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Honored

Galfand Berger partner Gabriela Raful received the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Pro Bono Award at the Berks County Bar Association's Pro Bono Celebration.

Raful represents injured clients in the areas of workers' compensation, personal injury, products liability and social security disability.

She is active with the Berks County Bar Association, where she sits on the board of directors and serves as chair of the minority law section.

She earned her Juris Doctor from Widener University Commonwealth Law School.

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The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization awarded Donald A. Brown, scholar in residence for sustainability ethics and law at Widener University Commonwealth Law School, the Avicenna Prize for excellence in climate change ethics.

UNESCO awards this prize once every two years to an individual or group for achievements in the field of ethics in science.

Brown works to enhance public understanding of the ethical obligations of governments, organizations and individuals to respond to climate change while increasing public understanding of the ethical problems with arguments made by opponents of climate change policies.

Brown is the first American to win the award since it was established in 2003.

Brown worked throughout his career to promote an international understanding that climate change requires governments and people around the world to respond to it as a moral and ethical issue.

Brown served as an environmental lawyer for the states of Pennsylvania and New Jersey and as program manager for UN organizations at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Office of International Environmental Policy, where he represented EPA negotiating sustainability issues at the UN, including climate change, international water issues and biodiversity.

Speakers

McNees Wallace & Nurick, in partnership with the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce, is slated to host a Business Breakfast Briefing at the Hilton Scranton & Conference Center on Friday, where McNees attorney Joe Sileo will present "Emergency and Disaster Planning and Crisis Preparedness for Employers."

The presentation is scheduled to be held from 8 to 9:30 a.m., with complimentary breakfast and registration beginning at 7:30 a.m.

Sileo, a labor and employment attorney, will explore steps that employers, with the assistance of human resources, can take to prepare for emergencies, crises and disaster-related events that may affect the workplace.

Sileo advises clients in employment-related issues. He also represents employers in connection with OSHA and wage and hour matters. In addition, he defends employers in employment-related litigation.

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Mark S. Cappuccio, Marc D. Jonas, Michael E. Peters, Joan Righter Price and Robert R. Watson are set to serve as faculty members of the 2019 Pennsylvania Bar Institute Real Estate Institute in Philadelphia on Friday.

Jonas and Peters will serve as co-panelists at a seminar titled "The ABCs of Municipal Approvals" that will cover the process of municipal approvals from both the municipal and developer viewpoint. The seminar will cover common pitfalls in the approval process and will provide recommendations for efficient and favorable results.

Cappuccio and Price will serve as co-panelists at a seminar titled "2019 Developments in Tax Assessment Law" that will cover recent tax assessment appeal cases within the commonwealth.

The presentation will be geared to real estate professionals and attorneys practicing in the field. Watson will serve as a panelist for a seminar titled "Managing and Responding to Mechanics' Liens: Advice for Owners, Developers and their Counsel" that will cover the mechanics' lien remedy and statutory rights afforded to property owners and developers faced with lien claims, threats of lien claims and considerations to be made as a project proceeds ahead.

Cappuccio is a civil trial attorney with a background in tax assessment law, commercial litigation, real estate, zoning and condemnation.

Jonas has experience in municipal law, real estate, land use and zoning matters, representing municipalities, individuals and businesses.

Price is a trial attorney and represents clients in litigation involving real estate valuation, exemption and constitutional issues as well as issues involving preferential assessments. Watson is a frequent lecturer on construction law-related topics.