Position: Attorney

Tasha R. Stoltzfus Nankerville

Tasha is a member of Barley Snyder’s Litigation, Health Care and Higher Education groups, concentrating her practice in the areas of civil litigation and medical malpractice.

In her general civil litigation practice, Tasha uses her strong advocacy, problem-solving and leadership skills to effectively and efficiently assist businesses, institutions and individuals in navigating the litigation process. In particular, Tasha handles matters related to employment discrimination, Title IX, civil rights, breach of contract, and landlord/tenant issues.

As a member of the firm’s Health Care Industry Group, Tasha also focuses her practice on the defense of health care facilities and physicians in medical malpractice litigation. Tasha handles a wide range of tasks including taking depositions, preparing defensive pleadings, conducting research for all stages of litigation, and counseling clients prior to testifying in court.

As a member of the firm’s Higher Education Industry Group, Tasha provides counseling for administrators, faculty, and staff regarding student rights and discipline issues arising under a host of federal and state laws including the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Title IX of the Educational Amendments Act. She has assisted colleges and universities in drafting and implementing ADA-compliant policies and procedures to accommodate students with disabilities. Tasha has also represented colleges and universities in a diverse array of litigation matters.

Tasha continues a longtime firm tradition of former Barley Snyder summer associates returning to the firm. Before joining Barley Snyder, Tasha worked as an intern with the Lancaster County District Attorney’s office and Villanova Law’s Institute to Address Commercial Sexual Exploitation (CSE Institute). She previously worked in Lancaster City as a Finance/Human Resources director for six small businesses, as an Executive Director of a non-profit working alongside women affected by homelessness, and as a refugee resettlement caseworker. She relates to a broad spectrum of people and is comfortable in diverse settings.

A Lancaster native with Amish roots, Tasha has a passion for public service and social justice. She enjoys volunteering her time to represent pro bono those in need of legal services. Her pro bono work involves cases seeking U Visa immigration relief and defending prisoners’ rights. Tasha has volunteered in her hometown with various non-profit organizations including Advoz, Lancaster County Conservancy, Night to Shine, and Church World Services. She is also a former volunteer of The Mix and Clare House. In her spare time, Tasha enjoys anything outdoors, running, and thrift shopping at Goodwill. She lives in Lancaster with her husband and dog.

RECOGNITIONS
  • Dorothy Day Award for Pro Bono Service
  • Arthur J. Kania Prize in Professional Ethics
  • Daniel F. O’Dea, Jr. Fellowship Award for Outstanding Professionalism
  • Distinguished Service Award, Villanova Law Moot Court Board
MEMBERSHIPS
  • Lancaster Bar Association
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association

Emily C. Watkins (formerly Marzock)

Emily is a member of the firm’s Trusts & Estates Practice Group. She concentrates her practice on estate planning, trust and estate administration, long-term care planning, and elder law issues. Emily combines her legal knowledge with a compassionate, people-centered approach to assist clients in creating personalized estate plans that align with their unique needs and goals. She regularly advises clients on wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and medical directives. Emily also counsels clients on long-term care planning, including how to navigate Medicaid eligibility and protect families from financial hardship. She is also experienced in guiding clients through the probate process and settling estates with care and efficiency, remaining empathetic to the emotional stress that can accompany the death of a loved one.  

In addition to her estate planning work, Emily is well-versed in advising nonprofit organizations blending her legal know-how with the practical experience of having worked as a development officer. Emily advises on matters throughout the nonprofit life cycle, including formation, governance, obtaining tax-exempt status, state registration, stewardship of charitable gifts and endowment management, as well as navigating mergers, affiliations and dissolution. 

Emily received her law degree from the University of Virginia after majoring in Classics and Economics at Brown University. She began her career practicing at the Washington, D.C. office of a large, international law firm, where she provided regulatory counseling to Fortune 100 energy and telecom companies and represented them in administrative and judicial matters concerning economic and regulatory issues.

