Real Estate Attorney

Agricultural Law

Mette, Evans & Woodside’s Agricultural Law practice encompasses a wide range of legal services suited to meet the needs of clients ranging from traditional family farms to business enterprises providing support services and products to the ag community. Our clients represent all aspects of agriculture across Pennsylvania, from livestock and crop farms to Christmas tree operators and crop input suppliers.

Our familiarity with the farm industry . . . its typical high capital-low income economic model . . . allows us to better appreciate the challenges our clients encounter. Similarly, our decades of experience with agricultural clients allow us to advise on the complexities of operating a profitable business within a family context. Finally, resulting from the somewhat unique characteristics of the agricultural industry, many laws, especially tax laws, have provisions or exemptions that apply to farm operators. At Mette, our ag clients can count on their Agricultural Law attorneys applying these ag exemptions for their client’s benefit.

While farm succession and estate planning are the foundations of our Agricultural Law practice, Pennsylvania’s ag industry faces an assortment of legal issues in the day-to-day operation of its farms. We have represented ag clients at one time or another in a broad array of legal subjects affecting agricultural businesses, a representative list of which follows:

Our Agricultural Law Practice provides counsel on:

  • Family Farm Succession/Estate Planning
  • Farm Transfers
  • Estate Settlements
  • LLC And Other Entity Formation And Operation
  • Tax Issues
  • Elder Law Advice
  • Environmental
  • Oil/Gas/Mineral Issues/Planning
  • 1031 Exchanges
  • Employment
  • Farmland Preservation
  • Clean And Green Appeals
  • Litigation
  • Nuisance Complaints
  • Personal Injury
  • Crop Insurance Disputes
  • Agricultural Land Condemnation
  • Financial Distress/Bankruptcy

Construction Law

With extensive experience in representing developers, contractors, architects and owners, our Construction Law attorneys can help guide you through every stage of the construction process. We can work with clients, provide insights and strategies, from project inception through completion. Clients rely on our legal counsel for all aspects of contracts from initial drafting to negotiations and resolving conflicts.

We represent numerous public and private construction projects, leading them through the government contracting process, resolving bid and pre-qualification disputes and successfully arguing before the Board of Claims and Commonwealth Court.

  • Bid Documents Specifications
  • Contract Negotiation
  • Bid Challenges
  • Mechanic’s Lien Claims
  • Breach of Contract Disputes
  • Land Acquisition

Construction Law Attorneys

Aaron D. Martin

Eminent Domain

Eminent domain is the power of the government or quasi-governmental entities such as electric utilities, telecommunications companies, pipeline companies, transportation entities, etc. to take private property for public use.

Mette, Evans & Woodside has successfully represented clients on both sides of the issue – the owners of condemned property and the public entities exercising the power of condemnation. Our experienced attorneys carefully evaluate each case with the help of appraisers, architects, engineers and other real estate professionals.

The eminent domain process can be daunting. Our comprehensive and collaborative approach to legal solutions allows us to work with the best attorneys in other practice areas of our firm, specifically our Real Estate and Land Use attorneys as well as specialists in other areas.

  • Inverse Condemnation
  • Partial Taking
  • Regulatory Taking
  • Severance Damages
  • Condemnation
  • Appraisals

Energy Law

Pennsylvania is a leader among states in energy production, and as companies throughout the Commonwealth increase their production of oil, natural gas and renewable energy, unique legal challenges are also presented.

The Mette, Evans & Woodside Energy Practice Area delivers the combined legal experience of highly skilled attorneys and an in-depth understanding of the commercial and technical aspects of the energy industry.

We guide clients ranging from energy companies and independent producers to individual land owners and groups on issues from transactions to litigation. In addition, our attorneys are very experienced with oil, gas and energy leases. We provide assistance in addressing environmental concerns relating to extraction and regulation.

  • Land Acquisition
  • Sale of Property
  • Negotiation of Oil, Gas, Mineral and Wind Leases
  • Operating Agreements and Contracts
  • Examination of Land Titles
  • Acquisition or Sale of Property (Producing And Non-Producing)
  • Negotiation of Oil, Gas, Mineral and Wind Leases
  • Operating Agreements and Contracts
  • Examination of Land Titles
  • Solar Option and Lease and related Easement Negotiation

Environmental Law

The Environmental Law attorneys at Mette, Evans & Woodside provide legal advice to clients on the rapidly changing and increasingly complex environmental regulatory and compliance issues. Our attorneys provide counsel to businesses, developers, financial institutions, municipalities and individuals to assist in navigating the process of obtaining permits, approvals and exemptions for public and private projects as well as evaluating and responding to environmental risks.

