Benjamin R Messing Attorney

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Phone: (610) 696-8225

Address: 17 E Gay St, West Chester, PA 19380

Benjamin R Messing Attorney

Family Law

Divorce
Child Support
A lifelong Delaware resident with more than 25 years of experience practicing family law, Carl W. Heckert is a respected and long-time practitioner of divorce litigation and mediation. His family law practice includes divorce, property division, custody, child support, alimony, protection from abuse, as well as grandparent and stepparent’s rights. He is also a Certified Family Law Mediator in Delaware following the state’s inaugural certification program by the Family Court of the State of Delaware as well as the Delaware State Bar Association. He was also elected secretary of the Delaware State Bar Association’s Family Law Section during the esteemed organization’s 100
Child Custody and Visitation
How often does social media play a role in child custody and divorce cases? Are social media accounts analyzed by legal teams when working on a case? Does a poor…
Adoption
Guardianship
Walter P. Eells is a partner in the firm’s West Chester office. With over 30 years of litigation experience, he concentrates his practice in the Family and Orphans’ Courts, offering focused and timely advice to clients involving adoptions, guardianships, divorce, custody, support, pre- and postnuptial agreements, and all related litigation and mediation. He previously served as the Chairperson appointed by the Chester County Court of Common Pleas to review and revise the Local Family Court Rules. A former winner of the Chester County Bar Association Public Service Award, Walter has worked closely over the years with Legal Aid of Chester County and the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County as pro bono counsel.
Spousal Support

Criminal Law

Criminal Defense
John’s extensive trial experience includes his work at the Chester County District Attorney’s office where, as an Assistant District Attorney, he managed multiple cases from investigation through trial, prosecuting serious criminal matters, including homicides and assaults.
Misdemeanors
Robert C. Jefferson, IV is a senior associate attorney at Gawthrop Greenwood, PC who focuses his practice on municipal government law, as well as land use, land development and zoning. A former Assistant District Attorney, Jefferson spent six years at the Chester County D.A.’s Office prosecuting 19 jury trials and more than 20 bench trials for criminal cases ranging from felonies to misdemeanors. His career in public service, along with experience navigating the adversarial court system, has proven beneficial to both public and private sector clients as they face testimony and cross examination before zoning hearing boards, planning commissions and other municipal authorities.
Assault
What is the difference between simple assault and aggravated assault? What's involved in a police investigation, from interviewing witnesses to gathering medical documentation? What is bail based on, and who…
Money Laundering
By James D. Doyle, Esq. In 2021, Congress enacted the Corporate Transparency Act, a pivotal piece of legislation aimed at enhancing efforts to combat money laundering, terrorist financing, and safeguarding…

Business and Corporate Law

Corporate Law
Geyer v. Ingersoll Publications Co.: Insolvency Shifts Directors’ Burden from Shareholders to Creditors, The Delaware Journal of Corporate Law, Volume 19, 1994
Mergers and Acquisitions
Gawthrop Greenwood, PC has offices in West Chester, PA and Wilmington, DE serving clients throughout the greater mid-Atlantic region and nation. For more than a century, the firm has stood behind its core principle of providing high-quality legal services with personal attention. Gawthrop Greenwood’s diverse portfolio of clients comprises entrepreneurs, businesses, and governmental entities that entrust the firm with their representation in a wide range of matters including mergers and acquisitions, commercial litigation, estate and tax planning, land use and development, and domestic relations. A complete listing of the firm’s practice areas and attorneys, as well as a variety of legal resources, can be found at www.gawthrop.com.
Business Formation
Gordon W. Prince is a business law attorney who joined Gawthrop Greenwood shortly after graduating number one in his class at Widener University Delaware Law School. He focuses his practice in the firm’s Business Law Department and supports a broad range of transactional and general business entity matters including business formation, the drafting and negotiation of contracts and merger agreements, business compliance with state and federal law, and real estate and corporate governance. He is particularly attuned to the needs of local businesses, supporting mid-sized business clients with his authorship of
Business Disputes
Naseef joined Gawthrop Greenwood in June 2024 as a partner. With more than 24 years of experience practicing in real estate and business law, Naseef has represented developers, builders and investors in residential and commercial land development and zoning related matters, including the acquisition, development, financing, leasing and transfer of real estate. He has conducted more than 1,000 commercial and residential closings and supported the legal needs of numerous community associations and HOAs.
Business Transactions
Stephen J. Olsen is a member of Gawthrop Greenwood’s Trusts & Estates Department, practicing in the areas of Estate, Trust Administration, Estate Planning Taxation, and Business Transactions. He is also one of the few Pennsylvania attorneys in private practice with a wide breadth of experience supporting the legal needs of medical marijuana operators.
Construction Contracts
Named “Female Business Leader of the Year” by the Chester County Chamber of Business and Industry, Sandra L. Knapp is chair of the Business Department at Gawthrop Greenwood and practices in the fields of Business Law, Commercial Transactions, Admiralty/Maritime Law, Real Estate Law, and Banking and Finance. She represents clients in a broad range of transactional and general corporate matters, including asset-based lending transactions, mergers and acquisitions, marine finance and vessel documentation, U.S.-based joint ventures for international companies, real estate, sale-leaseback transactions, construction contracts, leases and charters. She is frequently involved in multimillion-dollar financing and acquisition transactions for companies both nationally and internationally. In addition to financing matters, Sandy advises on maritime transportation regulatory matters, particularly on the coastwise trade of the United States and citizenship requirements. She has practiced in the Philadelphia area for over 30 years, representing clients throughout the United States and abroad.

