Samuel H. Pond has concentrated his practice in the area of workers' compensation litigation since his graduation from Temple University School of Law in 1984. He is a founding and managing partner of Pond Lehocky Giordano. Mr. Pond’s advocacy for his clients has resulted in some of the largest settlements in Pennsylvania and the nation. Mr. Pond is a member and past president of the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association and the current treasurer of the organization’s political action committee, the Committee for a Better Tomorrow. Mr. Pond is the past chair of the Workers' Compensation Section of the Philadelphia Bar Association, past chair of its Education and Ethics Committee and its Workers' Compensation Section Executive Committee. Mr. Pond was appointed by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court to serve on the Board of Law Examiners. He also served on the Board of The Pennsylvania Federation of Injured Workers, the Pennsylvania Association for Justice and the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Charitable Foundation. Mr. Pond was appointed by the Speaker of the House of Pennsylvania to the Workers' Compensation Advisory Board. He is a current board member of the Pennsylvania Alliance and the USC Shoah Foundation's Next Generation Committee. He sits on and has served on numerous other boards. Mr. Pond is also president of Union Services Access, a legal consulting services network for unions and their members. In addition to his practice as a workers' compensation attorney, Mr. Pond is a frequent author and lecturer in workers' compensation matters. His Martindale-Hubbell rating concerning Legal Ability and Ethical Standards has been given the highest grade. Mr. Pond was selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® from 2007-2016. Mr. Pond has also been selected for inclusion in the Super Lawyers® Top 100 in Pennsylvania and Top 100 in Philadelphia lists for consecutive years. Through lectures and seminars, Mr. Pond educates union members and employees throughout the region on their rights under the Workers' Compensation Act. His charitable contributions are extensive and focused on children and education; they include the Union Services Access Scholarship Fund, The Pond Lehocky Trial Advocacy Scholarship and The Pond Lehocky Legal Studies Department Head Office at Drexel University’s LeBow College of Business. He also created the Marie Pond Scholarship Fund in honor of his mother, which is a yearly scholarship awarded to a member of the Torresdale Boys Club.

Graham F. Baird, Esq. is an experienced employment lawyer in Philadelphia in the areas of civil rights, workplace discrimination and wrongful termination, and police misconduct and malfeasance. Graham is also a passionate consumer advocate handling matters involving fraud arising out of the sale and marketing of household goods, real estate and motor vehicles. He also handles cases involving unlawful and illegal debt collection and credit reporting practices. Graham earned his J.D. from Temple University and his B.A. from Washington State University. He is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, and the United States District Courts for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the District of New Jersey and the Middle District of Pennsylvania. He joined the Law Offices of Eric A. Shore in 2015.

Keld R. Wenge is a graduate of the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America where he received his J.D. in 2007. While in law school, Mr. Wenge served as editor of CommLaw Conspectus: Journal of Communications Law and Policy. He was a 2011 participant in the Columbus Community Legal Services program, which was ranked #17 nationally among clinical programs. Mr. Wenge joined Pond Lehocky Giordano in June 2013 where he dedicates his practice to Workers’ Compensation matters and serving injured workers in Pennsylvania. Prior to joining Pond Lehocky, he practiced at a regional trial firm and represented the interests of injured Pennsylvania plaintiffs in state and federal major jury and arbitrational claims, including, but not limited to, construction site accidents, industrial accidents, OSHA violations, insurance bad faith, products liability, premises liability, workers’ compensation and Social Security disability matters. After joining Pond Lehocky, Mr. Wenge co-authored an article with Samuel Pond that was published in the Legal Intelligencer titled “A Subrogation Setback Provides a Framework for Lien Waivers.” He has presented to Temple University Legal Society’s law students on various occasions regarding the practice of law. Mr. Wenge is admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, U.S.D.C.- Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and is a Certified Arbitrator of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas.

Andrew F. Ruder earned a B.S. degree from Towson University in 2007 and went on to receive his J.D. from Rutgers School of Law in Camden in May of 2012. While in law school, Andrew was a member of the Rutgers Law Journal. His comment, “The Use of Risk Assessment Tools in Formulating Individualized Sentencing Programs,” will be published in the next volume. Additionally, Andrew participated in the Volunteer Income Tax Assistant Project. In the summer of 2010, Andrew interned with the Honorable Mitchell S. Goldberg in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and also with the Honorable Shelley Robins New in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. Andrew served as a law clerk for a small firm in New Jersey as well as for a mediation company under Judge James D. Clyne. He joined Pond Lehocky in September 2012 to practice in the area of Workers’ Compensation. Andrew is admitted to practice law in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He currently serves on the Board of Directors of Tech2Educate, a non-profit that raises money to provide new technology to charter schools in the Philadelphia area. Most recently, he co-authored an article with Samuel H. Pond entitled “AMA’s Approach to Impairment Rating Evaluations is Unconstitutional” published in The Legal Intelligencer. Andrew was also featured as a contributing writer in the Spring 2013 edition of New Jersey Chiropractor, a quarterly publication distributed by the Association of New Jersey Chiropractors.

