Samuel E. Wiser

Shareholder

Samuel E. Wiser, Jr. provides comprehensive legal services in the area of municipal law, zoning and land use, environmental law, and general litigation. A large part of Sam’s practice involves representing municipalities throughout central Pennsylvania. Sam serves as solicitor to many boroughs, second class townships, and municipal authorities and serves as special counsel to counties, boroughs, townships, and authorities.

Samuel represents municipalities in collective bargaining and employment matters, zoning and land use issues, water and wastewater matters, intermunicipal agreements, code enforcement actions, property and right-of-way matters, conventional financing, and general municipal matters. Samuel has handled interest grievance and arbitration matters, large public facility upgrades, complex intermunicipal agreements, contentious zoning matters and related hearings, construction disputes, land use appeals, and significant code enforcement matters.

In addition to municipal law, Samuel counsels numerous businesses on general business matters, employment matters, and general litigation matters.  Samuel also frequently serves as a guest speaker and provides presentations at conferences including:

August 4, 2021 PSAB Municipal Legal Update 
Municipal Legal Jeopardy
Info coming soon. 

May 26, 2021 PSATS Virtual Conference Workshop
Social Media: The New Public Forum
Samuel Wiser and Steve Coccorese presented best practices in social media and other public forums. 

May 20, 2021 PSATS Virtual Conference Workshop
Case Studies in Code Enforcement
Samuel Wiser and Zachary Rice presented strategies for challenging property maintenance matters based on their expereince and case studies in municipal law. 

October 20, 2020  PSAB Fall Conference
Managing Municipal Finances During an Emergency
Samuel presented this webinar with Laura Beth Kurtz, PhD, Esq.. The presentation included discussion of fiscal challenges faced by municipalities, CARES funding, and possible financing solutions for municipalities.

October 19, 2020 PSAB Fall Conference
Pandemic Legalities
Samuel’s presentation covered municipal operational considerations in light of the pandemic. This comprehensive presentation included discussion of state and federal COVID guidance as well as best practices for operations during the pandemic.  

September 23, 2020 PBI Land Use Institute
Periodic Review and Revisions of Zoning and Comprehensive Use Plan
Samuel spoke on a panel with Denny Puko and David Hunter regarding considerations for updating or overhauling land use ordinances. The panel explored current land use challenges and alternate planning tools to accomplish the goals of a municipality.  

October 2019 PSATS 2019 Fall Solicitor’s Seminar
Enola, Pennsylvania – Speaker
The Pitfalls of Limiting Public Forums and Public Comment

August 2019 PSAB PA Municipal Legal Update
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania – Speaker
Municipal Legal Jeopardy

June 2019 PSAB Annual Conference
Hershey, Pennsylvania – Speaker
Municipal Legal Jeopardy

April 2019 PSATS Conference
Hershey, Pennsylvania – Speaker
Case Studies in Code Enforcement
 

June 2018 PSAB Annual Conference
Hershey, Pennsylvania – Speaker
Municipal Legal Jeopardy
 

August 2017 PSAB PA Municipal Legal Update
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania – Speaker
Actions to Avoid Someone Suing Your Municipality
 

June 2014 Pennsylvania Bar Institute – Land Use Institute
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Speaker
Agricultural and Open Space Preservation

May 2014 Adams County Association of Township Officials, Mid-Year Conference
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania – Faculty Speaker
Getting to Know the Right-to-Know Law, Sunshine Act, and Executive Session Legislation

September 2013 Pennsylvania Building Officials Conference
State College, Pennsylvania – Faculty Speaker
Zoning and Building Codes Present Parallel and Entwined Code Requirements

August 2013 PMAA’s Annual Conference and Trade Show
State College, Pennsylvania – Faculty Speaker
Or Equal Bidding Requirements

June 2013 Pennsylvania Bar Institute – Municipal Law Colloquium
Lancaster, Pennsylvania – Faculty Speaker
Borough Code Amendments

December 2012 Pennsylvania Bar Institute
Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Harrisburg Pennsylvania – Faculty Speaker
How to Draft an Ordinance

July 2012 Chesapeake Bay Watershed Environmental Requirements & Local Compliance Workshop
Gettysburg, Pennsylvania – Faculty Speaker
Tax Exempt Financing

Samuel has also provided an article for the BCA Newsletter/Borough News in January 2018 – “Accessing Opportunities for Cooperation in 2018” as well as contributing to an article for the Borough News in August 2019 on code enforcement/property maintenance

EDUCATION:

Juris Doctorate (2006)
Honors: Three certificates of achievement (highest grades in Federal Courts, Legislation, and Supreme Court Politics)

 

PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS:

  • Franklin County Bar Association
  • Pennsylvania Bar Association
  • Pennsylvania Association of Bond Lawyers

Practice Areas

  • Municipal Law
  • Zoning and Land Use
  • Environmental Law
  • General Litigation

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Chambersburg Office
Tel: 717-263-2121
Email: swiser@salzmannhughes.com