Position: Attorney

EmmaRose Strohl

EmmaRose is an integral part of the firm’s Food & Agribusiness Industry Group, working with clients on compliance issues with state and federal agencies such as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture. She helps clients remain up to date on pressing issues and regulatory developments, and advises clients on compliance and risk management. Additionally, she provides strategic counsel to clients on commercial and supply chain matters within the agricultural product, food processing, manufacturing and distribution sectors. EmmaRose also supports the complementing Transportation & Logistics industry, providing compliance and commercial guidance in another highly regulated sector. 

Her strong agricultural background has made her a logical fit for Barley Snyder’s Food & Agribusiness Industry Group. Before law school, EmmaRose graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science with a specialization in Livestock Science and Management from one of Pennsylvania’s highest-rated agricultural universities. She also volunteered for the Penn State Extension with local 4-H and extension programs, and continues to provide a helping hand to neighbors in the farming community when the need arises. Raised on a small farm in Schuylkill County surrounded by horses and honeybees, EmmaRose’s hands-on experience in agriculture adds a unique depth to her legal practice.

EmmaRose is dedicated to mentoring the next generation of professionals and passing down her knowledge. She helped launch the Master’s in Agribusiness program at Delaware Valley University and previously served as an adjunct professor, teaching graduate-level courses on “Legal Issues in Agriculture and Food” and “Agricultural Supply Chains.” EmmaRose currently mentors junior associates within the firm.

EmmaRose serves as outside general counsel to several clients in the high-value food products sector, providing strategic guidance to help them grow and thrive. She has also  successfully advocated on behalf of her clients before the various regulatory bodies, including the Pennsylvania and U.S. Departments of Agriculture, working to ensure the fair and equitable application of regulations and championing regulatory updates that better reflect today’s landscape of modern agriculture and food processing. In addition, EmmaRose has experience successfully representing clients in commercial livestock animal welfare litigation.

Another aspect of her practice is crafting comprehensive plans for clients’ and their businesses’ futures. EmmaRose provides tailored business succession planning, frequently for food and agriculture sector clients, ensuring the seamless transition of operations and the continued success of these unique enterprises across generations. She also provides services to local clients for general estate planning, including wills, powers of attorney, health care powers of attorney and living wills. 

Her business practice complements her food and agriculture work, where she handles general corporate matters such as LLC formation, operating agreements, contract negotiations, financing and stock transfers.

EmmaRose now lives on a small farm in Berks County with her husband and daughter, and enjoys whitewater kayaking, snowboarding, riding horses and dirt bikes and hiking with her dogs.

MEMBERSHIPS
  • PennAg Industries
  • Albert Schweitzer Fellowship, “Fellow for Life”
PRESENTATIONS
  • “Compliance with new Federal and State Business Entity Informational Filing Requirements”, Pennsylvania Small Business Development Centers Agriculture Center of Excellence (March 2025)
  • “”Wills, Estates, and Power of Attorney”, Breast Cancer Support Services of Berks County (October 2022)
  • “Breaking Eggs, Not Businesses: A Solutions-Focused Discussion on Dealing with the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Outbreak,” webinar (June 2022)
  • “Labor & Employment Forecast: Food & Agribusiness Edition,” Virtual Food & Ag Summit (March 2021)
  • “Bio-Engineered Labeling”, Food & Ag Summit (February 2019)
OTHER PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
  • Adjunct professor, Delaware Valley University, Masters in Agribusiness program
RECOGNITIONS
  • Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America, Trusts and Estates (2024, 2025)
  • Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Rising Star – Food and Drugs (2024)
  • Lehigh Valley Business, Women of Influence – Women to Watch (2024)

Charles B. Haws

Charles Haws concentrates his practice in environmental, real estate, municipal law and food & agribusiness. He provides environmental counseling services on a full range of environmental issues to the firm’s municipal, industrial, and real estate development clients. He assists municipal clients on environmental compliance and permitting matters, both as permittees and with respect to development within their jurisdiction. He works with real estate development clients in issues from due diligence through final land development approval.

Charles counsels clients on all aspects of mineral resource issues, including oil and gas leasing, coal, industrial minerals and bluestone mining, as well as alternative energy projects including wind energy and biofuels projects.  His regulatory background allows thorough representation from negotiation of agreements, permitting and compliance issues, and litigation at local, state, and federal level.