A 2008 graduate of the University of Delaware, Mr. Solomon taught high school advanced placement psychology before earning his Juris Doctor from Hofstra University School of Law in 2012. As a law student, Mr. Solomon took part in Hofstra’s Mediation Clinic, mediating numerous family law disputes and supervision cases. He was certified to mediate divorce disputes cases and PINS cases in New York. Also while a student, he clerked in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas for the Honorable Annette M. Rizzo. In 2015 Mr. Solomon received his L.L.M in Trial Advocacy from Temple University Beasley School of Law. He focuses his practice on personal injury matters, as well as leads Dion, Solomon & Shapiro’s Landlord-Tenant Litigation Department representing both landlords and tenants in disputes. Matthew also volunteers with Philadelphia VIP, conducting pro bono representation of homeowners in mortgage foreclosure disputes. Mr. Solomon is licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and is admitted to practice in the United States District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the United States District Court of New Jersey. He is a member of the Philadelphia Bar Association, Pennsylvania Bar Association, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association, American Bar Association, American Association of Justice, and the New Jersey State Bar Association. Outside the courtroom, Matthew is an active cyclist who participates in numerous long-distance charity rides, as well as in fund-raising campaigns for non-profits including the American Cancer Society, LiveStrong Foundation, and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Since college, he has raised more than ten thousand dollars for these charitable organizations, most recently completing his second 100-mile ride for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

David E. Kwartler has focused his practice solely on representing those injured due to the negligence of others, whether that is from a car accident, a slip and fall or from a failed medical procedure. During has career David has secured millions of dollars in settlements for his clients. David ensures that his clients are aggressively represented and fully compensated for the harm that has been done to them due to the negligence of others. David is always easily reachable by his cell phone or email, which he provides to all clients. David has been selected as Super Lawyer Rising Star for the years 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015. Only the top 2.5% of lawyers under the age 40 years old or younger or in practice for 10 years or less are selected.

Kevin E. Harchar is admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania and is a member of both the American and Pennsylvania Bar Associations. Mr. Harchar is based out of Pond Lehocky’s Scranton office. Prior to joining Pond Lehocky Giordano's workers compensation department, Mr. Harchar practiced as a workers’ compensation defense attorney from August 2009 to October 2013 at a prominent Scranton, PA law firm, where he handled all aspects of workers’ compensation claims from beginning to end, including hearings, depositions and WCAB and Commonwealth Court appeals. Mr. Harchar also practiced at an insurance defense law firm from April 2008 to August 2009. Mr. Harchar has been selected a Super Lawyers® Rising Starfrom 2013 to 2016. He was also honored with the Lackawanna Bar Association’s 2011 Exemplary Service Award, given in recognition for his efforts in developing and instituting the Wills For Heroes Program in Lackawanna County. Wills for Heroes is a non-profit organization that provides first responders with important legal documents at no-charge. Mr. Harchar has co-authored an article entitled “Resignation’s Lasting Effect on Future Benefits” which was published in the April 17, 2012 issue of The Legal Intelligencer. Additionally, he has spoken at several seminars and panel discussions related to workers’ compensation as well as other areas of the law. Mr. Harchar is actively involved with Lackawanna Bar Association, including the Law Day, Public Relations, and Family Law Rules committees. He is also a Lackawanna Pro Bono Fundraising Gala Committee Member as well as the co-chair for Wills for Heroes. Mr. Harchar obtained his J.D. from Widener School of Law, graduating in 2008. During his time in law school, he was a law clerk at the Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole and a law clerk at a Harrisburg, PA criminal/insurance defense firm. Mr. Harchar was also a certified legal intern at the Harrisburg Civil Law Clinic in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and at the Lackawanna County District Attorney’s Office in Scranton, Pennsylvania.

I have well over a decade of experience handling complex legal issues in various fields of the law. I look forward to counseling and representing you in any workers' compensation, personal injury, employment law, family law, or consumer/debt collection protection matter.

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.

Mike’s legal practice focuses solely on representing injured workers who have either been denied workers’ compensation benefits, are being forced to return to work while not physically able, or are receiving documents from their employer/insurance carrier, threatening to stop workers’ compensation benefits. Consistent with Scanlon & Wojton’s core philosophies, Mike will handle your workers’ compensation claim from start-to-finish. He makes himself readily available to his clients in order to answer any questions that they may have regarding their case. Mike attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated summa cum laude. He was a four-year letter winner on the University’s baseball team, being named a team captain during his senior season. Mike then joined Matt and Tim at Duquesne University school of Law, where he received the CALI Excellence For the Future Award in legal research and writing. Following graduation from Duquesne Law, Mike joined a law firm in downtown Pittsburgh, representing employers and insurance carriers in workers’ compensation matters. It is this experience that gives Mike a unique perspective when representing injured workers.