MacElree Harvey, Ltd.

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Lance J. Nelson

MacElree Harvey’s Lance Nelson Recognized as a 2025 LawDragon 500 Leading Family Lawyer

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October 18, 2024 | West Chester, PA: MacElree Harvey is proud to announce that attorney Lance Nelson has been named one of the 2025 LawDragon 500 Leading Family Lawyers. 

The LawDragon 500 Leading Family Lawyers list is renowned for recognizing advisors who represent clients in high-net-worth divorces, collaborative divorces, LGBTQ+ family matters, international child custody disputes, assisted reproduction law, and beyond.

Lance Nelson, chair of the Firm’s Family Law practice, has over 25 years of experience representing clients in matters such as divorce, marital agreements, adoption, custody, and support. His expertise has made him a go-to resource for families facing challenging transitions, earning him a reputation for strategically navigating sensitive legal issues while delivering personalized legal strategies.

Read the full list of winners here.

Love Story: Will Travis Give Taylor A Ring For Christmas?

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Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce have taken the NFL and the world by storm this fall.  Their romance is the highest profile one since Princess Di and then Prince Charles.  Right now, theirs looks like a great Love Story.

However, high profile and high asset romances come with many less romantic complications.  What happens if their romance turns to Bad Blood, and Taylor has to tell Travis, “We are never, ever, ever getting back together?” There’s a number of questions these two New Romantics should be asking each other now even in through Lavender Haze:

  • Whose house or houses are we living in?
  • Will we have children?
  • When and where will we get married to accommodate a concert schedule or an NFL season?
  • What happens when the bloom on the rose fades and the relationship does not last?
  • Who gets to keep the one-of-a-kind engagement ring?

Whether Taylor and Travis tie the knot or simply continue with their whirlwind romance, these are just some of the many legal complications that they will need to navigate.  While your relationship may not dominate the tabloids, many of these questions are based on the same concerns many couples face when they write their Story of Us.

A cohabitation agreement can address many of these issues prior to marriage, like where you are going to reside and under what terms is a common issue dealt with. In addition, the sharing of expenses and commingling of funds can also be addressed by these agreements.

If Taylor and Travis do tie the knot in what would be the wedding of the century, you can guarantee there would be a lengthy premarital agreement. A Premarital Agreement, popularly referred to as a “pre-nup”, can address such issues as individual property, joint property, support obligations, and other matters. 

The one issue that neither a cohabitation Agreement or premarital Agreement could address would be child support or child custody. As is often seen in the headlines, celebrity child custody and support issues are often played out in court with high stakes drama. Regardless of whether you are Taylor and Travis or simply Lois and Peter, once you have a child with another person, either biologically or via adoption, there are life long legal obligations and rights that need to be addressed.

We all hope for the storybook ending for Taylor and Travis. However, it is good to be prepared for the realization that You Know They Were Trouble and be ready to Shake it Off and move on.

I Am Officially Divorced! What Do You Mean There Are Still Things I  Need To Do?

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When you finally receive your Divorce Decree, it is only natural that you breathe  a huge sigh of relief and finality. The path from separation to final divorce is often  emotionally taxing, lengthy, and time consuming. After what seems like endless  discovery and tough negotiations, your initial reaction upon receipt of your Decree is relief and an opportunity for a much-needed break. However, life continues to move on,  and there are some critical steps you should take as soon as possible to make sure  your affairs are together and in order. In this article, we will try to provide a simple checklist to help you work through the much-needed post-divorce steps. 

Step 1, Employment: Meet with your HR Director to complete new beneficiary forms for  all your work-related benefits. These include your 401(k), life insurance, and disability.  

Step 2, Property Settlement Agreement: Carefully read your Property Settlement  Agreement. You need to make sure you understand your obligations and complete  them in a timely manner. Do you need to refinance, transfer retirement accounts, redo  beneficiary forms? Are you expecting payments in a certain time frame from your  former spouse?  

