James W. Creenan, Attorney

Jim started Creenan & Baczkowski, PC in order to provide optimal legal services to his clients and provide a client-first approach to the practice of law.  

Mr. Creenan practices in the areas of construction litigation, commercial litigation, and business counseling.  Mr. Creenan's practice includes representation of construction companies and businesses in the courtroom.  He has successfully represented government agencies, architects, engineers, contractors, landlords, developers and others.  Mr. Creenan is admitted to practice in the state and federal courts of Pennsylvania. 

Born in Buffalo, New York, Mr. Creenan graduated from Canisius College and then earned his Juris Doctorate from the Duquesne University School of Law in 1996. At Duquesne, he was a member of the Duquesne Law Review, served as a leader of the Student Bar Association, competed in the National Appellate Moot Court Competition and served on the Appellate Moot Court Board.  Mr. Creenan formerly worked as an attorney for the United States Department of Labor and as partner in a Pittsburgh civil litigation firm.

Mr. Creenan is active in the community, serving as a board member of the Murrysville Business and Professional Association, a former Treasurer and Chairman of the Board of the Westmoreland Chamber of Commerce, and a former appointed member of the Murrysville Zoning Hearing Board. Mr. Creenan is also a member of the Westmoreland Professional Business Association. 

In addition to his busy practice, Jim devotes time to the legal profession by serving as an elected or appointed leader of various local, state and national bar associations. Jim recently completed his term as President of the Allegheny County Bar Association.  He previously served as President-Elect and as the Association's Treasurer, Assistant Secretary/Treasurer, a member of the Board of Governors, chair of the Young Lawyers Division, and a founding chair of the Loan Repayment Assistance Program for public service lawyers.  He previously served as the Treasurer of the Allegheny County Bar Foundation and Chair of the Association's Finance Committee.  He is a member of the Construction Law Section and the Past-Presidents Committee. 

At the state level, Jim represented Allegheny County in the Pennsylvania Bar Association's House of Delegates from 2003-2010. He also served on the Long-Range Planning Committee, the YLD Task Force, and the Loan Repayment Assistance Program Task Force. 

Nationally, Jim is a past Vice-Chair of the American Bar Association's YLD Litigation Committee and was an appointed liaison to the ABA Tort Trial and Insurance Practice Section. He now serves as a Vice Chair of the TIPS Insurance Coverage Litigation Committee and is past Co-Editor of its Newsletter. 

Jim has received the prestigious AV® Preeminent™ peer review rating from Martindale-Hubbell®.  

Mr. Creenan has been named Pennsylvania SuperLawyer for Construction Litigation annually.  Check for yourself!  James W. Creenan Rated by Super Lawyers

He was also named a Rising Star in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers Magazine - a distinction granted to only 2.5% of Pennsylvania lawyers. He also has been selected for inclusion in Marquis's Who's Who In American Law, Who's Who In America, and Who's Who in the World.

In 2006, he received the prestigious Outstanding Young Lawyer Award from the Allegheny County Bar Association, presented annually to one lawyer that makes a difference in the legal profession.

Publications

• Comment, "Pennsylvania's Land Recycling Act: Remediating Brownfields with Limited Liability and Remediation Standards." 33 Duquesne Law Review 660 (1996).
• "A Young Lawyers Guide to the Code of Civility," published in The Lawyers Journal (ACBA), February 2001.
• "Defending Federal Black Lung Claims Under the New Regulations," 22nd Annual Institute of the Energy and Mineral Law Foundation (2002 Publication Date).
• "Rule 36: Effective Use of Requests for Admissions." ABA Committee Pretrial Practice and Discovery Newsletter, 2004.
• "Litigation 101: Selecting and Retaining Experts," American Bar Association YLD Litigation Committee.

Presentations

• Seminar on Federal Black Lung Litigation Case Law Update (Fall 2000). Presented by Energy and Mineral Law Foundation, Lexington, KY.
• Seminar on Defending Federal Black Lung Claims Under the New Regulations (Spring 2001). Presented by Energy and Mineral Law Foundation, Pittsburgh, PA.
• "Defending Federal Black Lung Claims Under the New Regulations," 22nd Annual Institute of the Energy and Mineral Law Foundation (2001).
• "New Rules for Professional Liability Claims," for Pittsburgh Claims Association, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, March 2003.
• "Copyright Infringement Avoidance for Design Professionals," Engineer's Club, 2004.
• "Mine Subsidence Liability Issues in Pennsylvania," Pennsylvania Claims Association, 2005
• Course Planner, "Effective Appellate Advocacy," Continuing Legal Education course sponsored by ACBA 2005.
• "Construction Law 101," for Allegheny County Bar Association, 2007.
• "General Liability Update," for CNA Insurance Companies, Reading, PA, April 9, 2008.
• "Claims Investigation and Negotiation," for CNA Insurance Companies, Reading, PA, April 2009.
• Law for Business Owners, 2012 (MBPA)(WCC)
• "Construction Law", 2013 (Pennsylvania Association of Housing and Redevelopment Authorities and Westmoreland Pennsylvania Housing Directors Association).
• Construction Law Overview, Westmoreland Professional Builders Association
• Construction Law Overview, Pennsylvania Association of Housing and Redevelopment Authorities
• Business Law Checkup, Murrysville Business and Professional Association
• Succession Planning for Business Owners, Westmoreland County Chamber of Commerce