Overview

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Meet The Faculty
James B. Dilsheimer, Esq.
Mr. Dilsheimer is a partner and trial attorney at Stampone O’Brien Dilsheimer Law in Cheltenham. Before that, he practiced most recently with Saltz Mongeluzzi Barrett & Bendesky. Mr. Dilsheimer has vast experience handling complex, catastrophic injury cases in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, and the District of Columbia, as well as other locations around the country. He concentrates his practice on major, catastrophic injury litigation. He has worked on the settlement and trial of several multi-million dollar cases and has a wide range of experience in cases involving traumatic brain injury, defective products, construction accidents, FELA, premises liability, medical malpractice, motor vehicle accidents, subrogation matters, and commercial litigation. Mr. Dilsheimer’s successful verdict in a Monroe County, PA jury trial was reported by The National Law Journal as one of the “Top PA Verdicts of 2010” in the January 2010 edition of Verdict Search National. The trial involved a head-on automobile accident. He graduated magna cum laude from the Temple University Beasley School of Law in 1992. Mr. Dilsheimer was Managing Editor of the Temple Law Review. He graduated magna cum laude from Bowdoin College in 1988. Mr. Dilsheimer does pro-bono work for the Gift of Life, which coordinates organ donation and transplantation in the tri-state area.
Dianne Wainwright Esq.
Ms. Wainwright is the Deputy Court Administrator for the Civil Division of the Fifth Judicial District of Pennsylvania. Working closely with the Division’s Administrative Judge, The Honorable Christine Ward, Ms. Wainwright administers and manages the operations of the Civil Division. Together, Ms. Wainwright and Judge Ward work to improve access to the Court of Common Pleas for all litigants, and provide efficient, effective and fair case management for all cases filed in the Division. Prior to joining the Fifth Judicial District, Ms. Wainwright practiced law handling a variety of commercial matters for corporations, sole proprietors and businesses. Ms. Wainwright’s practice area focused largely on representing professionals (accountants, attorneys, engineers/surveyors, insurance agents, insurers etc.) in numerous contract and professional liability matters. Ms. Wainwright is a member of the Allegheny County Bar Association, serving on the Board of Governors. She is a member of the Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County where she serves on the Board of Governors, and as the Co-chair of the Diversity Committee. Ms. Wainwright serves as an ex-officio member of the State Civil Procedural Rules Committee and is a member of the Pennsylvania Association of Court Managers. Ms. Wainwright also provides continuing education to professionals where her presentations focus on ethics/professionalism and reducing risks through improved practice management.
David L. Kwass, Esq.
David L. Kwass, a partner at Saltz, Mongeluzzi & Bendesky, PC, handles cases involving crane and aerial lift accidents, equipment tipovers, guardrail failures, automobile crashworthiness claims, electrical contacts, workplace falls, recreational products, and liquor liability. Mr. Kwass served as the Chairman of the State Civil Procedural Rules Committee. An active member of the American Association for Justice, Mr. Kwass is a past Chair of the Product Liability Section, and currently serves as Chairman of the Crane and Aerial Lift Litigation Group and Co-Chairman of the Guardrail Litigation Group. His passion for workplace safety and safe product design has resulted in over 100 separate verdicts and settlements in excess of $1 million. Since 2012, he has been recognized each year as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer. Mr. Kwass’ courtroom advocacy has earned multiple seven figure verdicts for his clients, including a $19,100,000 award in June 2021. Mr. Kwass is a 1987 graduate of Haverford College, receiving a B.A. with Honors. He earned a master’s degree from Georgetown University (1989), a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1992, and in 2002, a master’s degree with honors in Trial Advocacy from the Temple University School of Law. Mr. Kwass continues his association with Temple’s School of Law as an Adjunct Professor of Law in the ITAP Program, teaching advanced Civil Procedure, and lecturing in the LLM Program on various trial advocacy topics. He has mentored Temple’s trial teams on construction and product liability cases and served as the Coach of the Strawberry Mansion High School Mock Trial Team. An active author, Mr. Kwass’ publishing credits include “Heavy Lifting Ahead,” Trial, Vol. 55, No. 11 (November 2019) at p. 46; “Looking Out for Boom Lift Defects,” Trial, Vol. 53, No. 11 (November 2017) at p. 40; “Protect Your Life Care Plan,” Trial, Vol. 53, No. 4 (April 2017) at p. 52. “Building Your Case Against Architects and Engineers,” Trial, Vol. 51 (October 2015) at p. 30; “Defective Guardrails on Our Highways,” AAJ Product Liability Section Newsletter (Winter 2015); “Dealing in Dangers,” Trial, Vol. 50 (April 2014) at p. 36; “Defuse the OSHA Citation,” Trial, Vol. 49, No. 4 (April 2013) at p. 46; “Try Opening with a Videotaped Deposition,” Trial, Vol. 43 (April 2007) at p. 52; “Proving Your Case With Manufacturer Employee Depositions,” Trial, Vol. 42, No. 2 (February 2006) at p. 56; and “Law on Seat Belt Defense Continues to Develop,” Andrews Litigation Reporter Automotive, Vol. 24, Issue 15 (1/25/05). Mr. Kwass is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, the United States District Courts for the Eastern, Middle and Western Districts of Pennsylvania, and the Third, Fourth and Seventh Circuit Courts of Appeals. He is an active member of the American and Pennsylvania Associations for Justice, and the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association. Away from work, Mr. Kwass is the principal owner of the Tria cafes in Center City, Philadelphia, where wine, cheese and beer are the focus.