Food & Agribusiness

– He has represented a client in the acquisition of a food processing/residual waste processing facility, including the transfer of all necessary permits and authorizations.

– While at DEP, he handled enforcement actions involving improper storage and disposal of food processing waste.

– He has represented farming clients on enforcement actions and third party appeals involving E&S, NPDES and nutrient management issues.

– He represented farming clients on alternative energy projects including solar systems and biomass power generation.

Prior to joining Barley Snyder, he spent nine years with the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, Office of Chief Counsel, where he provided litigation and regulatory counseling services to a broad range of programs. He worked closely with public water supply management, coal and industrial mineral mining, waste management, environmental cleanup, emergency response, water quality and laboratory accreditation. He provided counseling to these programs on permitting and regulatory compliance, negotiating compliance, penalty and permitting agreements. He also handled a wide range of appeals and enforcement actions with the Environmental Hearing Board, Commonwealth Court, Pennsylvania Supreme Court and the Courts of Common Pleas throughout the state.

RECOGNITION
  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Environmental Law (2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025), Energy Law (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025)
MEMBERSHIPS
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association, Energy & Environmental Law Section, Board member
  • Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration
PRESENTATIONS
  • – “Unique Issues with Urban Development”, A Morning on Real Estate (June 2019)
  • “Land Development and Environmental Challenges”, Wake up with Barley: A Morning on Real Estate (September 2017)

Brian R. Ott

Brian Ott is a partner in the firm’s Trusts & Estates group. He focuses his practice on both complex and simple estate and tax planning, administration of estates and trusts, business succession planning and on the representation of private foundations and tax-exempt organizations. He regularly advises individuals and corporate fiduciaries in the interpretation of governing documents and in the administration of trusts, guardianships and estates.

Brian understands and appreciates the unique concerns and personal nature of the work he provides to his clients. Brian’s estate planning practice includes the following:

  • Drafting complex and simple estate plans including wills, revocable trusts, dynasty trusts, irrevocable insurance trusts, qualified personal residence trusts, grantor retained annuity trusts (GRATs), charitable remainder trusts, family limited partnerships, limited liability companies and powers of attorney.
  • Assistance with retirement planning and charitable giving.
  • Counseling owners of closely-held businesses on business succession planning, business formation and governance issues.
  • Advising clients of the consequences of proposed transfers and transactions as they relate to estate, gift, generation-skipping and income taxes.
  • Assistance with estate administration and the probate process.
  • Counseling clients about long-term care planning and elder law issues, especially as related to eligibility for Medicare and Medical Assistance.

Brian is a member of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of the Pennsylvania Bar Association. He serves on the Orphans’ Court Rules Committee of the Berks County Bar Association and on the boards of directors of several charitable organizations.

When he’s not working for his clients, he can usually be spotted throughout the Berks County area transporting his five children to their never-ending assortment of activities. 

MEMBERSHIPS
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association
  • Berks County Estate Planning Council; past president
  • Berks County Bar Association; past director
PRESENTATIONS
  • “Why You Can’t Afford to Miss out on a 1031 Exchange”, Wake up with Barley: A Morning on Real Estate (September 2017)
  • “Portability vs. Credit Shelter Trust”, Fiduciary Education Foundation Annual Conference (May 2015)

Amanda Jabour Kowalski

Amanda is a seasoned attorney with more than 15 years of experience advising clients on financial institution regulation, securities, general corporate law, mergers and acquisitions, and international trade. She brings a thoughtful, business-minded approach to her work, combining deep legal knowledge with a strong commitment to client service. Known for her collaborative style and practical problem-solving skills, Amanda delivers high-quality, strategic counsel that helps clients navigate complex legal and regulatory challenges with confidence. 

Amanda brings her extensive experience in the financial services industry to Barley Snyder’s Business Practice Group. She formerly practiced in the Washington, D.C. office of Paul Hastings LLP, where she advised domestic and foreign banking organizations, non-bank financial institutions, and Fintech companies on a wide range of regulatory, transactional and compliance issues. Amanda counsels financial institutions on all aspects of regulation and compliance, with an emphasis on corporate structuring, control and operations, as well as compliance with the Bank Secrecy Act and anti-money laundering laws, consumer protection regulations, and global data privacy requirements. Additionally, she advises problem banks and represents financial institutions in transactions and matters involving various federal and state bank regulatory agencies, including the Federal Reserve, OCC, and FDIC. Her work on elder financial exploitation issues has been nationally recognized. Furthermore, Amanda stays at the forefront of regulatory changes impacting cryptocurrency and related activities, providing critical legal insights to banks and financial institutions to ensure compliance and mitigate risks in this rapidly developing space.

