Thomas V. Gebler focuses on several practice areas, including –

Employment Litigation:

Tom has more than 30 years of experience in the defense of employment litigation in Western Pennsylvania and West Virginia. He represents employers in Title VII, ADA, FLMA, ADEA and state employment statute matters, as well as wrongful discharge and similar claims.

Fidelity and Surety Law:

During the past 30 years, Tom has represented insurance carriers, including Chubb, Zurich, Hartford, AIG, St. Paul Travelers, Kemper and EMC, in fidelity and surety matters in Pennsylvania and other jurisdictions. His work has consisted of investigating and analyzing fidelity bond and employee theft coverage, performing legal research on issues presented by the facts, and making recommendations regarding responses to the claims. He has also been involved in litigation on coverage issues, as well as in recovery efforts following the payment of a claim.

Technology Litigation and Coverage:

Tom has been involved in cases with technology issues, including computer fraud coverage claims. These include a claim for first-party coverage for alleged violations of the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, as well as third-party defense of litigation for violation of privacy, defamation and similar wrongful acts.

Insurance Coverage Litigation:

Tom has represented insurance carriers in connection with such issues as CGL, environmental, and directors and officers . These claims primarily involved analysis of coverage issues, preparation of coverage letters, drafting letters to insureds, as well as representing carriers in coverage litigation. This requires development of the factual circumstances of the suits and legal research of the issues raised by those facts. He has also been involved in the monitoring of suits against directors and officers on behalf of D&O insurers.

Municipal and Civil Rights Litigation:

Tom represents Pennsylvania municipalities and governmental authorities and their officials, employees and police officers in a wide range of litigation. These matters include Section 1983 civil rights suits and claims involving due process, First Amendment, search and seizure, excessive force, wrongful death, wrongful arrest, and malicious prosecution violations, as well as the defense of torts for property damage and bodily injury.

Military Service:

• U.S. Coast Guard, 1973-1977

Education:

• Duquesne University (J.D.)
• Temple University (B.A., magna cum laude)

Honors:

• AV Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rated
• Pennsylvania Super Lawyers (employment law)

Bar Admissions:

• Pennsylvania

Court Admissions:

• U.S. Supreme Court
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Third Circuit
• U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania
• U.S. District Court, Middle District of Pennsylvania

Professional Affiliations:

• Association of Certified Fraud Examiners
• American Bar Association
• Pennsylvania Bar Association
• Allegheny County Bar Association
• Cyber Privacy Security Commercial Insurance Group (LinkedIn)

Speaking Engagements and Presentations:

• “Human Resources Law from Start to Finish,” Wheeling, WV
• “Cyber Insurance — Managing Cyber Risk,” PAMIC, Hershey, PA
• “Cyber Liability,” CPCU Society, Pittsburgh, PA
• “Litigating Contract Surety Bond and Fidelity Insurance Claims,” Philadelphia, PA
• "The Art of the Settlement," National Business Institute
• “Legal Update,” Pittsburgh Human Relations Association
• “Pennsylvania Personnel Law Update,” CEM
• “Insurance Coverage Law in Pennsylvania,” NBI
• "Insurance Coverage for Construction Defects: Counterpoint," Pennsylvania Defense Institute
• “Business Insurance Seminar”
• "Insurance Coverage for Construction Defects"

Articles and Publications:

• Insurance Coverage for Construction Defects

Representative Matters:

• Andrekovich v. PennPrime Liability Trust, - Obtained dismissal of civil rights claims against an insurer in federal court.
• Schuster v. Township of North Sewickley - Successfully extracted his two Police Officer clients, as well as the Township which employed them, from a civil rights action filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of PA.
• USX Corp. v. Adriatic Ins. Co. - After more than 10 years of litigation involving numerous insurers, Mr. Gebler was part of a team of attorneys that secured a decision from the Third Circuit affirming a district court ruling that certain general liability policies did not provide insurance coverage for antitrust liability.
• Ressler v. Enterprise Rent-A-Car Co. - Court dismissed lawsuit alleging bad faith for improper handling of a claim under a personal accident insurance policy.
• Giant Eagle, Inc. v. Federal Ins. Co. - Assisted in the trial of an D&O coverage claim which resulted in a verdict on behalf of the insurer.
• Northern Cambria Borough v. E.M.C. Inc. - Obtained dismissal of third parties’ claims on a commercial crime policy.

• General Liability
• Insurance Coverage & Bad Faith
• Intellectual Property & Technology
• Labor & Employment
• Public Entity & Civil Rights