Atty. Thomas M. Lent
Thomas practices in the areas of medical malpractice (physician and other providers), nursing home/long-term health care provider defense, physician disciplinary action defense, health care provider contract disputes (restrictive covenant, employment issues), general liability defense (premises, contract), employment law (unemployment, wage claims defense, Title VII, ADEA, FMLA), product liability defense and insurance/declaratory judgment defense. As well, Thom is regularly consulted on special education matters and retained to defend due process cases for school districts across Northwestern
Profile Summary
About Thomas M. Lent at a glance
Thomas M. Lent is a Senior Counsel based in Erie, Pennsylvania, practicing at Marshall Dennehey. They have 43+ years of legal experience, licensed to practice since 1983. Their practice focuses on medical malpractice and elder law. Admitted to practice in Pennsylvania (1983), U.S. District Court Western District of Pennsylvania (1983), U.S. Supreme Court (1995), and New York (2016). Educated at Ohio Northern University Pettit College of Law (J.D., 1983) and Pennsylvania Western University, Edinboro (B.A., 1980). Recognitions include AV Preeminent. Active member of Associations & Memberships •Erie County Bar Association, Chair, Civil Litigation Section, 2014 •Northwest Legal Services, board member, 1986-present •Pennsylvania Defense Institute. Serands clients in Erie, PA and the surrounding metropolitan area.
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About
- Thomas practices in the areas of medical malpractice (physician and other providers), nursing home/long-term health care provider defense, physician disciplinary action defense, health care provider contract disputes (restrictive covenant, employment issues), general liability defense (premises, contract), employment law (unemployment, wage claims defense, Title VII, ADEA, FMLA), product liability defense and insurance/declaratory judgment defense
- As well, Thom is regularly consulted on special education matters and retained to defend due process cases for school districts across Northwestern Pennsylvania
- Thom has handled several hundred medical malpractice and physician cases to date, representing a considerable number of physicians and medical professionals in northwestern Pennsylvania
- Additionally, he has provided employment defense and counsel to physicians and other employers
- Thom has taken 25 cases to trial, 24 of which were tried to a jury
- He received 22 defense verdicts, while two of his cases ended in a verdict or settlement significantly below the settlement demands
- Thom argued Sagala v
- Tavares, an informed consent case, and despite an unsuccessful result, the position he argued was ultimately made part of the MCARE Act in Pennsylvania
- Thom was requested by a client to prepare six hours for a physician CME on risk management and HIV
- Following this program, he was asked to teach the medical jurisprudence course at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine
- This required the preparation of 24 class hours of material
- Thom presented the course for approximately eight years before the course became internet-based
- Through his preparation, Thom became familiar with all of the state and federal statutes affecting the practice of medicine
- He was also invited to speak to several LECOM graduating classes and lecture on licensure and risk management issues
- Additionally, Thom has provided CME lecture services to local physicians' groups on various issues
- He has also served as a panel member on various PBI seminars, mainly addressing litigation issues
- Thom began his legal career with the Erie firm of Marsh, Spaeder, Baur, Spaeder & Schaaf, becoming a partner in 1990
- He handled primarily medical and legal malpractice cases, as well as matters in all areas of employment law
- He also handled defamation defense cases for various local television and print media defendants
- Thom has been on the board of Northwest Legal Services for 20 years
- He has been re-elected to another 10-year term after waiver of the two-term limit
- In addition to practicing law, Thom continues to play competitive ice hockey and for a time organized a charity game between a team of lawyers and one of law enforcement officers, appropriately called the 'Law and Order Cup.' Honors & awards AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell Best Lawyers in America, Medical Malpractice Law - Defendants 2024-2026 Editor's Award, Outstanding Member of Law Review, Ohio Northern University College of Law 1982-1983 Year joined 2004 Thought Leadership 98 Marshall Dennehey Attorneys Recognized in the 2026 Editions of The Best Lawyers in America and the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America August 20, 2025 Marshall Dennehey is proud to highlight the firm’s 98 attorneys who have been recognized in the 2026 editions of The Best Lawyers in America and the Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in America
- Less than 6% of all practicing lawyers in the U.S
- Classes/Seminars Taught Medical Jurisprudence, course director and primary lecturer, Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, 1995-2003 Employment Law Update, Sterling Educational Services, 2003 Various PBI sponsored seminars on litigation topics
Practice Areas Explained
Thomas M. Lent's Areas of Practice
Each practice area below reflects the types of cases Thomas M. Lent handles, with a brief overview of what that area of law covers.
Medical malpractice lawyers represent patients harmed by negligent doctors, hospitals, and other providers. Free case review, no fee unless you win.
Thomas M. Lent is one of 49,086 medical malpractice attorneys indexed nationally. Browse medical malpractice attorneys in Pennsylvania →
Elder law attorneys for Medicaid planning, long-term care, guardianship, conservatorship, and elder abuse.
Thomas M. Lent is one of 53,430 elder law attorneys indexed nationally. Browse elder law attorneys in Pennsylvania →
Jurisdictional Context
Why local counsel matters in Pennsylvania
Practicing law in Pennsylvania. Legal matters in Pennsylvania are governed by state-specific rules of civil and criminal procedure, statutes of limitations, and substantive law. Cases originating in Erie are typically filed in the local municipal court or the appropriate Pennsylvania state district court, depending on subject matter and amount in controversy. An attorney licensed in Pennsylvania brings working knowledge of local procedural deadlines, judicial practices in this andnue, and the substantive law that applies to cases brought here. Out-of-state attorneys generally cannot represent clients in Pennsylvania courts without local counsel or pro hac vice admission.
Looking for additional Pennsylvania attorneys? Browse all attorneys in Erie or all attorneys in Pennsylvania.
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