Employment Law

Employment Litigation
Stephen has a diverse litigation background with extensive trial experience and more than 50 trials to verdict in State and Federal Courts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. He has represented Fortune 500 companies, mid-sized companies, small businesses, contractors and individuals in a variety of litigation matters including contractual disputes, employment issues, construction defect/injuries and other matters.
Non-compete Agreement
By Gordon Prince, Esq. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission’s Final Rule—discussed in our prior articles No More Noncompetes? and Federal Courts Issue Opposing Rulings on Noncompete Agreements—set to become effective…

Property Law

Real Estate Litigation
Elliot’s efforts for banks and financial institutions include workouts, collection of commercial and residential loans in state and bankruptcy courts, loan sales and acquisitions, real estate matters as well as negotiation and documentation of service contracts.
Premises Liability
Steve’s writings include, “Setting the Standard of Care in Premises Liability Cases,” published in CAI’s Journal of Community Association Law. A frequent lecturer at the local and national levels on real estate and community association matters, Steve has presented numerous programs for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, CAI, National Business Institute, National Constitution Center and other educational organizations. Programs include...
Construction Litigation
Stephen has taught classes on Indemnity in Construction Contracts, and Bad Faith in Insurance Coverage. He has also written various published articles, including...
Real Estate Transactions
Approachable and trustworthy are the words that come to mind when homeowners and businesses describe James Doyle in his work to guide and protect them through the most significant investments of their lives. With a real estate practice spanning Chester, Montgomery and Delaware counties, James concentrates his practice in homeowners and condominium association law, real estate transactions and litigation, zoning and land use, buyer/seller disputes and title matters. He was recently appointed to Pennsylvania’s Legislative Action Committee for the Community Associations Institute (CAI), an international trade association with nearly 40,000 members that is at the forefront of community association law and dedicated to building better communities. James was awarded CAI Keystone’s Emerging Leaders Under 40 in 2023.
Easement
Land Use and Zoning
A significant portion of Holly’s practice is devoted to homeowners and condominium association law, with her original firm having engaged in the Chester County area since 1976, when the Unit Property Act was the governing law. Holly also provides land use and development legal counsel to developers, business clients, county airports, municipalities and real estate-related entities.

Immigration Law

Citizenship and Naturalization

Trusts and Estates

Estate Planning
J. Stoddard Hayes, Jr., (“Tod”) represents individuals with significant wealth in their estate planning and trust and estate administration matters. He concentrates his practice in succession planning for businesses and farms, as well as matters involving complex generation-skipping transfers. He lectures regularly to professional groups on tax and estate planning topics, including conservation easements, planning for family business owners, and the tax aspects of charitable giving techniques.
Wills
In addition to her regular practice, Mary Ann is a trained mediator and has successfully mediated cases in Pennsylvania and Delaware for family law disputes and estate matters. Representative cases include divorce matters involving family businesses, custody relocation, grandparent rights, will contests, guardianships and challenges to accountings.
Trusts
When creating a Will, many parents (with all good intentions) name their children as beneficiaries of their estate, without realizing that naming a child with a disability as a beneficiary can have a devastating effect if the child is receiving public benefits. The money that the child inherits will be counted as the child’s resource. If the value of the inheritance results in the child having assets in excess of the $2,000.00 threshold, such child will lose benefits, if already receiving them or be ineligibile for benefits, if applying for them. By creating a Special Needs Trust, parents can direct in their Wills that any assets passing to the disabled child are instead directed to a Third-Party Funded Special Needs Trust for the child’s benefit. By doing this, the assets are owned by the trust instead of the child, thereby protecting the child’s eligibility for resource-based benefits. The Special Needs Trust can also be named as the beneficiary for assets that pass by a beneficiary designation, such as an IRA, 401(k), or life insurance policy instead of under a Will.
Power of Attorney
As a partner within Gawthrop Greenwood’s Litigation Department, John Rafferty represents individuals, businesses and nonprofits in civil litigation. He also provides experienced legal representation in Chester County Orphans’ Court for disputes and litigation involving guardianships, powers of attorney, wills, estates and trusts. Rafferty was recently invited to join a committee that improved the local rules of civil procedure for Chester County Orphans’ Court, and, when the need arises, is tapped by the Orphans’ Court to represent individuals who may require guardians to assist in their future decision-making. While serving as a litigation partner, Rafferty regularly sits as an arbitrator for the Chester County Court of Common Pleas and is available to mediate cases through the Chester County Bar Association.
Probate

Finance Law

Bankruptcy
Tax Law
During law school, he served in the Federal Tax Clinic representing low-income taxpayers before the IRS and Tax Court and participated in the VITA tax preparation program for low-income taxpayers. He received his undergraduate degree in economics, with honors, from Lycoming College, where he was a member of the scholars program.

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