In 2016, Emily moved to Lancaster and served as the Associate Director of Gift Planning at Franklin & Marshall College. In this role, she worked with donors to find ways to satisfy their philanthropic intentions while advancing their financial and estate goals. Emily’s experience in charitable gift planning adds a unique dimension to her estate planning practice. 

Deeply committed to her community, Emily currently serves as a board member and chair of the Finance Committee for The Lancaster Science Factory and as a Generosity Group Member of the Lancaster Community Foundation. She is the former chair of the Board & Leadership Gifts Committee of Lancaster Lebanon Habitat for Humanity’s Open Doors campaign.

MEMBERSHIPS
  • Lancaster Bar Association
  • Pennsylvania Association of Elder Law Attorneys

Paul F. Troisi

Paul is a partner at Barley Snyder in the firm’s Litigation Practice Group, assisting clients with a wide variety of litigation matters including: commercial litigation, fiduciary litigation, appellate litigation, personal injury, real estate, construction, and professional licensing cases. He understands that litigation involves making difficult personal, legal, business, and financial decisions. His experience enables him to guide his clients through the litigation process in pursuit of the best possible outcome. Paul previously worked for firms in Bethlehem and Harrisburg, focusing on civil litigation to give him the experience he now possesses to help his clients through complex litigation matters.

Paul has experience in state and federal court, representing both individuals and businesses in a wide range of matters. With the growing trend of cases resolving or being decided through Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) proceedings, Paul’s practice also includes representing his clients in arbitrations and mediations.

Commercial Litigation
Paul assists businesses of all sizes and individuals with collections cases, contract disputes, non-compete/non-solicitation agreement matters, business ownership disputes, business dissolution matters, violations of the Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law, violations of the Pennsylvania Home Improvement Consumer Protection Act, and commercial lease cases, among other areas.

Fiduciary Litigation
Paul represents clients in Orphans’ Courts and civil courts in a wide array of fiduciary matters. Paul has experience in matters such as trust litigation, guardianship related matters, non-profit organization dissolution, financial account disputes, common law marriage disputes, and intestate matters. 

Appellate Litigation
Paul represents clients with their appellate needs. He can represent clients in appellate matters such as involving post-judgment motions practice, final orders, interlocutory appeals, and applications for stays.

Personal Injury
Paul represents individuals in motor vehicle accident, premises liability, products liability, slip and fall, and wrongful death cases.

Real Estate
Paul has experience in zoning matters, property disputes, quiet title cases, and with commercial/residential landlords in lease and landlord/tenant matters.

Construction
Paul represents construction industry professionals in a variety of disputes including breach of contract, violations of the Pennsylvania Contractor and Subcontractor Payment Act, and Pennsylvania mechanics’ lien matters.

Dram Shop Defense
Paul defends businesses in claims arising under Pennsylvania’s Dram Shop laws, including personal injury suits filed by patrons and third-parties.

Professional Licensing
Paul represents professionals before administrative bodies in disputes related to various professional licensing issues.

In our community, Paul is the treasurer of the Berks County Bar Association. As treasurer, Paul is part of its executive & finance committee and its board of directors. He also is a member of the bar’s civil litigation section, local rules committee and investment committee. Paul is actively involved in the firm, chairing the Mentorship Committee and serving as a member of the Marketing Committee and the Summer Associate Committee. He also serves on the board of directors for the YMCA of Reading and Berks County. In his free time, Paul enjoys the outdoors and is an avid sports fan.

RECOGNITION
  • Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Rising Star (2023, 2024)
  • Lehigh Valley Business, Forty Under 40 List (2023)
MEMBERSHIPS
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association
  • Berks County Bar Association
  • Federal Bar Association

John J. Speicher

John is a member of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group, practicing in commercial and personal injury litigation. He is one of the few Berks County attorneys certified as a civil trial specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. John also maintains an AV Preeminent Rating with Martindale-Hubbell, an attorney rating service, and was selected as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer from 2011 through 2021 by Super Lawyers Magazine.

