Lawsuit & Dispute

Jerry M. Lehocky is a partner at Pond Lehocky Giordano, LLP. Mr. Lehocky has been a litigator of workers' compensation and Social Security since being admitted to practice in 1985. Initially, his practice involved representing employers and insurance companies. In 1991, Mr. Lehocky began representing claimants exclusively in the areas of workers' compensation and Social Security disability. A former chairman of the Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Workers' Compensation Section (for 12 consecutive years), Mr. Lehocky served as a consultant to several Pennsylvania governors as well as numerous state senators and representatives on workers' compensation issues. He co-authored “House Bill 2738,” which created the Uninsured Employers Guaranty Fund. This fund provides workers' compensation benefits to injured workers whose employers do not carry workers' compensation insurance. The bill was signed into law by Governor Rendell on November 9, 2006, and was the first piece of workers' compensation legislation in favor of injured workers to become law in over 30 years. Mr. Lehocky continues to serve on the Board of Governors of the Pennsylvania Association for Justice and the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association, and was previously on the Board of Directors of the Volunteers for the Indigent Program. Mr. Lehocky is also a member of the Workplace Injury Litigation Group and a committee member of the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Mr. Lehocky is a former president of The Pennsylvania Association for Justice, the first workers' compensation attorney in the organization’s history to hold that position. Mr. Lehocky has been selected for inclusion in the Super Lawyers® Top 100 in Pennsylvania and Super Lawyers® Top 100 in Philadelphia lists. Mr. Lehocky was selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America® 2012-2016. Mr. Lehocky received the 1997 Legal Leader Award from Philaposh for distinguished service to injured workers of Pennsylvania and has also received an accommodation of dedicated service from the State Senate of Pennsylvania for his efforts on behalf of injured workers in Pennsylvania. Mr. Lehocky also received the Joe Hand Gym's 2014 Good Guy Award for his support of urban youth athletics. Mr. Lehocky has written numerous articles and publications on workers' compensation and lectures extensively on various workers' compensation issues. Mr. Lehocky has appeared on many different television shows to discuss workers’ compensation issues, and has been interviewed by National Public Radio to address the crisis of injuries to healthcare workers in America.

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.

Christopher C. Cara joined Pond Lehocky in September of 2012. Chris attended Middlebury College in Vermont where he made the Dean’s List and graduated with a B.A. in English and with Honors in Environmental Studies. He received his J.D. from Villanova University in 2012. Following his undergraduate graduation, Chris worked at Isles in Trenton, NJ, a nonprofit community development organization. During his time at Villanova, Chris was a three-year recipient of the Deirdre L. Bailey Leadership Scholarship, member of the Pro Bono Society, and treasurer of the Environmental and Energy Law Society. Additionally, Chris worked as a law clerk for the following organizations: Exelon Corporation, the Environmental Protection Agency Office of Regional Counsel for Region 3 in Philadelphia, and the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office in Trenton, NJ. During law school, Chris interned with the Honorable Judge Linda Carpenter in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. Chris’s interest in Workers’ Compensation law sprung from his enrollment in a Workers’ Compensation course at Villanova taught by Workers’ Compensation Judge Todd Seelig, Mr. Cara earned one of the highest grades in the class. Chris now devotes his practice to representing injured workers.

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.

Attorney Les Romo graduated from Southwestern University here in Georgetown and went on to earn his Doctorate of Jurisprudence at St. Mary’s University Law School of San Antonio in 1979. Since then, he has successfully solved many legal problems for his clients. Georgetown Attorney Les Romo helps people from every background and profession. In the 37 years he has been practicing, he has treated every case and client with the importance they deserve. Preparing your estate as early as possible provides peace of mind for you. You can relax and enjoy your daily life more knowing that if you die, you have made provisions to care for your loved ones. For over 20 years, Probate Attorney has assisted clients with preparing wills and with probate issues, including litigation. He can advise you on whether to establish trusts and other matters relating to your estate.

