Our Credentials: Memberships and Honors

Our attorneys and firm have earned the most highly regarded honors in the legal field, but we prefer to let our credentials speak for themselves.

Best Lawyers in America

Attorneys must be nominated for the Best Lawyers honor, which is based on exhaustive peer reviews conducted by some of the top attorneys in the United States.

Corporate Counsel Magazine has called Best Lawyers "the most respected referral list of attorneys in practice."

Eight Edgar Snyder & Associates attorneys are Best Lawyers in America honorees for personal injury litigation. They include attorneys Cynthia Danel (2011-2022; 2012 Pittsburgh Best Lawyers in America Personal Injury Litigation Lawyer of the Year), Gerald Hutton (2017-2022), Jason Lichtenstein (2013-2022), Jennifer Matassa (2013-2022), Rick Rosenthal (2010-2022), Michael Rosenzweig (2010-2022), and Brad Trust (2021 & 2022).

One of our attorneys, James Garver, has been selected to the Best Lawyers in America honorees for Workers' Compensation law (2013-2021).

One of our attorneys, John E. Black, has been selected to the Best Layers in America list for Employment Law (2010 - 2021).

In addition to being listed among the Best Lawyers in America for personal injury, Attorney Michael Rosenzweig was included in the list of Best Lawyers in America for product liability litigation.

U.S. News & World Report — Best Lawyers "Best Law Firms in America"

The U.S. News — Best Lawyers "Best Law Firms" rankings are based on an extensive evaluation process that includes not only peer review, firm background information, and more.

That data is then combined to provide a "Best Law Firms" score, and that a high score "is a special distinction that signals a unique combination of excellence and breadth of experience."

Edgar Snyder & Associates is proud to be among the Tier 1 "Best Law Firms" for plaintiff personal injury and product liability litigation in Pittsburgh. Ours was also listed among the Tier 1 "Best Law Firms" for claimant Workers' Compensation law.

An A+ Rating with the Better Business Bureau

Doing research is essential before making an important decision such as hiring an attorney, and one of the most trusted and well-known resources for investigating businesses is the Better Business Bureau (BBB). This consumer-protection agency, founded in 1912, grades businesses based on a number of factors including complaints made against a company to issues related to false advertising.

That's why we are honored to have the highest-possible rating with the BBB—an A+.

Martindale-Hubbell: Highly Rated Pennsylvania Law Firm

Edgar Snyder & Associates has received the highest-possible rating—an AV Pre-eminent rating—from Martindale-Hubbell, an impartial legal information agency serving the profession for more than 140 years. The rating, which is determined by a system of complex scoring formulas and criteria, is based on legal ability and general ethical standards.

In fact, Edgar Snyder & Associates has been selected as one of Martindale-Hubbell's Top Ranked Law Firms. We received this honor because at least one in every three attorneys at the firm has earned an AV Pre-eminent rating—a distinction that only a small percentage of the firms in the country have been able to achieve.

An AV Pre-eminent rating shows that a lawyer has reached the height of professional excellence, and is recognized for having the highest levels of skill and integrity.

At Edgar Snyder & Associates, attorneys Cynthia Danel, Jason Lichtenstein, Rick Rosenthal, Michael Rosenzweig, and Edgar Snyder all have AV Pre-eminent ratings.

The Million Dollar and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forums

The Million and Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forums, established in 1993, are composed of trial attorneys who have achieved million and multi-million dollar verdicts and settlements for their clients. Although less than 1 percent of lawyers in the United States belong to the forums, nine attorneys at Edgar Snyder & Associates are members.

Attorneys Cynthia Danel, Robert Fisher, Armand Leonelli, Rick Rosenthal, Michael Rosenzweig, and Christine Zaremski-Young are members of the Multi-Million Dollar Advocates forum.

Attorneys Jason Lichtenstein, Adam Haggag, Chris Hildebrandt, Mollie Rosenzweig, and Brad Trust are members of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum.

National Board of Trial Advocacy

The National Board of Trial Advocacy (NBTA), a non-profit organization accredited by the American Bar Association, certifies lawyers in the specialty areas of civil, criminal, and family law trial advocacy.

It is the only accreditation agency approved by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, and NBTA-certified attorneys have a proven track record of skill, experience, and knowledge in their practice area(s). In order to be certified as a Civil Trial Advocate, attorneys go through an exhaustive screening process that includes a full-day exam, the submission of peer and judicial references, and more.

Certification is a stamp of approval that gives clients confidence they're hiring a qualified attorney—a stamp of approval earned by two of our firm's attorneys, Cynthia Danel and Michael Rosenzweig.

Edgar Snyder & Associates Attorneys Certified in Workers' Compensation Law

We are proud to have attorneys certified as specialists in the practice of workers' compensation law by the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) Workers' Compensation Law Section.

They include attorneys Ryan Carroll, James Garver, and Phillip Kondrot.