From 1995 to 1997, the Berks County native chaired the board of the YMCA of Reading and Berks County. He later served for four years on the executive committee of the Berks County Bar Association, including one year as president in 2002. He was also a delegate from Berks County to the Pennsylvania Bar Association and volunteers with the United Way of Berks County.

John graduated from Denison University with honors in history in 1973 and from Temple University School of Law in 1976. He has spoken at numerous seminars on various trial topics for the Berks County Bar Association and is trained as a mediator and arbitrator through the Berks County Bar Association’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Program.

He coached community youth teams in basketball, baseball and soccer, and led a youth basketball exchange with Germany in 1996. John is married to Patricia C. Giles, also a Berks County native and former senior vice president for Community Impact for the United Way of Berks County. She is also vice president of the Wyomissing Foundation and is on the board of trustees at Alvernia University. They have two sons, a daughter and seven grandchildren.

RECOGNITIONS
  • AV Preeminent Rating with Martindale-Hubbell
  • Pennsylvania Super Lawyer (2011 – 2022)
  • Berks County Bar Association’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Program graduate
EXPERTISE & CERTIFICATION
  • Civil Trial Specialist, National Board of Trial Advocacy
MEMBERSHIP
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association

Allen R. Shollenberger

Allen is a member of the firm’s Trust & Estate and Real Estate practice groups. He maintains a general practice of law with emphasis in the following areas: municipal representation, zoning, land development, real estate, corporate law, estate planning and estate administration. Allen’s more than 30 years of legal experience allow him to provide a unique perspective on a wide variety of legal matters.

A member of the Berks County Bar and Pennsylvania Bar Associations, Allen has been admitted to practice before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and U.S. District Court for the Middle and Eastern Districts of Pennsylvania.

He graduated from East Stroudsburg College and received his Juris Doctor degree from Delaware Law School of Widener University. A Hamburg native, Allen is an avid outdoor enthusiast and enjoys running, biking, whitewater rafting adventures and golf.

MEMBERSHIPS
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association
  • Berks County Bar Association
  • Recorder of Deeds of Berks County, former solicitor

Latisha Bernard Schuenemann

Latisha Bernard Schuenemann is a member of the firm’s Trusts & Estates and Business practice groups. She holds a Master of Laws degree in taxation and her knowledge of tax law helps the firm’s clients with estate planning and estate and trust administration matters. Latisha also handles a myriad of business transactions.

Outside of the office, Latisha is involved with many organizations. She serves as a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s (PBA) Women in the Profession and PBA Minority Bar Committees, a member of the Philadelphia Bar Association, a member of the Berks County Bar Association and chairs the Berks County Orphans’ Court Rules Committee, a member of the Estate Planning Council of Berks County, a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, a member of the Pennsylvania Association of Elder Law Attorneys, a member of the Endlich Law Club, a past board member and past vice president of the Greater Reading Young Professionals and a past member of the Berks County Libraries Task Force.

Latisha is an alumnus of Reading Central Catholic High School. She earned a degree in business administration from Kutztown University and her master of science degree in criminal justice from St. Joseph’s University. Latisha also earned her Juris Doctor degree from Widener University School of Law and her LL.M. degree in taxation from Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law.

While attending law school, Latisha worked as a legal intern at the Office of Attorney General within the Capital Litigation Section and Medicaid Fraud Section. Latisha also worked as a certified legal intern at the Harrisburg Civil Law Clinic, which provides legal services to the community.

