Weber Gallagher Simpson Stapleton Fires & Newby LLP

Title: Partner
Primary Office: Philadelphia, PA
Practice Area/s: Civil Rights and Municipal Liability, Employment Practices Liability, Health Law
Telephone: 215.972.7914 | Fax: 215.564.7699
Email: wbarish@wglaw.com

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Professional Experience:

Ms. Barish specializes in employment law and civil rights litigation. She handles cases through all stages of litigation in the state and federal administrative agencies and courts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. She also counsels employers in employment-related matters and provides guidance in the drafting and implementation of employment policies. Some of her achievements include:

Obtained a defense verdict for private mental healthcare providers after a two-week jury trial involving the New Jersey Law Against Discrimination in the Middlesex County Superior Court of New Jersey;
Secured a defense verdict in the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas on behalf of a national home healthcare agency following a more than two week jury trial in a case involving claims of Negligent Hiring, Negligent Supervision, Breach of Contract, and Breach of Fiduciary Duty;
Prevailed before the Third Circuit Court of Appeals on behalf of a local township and township officials in a civil rights case in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania;
Obtained a defense verdict on behalf of a local Museum and its President/CEO after an eight day jury trial before the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas in a highly publicized case involving a claim of defamation brought by a former consultant for the Museum.

In 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2011, Ms. Barish was recognized by the publisher of the Pennsylvania edition of Super Lawyers magazine as a Rising Star, an honor given to the top 2.5 percent of attorneys in the Commonwealth who are 40 years old or younger or in practice for 10 years or less. Ms. Barish was named in the "Employment Litigation: Defense" practice area.

Ms. Barish has achieved an "AV Preeminent" Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell.

Education:

Hofstra University School of Law, J.D., 1996.
Managing Editor of Notes and Comments, Hofstra Labor Law Journal.

Brandeis University, B.A. in English and American Literature cum laude, 1993.

Professional Memberships and Activities:

Admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Admitted to practice before the United States District Courts for the Eastern and Middle Districts of Pennsylvania, the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court.

Member of the Federal, Pennsylvania and Philadelphia Bar Associations, the Defense Research Institute, the Litigation Counsel of America, the Employment Law Panel of United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and the Professional Liability Underwriting Society

Serves as a member of the Lynn Saligman League of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Young Friends of the Philadelphia Art Museum, and Chair of the Philadelphia/South New Jersey Brandeis University Alumni Admissions Counsel.

Certified as an arbitrator for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas.

Selected Reported Cases:

Teed v. Township of Hilltown, 180 Fed.Appx. 396 (3rd Cir. 2006)

Ethan Michael Inc. v. Union Township, 108 Fed. Appx. 43 (3rd Cir. 2004)

Maule v. Susquehanna Regional Police Com'n, 2007 WL 2844587 (E.D. Pa. 2007)

Giannone v. Ayne Institute, 290 F.Supp.2d 553 (E.D.Pa. 2003)

Manion v. Sarcione, 192 F.Supp. 2d 353 (E.D.Pa. 2001)

Recent News:

2011-04-06 :: Joseph Goldberg Obtains Defense Verdict in Excessive Force Case

2010-05-25 :: 21 Attorneys Named to 2010 Pennsylvania 'Super Lawyers' List

2010-04-26 :: Six Partners Earn Top Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating

2010-02-01 :: Philadelphia Museum, President Not Liable for Defamation

2009-02-05 :: Wendi D. Barish Prevails in Negligent Hiring/Supervision Trial