Mark J. Gesk
Mark Gesk is a founding partner at Gesk Moritz, LLC. He has been a trial lawyer representing professionals, businesses, government agencies and individuals since 1977. This has included representation of architects, engineers, construction managers and inspectors on some of the largest construction projects in Pennsylvania, including Pittsburgh International Airport, Allegheny County Jail, the Pennsylvania State Capital Annex and the Allegheny County Port Authority Light Rail Transit. Mark has prosecuted and defended claims for economic losses, personal injuries and property damage. His construction experience includes bridges, highways, stadiums, governmental facilities and commercial and industrial buildings. He has obtain successful verdicts before juries, judges and arbitrators. Mr. Gesk also represents manufacturers, suppliers, businesses and individuals in product liability, premise liability, trucking liability and many other types of tort cases.
Mark has been honored as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer since 2006 and a Best Lawyer in America since 2009. He was also inducted into the Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County. He has lectured and written on numerous architect and engineering professional liability, risk management and insurance issues for various publications and organizations, including the Engineering Society of Western Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Bar Institute and the Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel (FDCC). His presentations and writings include Litigating Construction Site Injuries lecture for PBI; Risk Management For Design Professional seminars; “New Documents Seminar AIA A201-1997 General Conditions of the Contract for Construction” for AIA and Construction Specifications Institute; “Insurer’s Perspective on Construction Site Injuries”; “Prudent Course of Action in the Event of Threatened Claims and Litigation: Mitigating the Risks”; Speaker at FDCC Construction Section “Problems Presented By The Capping of An Environmental Waste Lagoon”; Speaker and Author of “Design Profession Liability: A Case Study” at CNA/Victor O. Schinnerer and Company Inc. “Avoiding and Surviving Litigation” Seminar; Presenter and Author of “Design Professionals, Emerging Issues” at FDCC Construction Law Seminar; Lecturer; PBI Seminar on Trial Tactics: “A Few Good Men”; Presenter and author of The Marcellus Shale Boom and Its Legal Implications – FDCC Seminar in Phoenix AZ; Presenter and author in Pennsylvania Engineering Law Seminar Pittsburgh, PA – November 12, 2014; Professional and General Liability Insurance for Engineers.
He has been a member of the Federation of Defense & Corporate Counsel, (FDCC); including serving as Chairman of Construction Law Section of FDCC; ABA Committee on Professional Liability Litigation; ABA Construction Litigation Committee; Pennsylvania Bar Association Civil Litigation Section; Allegheny County Bar Association Construction Law Section; and Chairman of Academy’s Duquesne Law School Committee.
Mark attended the Duquesne University School of Law. He attended undergraduate school at the University of Virginia and Pennsylvania State University. He is admitted to practice in all Pennsylvania state courts, the United States District Court for the Western and Middle Districts of Pennsylvania and the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. Mark is also an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.
Bar Admissions
- Pennsylvania, 1977
- U.S. District Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court Middle District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. District Court Western District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court Eastern District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court Middle District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. Bankruptcy Court Western District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. Court of Appeals 3rd Circuit
Education
- Duquesne University School of Law, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- J.D. – 1977
- Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania
- B.A. – 1973
- Honors: With Distinction
Published Works
- Engineering Professional Liability and Risk Management Issues, AIA, Pennsylvania Bar Institute
- “Insurer’s Perspective on Construction Site Injuries(Co-Author with Harry R. Blackburn), 1998
- “Prudent Course of Action in the Event of Threatened Claims and Litigation: Mitigating the Risks” (Co-Author with Ronald B. Deal, Jr), 1997
Representative Cases
- Amatangelo v. Borough of Donora, 212 F.3d776, 46 Fed.R.Serv.3d 702 , 2002, 3rd Cir. (Pa.)
- Duquesne Light Co. v. Woodland Hills School Dist, 700 A.2d 1038 , 1997, Pa.Cmwlth.
- Donaldson v. Com. Dept. of Trans, 141 Pa.Cmwlth.474, 596 A.2d 269 , 1991
- Beaver Valley Power Co. v. National Engineering, 883 F.2d 1210 , 1989, 3rd Cir. (Pa.)
- Little v. MGIC Indem. Corp., 836 F.2d 789 , 1987, 3rd Cir. (Pa.)
- Cook v. Highland Water and Sewer Authority, 108 Pa.Cmwlth.222, 530 A.2d 499 , 1987
- Anjo v. County of Allegheny
- Trafalgar House v. County of Allegheny
- Dick Corporation v. Department of General Services
- Gannett Fleming, Inc. v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
- U.S.Steel Corp. v. Arcadis Geraghty and Miller, Inc.
Classes/Seminars
- New Construction Documents Seminar AIA A201-1997 and AIA B141-1997
- General Conditions of the Contract for Construction, AIA and Construction Specifications Institute, 1988 to 1988
- Risk Management for Design Professionals Seminar, AIA CES Program, 1997 to 2000
- Speaker, FDCC Construction Section “Problems Presented by the Capping of an Environmental Waste Lagoon” , 2004 to 2004
- Speaker, “Design Professional Liability: A Case Study” , CNA/Victor O. Schinnerer and Company, Inc., Avoiding and Surviving Litigation Seminar, 2004 to 2004
- “Contractual Liability Language for Risk Managers”, Risk and Insurance Management Society, Inc., Pittsburgh, PA., 11/14/2006 to 11/14/2006
Professional Associations and Memberships
- American Bar Association, Tort and Insurance Practice Section, Member
- American Bar Association, Litigation Section, Member
- American Bar Association, Professional Liability Litigation Committee
- American Bar Association, Construction Litigation Committee
- Pennsylvania Bar Association, Civil Litigation Section, Member
- Pennsylvania Bar Association, Litigation Section, Member, Construction Committee
- Allegheny County Bar Association, Construction Law Section, Member and Council Member
- Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, Member
- Federation of Defense and Corporate Counsel, Construction Law Section, Chairman
- Engineering Society of Western Pennsylvania
- St.Thomas More Society of Allegheny County
Fraternities/Sororities
- Delta Sigma Ph
Practice Areas
