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Trisha A. Gill

Trisha A. Gill

Local Office Managing Partner - Pittsburgh

PA – Pittsburgh | WV – Charleston
T: 412.291.8242 | F: 412.586.4512

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Trisha focuses her practice primarily on the defense of employers in employment discrimination claims in federal court, state court and administrative agencies. She has litigated numerous claims alleging violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, Americans’ with Disabilities Act (ADA), Age Discrimination in Employment (ADEA), Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and Whistleblower claims. She also has defended employers in wrongful discharge claims, breach of employment contract (restrictive covenant) claims and claims filed under Pennsylvania’s Wage Payment and Collection law.

Trisha has defended attorneys, accountants, real estate agents, contractors and subcontractors. She has represented oil and gas companies, laboratories and medical practices, non-profit organizations and religious institutions, municipalities and educational institutions, and financial institutions. Trisha’s representative experience includes electrical companies and construction companies, building supply and product suppliers, manufacturers and HVAC companies, trucking entities and landscaping companies, bars and restaurants owners.

In addition to her litigation practice, Trisha assists employers in implementing and drafting/revising personnel policies and procedures, as well as providing day-to-day counsel on employment issues. She represents against a wide range of unfair trade practices, commercial disparagement and defamation, dram shop liability cases.

Trisha has tried numerous cases to jury verdict and has successfully defended favorable verdicts in appellate courts. In addition, she frequently represents clients in alternative dispute resolution proceedings including the American Arbitration Association and private mediation proceedings.

Practices

  • Obtained jury verdict on behalf of credit union client sued by former employee for disability discrimination, retaliation and failure to accommodate, as well as invasion of privacy and intentional infliction of emotional distress
  • Obtained summary judgment on behalf of municipal employer sued for allegedly violating federal and state whistle-blower statutes wherein employee alleged he was terminated because of his complaints of fraud and abuse to the Office of Inspector General; although evidence confirmed employee submitted complaints of fraud and abuse, the trial court found there was no evidence the employee’s termination was a result of the complaints
  • Negotiated favorable settlement for employer after three mediations in an age discrimination federal suit filed by seven former employees laid off in a reduction in force; case settled for less than 10% of multi-million dollar demand
  • Obtained summary judgment in federal court for an insurance agency sued for age discrimination by a former insurance broker who claimed damages in excess of $1.2 million
  • Obtained summary judgment in favor of state university sued for personal injuries of a construction worker after he fell from a scaffold on their property resulting in paraplegia with documented special damages in excess of $1 million
  • Achieved entry of non-suit during a civil jury trial wherein a chain restaurant claimed in excess of $700,000 in property damage and business losses following a fire that occurred in their HVAC system serviced by our client seven months prior to fire; plaintiff-restaurant alleged our client failed to warn of improper duct work within the HVAC system
  • Obtained defense jury verdict for an electric company sued by a steel company for $400,000 in damages for business interruption after allegedly causing a fire in switch gear; following extensive expert testimony throughout a seven (7) day trial, jury returned a verdict in favor of our client
  • Obtained jury verdict for employer after a six-day jury trial in a Title VII religious discrimination case in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania; jury found the plaintiff to be an independent contractor rather than an “employee”
  • Procured voluntary dismissal of hostile work environment claim after producing photographs of the plaintiff engaging in behavior that was contradictory to allegations in complaint
  • Obtained a defense jury verdict for individual sued in state court for personal injuries claimed following an automobile accident wherein plaintiff claimed a closed head injury resulting in significant deficits; liability for causing the accident was admitted, and jury believed defense expert’s opinion that accident did not cause the injuries
  • Successfully defended an emergency preliminary injunction requested by a private airplane pilot against an airport authority to force an extension of his property lease for hangar space
  • Succeeded in labor contract negotiations by obtaining concessions from labor union requiring employee contributions towards health insurance premiums while maintaining a wage freeze
  • Obtained jury verdict on behalf of West Virginia employer client sued for age and disability discrimination after terminating plaintiff, a 30 year employee of the company with a seizure disorder, for performance shortly after she requested accommodations
  • Negotiated nuisance value settlement in a class action banking lawsuit after a successful mediation with minimal costs were incurred in discovery
  • Obtained favorable settlement for employer sued for sexual harassment after aggressive discovery revealed plaintiff assigned a very low value to damages in her verified bankruptcy pleadings

Additional Representative Experience

  • Walker v. The Nugent Group, Court of Common Pleas of Mercer County: GD 2017-1534