Step 3, Estate Planning: Meet with a good estate planning attorney in order to update  your Wills and Powers of Attorney. Most people will think of updating their Wills once  divorced. It is actually more important to update your Powers of Attorney both your  Durable Power of Attorney as well as your Medical Power of Attorney.  

Step 4, Bank Accounts: You need to make sure that you have updated all of the  information with your financial institutions. Often times, a bank account does have a  death beneficiary.  

Step 5, Investment Accounts: Similarly, you need to make sure all of your information  with any third-party investment advisors is updated and all of the beneficiary  designations are also updated.  

Step 6, Life Insurance: Any private life insurance you have outside of your employment  needs to be updated as well. Please made sure that all of your beneficiary designations  are as you wish them to be post-divorce.  

Step 7, Disability Insurance: Many kinds of private disability insurance have death  benefits attached to them. You need to make sure your beneficiary is as you wish it to be. 

Step 8, Car Titles: Often times, people do not think about how they purchased their car  many years ago. If your car is titled jointly, you will need to redo the title to the car so it  does not become an issue down the road.  

This may seem like a daunting list, especially after going through the long divorce  process. However, if you take your time and go through the list item by item, you will  save your loved ones a lot of anxiety down the road and eliminate any surprises or  unintended consequences. At MacElree Harvey, we help our clients navigate through  this list and have excellent estate planning attorneys that can help with those issues as  well. Please do not hesitate to reach out to us with any questions. 

12 MacElree Harvey Attorneys Named as Best Lawyers® 2023

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August 18, 2022 – MacElree Harvey, Ltd. is pleased to announce that twelve lawyers have been included in the 2023 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. 

More than 40 years ago, when Best Lawyers was established in 1981, individuals couldn’t search Google reviews or social media pages to compare the awards and reputations of lawyers and law firms; they relied on word-of-mouth recommendations. Enter, The Best Lawyers in America® award.

Harvard Law graduates founded Best Lawyers on the principle that the best lawyers would know, and be able to recognize, the best lawyers in their location and practice area.

Lawyers on The Best Lawyers in America® list are divided by geographic region and practice areas. Based on professional expertise, they are reviewed by their peers and undergo an authentication process to make sure they are in current practice and good standing.

Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor.

“Only the top 5.3% of all practicing lawyers in the U.S. were selected by their peers for inclusion in the 29th edition of The Best Lawyers in America®.”

Particularly noteworthy are the gender demographics for the 29th edition. “While gender demographics are still very slowly changing (especially at the senior partner level), we did see a 17% growth in the number of female lawyers represented in this year’s edition,” said Director of Research & Development and Managing Editor at Best Lawyers, Elizabeth Petit. “Our awards continue to highlight more female awardees each year as the legal industry catches up to other professions in terms of gender disparity.”

MacElree Harvey, Ltd. would like to congratulate the following lawyers named to the 2023 The Best Lawyers in America® list:

About MacElree Harvey, Ltd

With roots that reach back to 1880, MacElree Harvey is a full-service law firm serving clients from offices in Pennsylvania and Delaware. In addition to its broad-based litigation practices, the firm represents clients in corporate law, mergers & acquisitions, labor and employment, real estate, banking & finance, bankruptcy, family law, estate planning, tax law, personal injury, and criminal defense. For more information, visit macelree.com or @macelreeharveylaw on socials.

18 MacElree Harvey Attorneys Recognized as Super Lawyers® & Rising Stars 2022

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June 8, 2022 – We are pleased to announce that 18 of our attorneys were recognized on the Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars® list for 2022.

Each year, the research team at Super Lawyers, a Thomson Reuters rating service and publication, selects outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas through a rigorous, multi‐phase process that includes:

  • a statewide survey of lawyers
  • an independent evaluation of candidates by the attorney-led research staff
  • a peer review of candidates by practice area
  • a good-standing and disciplinary check

Candidates are evaluated on 12 indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement, including verdicts and settlements; honors and awards; special licenses and certifications; pro bono and community service efforts; and scholarly lectures and writings.

The ultimate objective of Super Lawyers is to create a credible, comprehensive and diverse list of outstanding attorneys that can be used as a resource for other practitioners and consumers searching for legal counsel.