Amanda also has significant experience in global trade and economic sanctions matters. She represents clients in U.S. national security reviews before the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), whose jurisdiction is triggered by certain foreign investments in U.S. businesses. As CFIUS counsel, Amanda helps clients avoid delays that can impede transactions by making the threshold determination as to whether a transaction warrants notifying the U.S. government, and where appropriate, developing declarations and notices. She also advises clients on matters relating to economic sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). She is a member of Barley Snyder’s Transportation, Logistics & Trade Industry Group which helps clients navigate the unique challenges facing this sector. 

In addition, Amanda advises clients on a range of business matters. She assists clients with securities compliance, including 1934 Act compliance for public companies. She also counsels clients, including closely-held and family businesses, on transactional matters and corporate governance. She regularly engages with a range of clients on contract drafting, review and negotiation.

In addition to her experience in private practice, Amanda previously worked as in-house counsel at E*Trade Bank and as a law clerk at the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, where she reviewed proposed mergers for anticompetitive issues.

A native of Lancaster County, Amanda attended the University of Pennsylvania and received her law degree from the George Washington University Law School. She currently serves as Board President the Lancaster Law Foundation, which promotes equal access to justice for all in the community by funding public interest law projects, delivering pro bono service and educating the public on civic and legal issues.

PRESENTATION
  • “Current Challenges in Bank Operations, including Risk Management, Compliance, Interest Rates, and the Impact of Tariffs on Customers”, Barley Snyder LendiCon Lending Conference (April 2025)
  • “Navigating the Information Security/Fraud Landscape: Helping our Customers Mitigate Risk, Increase Compliance and the Crucial Role of the Corporate Transparency Act”, Barley Snyder LendiCon Lending Conference (April 2024)
  • “Bank Regulation & Failure: A Discussion on Current Events in the Banking Industry”, Barley Snyder Webinar (March 2023)
  • “How to Talk to Your Customers About the Recent Bank Failures and Reassure Them of Your Bank’s Position”, Barley Snyder LendiCon Lending Conference (March 2023)
  • Presenter, Association of Certified Financial Crime Specialists Webinar (August 2014)
PUBLICATIONS
  • “Elder Financial Exploitation: An Increasing Compliance Concern”, Journal of Taxation and Regulation of Financial Institutions (2015)
  • “Cordray’s Recess Appointment: Future Legal Challenges”, ABA Banking Law Journal (March 2012)

Alexander Puskar

Alex is a partner in Barley Snyder’s Business and Tax practice groups. His practice includes extensive experience with mergers and acquisitions, including assisting clients with the establishment, use and operation of, and acquisitions involving employee stock ownership plans. He works with officers, directors and shareholders of closely held businesses on an array of organizational matters, such as entity formation, compliance, contract review, tax planning, and business succession planning. He also counsels non-profit organizations in mergers, acquisitions and fundamental change transactions, as well as filing for tax-exempt status and general compliance issues.

Alex graduated magna cum laude from the University of Pittsburgh, where he received both his B.A. and J.D. He also earned an LL.M. in Taxation from Villanova University’s Charles Widger School of Law.

Alex is a former summer associate at Barley Snyder and is the Chair of the firm’s summer associate program recruiting committee. Alex is a native of Lancaster County and currently resides in East Petersburg with his wife and daughter.

RECOGNITIONS
  • Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Rising Star (2023, 2024)
  • Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America, Mergers and Acquisitions Law (2024, 2025)
EXPERTISE & CERTIFICATION
  • Villanova University School of Law certification in estate planning
PRESENTATIONS
  • “Exploring Exit Strategies: Direct Employee Ownership and ESOP Models”, The High Center (December 2024) 
MEMBERSHIPS
  • Berks County Bar Association
  • Lancaster Bar Association
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association

Alex E. Snyder

Alex Snyder concentrates his practice in estate and trust planning and administration, tax planning, and business law. Alex’s clients range from individuals to families, small business owners and non-profit organizations.

