Philip Gelso
Sole Practitioner
Location:
Phone:
570-763-0006 (Main)
800-647-8311 (Toll Free)
Fax:
Email:
Biography
Philip Gelso, Esquire concentrates his practice in the area of criminal and civil litigation. He is admitted to practice before the state and federal courts in Pennsylvania as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court. He graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of Scranton. He received his Juris Doctorate from Villanova University School of Law where he served as Chairperson of the Moot Court Board and received the Moot Court Board Distinguished Service Award.
Attorney Gelso is a member of the Board of Directors of Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (PACDL) where he served as President of the Board of Directors from 2015 to 2017 and currently serves as a Past President. He formerly served as President Elect, Vice President for the Middle District of Pennsylvania and as the Chairperson of the Continuing Education Committee for PACDL. He also serves as a board member of the PACDL Foundation for Justice and a non-voting member of the Board of Directors and Solicitor for Maternal & Family Health Services, Inc., the Wyoming Valley Children's Association and the Children's Advocacy Center of NEPA, as well as Solicitor to the Jackson Township Zoning Hearing Board and Alternate Solicitor for the Dallas Borough Zoning Hearing Board.
Attorney Gelso is an active member of the American Bar Association, Federal Bar Association, National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (NACDL), Pennsylvania Bar Association, and the Wilkes-Barre Law & Library Association. He has been an active member of the Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Panel for the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania from 2002 through 2009 and for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit since 2006. He has also lectured at Continuing Legal Education Seminars sponsored by PACDL, PBI and the Wilkes-Barre Law and Library Association.
Areas of Practice
- Federal and State Criminal Defense 75%
- Appeals 2%
- General Corporate 9%
- General Litigation 9%
- Municipal and Zoning 5%
Litigation Percentage
Bar Admissions
- Pennsylvania, 1998
- U.S. District Court Middle District of Pennsylvania, 1999
- U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit, 2000
- U.S. Supreme Court, 2006
Education
- Villanova University School of Law, Villanova, Pennsylvania
- J.D. - 1998
- Honors: Chairperson, Moot Court Board
- Honors: Received the Moot Court Board Distinguished Service Award
- University of Scranton, Scranton, Pennsylvania
- B.S. - 1995
- Honors: cum laude
- Major: History/Political Science
Honors and Awards
- Martindale-Hubbell AV Rating
- The National Trial Lawyers - Top 100 Trial Lawyers
- 2014-2023 Super Lawyers
- 2023 Best Lawyers in America
- American Bar Foundation Fellow
- Avvo Rating 10
- 2009 PACDL President's and Directors' Commendation
- 2011 PACDL President's and Directors' Commendation
- 2018 PACDL President's and Directors' Commendation
- 2021 PACDL President's and Directors' Commendation
- 2018 PACDL Charles P. Gelso President's Award
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, President (2015-2017)
- National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Member
- Pennsylvania Bar Association, Member
- American Bar Association, Member
- Federal Bar Association, Member
- Wilkes-Barre Law and Library Association
- MDPA Federal Public Defender Reappointment Committee, Member (2009)
- U.S. District Court For The Middle District Of Pennsylvania, Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Panel, Former Member
- U.S. Court Of Appeals for The Third Circuit, Criminal Justice Act (CJA) Panel, Active Member, 2006 to 2013
- PBA Federal Practice Committee, Member
- PBA Joint Task Force for the Continuity of Delivery of Legal Services, Member
- 2014 & 2024 MDPA Magistrate Judge Selection Committee, Member
- Litigation Counsel of America, Fellow, 2016 to 2018
- American Bar Foundation, Fellow
- Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Past President
- Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Editor-in-Chief – For the Defense
- Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, Chairperson of Education Committee
- PACDL Foundation for Justice, Board Member
- PACDL Foundation for Justice, Board Secretary
- PACDL Foundation for Justice, Former Board Treasurer
Community Pro Bono Activity
- Solicitor, Wyoming Valley Children's Association
- Member, 1st Lt. Jeffrey DePrimo Scholarship Committee
- Pre-Cana Team, Diocese of Scranton
- Board Member, Luzerne County Head Start, Inc.