Approximately 5% of the Pennsylvania Bar received the distinction.

MacElree Harvey attorneys who were named to the 2022 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list are:

The 2022 Pennsylvania Rising Stars list recognizes attorneys who are 40 years old or younger or who have been practicing law for 10 years or less. Approximately 2.5% of the Pennsylvania Bar received the distinction.

MacElree Harvey attorneys who were named to the 2022 Pennsylvania Rising Stars list are:

In addition, Tim Rayne has been included by Super Lawyers as a 2022 Top 100 Attorneys in Pennsylvania. The Top 100 list is based on those attorneys who obtained the highest points totals in the 2022 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers multi-phase nomination, research, and review process.

“While ultimately we care more about providing quality representation and value to clients,” said CEO Michelle Foster, “…it’s always nice to have our attorneys recognized for excellence by their peers. The honor reflects the high level of respect our attorneys have earned in the legal community for their legal ability, professionalism and integrity.”

Learn more about our selected Super Lawyers®:

PETER E. KRATSA

Top Rated Criminal Defense Attorney in West Chester, PA

Selected to Super Lawyers: 2021 – 2022

Licensed in Pennsylvania Since: 1993

Practice Areas: Criminal Defense, Criminal Defense: White Collar

BRIAN L. NAGLE

Top Rated Land Use & Zoning Attorney in West Chester, PA

Selected to Super Lawyers: 2013 – 2022

Selected to Rising Stars: 2008, 2010 – 2012

Licensed in Pennsylvania Since: 2001

Practice Areas: Land Use/Zoning, Business/Corporate, Real Estate: Business

TIMOTHY F. RAYNE (Top 100)

Top Rated Personal Injury Attorney in Kennett Square, PA

Selected to Super Lawyers: 2009 – 2022

Licensed in Pennsylvania Since: 1995

Practice Areas: Personal Injury – General: Plaintiff

 

JOSEPH A. BELLINGHIERI

Top Rated Estate Planning & Probate Attorney in West Chester, PA

Selected to Super Lawyers: 2020 – 2022

Licensed in Pennsylvania Since: 1991

Practice Areas: Estate Planning & Probate, Tax: Consumer, Business/Corporate

PATRICK BOYER

Top Rated Family Law Attorney in Centerville, DE

Selected to Rising Stars: 2021 – 2022

Licensed in Delaware Since: 2013

Practice Areas: Family Law

ROBERT A. BURKE

Top Rated Business Litigation Attorney in West Chester, PA

Selected to Super Lawyers: 2015 – 2022

Licensed in Pennsylvania Since: 1990

Practice Areas: Business Litigation, Estate & Trust Litigation, General Litigation

HARRY J. DIDONATO

Top Rated Business & Corporate Attorney in West Chester, PA

Selected to Super Lawyers: 2008, 2012 – 2022

Selected to Rising Stars: 2005

Licensed in Pennsylvania Since: 1990

Practice Areas: Business/Corporate, Real Estate: Business, Tax: Business

CAROLINE G. DONATO

Top Rated Criminal Defense Attorney in West Chester, PA

Selected to Rising Stars: 2018 – 2022

Licensed in Pennsylvania Since: 2014

Practice Areas: Criminal Defense, Criminal Defense: DUI/DWI, Criminal Defense: White Collar, Administrative Law, Appellate

BRIAN J. FORGUE

Top Rated Business Litigation Attorney in West Chester, PA

Selected to Rising Stars: 2018 – 2022

Licensed in Pennsylvania Since: 2016

Practice Areas: Business Litigation

WILLIAM J. GALLAGHER

Top Rated General Litigation Attorney in West Chester, PA

Selected to Super Lawyers: 2010 – 2022

Licensed in Pennsylvania Since: 1963

Practice Areas: General Litigation

PATRICK J. GALLO, JR.