In Alex’s estate and trust practice, he assists his clients in developing their estate and tax plan to best meet their individual, family or business succession planning needs while minimizing tax implications. Alex’s experience includes drafting wills, living wills, advanced directives, revocable trusts, dynasty trusts, irrevocable insurance trusts, irrevocable life insurance trusts, qualified personal residence trusts, grantor retained annuity trusts (GRATs), charitable remainder annuity trusts (CRATs), charitable remainder unitrusts (CRUTs), special needs trusts, family limited partnerships, and powers of attorney. He also assists clients with estate and trust administration and the probate process. Alex’s experience includes matters involving Orphan’s Court and fiduciary litigation. Alex also advises his clients on tax planning for both individuals and business owners. Alex is active with the York County Estate Planning Council, the local chapter of the National Association of Estate Planners and Councils.

Alex’s estate planning practice dovetails with his work with small and closely-held business clients. Alex has experience working with his clients on issues such as entity formation and structuring, succession planning, contract review, non-disclosure agreements, shipping and distribution and real estate matters. Alex has gained a unique understanding of the issues facing family-owned and agricultural businesses through his personal experience with his family’s small commercial farm.

Alex works with corporations, partnerships and limited liability companies on the complex tax issues that are inherent in the acquisitions and sales of business assets and interests. He also assists business clients with navigating problems related to state and local taxation involving realty transfer tax, sales tax, employment taxes and income tax withholding.  In addition, Alex works with developers and investors on the tax implications and structuring of projects designed to capture federal and state historic tax credits, new markets tax credits, low-income housing tax credits and renewable energy credits.

Additionally, Alex has assisted non-profit organizations in formation, tax-exempt status filing, and general governance issues.

RECOGNITIONS
  • The Best Lawyers in America®, Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law (2024, 2025) Trusts and Estates (2024, 2025)
  • Central Penn Business Journal (Forty Under 40, 2014)
  • Pennsylvania Rising Stars (2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)
PRESENTATIONS
  • Panelist – 2023 York Business Seminar (October 2023)
  • “Why You Can’t Afford to Miss out on a 1031 Exchange”, Wake up with Barley: A Morning on Real Estate (September 2017)
  • “Tax-Exempt Financing: and New Market Tax Credits”, Barley Snyder LendiCon Seminar (March 2016)
  • “Tax Issues That Can Impact Your Business”, Barley Snyder Business Seminar (October 2015)
  • “Business Succession & Wealth Transfer: Considerations of Death, Taxes and Achieving Family Harmony”, Barley Snyder Business Seminar (October 2014)
  • “The Tax Implications of Pennsylvania Companies Doing Business Out of State”, Barley Snyder Business Seminar (October 2012)

Adam D. Boyer

Adam is a member of the firm’s Real Estate, Trusts & Estates and Business practice groups. He concentrates his practice in real estate, estate planning and estate administration, business and agricultural matters. His clients include private individuals, family businesses, large family farms/orchards, member-owned cooperatives, for-profit corporations and municipal entities.

In his real estate practice, Adam serves as legal counsel and as a licensed title insurance agent for Commonwealth Land Title Insurance Company. He regularly represents businesses and individuals in simple and complex real estate purchases and sales, ranging from the purchases of single-family homes to the sales of industrial and manufacturing facilities for more than $10 million. Adam also has extensive experience with land preservation and conservation organizations. He is particularly well-versed in helping clients navigate the “Clean and Green” tax assessment program and negotiating conservation easements. He has worked with landowners, non-profit land trusts, and governmental agencies to preserve dozens of properties and thousands of acres of land. Prior to practicing law, Adam worked at the Land Conservancy of Adams County, where he became experienced in many methods of land preservation.

In the area of estate planning and administration, Adam assists his clients with a variety of matters ranging from the preparation of basic estate planning documents such as wills and powers of attorney to the administration of multi-million dollar estates. He frequently collaborates with financial advisors, business consultants and accountants to create transition plans for family businesses and to craft estate and wealth plans for agricultural clients.  

Adam is a seventh-generation resident of Adams County, where he grew up on a family farm. He has a deep commitment to the local community, which is reflected in his approach to client service. Known as a trusted advisor, he possesses extensive knowledge of the business landscape in Adams County. Adam aims to not only help clients achieve their objectives but also to ensure they fully understand the reasoning and strategy behind the approach to their legal matter. Above all, Adam strives to make the experience of working with an attorney one that leaves his clients feeling confident, informed and valued.