RECOGNITION
MEMBERSHIPS
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association
  • Philadelphia Bar Association
  • Berks County Bar Association
  • Pennsylvania Association of Elder Law Attorneys
  • Estate Planning Council of Berks County, member, past president
  • Academy of Special Needs Planners
  • Pennsylvania Orphans’ Court Procedural Rules Committee
  • Endlich Law Club
  • PBA Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section
  • The National Black Lawyers
PRESENTATIONS
  • “Representing an Alleged Incapacitated Person in Guardianship Matters”, Berks County Bar Association (June 2024)
  • “Interviewing Clients for Estate Planning and Estate Settlements”, Pennsylvania Bar Institute (2021)
  • “Estate Law Update”, Berks County Bar Association Bench-Bar Conference (2021)
  • “Benefits of Using a Trust for Families in Need”, Fiduciary Trust Company International of Pennsylvania Webinar (2021)
  • “Oops! Common Mistakes on Guardianship Report”, Berks County Bar Association (2021)
  • “Preparation of Prenuptial Agreements” , Berks County Bar Association Course (2021)
  • “New Jersey v. Pennsylvania – Estate Administration and Planning” , New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education Course (2020)
  • “New Guardianship Rules” , Berks County Bar Association Bench-Bar Conference (2019)
  • “How to Close an Estate”, Pennsylvania Bar Institute Legal Education Course (2016)
  • “Trusts 101″, National Business Institute Continuing Legal Education Course (2013)
  • “Probate Process from A to Z” , National Business Institute Continuing Legal Education Course (2021)
PUBLICATIONS

Frederick M. Nice

With nearly forty years of experience, Fred offers his clients a vast corporate, banking, tax, estate planning and business representation background. He advises businesses and their owners on structuring business transactions, solving business and tax-related problems and creative estate planning.

Fred concentrates his practice on creative and sophisticated estate planning including the preparation of tax-affected wills and all forms of trusts, including, but not limited to, revocable trusts, irrevocable trusts, special needs trusts, charitable trusts, life insurance trusts, minor’s trusts, pet trusts and gun trusts. He advises clients on asset protection planning for affluent clients as well as Medicaid and nursing home planning. In addition, Fred prepares financial powers of attorney, health care powers of attorney and limited powers of attorney for business transactions. Fred is involved in fiduciary litigation on all levels as well as charitable planning. He is one of a handful of attorneys in Berks County who focuses on special needs planning and trusts. His experience helping disabled individuals has positioned Fred as a liaison between many professionals who frequently approach him for his guidance.

In his business practice, Fred focuses on corporate mergers and acquisitions, contract negotiations, real estate, banking and tax-related matters. He deals with all forms of entities including C corporations, S corporations, limited liability companies, and general and limited partnerships. Fred prepares shareholder agreements, stock and asset purchase and sale agreements, operating agreements, employment agreements and consulting agreements.

Fred actively represents clients before all levels of the IRS and the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue in tax-related matters. He has lectured on estate planning, charitable giving, long-term care and nursing home planning, life insurance trusts, revocable trusts, elder law, special needs planning, 1031 tax-deferred exchanges, shareholder agreements and Marcellus Shale gas leasing.

Committed to the Berks County community, Fred has served in many capacities with several nonprofits including the Boy Scouts of America, the United Way, Olivet’s Boys and Girls Club and Opportunity House. He currently serves on the board of the Foundation for the Reading Public Museum. Fred is a past chairman of the board of Easterseals of Eastern Pennsylvania and past president of the Berks County Estate Planning Council. He is also a past chairman of the Berks County Bar Association Estate Planning Section and past president and board member of the Berkshire Country Club.

A graduate of Wyomissing High School, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in political science from American University before obtaining his Juris Doctor degree from Duquesne University. Fred also earned a Master of Laws degree in taxation from Georgetown University Law.

MEMBERSHIPS
  • Berks County Estate Planning Council, past president
  • Berks County Bar Association Estate Planning Section, past chairman

Kevin A. Moore

Kevin is a partner in the firm’s Employment and Litigation practice groups and chairs the Labor Law Practice Team, helping clients with legal challenges in employment and labor law and working as counsel for businesses in litigation. Kevin is involved with clients at many levels, working with them broadly as general counsel as well as in other areas such as commercial and construction litigation. Kevin and his partners quickly size up the case, identify the goal to be achieved, and provide the roadmap to reach that goal in the litigation process. Whether zealously advocating the client’s position in the courtroom or cogently analyzing the business impact of litigation in the boardroom, Kevin provides the unique blend of trial counsel and business leadership clients need to achieve their strategic goals.

