Attorney Marianne Lavelle and former President Judge John P. Lavelle announce an "Of Counsel" association with Allentown law firm Gross McGinley in order to expand legal services to residents in Carbon County and surrounding areas.

Shutack & Lavelle was founded in 1959 by George Shutack, John P. Lavelle and Marianne Shutack-Lavelle.John Lavelle served as President Judge of Carbon County for 23 years, including 15 years when he served as the county's only judge.Lavelle grew up in Philadelphia and earned his bachelor of arts degree from Niagara University in 1953 where he majored in English and philosophy.His service as President Judge was from 1978 until 2001.He continued to serve as senior judge until 2006, presiding in numerous counties throughout Eastern Pennsylvania.He went on to get his law degree from Villanova University in 1958, where he met his wife, Marianne. Lavelle interrupted his law studies for two years to serve his country in the U.S. Army before moving to Carbon County to begin a general law practice with his wife and father-in-law.Marianne Lavelle was the first woman to join the Carbon County Bar in 1959. She continued to be the only woman practicing law in Carbon County for the next 20 years.She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Bucknell University in 1955 after majoring in English and mathematics and minoring in political science and secondary education.Lavelle went on to Villanova School of Law for two years before transferring to Dickinson College where she earned her J.D.A trusted legal adviser, Gross McGinley offers a full-range of legal services.The firm's 33 attorneys handle complex legal matters on a daily basis and offer strategic legal solutions that satisfy clients' short-term needs and long-term goals.With offices in Allentown, Easton, and Emmaus, Gross McGinley has remained deeply rooted in the Lehigh Valley for over 38 years.