The Law Office of Deborah M. Truscello has been providing legal representation toresidents of Pennsylvania and New Jersey for the past 31years. The office is a full-service law firm providing counsel in all areas of personal injury, work accidents, divorce, custody, support, real estate, wills, estates and social security disability. We spoke with Deborah (“Debbie”) to find out how she became interested in the law and why her clients think of her as a Lawyer-in-Law, aka the family’s attorney.
How did you choose a career in law?
I had a great education at Archmere Academy in Delaware that had a rigorous college preparatory curriculum, which prepared me really well for college. I went on to Elizabethtown College and was considering Pre-Med, so I enrolled in a lot of science classes. But, when it came time to dissect a cadaver, I realized I could not be a doctor so I shifted gears and pursued a degree in political science, which was pre-law at Elizabethtown back then. I also placed first in a French-speaking legal debate about euthanasia, which earned me a scholarship to study abroad in England. My political science background combined with my speaking and writing skills led to my desire to become an attorney.
What has inspired you to serve the community?
As a lifelong resident of Delaware County, I was inspired by my parents who were very involved in Folcroft where we lived and helped the residents. My mom was a community organizer and my dad was magistrate. He was integral in shaping Pennsylvania’s Magisterial Court system. My parents did a lot for our community, including spearheading the building of a new library in Folcroft when the old one was slated to close. I was always right there by their side as they worked to improve our community. I followed in their footsteps.
Can you tell us about your early career as a lawyer?
I earned my Juris Doctor (J.D.) in 1988 from Capital University School of Law in Columbus, Ohio, and then began my career serving the residents of my hometown of Folcroft and surrounding Delaware County. I first served as a law clerk of the Honorable Judge Vincent A. Cirillo of Pennsylvania’s Superior Court, conducting legal research, preparing bench memos, drafting orders and opinions.The following year, I had the privilege of serving as law clerk to the Honorable Judge Rita A. Prescott, the first woman to become a Delaware County Court of Common Pleas Judge. She was a great teacher and had me work on every aspect of a case, from pre-trial to post-trial and opinion writing for civil and criminal cases. Judge Prescott also told me how to make it as a woman in law and was instrumental in my decision to establish my general counsel law firm in Media in 1993.
What was it like for you to serve your community as a judge?
My law firm had been running smoothly for a few years, so I seized the opportunity to serve the community from the bench when my father retired. In 1998, I was appointed unanimously by both Democrat and Republican elected officials in Harrisburg to finish my father’s term when he retired. Then in 1999 I was elected by the people as Magisterial Judge covering Folcroft, Tinicum and Philadelphia International Airport. During those eight years serving in that role, the sheer number and variety of cases added to my legal experience and understanding of the uniqueness of every case and the legal process. Because of where we were located, we covered cases that not only involved our local police, but also state troopers and customs agents. We handled 7,000–10,000 cases each year, and I am proud to say all with consistency, compassion and equal application of the law.
What has been some of your most memorable work?
As Magisterial District Judge, I developed the juvenile mentoring program to help troubled youths learn compassion and gain self-confidence. The juveniles in my court learned that they would have to answer to their infractions instead of their parents paying a fine. I had them read books about their favorite subject, write letters of apology, bring their school report cards to me, and work at Elwyn, spending time with the physically and mentally challenged youth in our area. I’m proud that my work was successful in greatly reducing the number of repeat offenders. The program garnered bipartisan support.
How would you describe your law practice today?
The benefit of a solo practice is that I have a better bird’s eye view of our cases. I want to make sure decisions are made with the client’s best interests first based upon all of the facts and circumstances surrounding the case and the client. Although it’s a solo practice, I have a vast network of associated attorneys and experts in a wide range of complex practice areas. I also have a great staff that includes my legal assistants Rosemary, in family law matters, and Mona, in injury cases, who’s been with me for decades. They’re both invaluable. My goal is always to ensure that every client who enters my office gets the best representation possible. In addition to my regular caseload, I take on pro bono work as much as I can for those who can’t afford an attorney and am a passionate advocate for children who suffer abuse. I have had a good amount of education and experience
with the topic of abuse.
Your clients think of you as a “lawyer-in-law” or part of the family. What do you think sets you apart from other attorneys in our area?
I often represent generations of families from clients I have. Part of my repeat business is not just from existing clients but then they recommend their family members for representation also. Many families refer to me as their family attorney. I give my clients my cell number so they know they can get a hold of me anytime for emergencies. I truly care about my clients and I work hard to get them the best possible outcome while being mindful of their wallet. I am a lifelong resident here and want to make our community better by helping serve the community. It’s been that way for 35 years.
Any plans for the future?
I would like to help implement a Juvenile Mentoring Program and continue using my years of experience working with abused children.
Deborah Truscello’s commitment to the residents of Delaware County is admirable and certainly genuine. Her personal experiences combined with her expertise as both a trial attorney and a judge are why her clients and colleagues describe her as qualified, consistent and compassionate. Anyone who has Deborah M. Truscello on their side has an experienced and trusted legal mind to help them make critical legal decisions and make a huge positive difference.
Publisher’s Note: The Law Office of Deborah M. Truscello is located at 206 West State Street Suite 100, Media. For more information, call 610-717-1080 or visit their website at www.TruscelloLaw.com.