Top Rated Business Litigation Attorney in West Chester, PA

Selected to Rising Stars: 2015 – 2022

Licensed in Pennsylvania Since: 2013

Practice Areas: Business Litigation, Construction Litigation: Business, Civil Litigation: Plaintiff, Construction Litigation: Consumer

J. CHARLES GERBRON, JR.

Top Rated Land Use & Zoning Attorney in West Chester, PA

Selected to Super Lawyers: 2022

Selected to Rising Stars: 2013 – 2015, 2017 – 2020

Licensed in Pennsylvania Since: 2008

Practice Areas: Land Use/Zoning, Business Litigation, Construction Litigation: Business, Real Estate: Business

MICHAEL G. LOUIS

Top Rated Business Litigation Attorney in West Chester, PA

Selected to Super Lawyers: 2022

Licensed in Pennsylvania Since: 1980

Practice Areas: Business Litigation

MATTHEW MCKEON

Top Rated Land Use & Zoning Attorney in West Chester, PA

Selected to Rising Stars: 2022

Licensed in Pennsylvania Since: 2014

Practice Areas: Land Use/Zoning

LANCE J. NELSON

Top Rated Family Law Attorney in West Chester, PA

Selected to Super Lawyers: 2010 – 2012, 2014 – 2022

Licensed in Pennsylvania Since: 1991

Practice Areas: Family Law

ANDREW R. SILVERMAN

Top Rated Business & Corporate Attorney in West Chester, PA

Selected to Rising Stars: 2017 – 2022

Licensed in Pennsylvania Since: 2010

Practice Areas: Business/Corporate, Mergers & Acquisitions, Business Litigation

LOUIS N. TETI

Top Rated Estate Planning & Probate Attorney in West Chester, PA

Selected to Super Lawyers: 2005 – 2022

Licensed in Pennsylvania Since: 1976

Practice Areas: Estate Planning & Probate, Business/Corporate, Estate & Trust Litigation

FELIX S. YELIN

Top Rated Civil Litigation Attorney in West Chester, PA

Selected to Rising Stars: 2018, 2020 – 2022

Licensed in Pennsylvania Since: 2010

Practice Areas: Civil Litigation: Defense, Civil Litigation: Plaintiff

10 MacElree Harvey Attorneys Recognized As Best Lawyers for 2022

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August 19, 2021 – MacElree Harvey, Ltd. is pleased to announce that ten lawyers have been included in the 2022 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America®. Since it was first published in 1983, Best Lawyers has become universally regarded as the definitive guide to legal excellence.

Best Lawyers has published their list for over three decades, earning the respect of the profession, the media, and the public as the most reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals. Its first international list was published in 2006 and since then has grown to provide lists in over 75 countries.

“Best Lawyers was founded in 1981 with the purpose of highlighting the extraordinary accomplishments of those in the legal profession. After three decades, we are proud to continue to serve as the most reliable, unbiased source of legal referrals worldwide,” says CEO Phillip Greer.

Lawyers on The Best Lawyers in America® list are divided by geographic region and practice areas. Based on professional expertise, they are reviewed by their peers and undergo an authentication process to make sure they are in current practice and good standing.

“Almost 108,000 industry leading lawyers are eligible to vote (from around the world), and we have received over 13 million evaluations on the legal abilities of other lawyers based on their specific practice areas around the world. For the 2021 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America©, 9.4 million votes were analyzed, which resulted in more than 67,000 leading lawyers being included in the new edition,” according to Best Lawyers.

Lawyers are not required or allowed to pay a fee to be listed; therefore inclusion in Best Lawyers is considered a singular honor.

MacElree Harvey, Ltd. would like to congratulate the following lawyers named to the 2022 The Best Lawyers in America® list:

About MacElree Harvey, Ltd

With roots that reach back to 1880, MacElree Harvey is a full-service law firm serving clients from offices in Pennsylvania and Delaware. In addition to its broad-based litigation practices, the firm represents clients in corporate law, mergers & acquisitions, labor and employment, real estate, banking & finance, bankruptcy, family law, estate planning, tax law, personal injury, and criminal defense. For more information, visit macelree.com or @macelreeharveylaw on socials.

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