Messa Law

06/03/2026

Messa Law Founding Partner Joseph L. Messa Jr. has been appointed by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to the Civil Procedural Rules Committee. This committee consists of judges and experienced attorneys who are knowledgeable about state civil practice. They support the Supreme Court in the preparation, revision, publication, and administration of the governing civil matters in the Courts of Common Pleas. He will serve a 6-year term beginning on July 1, 2026.

06/01/2026

Messa Law is excited to announce that our team is growing with the addition of Susan Bellwoar Ayres. Mrs. Ayres’ well-rounded career has spanned over two decades, litigating medical malpractice, workplace accidents, premises liability, products liability, motor vehicle accidents, commercial trucking, Mass Tort, civil rights, and more.

Susan is admitted to the bars of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the state of New Jersey. She is also admitted to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the Middle District of Pennsylvania, and the District of New Jersey.

Mrs. Ayres is motivated by a desire to leverage her education, experience, and skillset to help those who have been injured. We are excited to welcome her to the firm, where her commitment to advocacy and justice will further strengthen our practice.

Read her full bio here: https://www.messalaw.com/team/susan-bellwoar-ayres/

05/27/2026

We are excited to welcome back Madison Leonard for her second summer as a Law Clerk at Messa Law! Madison is a Temple University honors alumna and a student at Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law.

05/26/2026

Join us in congratulating Messa Law attorney Samantha M. Spinelli on her selection to the National Trial Lawyers Top 40 Under 40! Lawyers chosen to this group must demonstrate superior qualifications, professional success, trial results, and leadership skills. Selection to the Top 40 Under 40 also requires nominations from peers in the legal community.

Samantha reflected on the achievement, saying, "Three years ago, I decided to transition from commercial litigation to a plaintiff’s personal injury practice. As the survivor of a catastrophic motor vehicle accident, I am especially humbled by this recognition and honored to be a strong voice for my clients as they try to move beyond the trauma and find closure."

05/26/2026

Join us in welcoming Rahul Singh as a Summer Law Clerk! Rahul is a Case Western Reserve University alumnus for both his bachelor's and master's degrees, a student at Temple University Beasley School of Law, and a mentee of the Diverse Mentoring Initiative. We are excited to have him on the Messa Law team!

05/22/2026

Join us as we remember and honor our heroes. Messa Law wishes you a safe and happy Memorial Day weekend!

05/22/2026

A unanimous Supreme Court ruled last Thursday in Montgomery v. Caribe Transport II that federal law does not shield freight brokers from state lawsuits claiming they negligently hired dangerous motor carriers. The Court ruled that such "negligent hiring" claims fall under the "safety exception" of the Federal Aviation Administration Authorization Act (FAAAA). They determined that requiring a broker to use ordinary care in selecting a motor carrier directly concerns motor vehicle safety. Because of this, state-law negligence claims can proceed and are not preempted.

Freight brokers are now directly exposed to substantial tort liability for the carriers they hire. They face pressure to dramatically improve their carrier-vetting processes and safety evaluations to avoid "negligent selection" lawsuits. The legal shift is expected to increase insurance and overall transportation costs, as the industry navigates a state-by-state patchwork of negligence standards instead of a single, uniform federal liability shield.

05/22/2026

Please join us in congratulating our 2026 Super Lawyers and Super Lawyers Rising Stars!

We're proud of the work we've done and the people we have helped in the last 25 years as Messa & Associates. In the years to come, you'll see our new name, Messa Law.

Our driving purpose is to relieve the burden of injury, help families get back on their feet, and obtain just compensation in the face of a tragedy. Our skilled and steadfast trial lawyers make this a reality.

Congratulations to Paul Brandes and Richard Heleniak on being named Super Lawyers for 20 years in a row; to Irene McLafferty, Joe Messa, and Lee Rosenfeld for 15+ years; and to Thomas Sweeney for 10+ years.

Joe Messa is also named a Top 100 Pennsylvania and Philadelphia attorney.

Our other Super Lawyers at the firm are Angelo Theodosopoulos, Brett Furber, and Laura Laughlin. Our Super Lawyers Rising Stars are Megan Kwak, Ashley DiLiberto, and Graham Bickel.

05/18/2026

Did you see us on the national news? On Sunday, a CBS News segment celebrated Philadelphia Architect Frank Furness and his contributions to this city, including the Messa Law building! Pictured at 3:12.

Watch the segment here:

Philadelphia architect Frank Furness, a former Army captain during the Civil War, translated his fearlessness into the designs of about 1,000 buildings – ela...

05/13/2026

Stellantis is once again facing a lawsuit over defective batteries used in its plug-in hybrid electric Jeeps — the Jeep Wrangler 4xe and the Grand Cherokee 4xe. One of many similar civil suits, this one alleges Stellantis knew of the defect and delayed solving the issue. The vehicles were recalled at least three times for several issues, including risks of explosions, fires, sandy engines, and sudden losses of power. At the end of 2025, Stellantis discontinued its PHEV line of vehicles.

At Messa Law, we understand the profound impact that a defective product can have on your life. Our approach begins with a comprehensive evaluation of your case. We meticulously review all aspects, from the nature of the defect to the extent of your injuries, to develop a tailored legal strategy. We also leverage a network of industry professionals, including engineers, medical professionals, and accident reconstruction professionals, to build a robust case on your behalf. These qualified professionals provide critical insights and testimony that can help us build a diligent and comprehensive legal case on your behalf.