Philip Gelso

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 served as President of the Board of Directors of Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (PACDL) from 2015 to 2017 and currently serves as a Past President, Chairperson of the Education and Publications Committees. He also serves as a board member and Treasurer of the PACDL Foundation for Justice. He also serves as Solicitor for Maternal & Family Health Services, Inc., the Wyoming Valley Children's Association and the Children’s Advocacy Center of NEPA, the Jackson Township Zoning Hearing Board and Alternate Solicitor for the Dallas Borough Zoning Hearing Board.

Attorney Gelso is an active member of the PBA Federal Practice Committee, American Bar Association, American Bar Foundation, 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 been named a SuperLawyer, Best Lawyer in America, an American Bar Foundation Fellow and received an AV rating from Martindale-Hubble, PACDL President’s and Directors Commendations and the 2018 PACDL Charles P. Gelso President’s Award. He has lectured at Continuing Legal Education Seminars and webinars sponsored by PACDL, PBA and the Wilkes-Barre Law and Library Association.