George Joseph - Erie, PA
Attorney at Quinn Law Firm
School and Municipal Law Lawyers in Erie, PA
456 West 6th Street Erie, PA 16507
- 1 Super Lawyers®
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44
Years
Experience
Erie School and Municipal Law Lawyer
Updated: 03/10/2026
Areas of Practice
- School and Municipal Law
- Labor Law
- Workers' Compensation
Attorney Information
Overview
Mr. Joseph has practiced as a school solicitor for more than 35 years, providing a full range of education law services. In addition to serving as general solicitor for four area school districts, the local Intermediate Unit and numerous nonpublic school systems, he has experience in handling special education matters including mediation and litigation of special education and Section 504 due process hearings. He has also, over time, provided representation on behalf of every public school district in Erie, Crawford and Warren counties as special counsel for a variety of specific assignments.
Mr. Joseph has extensive experience in policy drafting, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, Open Meeting Law, State Officials Ethics Act and the Right to Know Law matters. He has been involved in contract drafting and review and construction projects, as well as other legal issues that confront both public and nonpublic school entities, their administrations and boards. Mr. Joseph also advises his education clients on matters of labor law, including grievance arbitration, employment practices and discrimination claims. He has extensive experience in negotiating collective bargaining agreements pursuant to provisions of the Pennsylvania Employee Relations Act. Mr. Joseph also has experience in tax-exempt financing for public entities and has served as issuer's counsel and underwriter's counsel in numerous general obligation bonds and tax anticipation borrowings.
He also serves as general solicitor for a local sewer authority and a township, providing advice on diverse matters from public employment, financing, municipal liens and claims, zoning enforcement as well as developer agreements and contract drafting and review. As an assistant solicitor for Erie County, he conducts the annual County Upset Tax Sale and litigates tax sale objections on behalf of the Tax Claim Bureau. He also represents the Erie County Department of Health in matters of public health including restaurant food safety and licensure matters and sewage facilities matters.
Mr. Joseph has been involved in labor and employment matters in the private sector as well. He has represented employers in matters of employee benefits, company policies and handbooks, employment discrimination and harassment, and unemployment compensation issues.
In addition to these practices, Mr. Joseph has handled litigation of workers' compensation before Workers' Compensation Judges, the Workers' Compensation Appeal Board, the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. His experience includes the representation of injured workers, employers and insurers in a full range of legal matters.
Awards and Honors
Honors
- AV rating, Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory
Other Sources of Feedback About George Joseph
Included on the 2024 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list
Past Lists
- 2023 Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list
Education
-
Legal Education
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The Dickinson School of Law,
Carlisle,
Pennsylvania, 1982
J.D.
Honors: Abel Klaw Advocacy Prize
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The Dickinson School of Law,
Carlisle,
Pennsylvania, 1982
-
Non Legal Education
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Dickinson College,
Carlisle,
Pennsylvania, 1979
B.A.
Honors: cum laude
Honors: Charles A. Dana Scholar
Honors: President of Student Senate
Major: Economics
Major: Political Science
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Dickinson College,
Carlisle,
Pennsylvania, 1979
Current Employment Position(s)
-
Retired
Past Positions
- Quinn Law Firm, Associate, 1982 - 1989
Classes and Seminars
- Adjunct Professor at Ursuline College, teaching “Pennsylvania School Law”, 1996, 1999
Pro Bono Activities
- Pennsylvania Bar Foundation, Life Fellow
- Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University Alumni Trustee, Board of Trustees, 1994 - 1997
- Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University Northwestern Pa. Alumni Association, 1992 - 2014
- Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University General Alumni Association, Board of Directors, 1992 - 2014
- Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University General Alumni Association, Treasurer, 2000 - 2003
- Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University General Alumni Association, Vice President, 2003 - 2006
- Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University General Alumni Association, President, 2006 - 2009
- Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University Penn State Alumni, Council Member, 2006 - 2008
- Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University Penn State Dickinson School of Law Alumni Society, Founding Member
- Family Services of Northwestern Pennsylvania, Consumer Credit Counseling
- Family Services of Northwestern Pennsylvania, Services Advisory Board, 1999 - 2002
