Tricia S. Springer

Overview

Tricia Springer concentrates her practice in labor and employment matters, administrative law, and civil litigation.

Tricia represents both public and private sector employers in labor and employment issues, including hiring, termination, and employee discipline; contract negotiations; interest arbitrations; grievance arbitrations; and employment-related litigation. Tricia also conducts and counsels employers on workplace investigations, including allegations of employee misconduct.

Tricia has an extensive practice representing governmental agencies and private parties in connection with the Pennsylvania Right to Know Law and educational institutions in connection with the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act. Tricia has processed hundreds of RTKL requests on behalf of School Districts and municipal clients and appeared before the Office of Open Records in support of local agencies more than a hundred times. She delivers practical and cost-effective solutions to public entities in handling RTKL requests with the goal of effectively and efficiently handling requests to decrease the associated costs for public agencies.

Tricia also has spent a substantial portion of her practice representing hospitals, physicians, and other health care professionals in the administrative arena and at both the trial and appellate levels.

Before obtaining her law degree, Tricia practiced as a physical therapist for several years, facilitating the rehabilitation of patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings. While attending law school, Tricia was a law clerk for the Honorable J. Michael Eakin of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. She also served as a law clerk for the Honorable P. Kevin Brobson of the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania and as a legal intern in the Governor’s Office of General Counsel for the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

Tricia was the Valedictorian of her law school class. She also served on the Law Review, was President of the Moot Court Honor Society, received the Health Law Certificate, earned 17 Certificates of Achievement, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Award.

Representative Matters

• Represented municipalities, school districts, and private parties in open records appeals.
• Secured an order from the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania which vacated an earlier Commonwealth Court opinion granting access to FERPA protected records under the RTKL.
• Obtained a favorable ruling from the Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania which upheld the trial court’s reversal of an Open Records Office Final Determination on an issue of first impression.
• Represented employers in grievance arbitrations and employment discrimination lawsuits.
• Represented employers in defending against claims of discrimination in front of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission.
• Provided counsel on employment policies and handbooks.
• Investigated workplace harassment complaints.
• Represented health care professionals in licensing disputes.
• Defended physicians and hospitals in medical professional liability actions at trial and appellate levels.
• Advised clients on release of medical records and compliance with HIPAA as well as state laws.
• Advised client on how to minimize and manage medical professional liability risk.