Erica M. Pietranton
Partner
Erica M. Pietranton is a Partner in the firm’s Litigation Practice Group, where she focuses on commercial and other complex litigation matters. She is also part of the Insurance Coverage Group. Erica is based in Leech Tishman’s Pittsburgh office.
Erica’s practice includes advocating for clients, both businesses and individuals, with respect to a wide variety of legal issues, including: contract and other business disputes, restrictive covenants and trade secret claims, defamation and related causes of action, insurance coverage, property damage, chemical exposure and toxic torts, and premises liability. Erica regularly advocates for clients in federal and state courts.
Erica’s experience includes defending and asserting claims through all stages of litigation – including jury trial. She also has extensive experience providing legal counsel to officers and directors of companies to ensure compliance with applicable regulatory, employment, and contract law issues, as well as representing clients in administrative and regulatory matters before various government and administrative agencies.
Erica also assists policyholders – ranging from small businesses to large corporations – in obtaining insurance coverage for third-party claims and/or losses under commercial general liability, property, and other insurance policies. She regularly helps clients in documenting, reporting, and responding to insurers’ questions about insurance claims. If and when an insurance company fails to provide the coverage it owes a policyholder, Erica then counsels the policyholder about strategies to obtain the coverage owed, including analyzing and responding to any declination or reservation-of-rights letter. In addition, Erica also advises clients at the time of insurance placement and/or renewal in an effort to maximize coverage and minimize costs
Prior to joining Leech Tishman, Erica served as Associate General Counsel of a publicly traded gaming corporation in the Pittsburgh area and also was an associate of a mid-sized regional law firm. In law school, Erica served as Articles Editor for the Journal of Law and Commerce, a law review at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, and she also had an article published by the Journal.
Academics
J.D., University of Pittsburgh School of Law
B.A. in Political Science, summa cum laude, Bethany College
Admissions
U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania
U.S. District Court, Southern District of West Virginia
Pennsylvania
West Virginia
Experience
Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP
MTR Gaming Group, Inc.
The Honorable Joy Flowers Conti
Professional Memberships
Allegheny County Bar Association (Member and Immediate Past-Chair, LGBTQ+ Rights Committee; Co-Chair, ACBA Ally Initiative; Diverse Representative, Judiciary Committee; Member, Civil Litigation Section Council)
Allegheny County Bar Foundation (Young Lawyer Fellow)
Professional Accolades
Best Lawyers
Best Lawyers Magazine: Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, Commercial Litigation (2021-2024)
Best Lawyers Pennsylvania: Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, Commercial Litigation (2021-2022)
Best Lawyers Pittsburgh: Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, Commercial Litigation (2021-2022)
Publications
University of Pittsburgh School of Law Journal of Law and Commerce