- Family Services of Northwestern Pennsylvania, Board of Directors, 2002 - Present
- Family Services of Northwestern Pennsylvania, Board Secretary, 2003 - 2006
- Family Services of Northwestern Pennsylvania, Program Committee Chairman, 2003 - 2006
- Family Services of Northwestern Pennsylvania, Resource and Planning Committee, 2007 - Present
- Family Services of Northwestern Pennsylvania, Board Chairman, 2006 - Present
- Athena PowerLink, Advisory Panel Member, 2002 - 2003
- Kiwanis Club of Erie, Member, 2003 - Present
- Pennsylvania Bar Foundation, Member, Board of Directors, 2011-2017
- Pennsylvania Bar Foundation, Member, Nominations Committee, 2017
- Pennsylvania Bar Foundation, Member, Grants Committee, 2017-2019
Representative Clients
Conneaut School District
Crawford County Technical Center
Diocese of Erie, Catholic Schools Office
Elk County Catholic School System
Erie Catholic School System
Erie County Department of Health
Erie County Tax Claim Bureau
Fairview School District
Ft. LeBoeuf School District
Mercyhurst Preparatory School
Northwestern Region Employee Benefit Trust
Northwestern School District
Penncrest School District
Pleasant Ridge Manor
Shenango Valley Catholic School System
Summit Township Sewer Authority
Union City Area School District
Representative Cases
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Famageltto v. County of Erie Tax Claim Bureau, 133 A.3d 337 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2016)
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Schulze v. County of Erie, Bureau of Revenue and Tax Claim, 103 A.3d 455 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2014) affirmed 109 A.3d 681 (Pa. 2015) Petition for Writ of Certiorari denied 136 S. Ct. 297; 193 L. Ed. 2d 33 (2015)
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Drew v. Office of the District Attorney, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 95535, Petition for Habeas Corpus dismissed (W.D.Pa. 2013)
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Maya v. County of Erie Tax Claim Bureau, 59 A.3d 50 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2013)
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Gillette v. Wurst, 937 A.2d 430 (Pa. 2007) reversing 869 A.2d 488 (Pa. Super. 2005)
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Adams v. Erie County Tax Claim Bureau, No. 2804 CD 2002, unpublished opinion, (Pa.Cmwlth. 2003)
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Pennsylvania Manufacturers’ Association v. Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board (City Mission and MCRA, Inc.), 796 A.2d 412 (Pa.Cmwlth. 2002)
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Murphy v. Girard School District, 134 F.Supp.2d 431, 152 Ed. Law Rep. 615 (W.D. Pa., 1999)
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Whitehead v. Colwell, No. 1633 CD 1998, unpublished opinion, (Pa. Cmwlth. 1999)
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State Workman’s Insurance Fund v. Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board (Wagner), 677 A.2d 892 (Pa.Cmwlth. 1996)
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Snyder v. Datascope Corporation, No. 00475PGH93, unpublished opinion reported at 644 A.2d 815 (Pa. Super. 1994) alloc. denied 542 Pa. 673, 668 A.2d 1135 (Pa. 1995)
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Spencer v. McKean Township Zoning Hearing Board, 113 Pa.Cmwlth. 521, 537 A.2d 943 (1988)
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Erie Castings Co. v. Grinding Supply, Inc., 736 F.2d 99 (3rd Cir. 1984)
Published Works
Articles
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Contributing Editor to the Pennsylvania School Law Handbook, published by the Pennsylvania School Boards Association
Bar Admissions
- Pennsylvania, 1982
- U.S. District Court Western District of Pennsylvania, 1982
- U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit, 1982
Other Affiliations
- Pennsylvania Bar Association, Education Law Section (Member)
- Pennsylvania Defense Institute
- Pennsylvania School Boards Solicitors Association, 2001 - 2004 (Region 1 Director)
- Pennsylvania School Boards Solicitors Association, Secretary, 2006
- Pennsylvania School Boards Solicitors Association, President-Elect, 2007
- Pennsylvania School Boards Solicitors Association, 2008
- Erie County Bar Association, Executive Committee, 2003 - 2005 (Member)
- Erie County Bar Association, Law Day Committee (Member)
- Erie County Bar Association, Workers' Compensation Committee (Member)
- Erie County Bar Association, Lawyers Referral Service Committee (Member)
- Erie County Bar Association, Lectures Section
- Erie County Bar Association, Labor Negotiations Section
- Erie County Bar Association, Community Involvement Section
- Erie County Bar Association, Recipient, President’s Award, 2002
- Erie County Bar Association, Municipal Solicitors Section, Vice-Chair, 2015, 2017; Chair, 2016, 2018
- Erie County Bar Association, Second Vice President, 2018
- Erie County Bar Association, First Vice President, 2019
- Erie County Bar Association (President, 2020)
Fraternities and Sororities
- Phi Alpha Delta
- Omicron Delta Kappa
Contact
456 West 6th Street
Erie, PA 16507
Phone: 814-833-2222
Fax: 814-454-7411
Email: Send a message
Website: https://www.quinnfirm.com
Hours: 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday
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