Lori J. Cerato, Esq., graduated cum laude from the University of Scranton with a Bachelor of Arts in English. She obtained her Juris Doctor from The Dickinson School of Law in 1993. Attorney Cerato completed a judicial clerkship with President Judge Ronald E. Vican and Senior Judge James R. Marsh, both of the Monroe County Court of Common Pleas. In 1995, she became an associate with O'Malley & Harris, P.C., an insurance defense litigation firm, practicing first from the firm's Wilkes-Barre office, and then becoming resident attorney at the Stroudsburg office.

In August of 2000, Attorney Cerato opened her own practice in Stroudsburg, PA. She concentrates her practice in the areas of elder law, real estate transactions, and civil litigation. Attorney Cerato is licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Insurance Department as a title insurance agent.

Attorney Cerato is admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, and the Supreme Court of the United States of America. She is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the Monroe County Bar Association.

S ince May 1999, Attorney Cerato has authored an article on Elder Law for the Pocono Record's Dignity section, which is published the first Wednesday of every month. She is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys. 

In 2003, Attorney Cerato became a faculty member for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute providing instruction to attorneys on "How to Represent an Individual Entering a Nursing Home" in Philadelphia and Scranton, Pennsylvania.

She has also spoken before the following community groups on Elder Law Issues: American Association of University Women, Arrowhead Lakes Senior Group, Christ Episcopal Church family group, New Residents Club of the Poconos, Older Adult Learning Center of East Stroudsburg University, Pennsylvania State Education Association of Retired Teachers-Pocono Chapter, St. Luke's Church Family Group, and the Women's Club of Country Club of the Poconos, and the Pocono Parkinson Support Group and Chestnut Ridge Seniors.  Attorney Cerato has lectured on elder law at Northampton Community College Center for Adult Learning. She also participates in an "End of Life Forum" with VNA Hospice of Monroe County presented at various times throughout the year.  

Areas of Practice

• Elder Law
• Estate Planning
• Estate Administration
• Guardianships & Conservatorships
• Living Wills
• Powers of Attorney and Appointment
• Wills
• Medicare & Medicaid
• Title Insurance
• Probate & Estate Administration

Bar Admissions

• Pennsylvania, 1993
• U.S. District Court Middle District of Pennsylvania, 1993
• U.S. Supreme Court, 1998

Education

• Dickinson School of Law of the Pennsylvania State University, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, 1993
  J.D.
  Honors: Appellate Moot Court Board
  Honors: Recipient of Edward N. Polisher Award for Estate & Gift Taxation
  
  
• University of Scranton, Scranton, PA, 1988
  B.A.
  Honors: Cum Laude
  Honors: Dean's List
  Major: English
  
  

Published Works

• Monthly Article on Elder Law since 1999, Pocono Record's Dignity section

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Stroud Region Open Space & Recreation Commission, 2003 - 2006
  Stroudsburg Borough Council Appointee
  
  
• Stroud Regional Open Space Planning Committee, 1999 - 2002
  Stroudsburg Borough Representative
  
  
• National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys
  Member
  
  
• Pennsylvania Bar Association
  Member
  
  
• Monroe County Bar Association
  Member
  
  
• Executive Women's Golf Association, 1999 - Present
  
  
• American Association of University Women, 1998 - Present
  Member
  
  
• Monroe County Arts Council, 2000 - 2003
  Board Member/First Vice President
  
  

Past Employment Positions

• President Judge Ronald E. Vican (Monroe County Court of Common Pleas, Stroudsburg, PA), Law Clerk, 1993 - 1995
• Senior Judge James R. Marsh (Monroe County Court of Common Pleas, Stroudsburg, PA), Law Clerk, 1994 - 1995
• O'Malley & Harris, P.C., Associate, 1995 - 2000

Ancillary Businesses

• Licensed Title Insurance Agent by Commonwealth of PA Insurance Dept.

Birth Information

• 1965, Scranton, Pennsylvania, United States of America