Jonathan Krassenstein, our managing partner, is a business and litigation attorney having an extensive background in general business matters, commercial litigation, employment issues, oil, gas and energy-related issues and commercial real estate and leasing matters. Formerly a judicial clerk for two federal judges, Jon combines his knowledge of the court system with sound practical experience gained as a certified public accountant and from thirty years of practicing law. During his career, Jon has represented businesses of all sizes from a variety of industries in various corporate matters including acquisitions, bank lending issues, contractual drafting, negotiation and disputes, construction litigation, franchise review and franchise enforcement, and employment/labor matters.
Jon is admitted to practice law in the United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania and the United States Third Circuit Court of Appeals, and is also licensed to practice law in the State of Ohio. He has served as a member of the American Bar Association’s Forum on Franchising, the Ohio State Bar Association’s Banking, Bankruptcy & Commercial Law Committee and the Allegheny County Bar Association’s Bankruptcy and Commercial Law Section. He has lectured to many organizations on a myriad of business and legal issues, including the Allegheny County Bar Association, the Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Carnegie Mellon University’s graduate school program. He has served on the Board of Directors of several institutions including the Advisory Board On Autism And Related Disorders (ABOARD), the Brooktree Office Park, the Borough of Bradford Woods Zoning Hearing Board, Temple Ohav Shalom and the Northern Allegheny County Chamber of Commerce. Jon is a graduate of Leadership Pittsburgh.
Since 2005, Jon has served as Chief Financial Officer and General Counsel of PFBC Environmental Energy Technology, Inc., a Western Pennsylvania renewable energy concern. In this capacity, he has prepared and negotiated contracts, overseen private equity fundraising and coordinated financial reporting requirements.
Jon received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and his Juris Doctor Degree from The Ohio State University College of Law. He became a Certified Public Accountant in 1987. Jon has been awarded an AV® peer review rating, the highest possible, by Martindale-Hubbell, the country’s preeminent lawyer rating service. The AV rating indicates that the lawyers and judges with whom the attorney works rate him among the best in the business not only for legal skills, but also for honesty and integrity.
Juliet Krassenstein, a co-founder of our firm, is a general business lawyer having a background in corporate, franchise and securities law. Juliet primarily represents small and medium-sized businesses in connection with a wide variety of matters, including choice of entity, general contracts, and franchise and trademark matters.
In the franchise area, Juliet represents both national and local franchisors in the initial phases of franchising activity as well as with ongoing regulatory compliance, and she routinely evaluates franchise opportunities for those seeking to become independent business owners. She has assisted many clients in obtaining and maintaining trademark protection with the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office.
Juliet began her career with one of the largest law firms in Pittsburgh, representing banks and other publicly-held companies in securities compliance matters, corporate governance issues and internal policy compliance procedures. She participated in the consolidation and acquisition of several regional financial institutions, and handled Federal and State securities reporting relating to those transactions. After founding our Firm, she was recommended counsel by one of the region’s largest financial institutions to represent minority and women-owned businesses in connection with a lending program for such businesses; and she has represented a number of local non-profit organizations, providing assistance with applications to obtain tax-exempt status and advice on various corporate matters.
Juliet received her B.A. from Smith College, and her Juris Doctor Degree from The Ohio State University College of Law. She is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania. Juliet and Jonathan have resided in the Pittsburgh area for over 30 years, and raised their four sons in Bradford Woods.