In 2012, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court approved the PBA Workers' Compensation Law Section as the first bar association entity in Pennsylvania to certify lawyers in the area of workers' compensation law.

Certified workers' compensation attorneys successfully completed the 2018 certification process by submitting a variety of documents showing that at least 50 percent of their legal practice is in the specialty field of workers' compensation, that they had practiced in the field for more than five years, and that they actively participates in Mandatory Continuing Legal Education in workers' compensation law and related fields.

The attorneys also passed the certification examination that focuses on workers' compensation law and rules and leading case law.

Pennsylvania Super Lawyers List

Being selected to the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers List is an honor awarded to only the top 5 percent of lawyers in the state. The rigorous, four-stage selection process is designed to award attorneys who stand out as the best among their peers.

The following attorneys have been named to the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list: John E. Black, Cynthia Danel, James Garver, Chris Hildebrandt, Jerry Hutton, Jason Lichtenstein, Richard Rosenthal, Michael Rosenzweig, Edgar Snyder, and Christine Zaremski-Young.

In addition, many have also been named to the Top 100 Attorneys in Pennsylvania, the Top 50 Attorneys in Pittsburgh, and the Top 50 Female Attorneys in Pennsylvania lists:

Attorney Cynthia Danel

• Top 100 Attorneys in Pennsylvania for 2011-2021
• Top 50 Women Attorneys in Pennsylvania for 2008-2021
• Top 50 Attorneys in Pittsburgh for 2009-2021

Attorney Gerald Hutton

• Top 50 Attorneys in Pittsburgh for 2016 - 2021

Attorney Jason Lichtenstein

• Top 100 Attorneys in Pennsylvania for 2011, 2017, 2019, 2020, & 2021
• Top 50 Attorneys in Pittsburgh for 2011-2021

Attorney Rick Rosenthal

• Top 100 Attorneys in Pennsylvania for 2010-2021
• Top 50 Attorneys in Pittsburgh for 2008-2021

Attorney Michael Rosenzweig

• Top 100 Attorneys in Pennsylvania for 2010-2021
• Top 50 Attorneys in Pittsburgh for 2008-2021

Several attorneys at Edgar Snyder & Associates have also been selected for inclusion in Pennsylvania Rising Stars by Super Lawyers — an honor awarded to the best up-and-coming attorneys 40 and younger who have been practicing law for less than 10 years. To be considered for the honor, attorneys must be nominated by their peers, and only the top 2.5 percent of nominees in each state are named to the Rising Stars list.

Attorneys named in 2020 Pennsylvania Rising Stars by Super Lawyers include Jordan Bush, Adam Haggag, and Armand Leonelli.

2018 Corporate Citizenship Award

The Pittsburgh Business Times’ Corporate Citizenship Award honors individuals and companies in western Pennsylvania for “outstanding philanthropic contributions.” Judges take into account volunteer work, monetary contributions, and in-kind donations. Organizations must also display that they have incorporated philanthropy into their company culture. You can learn more about our work in the community in our Giving Back section.

Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County

Edgar Snyder & Associates is proud to have seven attorneys at the firm who are members of the Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County.

The Academy, founded in 1959, is an organization of trial lawyers who assist in the fair administration of justice, and is open to both plaintiffs' and defense attorneys.

Membership is limited to just 250 lawyers, and Edgar Snyder & Associates attorneys Cynthia Danel, Robert Fisher, Gerald Hutton, Jason Lichtenstein, Rick Rosenthal, and Michael Rosenzweig are among them.

Tribune-Review Readers' Choice Award Winner for Best Attorney in Pittsburgh

Attorney Edgar Snyder has received the Pittsburgh Tribune Review's Readers' Choice Award for Best Attorney in the City for 2010-2016. The award recognizes Pittsburgh-area businesses and professionals for excellent service and customer satisfaction.

The honor is based on reader votes that are collected online and through the mail. An outside firm tabulates the ballots, and the winners are announced annually in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Workplace Awards

Both the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Pittsburgh Business Times have recognized Edgar Snyder & Associates as one of the Best Places to Work in western Pennsylvania and one of the Top Places to Work in Pittsburgh.

Top Places to Work in Pittsburgh

For this award, given by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, employees vote anonymously on the level of leadership, communication, opportunity, atmosphere, pay, and benefits at their workplaces. Businesses with the highest scores make the Top Places to Work list.

Edgar Snyder & Associates was named one of the Top Places to Work in Pittsburgh in 2011-2015 and again in 2018 and 2019.

Best Places to Work in Western Pennsylvania

The Pittsburgh Business Times has named Edgar Snyder & Associates as one of the Best Places to Work in western Pennsylvania. It was one of only a few law firms to make the list and was recognized as one of the Best Places to Work for six years in a row.

Each year, employees from companies across the region vote on categories such as satisfaction and management effectiveness, as well as whether they felt valued in their workplace. The Pittsburgh Business Times survey also considers other criteria such as benefits packages and employee perks. Businesses with the highest scores make the Best Places to Work list.