David Dunham is board certified in Civil Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization and has earned Martindale-Hubbell’s highest possible attorney rating of AV. Mr. Dunham has been recognized thirteen times as a Super Lawyer by Texas Monthly and American Law Media. He has also been featured in the annual editions of the Super Lawyers Business Edition and in ALM’s Texas’ Top-Rated Lawyers. Mr. Dunham’s work in the area of patent infringement litigation has landed him on ALM’s annual lists as a Top Rated Lawyer in IP Law. Mr. Dunham is an experienced trial lawyer whose work on behalf of clients at trial has been recognized by the American Lawyer, VerdictSearch.com and topverdict.com in their annual publications. Mr. Dunham has represented business and individuals in the following industries: semiconductor, automotive products, telecommunications, software, medical devices, wireless, real estate transactions, computer peripherals, recreational equipment, securities, gaming and more.

Tim provides comprehensive legal advice and representation to clients facing a wide variety of legal challenges and opportunities. He has handled all types of criminal cases ranging from murder to speeding tickets. He provides legal counsel in all forms of family and domestic issues as well as personal injury and employment law matters. Tim is licensed contractor and represents parties with construction law issues. He represents both builder/contractors and home owners. Tim attended Stark Technical College and received an Associates of Applied Science Degree with high distinction and he later received a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Malone College. He then attended the University of Arkansas School of Law in Fayetteville where he earned his Juris Doctor. While at Law School, he was elected President of the University of Arkansas Law School Student Bar Association and as student representative to the American Bar Association.After graduating from Law School, Tim took the Arkansas and Texas Bars simultaneously, passing both. He began working as an associate for the Law Firm of Patchen & Mitchan in Houston, Texas. In 2000, he returned to Northwest Arkansas and has been practicing in Fayetteville. Tim is licensed to practice by the Arkansas Supreme Court, the Texas Supreme Court, the United States District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas, the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, and the United States Supreme Court. He is a member of the Arkansas Bar Associate and was elected to the House of Delegates, and is a member of the Washington County Bar Association.

Partner Casey Goolsby focuses his practice on civil litigation, personal injury and wrongful death, business, consumer, collections and appellate law, and patent litigation. Successful in trial courts and appellate courts throughout Texas, Mr. Goolsby is admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. He is a member of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association, the American Association for Justice (formerly the Association of Trial Lawyers of America), and a number of bar associations, including Northeast Texas, Gregg County, Smith County, and Harrison County. Mr. Goolsby is also active in his community, including in the United Way and Junior Achievement, and he serves on the boards of area foundations, schools, and his church. Mr. Goolsby resides in Longview, Texas, with his wife and their two children.

Kirk G. Smith is a managing partner at Shepherd, Smith, Edwards & Kantas, LLP, a nationally recognized plaintiffs securities litigation law firm. Mr. Smith’s practice is focused exclusively on representing individual and institutional investors against financial institutions such as brokerage firms, banks, and trust companies. Mr. Smith handles cases across the U.S., typically involving issues such as retirement losses, broker and financial advisor misconduct, brokerage firm misconduct, fraud, and financial product failures, Prior to becoming an attorney, Mr. Smith worked within the financial services industry as an investment advisor for a large brokerage firm as well as a boutique Wall Street firm, gaining invaluable knowledge of the investment processes, strategies, and marketing practices from both ends of the spectrum of firms in this industry. His diverse brokerage background, coupled with over 20 years of legal experience representing investors, enables Mr. Smith to deliver successful outcomes for his clients. Mr. Smith is dedicated to providing personalized counsel and unrelenting advocacy for his clients, working to hold financial institutions accountable for their negligence and misconduct. He believes investors deserve to understand their rights and options when they suspect their lost savings and diminished retirement resources are the result of mismanagement by the brokers, investment advisors, and advisory firms that were trusted. Unflinching and undaunted in the face of financial institutions of any size or reputation, Mr. Smith works tirelessly to help his clients successfully navigate the legal process and recover their investment losses.