Irwin drops Greensburg law firm, hires attorney from firm

Irwin council dropped its Greensburg law firm this week, but hired one of the firm’s attorneys as its solicitor.

The borough no longer will retain Tremba, Kinney, Greiner & Kerr LLC to provide solicitor services. Instead, attorney Zachary Kansler, a former member of the firm, will be a part-time borough employee.

Kansler, 33, will be paid $33,000 annually to work at least 32 hours a month, said council President Rick Burdelski. The change is effective immediately, Burdelski said.

Irwin made Kansler a salaried employee the same week that Greensburg council hired him as a full-time attorney for the city at an annual salary of $80,000. He will be committed to work 32 hours a week for Greensburg, said Kelsye Milliron, city administrator.

Greensburg and Irwin are in agreement to be flexible, so if Irwin would need Kansler to work more than eight hours one week and less the following week, that could happen, said Shari Martino, Irwin manager.

The salary paid by Irwin would cover all his legal work for the borough, including any time spent arguing cases in court, Kansler said. The borough is not paying for Kansler’s health insurance, Burdelski said.

Councilwoman Gail Macioce said the decision to terminate Tremba, Kinney, Greiner & Kerr’s contract with the borough had nothing to do with the firm’s legal services.

Irwin will save money by hiring Kansler as a part-time employee, Burdelski said. The borough in 2019 paid about $35,000 in legal fees, Burdelski said.

Kansler will have a space in the borough’s building on Main Street, Martino said.

Kansler was hired by Irwin to serve as its solicitor in February 2016. He also was serving as one of his former firm’s legal representatives for Latrobe.

This year, Kansler informed Sewickley Township that he would no longer be representing that municipality, said Brian Merdian, a township supervisor.