Our attorneys have spent decades developing relationships with state and federal environmental agencies and are adept at working with engineers, consultants and technicians.

  • Municipal Waste Planning and Management
  • Sewage Facilities Planning and Permitting
  • Wetlands Permitting
  • Stormwater Management
  • Safe Drinking Water Act Requirements
  • Brownfields Remediation and Liability Issues
  • Underground and Aboveground Storage Tanks
  • Clean Streams Law Issues
  • Environmental Litigation

Land Use & Development

We are qualified to handle every aspect of commercial and residential real estate matters including zoning and land use, environmental regulations, land acquisition, industrial and commercial developments, shopping centers and telecommunications facilities. Our real estate attorneys work closely with attorneys in other practice areas to provide comprehensive solutions to real estate and land use issues.

Clients in nearly all local municipalities in Dauphin and Cumberland Counties as well as numerous municipalities throughout central Pennsylvania have sought the advice and counsel of Mette, Evans & Woodside’s real estate practice area.

  • Commercial Land Acquisition and Development
  • Commercial Leasing and Financing
  • Zoning and Land Use Approval
  • Environmental Investigations and Permitting
  • Subdivision Planning and Presentation
  • Eminent Domain (Condemnation) – Land Acquisition
  • State and Federal Land Use Appeals
  • Like Kind Exchanges

Mette, Evans & Woodside has represented clients on land use and zoning matters in almost all local municipalities, as well as numerous municipalities in counties throughout central Pennsylvania, including:

Dauphin | Cumberland | York | Adams | Franklin | Perry | Union | Juniata | Mifflin | Lancaster | Lebanon | Lycoming | Berks | Lehigh | Northampton | Pike | Monroe | Lackawanna | Luzerne

Land Use & Development Attorneys

John A. Feichtel
Ronald L. Finck
Aaron D. Martin

Real Estate Transactions & Litigation

Individuals, as well as business clients, rely on the attorneys at Mette, Evans & Woodside to safeguard their best interests when it comes to real estate transactions. Our attorneys provide legal representation for buyers and sellers in commercial or residential transactions to help protect our clients’ interests.

Buying or selling real estate requires careful consideration since the transaction has long-term legal and financial implications. Our attorneys will carefully review the contracts and transaction documentation, to ensure that your legal rights are protected and advise you of your obligations.

Real Estate Litigation

Real estate transactions involve the law of real property, which is unique and can involve issues that require an experienced real estate lawyer who is trained to deal with these problems.

The attorneys at Mette, Evans and Woodside provide legal services to individuals and business entities that are involved in real estate disputes. Our expertise includes real estate contract disputes, mortgage foreclosures, construction defects, title disputes, real estate fraud claims and other real estate litigation matters.

  • Real Estate Contract Disputes
  • Mortgage Foreclosures
  • Construction Defects
  • Title Disputes
  • Real Estate Fraud Claims
  • Purchase & Sale of Commercial Real Estate
  • Easement/Boundary Disputes
  • Commercial Landlord/Tenant Matters
  • Adverse Possession
  • Quiet Title
  • Ejectment
  • Lis Pendens Disputes

Real Estate Transactions & Litigation Attorneys

Ronald L. Finck
James L. Goldsmith
Aaron D. Martin

Commercial Real Estate

By their very nature, commercial real estate transactions are multifaceted and require guidance from an experienced legal team to avoid future issues or disputes. The attorneys at Mette, Evans & Woodside provide proactive legal advice to commercial developers, builders, buyers, property owners and tenants.

Our attorneys have been involved with commercial real estate transactions of all types including: shopping centers, office complexes, senior housing, industrial facilities, condominiums and apartment buildings.

From determining the best type of real estate business entity and researching zoning and ordinances issues to negotiating purchase contracts and lease agreements, our experienced attorneys provide legal guidance to avoid problems and achieve a successful transaction.

  • Purchase & Sale of Commercial Real Estate
  • Developer Representation
  • Easement/Boundary Disputes
  • Lease Drafting, Review & Negotiation
  • Real Estate Ownership Structures
  • Escrow & Title Documents
  • Commercial Landlord/Tenant Matters
  • Commercial Leases & Development
  • Land Use & Zoning
  • Lending Transactions
  • Purchase & Sale Agreements
  • Settlement/Closings

Commercial Real Estate Attorneys

John A. Feichtel
Ronald L. Finck
James L. Goldsmith
Aaron D. Martin