Thomas N. Farrell Esq.

Thomas N. Farrell is the Managing Partner of Thomas N. Farrell and Associates and has over 30 years of experience in criminal law.

Tom is a graduate of Duquesne University School of Law and was admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania in 1991. Tom began his criminal law career as an Assistant District Attorney with the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office. As an Assistant District Attorney, Tom tried cases, handled appeals, and was the head of the Post-Conviction Unit. Tom left the Allegheny County District Attorney’s Office to become a Deputy Attorney General for the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General working in the Assets Forfeiture and Money Laundering Unit.

As a private criminal defense attorney, Tom has successfully handled thousands of criminal cases at every stage — pre-arrest investigations, trials, appeals, and applications for expungements, commutations pardons. Tom is an experienced trial lawyer handling cases ranging from Death Penalty trials to DUI trials. He has not only garnered a reputation in Allegheny County, but Tom also represents people throughout all of Western Pennsylvania, including Washington, Lawrence, Butler, Armstrong, Venango, Fayette, Mercer, Indiana, Blair, etc.

Tom is a highly regarded appellate attorney and one of the most experienced in Pennsylvania. Additionally, he has been named as a Super Lawyer for his years of practicing as an esteemed criminal attorney. He has argued before the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, the Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court, and the Pennsylvania Superior Court numerous times.

When a decision in an appellate case establishes new law, changes existing law, or is of the utmost importance, the appellate court will publish the Opinion. These published opinions are citeable and carry precedence in determining future cases. The majority of decisions by appellate courts are unpublished. Thus, these published opinions are reserved for cases that establish binding law. The following are some of Farrell & Associates’ noteworthy, published opinions:

Pennsylvania Supreme Court:

• Commonwealth v. Hairston, 249 A.3d 1046 (Pa. 2021)
• Commonwealth v. Molina, 104 A.3d 430 (Pa. 2014)
• Commonwealth v. Knox, 105 A.3d 1194 (Pa. 2014)
• Commonwealth v. Staton, 38 A.3d 785 (Pa. 2012)
• Commonwealth v. States, 938 A.2d 1016 (Pa. 2007)
• Commonwealth v. Moore, 805 A.2d 1212 (Pa. 2002)
• Commonwealth v. Grazier, 713 A.2d 81 (Pa. 1998)
• Commonwealth v. Birdseye, 670 A.2d 1124 (Pa. 1996)
• Commonwealth v. Morrissey, 654 A.2d 1049 (Pa. 1995)

Pennsylvania Superior Court:

• Commonwealth v. Hawkins, _ A.3d _ (Pa. Super. 2020), 2020 WL 7251072 (issued December 10, 2020)
• Commonwealth v. Fields, 197 A.3d 1217 (en banc) (Pa. Super. 2018)
• Commonwealth v. King, 182 A.3d 449 (Pa. Super. 2018)
• Commonwealth v. Weimer, 167 A.3d 78 (Pa. Super. 2017)
• Commonwealth v. Yockey, 158 A.3d 1246 (Pa. Super. 2017)
• Commonwealth v. Simonson, 148 A.3d 792 (Pa. Super. 2016)
• Commonwealth v. Knox, 50 A.3d 749 (Pa. Super. 2012)
• Commonwealth v. Molina, 33 A.3d 51 (en banc) (Pa. Super. 2011)
• Commonwealth v. Moore, 980 A.2d 647 (Pa. Super. 2009)
• Commonwealth v. Andrews, 158 A.3d 1260 (Pa. Super. 2007)
• Commonwealth v. States, 891 A.2d 737 (Pa. Super. 2005)
• Commonwealth v. O’Bryon, 820 A.2d 1287 (Pa. Super. 2003)
• Commonwealth v. Stanley, 830 A.2d 1021 (Pa. Super. 2003)
• Rivera v. Pa. Dep’t of Corr., 837 A.2d 525 (Pa. Super. 2003)
• Commonwealth v. Farone, 808 A.2d 580 (Pa. Super. 2002)
• Commonwealth v. Logsdon, 803 A.2d 1289 (Pa. Super. 2002)
• Commonwealth v. Balenger, 704 A.2d 1385 (Pa. Super. 1997)
• Commonwealth v. Yager, 685 A.2d 1000 (en banc) (Pa. Super. 1996)
• Commonwealth v. Dehoniesto, 624 A.2d 156 (Pa. Super. 1993)
• Commonwealth v. Knight, 611 A.2d 1199 (Pa. Super. 1992)

Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court:

• Sestric v. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Driver Licensing, 29 A.3d 141 (Pa. Cmwlth. 2011)

United States Court of Appeal for the Third Circuit:

• Doctor v. Walters, 96 F.3d 675 (3d. Cir. 1996)
• Parry v. Rosemeyer, 64 F.3d 110 (3d. Cir. 1995)
• Dolenc v. Love, 40 F.3d 656 (3d Cir. 1994)
• Story v. Kindt, 26 F.3d 402 (3d. Cir. 1994)
• Heiser v. Ryan, 15 F.3d 299 (3d. Cir. 1994)

Aside from practicing law, Tom also enjoys teaching the law. He has been very active in the community and colleagues know he is always available to lend a helping hand or advice. He has also taught the following classes:

• Federal Habeas Corpus Law to Prosecutors sanctioned by the United States District Court of the Western District of Pennsylvania (October 13, 1995)
• Criminal Law Update for Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Association (March 13, 1996)
• Post-Conviction Relief Act and Federal Habeas Corpus Law sanctioned by the Allegheny County Bar Association (1997 and 1998)
• Federal and State Rules of Evidence for Criminal Defense (February 2000)
• PCRA Update: Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (April 2004)
• Conquering the PCRA: Allegheny County Bar Association (February 15, 2007)
• Criminal Defense: Pretrial Success (May 15, 2007)
• Winning Your First Federal Trial (Ethics) (March 2008)
• Criminal Appeals: Allegheny County Bar Association (December 10, 2009)
• Defending the Capital Punishment Case: The National Business Institute (November 18, 2010)
• State and Federal Post-Conviction Law to Prosecutors sanctioned by the Pennsylvania District Attorney’s Association
• Pre-trial to Supreme Court – An Examination of the Criminal Appellate Process by the Allegheny County Bar Association (July 13, 2018)
• Clean Slate Act by the Allegheny County Bar Association (February 12, 2019)

Along with teaching, Tom served as the Chair of the Allegheny County Bar Association Criminal Litigation Section from July 2020 – July 2021. Tom was also elected to serve on the Judicial Committee for the Allegheny County Bar Association, which recommends candidates for judges.

Tom is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Court, and the United States Supreme Court.