Adam volunteers with numerous non-profit organizations and charities throughout the area, currently serving on the board of directors of Main Street Gettysburg as treasurer, the Adams County Bar Association, the Gettysburg Hospital Foundation, and the York Springs Historical Society. Outside the firm, Adam enjoys traveling to national parks and following Penn State athletics.

RECOGNITIONS
  • Schreyer Honors Scholar, Pennsylvania State University
  • Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America, Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law (2024, 2025)
MEMBERSHIPS
  • Adams County Bar Association
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association
PRESENTATIONS
  • “Development Considerations in Multifamily Housing”, Wake Up With Barley: A Morning on Real Estate Seminar (May 2024)
  • “Ag Issues and Leaders,” panelist, AgChoice Farm Credit
  • Frequent speaker at civic clubs and organizations about estate planning matters

Abby Medin Tucker

Abby is an attorney in the firm’s Business, Real Estate and Transportation, Logistics & Trade groups. She takes a pragmatic, client-first approach to the practice of law, prioritizing clear communication and effective, results-driven solutions. Abby believes that truly understanding her clients – their goals, challenges and priorities – is essential to providing meaningful legal guidance. By building strong relationships and demystifying complex legal issues, Abby works to streamline processes and avoid unnecessary complications. With a solid foundation in both legal principles and the technology that powers modern legal practice, she delivers efficient, forward-thinking service tailored to each client’s unique needs.

In her business practice, Abby advises clients on all aspects of their business, ranging from entity selection and formation to succession planning. Abby counsels public and private entities – including closely held and family-owned businesses – on mergers, acquisitions, corporate governance, shareholder buyouts, and a variety of other transactional matters. She regularly engages with clients on general business issues including contract drafting, review and negotiation. In particular, Abby has extensive experience reviewing vendor, supply and services contracts, giving her a strong foundation for advising businesses on the agreements they rely on every day.

A large portion of Abby’s practice is assisting clients with mergers and acquisitions, including both stock and asset transactions, as well as reorganizations. Her work in the mergers & acquisitions arena touches on many different industry sectors, including companies in the technology, health care, manufacturing and professional service sectors. Abby also regularly advises family-owned businesses, bringing a thoughtful approach to the unique dynamics and sensitivities those deals often present. In addition, she works frequently with private equity investors as part of her mergers and acquisitions practice. Abby has actively worked on a wide variety of deals and structures, including complex earn-outs and management buy-outs.

In her transportation and trade practice, Abby delivers sophisticated and practical advice to clients in a broad range of industries on both domestic and international regulatory and commercial matters, with the aim of minimizing supply chain disruptions and avoiding costly penalties, sanctions and shipping delays. She closely monitors developments in tariff policy and provides strategic guidance to businesses navigating the challenges and opportunities that come with shifting trade regulations.

Furthermore, Abby brings valuable experience in planning and executing real estate transactions which complements her broader business practice. She advises clients on the acquisition, financing, and disposition of commercial and residential properties, providing practical, deal-focused guidance at every stage.

Before joining the firm, Abby clerked for Chief Judge Leonard P. Stark of the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. Abby also previously practiced environmental law, where she represented clients in administrative negotiations with government agencies, advised clients regarding compliance and permitting under federal and state environmental regulations and assisted with litigation of environmental claims.

Abby and her family live in Hershey and enjoy spending much of their free time in its family-friendly hot spots.

PRESENTATIONS
  • “Transition or Sell: What to Do With Your Family Business” 2022 Smart Business Dealmakers Conference in Philadelphia (September 2022)
  • “Global Trade Gridlock,” Central Pa Financial Executives Institute Chapter (February 2022)
  • “Key Terms in Commercial Leases and How They Can Hold Up Your Deal,” Greater Harrisburg Association of REALTORS Commercial Council (April 2018)
RECOGNITIONS
  • Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America, Closely Held Companies and Family Business Law (2024, 2025)

Get in Touch

Our attorneys, paralegals and staff look forward to hearing from you. Please reach out to let us know how we can help.

Get In Touch
RECOGNIZED IN
Super Lawyers
Best Law Firms US News
Best Lawyers