Helping the business community stay up and running, Kevin frequently lectures to businesses and to attorneys on all areas of employment, labor, and commercial and construction litigation. He is an approved EEOC trainer, federal court arbitrator, and guest lecturer at local colleges and universities. Kevin also is a Berks County Court Arbitrator and Discovery Master.

He is a past chairman of the Berks County Bar Association Employment Law Section and is also a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association Employment and Labor Committee. Kevin volunteers his time as an attorney by serving as the volunteer solicitor to many community and charitable organizations.

Kevin is an active volunteer with the Boy Scouts of America and the IM ABLE Foundation. He sits on numerous school and church related boards and committees. In his spare time, Kevin enjoys musical theatre and is a competitive age group triathlete and cyclist. He resides in Spring Township, Berks County with his family.

EXPERTISE & CERTIFICATIONS
  • Approved EEOC trainer
  • Arbitrator, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania
  • Arbitrator and Discovery Master, Berks County Court of Common Pleas
MEMBERSHIPS
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association Employment and Labor Committee
  • St. Thomas More Society – Diocese of Allentown
  • Society of Human Resource Professionals (SHRM) Chapter 179
PRESENTATIONS
  • “Navigating Labor Laws in Hospitality,” Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association Annual Conference (October 2024)
  • “Challenges Employers Face with Department of Labor Wage and Hour compliance under the Fair Labor Standards Act,” SHRM Berks County Chapter’s General Membership Meeting (June 2024)
  • “Did Someone Say Ambush?!: An Interactive Simulation Demonstrating the Speed of the NLRB’s New Election Rules,” Barley Snyder’s 41st Annual Employment Law Seminar (May 2024)
  • “Navigating the ‘Bermuda Triangle’: The Interplay of the ADA, FMLA and WCA”, Central Penn Business Group on Health’s 2024 Healthcare Legal Update (March 2024)
  • “Labor Law Topics Relating to the Construction Industry,” ABC Keystone’s Human Resources Contractor Peer Group (March 2024)
  • “Human Resources Contractor Peer Group,” ABC Keystone (February 2024)
  • “Federal Labor Law Changes Regarding Union Organization,” Schuylkill Chamber of Commerce (December 2023)
  • “Labor Law Update,” Greater Reading Chamber Alliance (September 2023)
  • “Employee Handbooks: Avoiding Common Mistakes,” Greater Reading Chamber Alliance (June 2023)
  • “Proactive v. Reactive: How Getting to the Core of Employee Concerns Helps Employers Stay Ahead of Union Activity,” Barley Snyder’s 40th Annual Employment Law Seminar (May 2023)
  • “Workplace Investigations,” Berks County Bar Association (December 2022)
  • “Errors Employers Make When Drafting/Updating Handbooks,” Northeast PA Manufacturers & Employers Association’s HR Roundtable (December 2022)
  • “Labor Unions and Healthcare,” Appalachian Health Care Human Resources Society (November 2022)
  • “U.S. Employment Laws and Regulations,” SHRM Chapter 179 Certification (November 2022)
  • “14th Annual Labor and Employment Law Summit” – Keynote Presenter, Northeast PA Manufacturers & Employers Association (September 2022)
  • “NLRB/Union Activity: What’s New in 2022,” Barley Snyder’s 39th Annual Employment Law Seminar (May 2022)
  • “2022 Reading Business Seminar” – Panelist, Barley Snyder (April 2022)
  • “New Developments In Labor Law-2022,” World Sign Associates Division 9 Semi-Annual Meeting (April 2022)
  • “50th Anniversary Dinner,” Berks County Chapter of the Society For the Human Resource Management (April 2022)

Matthew M. Mayer

Matt is partner in Barley Snyder’s Business and Real Estate practice groups where he concentrates on general corporate and commercial transactions, along with work in the real estate, banking, and business representation fields. Matt takes a detail-oriented, client-focused approach to his practice, cultivating relationships with his clients to best understand their objectives and achieve their desired results. 

