Michael D. Sherman

Contact Information

412-261-4774 office
412-261-1225 facsimile
412-496-1643 cell
mds@friedkanelaw.com

Education:

• Duquesne University School of Law
  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
  J.D. awarded 1983
• Rutgers College, Rutgers University
  New Brunswick, New Jersey
  B.A. awarded 1979
  • Major: Psychology
  • Minor: Political Science

Career Experience:

• Partner - Fried, Kane, Walters, Zuschlag & Grochmal
  • Attorney responsible for litigation of Workers' Compensation cases at administrative hearing and appellate levels. Responsibilities include case preparation and management, referral and management of vocational and investigative specialists, research and writing of Briefs before Commonwealth and supreme Courts of Pennsylvania.
• Attorney in firm since October, 1983 to present. Partner in firm since January, 1988, Managing Partner June, 1999 to present
• Honors Internship - with The Honorable Joseph F. Weis Jr.
  • U.S. Court of Appeals, 3rd Circuit - Responsibilities included research and writing memoranda of law, January, 1982 to May, 1982
  • Student Bar Association President, Duquesne University School of Law, 1982 - 1983

Course Instruction/Seminars:

• Speaker: Pennsylvania International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals, January 11, 2002 "Return to Work Issues Involving Upper/Lower Extremities" with Drs. Glenn Buterbaugh and Michael Bowman.
• Speaker: Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association Seminar; June 12, 2001; Earning Power Assessment -- Modification Petition Litigation.
• Moderator: Defense Attorney Roundtable Discussion; Pennsylvania Bar Association Workers' compensation Law Section Fall Section Meeting: September 14, 2001
• Pennsylvania Defense Institute Workers' Compensation Seminar
  • Analysis of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Baksalary, June, 1999
• Pittsburgh Workers' Compensation Exchange Group - St. Francis Hospital
  • March, 2000: Evaluation of a carpal tunnel syndrome claim
  • March, 2001: Computer research and document retention in workers' compensation cases
• Panelist - In-House Seminars:
  • "Cost Containment Within the Workers' Compensation Act: 1993, Amendments" ITT/Hartford Insurance Group; Crawford & Company, Harleysville Insurance Company, October, 1993
  • Speaker - Fried, Kane, Walters, Zuschlag & Grochmal client seminars Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, 1993 to present
    • Topics: Medical reimbursement, subrogation, psychological injury, attorney fees and penalties, §306b modification remedies.
• Speaker - Lorman Business Center, Inc., Eau Claire, Wisconsin at Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Lancaster and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania locations:
  • "Work Availability and Impairment Ratings Under Act 57", 1998
  • "Topics in Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation" ,1992 to present
  • "Medical Reimbursement in Workers' Compensation", 1995
  • "Pennsylvania Workers' Compensation and the Self-Insurance Option" 1993
• Panelist - "Risk Management in Workers' Compensation - the Managers Perspective", South Hills Health System, 1991
• Panelist - Mock Trial - Vocational Witness Testimony, Options, Inc.; Aetna Life & Casualty Company. May, 1987
• Panelist - "Modification of Benefits, Workers' Compensation Litigation", Keystone Rehabilitation Systems. June, 1986
• Author - Pennsylvania Workers' Comp Advisor, Genesis Publishing Company. Case Law update., 1993 to 1999
• Instructor - Legal Writing and Research Course, Duquesne University School of Law. 1982 to 1983

Significant Appellate Decisions:

• Andrew Young vs. Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp., 509 A.2d 945 (Pa. Commw. 1986)
• Barna v. W.C.A.B. (Jones & Laughlin Steel Corp.), 522 A.2d 22 (Pa. 1987)
• Mary Ann Swartz v. Workmen's Compensation Appeal Board (Dutch Pantry, Inc.), 543 A.2d 201 (Pa. Commw. 1988)
• Ernest Holmes v. Workmen's Compensation Appeal Board (Pittsburgh Steelers Sports, Inc.)
• Ludovico Spinabelli v. Workmen's Compensation Appeal Board (Massey Buick), 614 A.2d 779 (Pa. Commw. 1992)
• Bryard F. Brogan v. W.C.A.B. (Morrisey), 637 A2d 689 (Pa. Commw. 1994)
• Green v. W.C.A.B. (Jefferson Health Services), 711 A2d 575 (Pa. Commw. 1998)

Professional Memberships

• Pennsylvania Self Insurers Association
• Pennsylvania Bar Association
• Allegheny County Bar Association
  • Workers' Compensation Section - 1992 Council Member
• Pittsburgh Human Resources Association
• Martindale Hubbell Peer Review Rating = "A-V"
• Advisory Board - Lexis-Nexis "Larson's National Workers' Compensation Law Center"