Mr. Gawlas is a native of Northeastern Pennsylvania, graduating from GAR Memorial High School in Wilkes-Barre in 1979. He graduated from Dartmouth College in 1983 with an A.B. in Government. While at Dartmouth, he played varsity football and was a member of Phi Delta Alpha fraternity. He earned his J.D. degree, cum laude, from the Dickinson School of Law in 1986. While at the Dickinson School of Law, he was a member of the Dickinson Law Review, the Woolsack Honor Society, the Merna B. Marshall Moot Court championship team, and the Corpus Juris Society.
Mr. Gawlas is admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, and the United States District Courts for the Middle and Eastern Districts of Pennsylvania. He has also been specially admitted to practice before the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. He has served as lead trial counsel in litigation matters in both the Pennsylvania state and federal courts, and is rated AV-Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell.
Mr. Gawlas is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the Wilkes-Barre Law & Library Association, where he serves on the Local Rules and Environmental Law Committees. He is also a member of the Dartmouth Lawyers Association. Long known for his leadership in the community, Mr. Gawlas is a member of the Board of the Back Mountain Memorial Library. He is the Past Board Chairman of the American Red Cross, Wyoming Valley Regional Chapter, where he served as a longtime member of the Board and Executive Committee and held several leadership positions. He is also Director Emeritus of the Big Brothers/Big Sisters of the Bridge Advisory Board, having served for three years as Board President, and is a three time Corporate Chairman of Bowl-for-Kids’-Sake. He is the former President of the St. Nicholas/St. Mary’s Elementary School Board of Education and has also served on the Boards of Directors of Catholic Social Services, Northeast Camp Cadet, and Kingston Township Raiders Junior Football, Inc., and as Co-President of the Holy Redeemer High School Football Booster Club.
Mr. Gawlas and his wife, Cathy, reside in Shavertown.
Presentations/Publications
•“The First Hearing” and “Preparing For and Presenting at the Hearing” at Workers’ Compensation Fundamentals Seminar (March, 2012)
•“Determining Compensation and Managing the Workers Compensation Case” at Advanced Workers’ Compensation Seminar
•Workers’ Compensation Law Update (National Business Institute)
•King’s College Family Business Forum Workers Compensation Law presentations
•“Addressing Changes and Extras” at Building a Foundation for Managing Complex Construction Law Issues in Pennsylvania Seminar (National Business Institute)
•“Introduction to Change Orders” at Change Orders in Pennsylvania Seminar (Lorman Education Services)
•“Contract Delays” at Pennsylvania Construction Law: What Do You Do When...? Seminar (National Business Institute)
•What Real Estate & Business Lawyers Need to Know About Environmental Law (Pennsylvania Bar Institute)
Honors
AV Peer Review Rating by Martindale-Hubbell - This rating attests to a lawyer’s legal ability and professional ethics, and reflects the confidential opinions of members of the Bar and Judiciary. The AV rating is a testament to the fact that a lawyer’s peers rank him at the highest level of professional excellence for those practicing law for more than 10 years.
Reviews
“I’ve worked with Bob on several securities fraud and/or negligence cases and always found him thoroughly prepared with thoughtful analysis and a well conceived legal framework. He has also displayed a willingness to take on cases where the plight of the client is more of a driver than the potential revenue.” - 5-Star Peer Review of Robert N. Gawlas Jr. of our Litigation Department from Martindale.com
