GET to know Gilbert & Thomson
The Law Offices of Gilbert & Thomson has been a strong presence in the Fairless Hills Community since 1989.
Mr. Thomson and his legal staff pride themselves in providing aggressive, personal, and skilled legal services to clients in Bucks County, Philadelphia County, Montgomery County and surrounding areas. Our firm is committed to providing our clients with the highest quality legal representation. We concentrate our practice in General Civil Law, Personal Injury cases, Wills and Estates, Real Estate Law and Commercial Litigation.
Whether you have sustained a serious personal injury caused by someone else’s negligence, need assistance probating a Will or administering an Estate, or want representation at a real estate closing, or are involved in a business dispute or are a party to litigation in Orphan’s Court, the Law Office of Gilbert and Thomson stands ready to help you achieve the desired result.
If you retain Gilbert and Thomson to represent you, you will receive the prompt, professional and courteous service that has produced countless satisfied clients, who routinely refer their family and friends to us.
Practice Areas
General Civil Practice I Wills and Estates I Real Estate Law I Commercial Litigation
Probate and Estate Administration
We assist clients with probate and estate administration. Probate is the legal process by which the decedent’s debts are paid and the decedent’s assets are distributed to his/hers beneficiaries and heirs. Estate administration includes the probate process, as well as the transfer of non-probate assets. This is becoming an increasingly complex area of the law. We prepare PA inheritance tax returns and draft Family Settlement Agreements and represent executors and administrators in Court with the filing of formal accountings. We handle the estate from inception to close out.
Estate litigation
We represent clients when litigation arises from the probate and estate administration process. Family members often find themselves in disagreement over the interpretation of wills or trust documents and the administration and management of estates and trusts. Suits are frequently filed against the personal representative of an estate who is thought to be involved in self-dealing. We regularly handle claims and defend challenges to wills (“will contest”) based on competency, authenticity, or undue influence. We also represent individuals in circumstances where there is no will and disputes arise regarding the appropriate administration of the estate. We strive to balance the importance of privacy and discretion against the need to resort to the very public nature of court proceedings.
Basic Estate Planning
Our firm can assist clients in planning for future contingencies, such as death or incapacity, by preparing the appropriate documents. In addition to a Will or Trust, we prepare Living Wills, wherein the client makes choices regarding the type of medical care the client wants to receive, if the client is in a terminal condition. In addition, we prepare Durable Powers of Attorney to enable the client to name a trusted person to make financial and medical and health care decisions in the event of incapacity. We handle guardianship matters and represent clients at guardianship hearings. We prepare:
Wills
Revocable and Irrevocable Trusts
Durable or General Powers of Attorney
Living wills (Advance Medical Directives)
Real Estate Law
Our firm provides a full range of real estate services to commercial and individual clients. We represent developers, property owners, property managers, landlords, tenants, investors, buyers and sellers. The areas of representation include:
Zoning - Variances
Easements
Adverse Possession
Landlord-Tenant disputes
Foreclosures
Purchase or sale of real estate
Leases
Construction contracts
Commercial Real Estate
Since the inception of the firm, we have evolved with the changing local real estate market. Over the years we have helped clients respond to market forces and have assisted clients in taking advantage of alternative financing sources, dealing with overbuilt markets, and complying with a complex body of local, state and national environmental laws.
We work with developers, owners, property managers, tenants, financial institutions, and investors in all types of transactions, from routine purchase agreements to complicated development plans. Among our clients are local buyers and sellers of commercial property, landlords and tenants.
Our commercial real estate practice includes these areas:
Acquisitions
Title insurance matters
Property Management issues
Lease negotiations and contracts
Foreclosures
Debt restructuring
Contract negotiations
Construction litigation
Commercial Litigation
Business clients turn to Gilbert and Thomson with their most important and challenging business disputes. We work closely with clients to solve their problems, applying trial skills and implementing the client’s business objectives. We cost-efficiently handle complex commercial disputes based on experience and our focused approach.
We handle a variety of business issues from forming corporations and LLCs and preparing By-Laws and Operating Agreements to corporate control contests, contract disputes and insurance disputes.
We identify risks and help our clients avoid litigation when possible. If negotiation and mediation or alternative dispute resolution do not attain our client’s desired result, we go to court and aggressively obtain the remedy our client seeks.
General Civil PracticE
Personal Injury
The Law Office of Gilbert and Thomson handles a wide variety of PA personal injury claims - from automobile accidents to product liability claims, and slip and fall accidents. These cases are handled from their inception through trial. We are committed to advocating on behalf of personal injury victims, so that they can recover all damages to which they are entitled under the applicable law. When a serious personal injury puts your physical, emotional, and financial well being in jeopardy, we can help. We aggressively pursue all cases to obtain the desired result for clients, whether the case is settled out of court or tried in court. We handle all personal injury cases from minor to catastrophic injuries.
Our personal injury practice includes representation in the following areas:
Injuries from Automobile accidents and Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Claims
Injuries from defective products
Pedestrian Injuries
Slip and Fall Injuries
Slip and Fall
Gilbert and Thomson Law Office handles simple and complex premise liability litigation. From analyzing evidence to selecting experts, we are experienced in understanding the conditions that make floors slippery, determining the effect of light and visual cues, and identifying defective conditions arising from the failure to maintain property or comply with building codes. We work closely with experts who study these type accidents, and doctors who treat those who have been injured. A premises liability case involves a person who is injured on the property of another, due to a defect, slippery substance, or other dangerous condition on that property. Most “slip and fall” accidents happen in commercial settings, such as grocery stores, gas stations, and office buildings. A “slip and fall” claim can also be brought against a private property owner. Liability of the property owner is often based on the owner’s failure to remedy a defective condition, despite knowledge or notice of the condition. Examples of defective conditions are: broken or dangerous stairways, the absence of handrails in a stairway, substances on floors, defects on sidewalks or the presence of snow or ice on sidewalks. The general rule of law is that the owner has a duty to keep the premises in a reasonably safe condition – or at least to warn individuals of the dangerous condition of which the owner has or should have knowledge.
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William F. Thomson, Jr., Esquire
Court Admissions
Supreme Court of PA, 1985
Supreme Court of N.J., 1986
U.S. District Court for Eastern District of PA, 1986
U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, 1986
U.S. Court of Federal Claims (Washington, D.C.), 2007
Professional Affiliations
Bucks County Bar Association
Pennsylvania Bar Association
American Bar Association
Education
Temple University, Phila, PA
Batchelor of Science, 1981
Temple University, Law School
Juris Doctor, 1985
Ralf Gilbert, Esquire*
Admissions
Pennsylvania Bar, 1963
Experience
Former Assistant District Attorney, Bucks County PA 1967-1970
Captain U.S. Air Force 1955-1960
Education
Gettysburg College, Gettysburg, PA
Bachelor of Arts, 1955
Dickinson School of Law, Carlisle, PA, 1962
*retired
Get in Touch
Thank you for visiting the Gilbert & Thomson Law Offices site.
We intend to provide general information, which should not be construed as legal advice. If you are looking for advice on a specific matter, you are encouraged to contact us directly.
We strongly advise you to not disclose personal or confidential information until an attorney-client relationship has been established.
Please reach us for all inquires by email or phone.
EMAIL wthomson2@comcast.net
PHONE (215) 337-9300
FAX (215) 337-9131
