Photo Credit: Hongqi Zhang (aka Michael Zhang and michaeljung) |

Speakers

Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro is the scheduled speaker for Widener University Commonwealth Law School's 27th commencement.

Shapiro is set to address graduates at the 11 a.m. ceremony on May 20 at The Forum in the Harrisburg State Capitol Complex.

He will be presented with an honorary doctor of law degree.

Shapiro was elected as the sixth individual to serve as the attorney general of Pennsylvania and was sworn in on Jan. 17, 2017.

He appointed Michelle Henry, a 1994 Widener Law Commonwealth grad and veteran prosecutor as the first deputy attorney general.

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Brian C. Vertz, a partner of family law firm Pollock Begg Komar Glasser & Vertz, is set to address legal organizations throughout the tristate area to help attorneys better understand the implications of changing tax laws on divorcing couples.

Vertz will be a speaker at a string of seminars in the coming months designed to shed light on topics of vital importance to couples considering divorce.

Some topics to be discussed include: new tax brackets, exemptions and dependency, deductions, alimony, new pitfalls and complexities as well as best practices.

Vertz is scheduled to field questions from legal professionals across Pennsylvania and Ohio at upcoming events, including the:

• Pennsylvania Bar Institute on June 4.

• Allegheny County Bench Bar conference on June 15.

• Pennsylvania Bar Association family law section summer meeting on July 12.

• American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers' Ohio chapter event on Oct. 8.

Additions

Alexandra “Sasha” Sacavage joined McNees Wallace & Nurick's litigation, public sector, white-collar defense and internal investigations practice groups.

Sacavage focuses her practice on litigation matters.

Prior to joining McNees Wallace, she served as legal counsel to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives Democratic Caucus, legal counsel to the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, and enforcement counsel to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board in Harrisburg.

She began her career in Philadelphia at a large regional firm practicing insurance defense.

Elected and Appointed

Meyer, Unkovic & Scott's Beth Slagle was named co-chair of 412 Food Rescue, a nonprofit organization that aims to improve health and sustainability by fighting hunger and reducing food waste in the community.

412 Food Rescue works with food retailers, wholesalers, restaurants, caterers, universities and other food providers to collect healthy food that would otherwise be discarded and distributes it to people in need.

Slagle is a business attorney at Meyer Unkovic where she focuses her practice primarily on business disputes, insurance coverage and employment law.

In addition to working with businesses and individuals, she also represents a number of “serial entrepreneurs” through the firm's MUSolutions Group and assists with business and operational issues.