John Gismondi, Esquire

Professor of Practice

Biography

"... trial attorney, bar association president, law school professor"

These titles reflect the different aspects of John P. Gismondi's diverse legal career... a career marked by service to his clients, the legal profession and the lawyers of tomorrow.

Born and raised in Western Pennsylvania, Mr. Gismondi attended college at the University of Pittsburgh and graduated with highest honors in 1975. In 1978, he graduated from that University's School of Law where he was a member of the Law Review and his legal writing was selected for national publication.

After completing law school and serving a three-year term as a law clerk in federal district court, Mr. Gismondi entered the private practice of law in Pittsburgh. Since that time, he has chosen to limit his practice to only one area of law - helping victims and their families in personal injury litigation. Attorney Gismondi has handled all types of injury claims including those resulting from medical malpractice, automobile accidents, airplane accidents, consumer products, on-the-job incidents, and a variety of other circumstances.

Mr. Gismondi has been a frequent interview guest on local television, and his cases have been featured nationally on the ABC Evening News, Good Morning America, 20/20, the O'Reilly Factor, CNN, and in People Magazine.

In a national rating of lawyers' abilities, the nation's oldest and most-recognized reference source on lawyers, Martindale-Hubbell, gives Mr. Gismondi an A/V rating, which is their highest rating for both legal ability and personal qualities such as reliablilty, diligence, and ethics. He has also been named a Pennsylvania "Super Lawyer."

Attorney Gismondi has been chosen by his peers for many leadership positions in professional organizations. In 1995, he was elected President of the 7,000-member Allegheny County Bar Association, and prior to that he was chosen as President of the PA Trial Lawyers Association, Western PA Chapter. He is the former Chairman of the Trial Advocacy Foundation of PA, and Mr. Gismondi currently serves as the Chairman of the Medical Malpractice Section of the PA Trial Lawyers Association.   He is also an invited member of the Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County.

Mr. Gismondi is one of the state's best-known speakers at conferences and seminars designed to teach other lawyers about personal injury law. He has been invited to speak at well over 100 such events throughout Pennsylvania.

In addition to his full-time practice of law, Mr. Gismondi is actively involved at his alma mater, the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Since 1985 he has served as an Adjunct Professor teaching a weekly course entitled Trial Advocacy. More recently, with his active support and assistance, the Law School established the John P. Gismondi Civil Litigation Certificate Program, a unique curriculum designed to provide special training to law students who wish to become courtroom attorneys.   In 2008, the Law School named Mr. Gismondi as the recipient of its "Distinguished Alumnus" award.

Mr. Gismondi makes his home in Pittsburgh with his wife Lisa and their three children, Maria, Victoria, and Justin.

Program(s)

John P. Gismondi Civil Litigation Certificate Program

Programs & Courses