud issues. She served as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Hamline University School of Law in Minnesota and as a lecturer at Seton Hall University School of Law where she has taught a course in health care fraud. She is also an active member of her local church, she has supported parent organizations for the benefit of the United States Naval Academy and the United States Military Academy (including the Mule Riders program), from which two of her sons graduated, and she has also been a loyal supporter of Temple Men’s Crew.

DOUGLAS K. ROSENBLUM is a partner and Certified Fraud Examiner in the Philadelphia office of Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP. He is also the Co-Chair of the Government Enforcement, Compliance, and White Collar Litigation Practice Group. Having served as both an Assistant District Attorney and a Special Assistant United States Attorney, Mr. Rosenblum has extensive trial experience and knowledge of federal and state procedures. He has tried dozens of cases to verdict. Mr. Rosenblum routinely represents entities and individuals under investigation or indictment for a variety of allegations from health care fraud to violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. These representations include, but are not limited to, the former Attorney General of Pennsylvania, a former CEO of an American subsidiary of a multi-billion dollar manufacturer, physicians, pharmaceutical sales representatives, and defense contractors. Companies of all sizes, and in many industries, have utilized Mr. Rosenblum’s expertise in conducting internal investigations; These range from financial and educational institutions to environmental firms, nuclear energy companies, and purveyors of fracking services in the Marcellus Shale. Mr. Rosenblum’s practice includes complex civil suits. He has defended clients in civil enforcement actions by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, complex insurance defense matters, multi-district litigations, professional disciplinary proceedings, and more. Mr. Rosenblum has also served as an arbitrator. Mr. Rosenblum is a national leader in his area of practice and is involved in many professional organizations. He currently serves as a Hearing Committee Member for the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. He previously served as Co-Chair of the Mid-Atlantic Subcommittee of the American Bar Association’s White Collar Crime Committee and Co-Chair of the ABA’s White Collar Crime Committee’s Philadelphia Young Lawyers’ Division. He also served as both Chair and Vice-Chair of the Montgomery Bar Association’s Rules of Criminal Court Committee. Mr. Rosenblum frequently writes, and his articles have been published nationally. Community involvement and charitable work is also very important to Mr. Rosenblum. He volunteers as an attorney for abused and neglected children through the Montgomery Child Advocacy Project and he is the Founder of the Hedda L. Komins Fund for Breast Cancer Research and Prevention at Fox Chase Cancer Center. Mr. Rosenblum served on the Villanova Law Alumni Association Board of Advisors and has returned to his alma mater on numerous occasions to mentor law students. He also received the Congregation Rodeph Shalom 2021 Hineni Award for his leadership of the synagogue’s gun violence prevention task force. Mr. Rosenblum received his B.S. in Accounting, magna cum laude, with a minor in Spanish, from Villanova University and he received his JD from Villanova University School of Law, where he was a member of the Environmental Law Journal and national mock trial team. While at Villanova Law, Mr. Rosenblum also received the David E. Worby Scholarship for Trial Advocacy.

MARC STEPHEN RASPANTI is a seasoned trial lawyer with over 41 years of experience focusing on complex, high-stakes matters in Government Enforcement, Compliance, Internal Investigations, Federal and State White Collar Litigation; Federal and State Qui Tam Litigation; Criminal, Civil and Administrative Health Care Fraud Litigation; as well as Complex Commercial Litigation. Chambers USA has ranked Mr. Raspanti in Band 1 for his work in the area of Litigation: White Collar Crime & Government Investigations in Pennsylvania, as well as Band 1 for his work under the False Claims Act: Plaintiff in the USA- Nationwide. Mr. Raspanti is a longstanding Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, an invitation only fellowship of pre-eminent lawyers in the United States and Canada. He served as a former Assistant District Attorney at the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office where he tried a wide range of criminal cases to verdict. Mr. Raspanti is the founder of the firm’s national Qui Tam & False Claims Act practice group and the firm’s national White Collar Criminal Defense practice group. Over his career, Mr. Raspanti has represented numerous executives, corporations, physicians, health care providers, pharmacists, surgeons, clinical laboratories, healthcare systems, manufacturers, distributors, medical device companies, entrepreneurs, clergy, accountants, lawyers, politicians, and professionals in numerous federal, state and regulatory investigations throughout the country and abroad.