Each of our firm's lawyers stands ready to help you, whatever your legal need. You can enjoy peace of mind knowing attorneys you can trust will protect your interest.

One major branch of our firm traces its roots to 1977 when Tim Reese joined Xakellis, Perezous & Mongiovi as an associate, later becoming a partner in 1982. Mr. Samley joined the firm in 1992 and became a shareholder in 1999. The other branch includes Sam Mecum and Dave Wagenseller, who have both practiced in Lancaster since 1974. They became shareholders in Reese, Pugh, Samley, Wagenseller & Mecum in 2005, after many years with the well-established firm of Shirk, Reist, Wagenseller & Mecum. Janice Longer is the newest member of our firm, adding her name as a shareholder in August 2011. Collectively, we have over 164 years of experience. It is fair to say that we are a veteran and battle-tested group.

While we can describe our attorneys as battle-tested, we can describe our staff in the same manner. Our group of paralegals, secretaries and assistants have over 117 years of combined experience and have been with us a combined 80 years. They average almost 20 years experience per person! Each attorney has one specific assistant or paralegal who services each client's case. In that way, our staff is intimately familiar with your specific case and can frequently answer questions you may have.

Family Law
>>Divorce
>>Custody & Visitation
>>Support
>>Adoption
>>Grandparents' Rights
>>Protection from Abuse
>>Marital Agreements

Personal Injury
>>Automobile Accidents
>>Injuries from Drunk Drivers
>>Wrongful Death
>>Social Security Disability
>>Workers' Compensation
>>Premises Liability
>>Slip and Fall
>>Injuries to Children

Bankruptcy
>>Personal
>>Corporate
>>Creditors Rights

Business Law
>>Corporate
>>Business Buy/Sell
>>Small Business
>>Contracts
>>Civil Litigation
>>Business Formation
>>Liquor License Transfers
>>Limited Liability Partnership (LLP)
>>Limited Liability Company (LLC)

Estates
>>Wills
>>Probate
>>Estate Administration
>>Estate Planning
>>Trusts
>>Guardianships
>>Power of Attorney
>>Living Wills

Other Areas of Practice
>>Criminal Defense
>>Litigation
>>Real Estate Assessment Appeals
>>Employee Benefit and Labor Law
>>Real Estate
>>Zoning

Family law includes divorce, alimony, spousal and child support, custody, protection from abuse, equitable distribution of marital assets/debt, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. It also includes guardianships and adoption. In Pennsylvania, rules of court impose various time restrictions on what documents must be filed in court, when, and in what order. It is very easy to become frustrated with the slow pace of the system. Many times hearings/conferences are scheduled several weeks or months in the future. Keep this in mind: the court officer assigned to your case by the court system has very little if any opportunity to see you and meet with you in person before you walk into the courtroom or hearing room. Most of what Judges and Divorce Masters know about you is derived from the voluminous paperwork which your attorneys prepare for you prior to various conferences, hearings and trials. We at RSWM&L have many decades of experience in the drafting of divorce and custody complaints, claims for alimony and equitable property distribution, Postnuptial Agreements and Custody Stipulations. Another critical area of family law which cries out for attorney involvement is child custody. The nastiest and ugliest aspect of most domestic cases is a dispute between separated parents concerning the future residence of the children. The PA Legislature has recently made a detailed list of 16 considerations a Judge must follow in determining the best interests of children in custody disputes. The attorneys of RSWM&L are very familiar with the years of case law as well as these extensive statutory provisions relating the child custody.

Divorce is a difficult time for any spouse. Our attorneys have years of experience in guiding clients through family law matters which frequently include issues of alimony, custody, visitation, child or spousal support and equitable distribution of marital property.

We have family law attorneys representing a broad spectrum of individuals from wage earners to business owners, physicians, attorneys, and highly compensated professionals, as well as spouses who have been out of the workplace as homemakers. While divorce nearly always involves emotional upheaval for the people involved, including the children, it need not always be caustic and unnecessarily contentious. We provide the representation you need based upon your direction to us and what the case requires. We can be diplomatic when needed but tough when required. Our attorneys will clearly delineate your options at every stage of the divorce and related family law matters.

Custody-partial custody-visitation-legal custody-shared custody-supervised visitation: whatever the issue, the attorneys at RSWML have a wealth of experience in these and related custodial matters. We have attended countless custody conferences, mediation sessions and tried hundreds of custody cases before every family law judge in Lancaster County. The attorneys who are active in this area of practice have over 30 years of experience each and are themselves parents. Mr. Reese is a former court appointed Custody Conference Officer. We provide caring, compassionate guidance, being as aggressive as circumstances require. We don’t seek to make matters worse, but when protection is needed for the best interests of your children, we know how and when to seek it.

A parent’s obligation to pay support for his or her children is virtually absolute, to pay according to both parents’ respective income and assets. PA has developed elaborate guidelines which can be accessed online. In a handful of rare cases, it is fairly simple to calculate support in the case where each parent has a single employer, and each has a single paycheck which reflects YTD deductions for taxes and insurance premiums. However, other complicating factors often arise such as daycare expenses, summer camp, shared custody and unusually high mortgage payments. Problems arise where one or both of the parents are self-employed, and/or are involved with occupations which produce income largely in the form of cash (bartenders, musicians, etc.). Child support is serious business. If the paying spouse is found to have deliberately disobeyed a support order, serious penalties may be imposed, such as the loss of a driver’s license, interception of federal tax refunds, and even imprisonment. Our lawyers have decades of experience dealing with the support guidelines and the Domestic Relations Office. We will be happy to guide you through this confusing and complex system.