Is Your Company’s Drug Policy Effective and Enforceable?
Nearly 120,000 residents of Pennsylvania carry medical marijuana cards, enabling them to legally purchase and use cannabis for a variety of conditions ranging from epilepsy to anxiety disorders. This presents a dilemma for many employers because marijuana is still illegal in the eyes of the federal government.
The attorneys at MacMain Connell & Leinhauser believe it is critical for employers to tackle this problem now by addressing the use of medical marijuana in their company drug policies. Matthew J. Connell, a founding partner of MacMain Leinhauser, outlined some of the legal issues facing Pennsylvania employers in a recent article in the Reading Eagle. View the full article here.
Attorney Connell, who sits on a subcommittee convened by the PA Chamber of Business and Industry, warns that revising a company’s drug policy does not automatically mean all employees must be allowed to have medical marijuana. Whether or not an employer allows a given employee to have medical marijuana will depend on the circumstances of the position.
If you have any questions regarding liability or other policy matters concerning medical marijuana, call our legal team at MacMain Connell & Leinhauser at 484-318-7106. We can work with you to draft a road map that can help protect you and your employees as state and federal marijuana laws continue to evolve.
David MacMain presented at the County Commissioners Association
David MacMain presented at the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania’s Annual Conference on August 5, 2019 in Reading, Pennsylvania. David’s presentation – “The Tort Claims Act – Where Counties Get the Royal Treatment”- addressed the application of the Pennsylvania’s Tort Claims Act to County agencies and recent developments to the Act. The session was attended by County Solicitors and officials from throughout Pennsylvania.
Tricia M. Ambrose Named A Partner at MacMain Connell & Leinhauser
MacMain Connell & Leinhauser is extremely pleased to announce that Tricia M. Ambrose has been named a Partner in the firm on June 4, 2019. Attorney Ambrose, who has been with the firm almost from its inception in the spring of 2013, focuses her practice in civil rights, governmental defense, employment, educational law, tort and professional defense matters. She has extensive trial experience both as an assistant District Attorney for Chester County, and in her years with MacMain Connell & Leinhauser. Tricia received her undergraduate degree from Temple University in Psychology and her law degree from Widener University School of Law. Tricia is active in the Defense Research Institute’s Governmental Liability Committee and serves as the liaison to Women In the Law Committee. Managing Partner David MacMain, speaking on behalf of the firm partners Brian Leinhauser, Matthew Connell, and Janelle Fulton, commented that “Tricia has earned this with her outstanding legal skills, hard work, loyalty, always sunny disposition, excellent results, dependability, client confidence and compliments. Our firm is all the better to have Tricia as a partner.”
MacMain Law Group Partners Recognized by Super Lawyers in 2019
MacMain Connell & Leinhauser proudly announces that three of our partners have been selected to the Super Lawyers 2019 list of top-rated attorneys. Managing partner David J. MacMain, partner Brian H. Leinhauser, and partner Janelle E. Fulton received designations for their excellence in the field of law. Super Lawyers selects outstanding lawyers from all 50 states and Washington, D.C. for their legal achievements. Attorneys chosen for this distinction are among the top 5 percent in their state.
Each year, Super Lawyers puts together a credible, comprehensive, and diverse listing of outstanding lawyers to be used as a resource for consumers searching for legal counsel. The list is broken down by state and the attorneys’ areas of practice.
Super Lawyers chooses attorneys using their patented multi-phase selection process that combines peer nominations and evaluations with independent research. Twelve indicators of peer recognition and professional achievement factor in to the review of each candidate.
Meet our Partners Recognized by Super Lawyers
Managing partner and attorney David J. MacMain has been named a top-rated civil rights attorney in West Chester, Pennsylvania. This is his 15th year being recognized by Super Lawyers. David handles cases involving civil rights and employment claims including those involving allegations of police misconduct, sexual harassment, discrimination, First Amendment issues, workplace claims, and more. He frequently speaks on subjects such as civil rights, municipal liability, employment litigation, police and prison-related cases, and ethics, among many other topics.
