Cross Examination Strategies 2026

Timothy M. Stengel is a shareholder and co-chair of Saxton & Stump’s Investigations, White Collar and Criminal Defense Group, working from the firm’s Lancaster and Philadelphia offices. Tim previously served as an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, where he was most recently deputy chief of the Violent Crime Unit. In that role, he supervised a team of approximately 30 federal prosecutors, who investigated and prosecuted a variety of federal crimes, including murder, robbery, kidnapping, and arson, as well as firearm violations, child exploitation, and human trafficking. As an active prosecutor, Tim handled some of the office’s highest-profile cases and a wide range of matters, including organized crime, drug trafficking, corruption, fraud, and national security cases. During his nearly eight years as a federal prosecutor, Tim tried numerous cases, all of which resulted in convictions. He also authored several appellate briefs and argued before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Before his time in government, Tim practiced at a prominent Philadelphia-based litigation boutique and a national AmLaw 100 law firm, where he focused on white collar defense, internal investigations, regulatory enforcement, and commercial litigation. He played a leading role in several independent investigations, including investigations of a Pennsylvania state regulatory agency and a southeastern Pennsylvania school district. Earlier in his career, Tim worked in the events industry for the U.S. Open Golf Championship and a scenic design company, giving him firsthand experience with business operations. That background deepens his understanding of how legal matters – including government scrutiny and litigation – can disrupt an organization’s day-to-day operations, reputation, and long-term goals.
Tim earned his law degree from Temple University Beasley School of Law, where he served on the editorial board of the Temple Law Review. He remains active in the Temple American Inn of Court, where he served as president from 2021 to 2022. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Saint Joseph’s University. Tim is also active in his community, serving as the president of the school board at Sacred Heart School in Lancaster and coaching soccer and basketball.

Tyesha C. Miley brings more than two decades of litigation and regulatory experience to her practice. She has represented public agencies, insurers, and private clients in matters involving complex litigation, risk management, and regulatory compliance. Her career includes extensive trial and appellate work, along with significant experience managing high-exposure cases and developing operational efficiencies for legal departments. Tyesha previously served as counsel for major public entities and insurers, where she defended tort, contractual, and insurance claims, achieving impactful results on behalf of her clients, realizing substantial cost savings and leading the implementation of streamlined litigation systems. She also operated her own law firm, where she handled tort, real estate, and estate planning matters. Early in her career, she served as an Assistant District Attorney, gaining significant courtroom experience prosecuting a high volume of criminal cases. Active in the legal community, Tyesha has held leadership roles within the Pennsylvania Bar Association, including service as an At-Large Governor on the Board of Governors and Chair of the Minority Bar Committee. Additionally, Tyesha is an active member of the National Bar Association, where she has served in multiple leadership positions. She is a graduate of Fordham University School of Law, J.D., and The City College of New York, B.A. She is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of PA and U.S. Supreme Court.

Mr. Marzzacco is the sole owner of Marzzacco Niven & Associates, in Harrisburg. The firm provides representation in Personal Injury, Workers’ Compensation, Social Security Disability, Employment Discrimination and Civil Rights matters throughout Pennsylvania. Mr. Marzzacco’s practice is concentrated in automobile, motorcycle and trucking case litigation, including Wrongful Death and Survival actions. He also represents persons seriously injured or killed in premises liability cases, work accidents, dangerous or defective product cases and civil rights matters. Mr. Marzzacco was rated by his peers as “The Best Lawyers in America” from 2017 to present and named in “Super Lawyers” every year since 2017 as well. He has lectured at Continuing Legal Education seminars for PBI, PAJ and others, presenting on various topics and has written on a variety of personal injury law, automobile law and automobile insurance issues for the Legal Intelligencer and other publications. Marzzacco is a member of several Trial Lawyers’ groups, including the Pennsylvania Association for Justice (PAJ), where he currently serves on the Middle District Board of Governors; the American Association for Justice (AAJ), as a member of the Trucking Litigation Group; and the Dauphin and Cumberland County Bar Associations, having served on the Board of Directors in Dauphin County from 2019-2020 and currently serving as the CLE Board Chairperson. Mr. Marzzacco has taught trial advocacy at Widener University School of Law’s Intensive Trial Advocacy Program (ITAP) from 2001 to present and has coached trial teams for Widener University’s Mock Trial program as well. Marzzacco also served on the law school’s Dean’s Advisory Committee from 2021 to 2023.

Melinda C. Ghilardi is an attorney at Munley Law personal injury attorneys.  Prior to joining the firm, she was the First Assistant Federal Public Defender, an Assistant Federal Public Defender as well as an Attorney/Investigator for the Federal Public Defender’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania for 33 years until retirement in February 2019.  She began her legal career as an Assistant District Attorney in Lackawanna County. Melinda is Chair of the House of Delegates Committee on Credentials and Admissions, a Co-Vice Chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Federal Practice Committee and serves on the Executive Councils of the Civil Litigation Section and the Commission on Women in the Profession.  She is also on the Board of Directors of the PA Bar Foundation.  She served on the PBA Board of Governors as both the Woman Governor and Unit County Governor.  In that capacity, she was also a member of the PBA Nominating Committee. Melinda has also held the following positions in PBA Committees:  Co-Chair of the Commission on Women in the Profession, Chair of the Diversity Team, Co-Vice Chair of the DEI Team, and Co-Chair of the Bar Leadership Institute.  She is also a long-time member of the PBA House of Delegates. Melinda has been recognized as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer from 2022 to the present as well as in Best Lawyers in America for 2024.  In 2005, she received the Lynette Norton Award presented by the PBA’s Commission on Women in the Profession. That same year, she received the inaugural Athena Award presented by the Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce. In 2016, Melinda received the Robert J. Munley Distinguished Service Award from Lackawanna Pro Bono, Inc. Melinda is a member of the American Association for Justice, Pennsylvania Association for Justice, and the Melvin Belli Society.  She is the Treasurer of the Association of Women Lawyers of Lackawanna County.  She has also served as Secretary of the National Association of Federal Defenders and is a past President of the Lackawanna Bar Association. In her community, Melinda is a member of the Board of Directors of the Circle 200 Forum for Senior Level Executive Women and the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence (PCADV).  She also serves on the Legal Committee of the Barbara J. Hart Justice Center. The University of Scranton honored Melinda by establishing an Ignatian Scholarship in her name and, in 2000, presented her with the Frank J. O’Hara Distinguished Alumni Award for outstanding achievement in the field of law.  She is a current member of the Board of Visitors of the University’s Panuska College of Professional Studies. She is a 1976 graduate of Scranton Preparatory School and a 1980 magna cum laude graduate of the University of Scranton.  In 1983, she was awarded a juris doctor from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.