Jessica Smeriglio, known around the office as Jess, has been with the firm for 7 years. She is an Attorney who naturally works hard and has a heart full of drive. Here’s more about Jess:
“I attended undergrad at Temple with a major in Sports and Recreation Management. My dream was to work for the 76ers and I obtained a side gig as a part of their Fan Squad, enthusiastically greeting fans as they entered the games. Turns out my favorite part was when I was done working and I could watch the game from the lower level seats, even though we were supposed to watch from the nosebleeds. After graduating, and realizing the sports industry was very competitive, I moved back to Camp Hill, PA where I worked at the Hotel Hershey as a Front Desk Supervisor for a couple of years before landing a job as a Commercial Claims Rep for Nationwide. After a few years working, I started thinking about becoming a lawyer and applied to Widener Commonwealth Law School, which was right down the street from Nationwide. This was one of the best decisions I have ever made. I was accepted into the extended division class and went to school part-time at night once I was finished with my work day at Nationwide. The professors and older night class students were the best and we all grew very close which made the experience worthwhile.
One day, I was working on a claim for a slip and fall on snow/ice case. I got a call from the co-defendant’s attorney, Lori Miller. Once the claim was settled, I reached out to Lori to tell her I was studying for the bar and although I was not quite applying for jobs yet, I was interested in her firm. Lori told me to come to Philly for an interview. Seven years later, here I am working with some of the hardest working and talented attorneys in the field. I have grown so much with this firm and I owe it to Lori and Joe Petka for teaching me how to be tenacious representative for our clients, and for growing my confidence with their support and guidance throughout the years. Also, to Lauren Glynn for teaching me how to do auto arbitrations from the ground up, which was no easy feat! Finally, I could never forget my ride or die, Sue Fante. Her positive energy is infectious and unmatched, and she is my favorite person to prank at the office.
Advice for women entering the legal field: Please do not put that you are proficient with Microsoft on your resume. Be more creative and thoughtful, and sell yourself! Always keep your head up and remember that your failures are only opportunities to grow and learn.”
Jess’s favorite quote: “It ain’t about how hard you hit, it’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.” – Rocky Balboa