Super Lawyers selected partner and attorney Brian H. Leinhauser as a top-rated employment and labor attorney in West Chester, Pennsylvania in 2019. This is his third consecutive year he has been honored by Super Lawyers. Brian has extensive experience handling a variety of employment law matters and represents public and private educational institutions on numerous legal issues. He presents at conferences and seminars to both public and private employers on best employment practices, policy review, employment discrimination issues, and school policies.
For the 10th consecutive year, partner and attorney Janelle E. Fulton has been named a top-rated employment and labor attorney in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Super Lawyers previously selected her to Rising Stars in 2005, 2006 and 2007; she is also rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell. As an attorney for more than 20 years with considerable trial and arbitration experience, Janelle devotes a significant portion of her practice to counseling and advising clients on a wide range of employment-related and data privacy issues.
Trust our civil rights and employment law attorneys at MacMain Connell & Leinhauser LLC to advise you on the challenging issues that employers, government officials, and public and private education institutions face. For more information, call us at 484-318-7106 or contact us online. From our West Chester, Pennsylvania offices, we serve clients throughout Philadelphia, Chester County, and across the state.
Janelle E. Fulton to Join MacMain Connell & Leinhauser as Partner
MacMain Connell & Leinhauser is extremely pleased to announce that Janelle E. Fulton will be joining the firm as a Partner on March 11, 2019. Attorney Fulton, who was a partner at an area firm specializing in employment litigation, is a long-time friend, and former colleague to MacMain Connell & Leinhauser partners David MacMain, Brian Leinhauser and Matt Connell having worked with them at prior firms where she handled many §1983 civil rights, employment and municipal tort matters, including trying multiple cases to verdict.
Janelle also has over 20 years of experience, is rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell, and has been named multiple times as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer. She has had considerable trial and arbitration experience, and has successfully argued before the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, as well as several federal and state courts in Pennsylvania, Florida, New York, and Alabama. Janelle also devotes a significant portion of her practice to counseling and advising clients on a wide range of employment-related and data privacy issues.
Janelle maintains an active involvement in the community, including serving as past-Pro Bono General Counsel and a former Member (and Co-Chair) of the Board of Directors of the William Way GLBT Community Center of Philadelphia.
MacMain Wins Defense Verdict For Bethlehem Police Department
David MacMain scored a defense verdict for a Bethlehem police officer who ran over a suspect when the officer was responding to a suspected burglary in progress call, and was driving his cruiser the wrong way on a one-way street without his lights and sirens on. The Court, over David’s objection, instructed the jury that the officer was negligent per se and in violation of The Vehicle Code. David successfully argued that the suspect was more negligent and should have known that another officer, who was responding on foot, was attempting to detain the plaintiff when he ran into the street and into the path of the Officer’s cruiser. Despite the significant injuries, which caused a 2 week hospital stay for the plaintiff and the resulting ‘sympathy’ factor, and the negligent per se instruction, the jury found in favor of our client – the Bethlehem officer.
MacMain Connell & Leinhauser At DRI – Governmental Liability Conference
MacMain Connell & Leinhauser played a large role in the 2019 Defense Research Institute’s Governmental Liability Conference held January 30 – February 1, 2019 in San Antonio, Texas. The conference, which is the pre-eminent defense bar civil rights conference, was attended by over 500 lawyers, government officials, and insurance professionals from all over the country.
David MacMain is the Chair of the Governmental Liability Committee and was integrally involved in the planning and running the conference. David also moderated three sessions – Jeffrey Halstead – former Chief of Police of Ft. Worth Texas Police Department – presentation on ‘Limits on the Use of Technology in Small and Large Law Enforcement Departments’, Tara Johnston’s session titled ‘How Far? How Deep? How Wide? Responding To and Limiting Monell Discovery’, and Robert Christie’s presentation on ‘Handling Critical Litigation and Evidentiary Issues in Police Liability Defense Cases.’
Brian Leinhauser was a main stage speaker and presented on ‘Use of #MeToo Evidence’. Brian’s presentation was focused on the impact and admissibility of complaints and ‘me too’ evidence in employment litigation and school-based claims.
Tricia Ambrose, the Governmental Liability Committee’s liaison to the Women In The Law Committee, hosted a Women In The Law Luncheon on Thursday.
And Charles Gilliam-Brownlee hosted the Young Lawyers dinner on Wednesday night.