Much of Matt’s practice is focused on mergers and acquisitions, where he has handled hundreds of transactions, both small and large. He understands what it takes to get a deal done and helps his clients navigate the often-complex M&A process. Matt regularly assists clients with due diligence, structuring transactions, deal negotiations, drafting asset and stock purchase agreements, and related ancillary documents. He is also well-versed with handling general business matters including entity selection and formation, contract review and drafting, and more. Matt has experience serving a wide variety of clients, from small family businesses to multimillion-dollar corporations. 

In his real estate practice, Matt focuses on the representation of clients in the purchase and sale of real estate and the negotiation of commercial and residential real estate leases, both on the lessor and lessee sides. He also has significant experience in the negotiation of real estate transactions as part of asset and stock acquisitions/sales. 

In addition to his corporate and real estate practices, Matt also assists clients with the purchase, sale and transfer of liquor licenses, acting as a guide through the process with the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) and also works frequently with banks to document commercial loan transactions.

Prior to joining private practice, Matt served as an international/operational law attorney in the U.S. Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps (JAG). In this role, he acted as the U.S. Army’s sole legal representative in Europe at numerous planning conferences for military exercises where he negotiated and drafted multi-million dollar contracts on the Army’s behalf with various other European nations. In a previous position, Matt was the sole legal advisor to a two-star general for the entire European Signal Command. During his service, he advised clients from the lowest-grade private to four-star generals. Today, Matt draws from his diverse military experience and applies it as an attorney. 

An All-Berks soccer player and alumnus of Fleetwood High School, Matt continued his soccer career at Moravian College where he was an all-conference captain of his soccer team and a cum laude graduate. He received his Juris Doctor degree from the T.C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond. Matt currently resides in Sinking Spring and is an avid sports enthusiast and stays active in golf and soccer.

MEMBERSHIPS
  • Berks County Bar Association
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association
  • American Bar Association

Alexandra E. Otto

Alex advises and guides clients through both the estate planning and the estate administration process. She identifies and implements various options and strategies to achieve clients’ objectives and utilizes combinations of different vehicles to achieve such objectives while taking into consideration clients’ unique family dynamics and interpersonal relationships. She also provides guidance and support to clients regarding their obligations and duties when acting in various fiduciary capacities. Additionally, she aids clients in navigating the estate administration process by preparing various state and federal tax returns, creating and executing family settlement agreements, and drafting, filing, and defending formal accountings before county orphans’ courts.

Her practice routinely includes aspects and elements of estate planning including:

  • Transitioning family businesses
  • Portability
  • Gifting
  • Generation skipping transfer tax
  • Inheritance tax
  • Medicaid planning
  • Various state probate processes
  • Step-up basis

Alex also counsels and represents clients in real estate transactions. She assists clients with purchasing and selling real estate by providing guidance throughout the entire process from the negotiation of the terms of the transaction through the execution of the finalized documents. She advises clients about realty transfer tax concerns, like-kind exchanges, preferential tax assessment programs such as Clean & Green, resolving title issues and financing, lending, and leasing arrangements.

Prior to joining the firm, Alex took every opportunity to focus her studies at both Dickinson School of Law and Georgetown University on not only tax, but also the interaction of tax and estate planning. She served as the student coordinator for the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program at Dickinson overseeing the preparation of and helped to prepare hundreds of returns annually. She also interned for the Pennsylvania Department of Revenue briefing issues and drafting opinions on corporate tax and personal income tax cases.

Alex’s background in the areas of tax, real estate and estate planning and administration permits her to provide comprehensive services to her clients as she can preemptively identify a variety of issues that arise in these areas and appreciate the impact that aspects of these areas of law have.

In her free time, Alex enjoys running, traveling, scuba diving and spending time with her pets.

MEMBERSHIPS
  • Cumberland County Inn of the Court, former member
  • Cumberland County Bar Association

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