Two PA Supreme Court Justices Side with Atty. McMichael on Muhammad v. Strassburger

Two Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justices issued opinions to overturn Muhammad v. Strassburger, despite the majority court’s denial. Attorney Virginia McMichael argued in favor of her appellee in Khalil v. Williams, 24 EAP 2021, a case that Justices Wecht and Mundy hoped to use as a vehicle for Muhammad’s reversal. Despite the two Justices being outnumbered, Attorney McMichael’s first issue in the case was ruled in her favor.

PA Supreme Court Grants Appeal

On July 20, 2022, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled in favor of Appellate Law Group, allowing their client to move forward with her malpractice suit against former attorneys.

Although the decision was a win for the appellee,  the Supreme Court did not agree to overturn Muhammad v. Strassburger the case relied on by the superior court.

Another Pa. Superior Court Win

On August 13, 2021, the Superior Court issued a decision affirming the trial court’s decision in Cruz v. Dooley, 1860 EDA 2020 (Pa. Super. 2021). Appellate Law Group, as counsel for the appellee, successfully argued that our client was not in contempt of the parties’ property settlement agreement and that the appellant was not entitled to attorney’s fees. 

Pennsylvania Supreme Court grants appeal

On August 3, 2021, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania granted the Petition for Allowance of Appeal we filed from the Superior Court’s decision in Khalil v. Williams, 244 A.3d 830 (Pa. Super. 2021).  

The Supreme Court granted allocator to consider whether it should overturn Muhammad v. Strassburger, 587 A.2d 1346 (Pa. 1991), a case that bars legal malpractice suits following the settlement of a lawsuit absent an allegation of fraud. The Court will also consider whether the Superior Court erred as a matter of law when it held that Petitioner’s claims were barred by Muhammad. The appeal has been docketed under the caption Khalil v. Williams, 24 EAP 2021. Virginia McMichael represents the Appellant, Ahlam Khalil, in the Supreme Court.

Pa. Superior Court Representation

Virginia McMichael is currently representing an indigent mother in an appeal to the Pennsylvania Superior Court from an order terminating her parental rights. The representation is part of the firm’s pro bono commitment to support Pennsylvania families.