We also have extensive experience assisting clients with business disputes, from informal dispute resolution to federal courtroom litigation. While we prefer to help clients avoid lawsuits, unexpected problems do arise, and our attorneys are here to guide you and your business through these difficult problems.

We provide a full array of business law services, including:

Business Formation Incorporation, LLC Formation, and Partnership Formation

Corporate Minutes and LLC Documentation

Fictitious Names

Business Law and Regulatory Compliance

Contract Negotiating and Drafting

Business Disputes and Litigation

Business Dissolution Dissolution of Corporations, LLCs, and Partnerships

We draft and negotiate many types of business contracts and agreements for our clients, such as:

Asset Purchase and Sale Agreements

Non-Compete Contracts

Employment Service Contracts

Real Estate Transactions

Commercial Leases

Contract for the Purchase or Sale of a Business

The success of your business begins with smart corporate planning, which includes developing a strong relationship with a business law attorney to advise and guide you on the business and legal issues your company will encounter on a daily basis. At Hopkins Heltzel, we are here to help your business flourish and succeed.

Purchasing a home? Hopkins Heltzel has the largest real estate practice in Clearfield County.
We have represented homebuyers for 17 years and possess a large inventory of property searches on file. Need to know your settlement charges in advance? Call our law firm and we will estimate your closing costs for you.

We are the only law firm with a dedicated real estate staff on site to handle all of your questions and concerns quickly and efficiently. We work with local and national banks. We represent multiple title insurance companies who trust our expertise.

When it comes to your real estate needs, Hopkins Heltzel meets all of your real estate expectations. Hopkins Heltzel makes your home purchase seamless and simple.

Treasure Lake Property
Our lawyers and staff reside in the Treasure Lake Subdivision and can advise you of all of the unique benefits and obligations of Treasure Lake ownership.

Other Real Estate Matters We Handle:

Marcellus Shale Gas Leasing

Boundary Disputes

Adverse Possession

Quiet Title Actions

Easements
An easement is an interest in someone else's land. It allows the easement owner to use someone else's land or property in a limited and defined manner. If you have an easement issue, our law firm can help you.

Partition Actions
If a property is owned by multiple parties, it may be difficult to agree on property use or disposition. Our law firm can assist clients in resolving these disputes by filing a partition lawsuit that may result in the property being sold and the proceeds being distributed to the owners; in some cases, the property may be divided. Contracts for Sale of Real Estate Our law firm routinely prepares real estate contracts for the sale and purchase of real estate.

The Gas Owners Alliances have two primary objectives. First, the Gas Owners Alliances act to maximize the value of the natural gas located thousands of feet below the surface of members' properties. With the advent of horizontal drilling technologies, O&G companies are able to harvest substantial amounts of oil, gas and other minerals that were previously trapped in significant shale rock formations. Although we are currently in a difficult market, with natural gas prices below $2.50 per million British thermal units (MMBTU), the benefit of joining the Gas Owners Alliances is that by aggregating a large block of properties, members will improve their chances of negotiating optimal lease terms and maximizing values of their gas rights.

The second objective of the Gas Owners Alliances is to protect and preserve members' land and water sources from abuse and contamination by O&G companies. Often times, when O&G drilling companies approach landowners to lease their oil and gas rights, the companies try the "high-pressure sales" approach. In other words, these drilling companies often ask landowners to sign a contract before speaking to an experienced O&G attorney. Do not sign any document before you talk to an experienced O&G attorney. Almost invariably, the standard lease agreements that landowners will be asked to sign permit an O&G company broad and unfettered discretion to use landowners' properties. The Gas Owners Alliances will seek to protect members' rights and ensure members' properties are not abused by an O&G drilling company.

Leases for oil and gas rights are very different from other standard contracts, the complexity of these leases requires the expertise of a qualified attorney to protect your rights and maximize your value. Landowners in Pennsylvania may or may not accept the terms of a standardized oil and gas lease. The negotiable terms generally include:

Length of lease

Amount of royalties and royalty calculations

Amount and calculation of bonus payments

Lease renewal and expiration terms

Use of surface property and restrictions

Responsibility for returning property to original condition at expiration

Water testing standards

It also is helpful to understand the leasing market and its practices. A landowner in some instances may be approached by a gas "broker" presenting a standard gas lease agreement. It is imperative to understand that the broker is looking to lease your property and "flip" the lease to a gas company. The broker's profit is made on the "flip," by purchasing the lease from the landowner and assigning it immediately to a gas company for more money than the broker paid the landowner. Often times, these brokers do not disclose the nature of this "flip" transaction and, instead, create the impression and appearance that the broker is a gas company. The Gas Owners Alliances recognize broker practices and protect members from the perils of the "flip" transaction.

Before you sign an oil and gas lease, protect your rights and call an experienced oil and gas attorney at Hopkins Heltzel LLP. The attorneys at Hopkins Heltzel are committed to protecting the rights and interests of landowners located in the heart of the Marcellus Shale play. Contact us today for all of your leasing questions and to learn more about the Gas Owners Alliances.

Divorce
When considering a divorce, it is important to know your rights and obligations. We will identify your options and protect your financial security, your children, and your rights.

Child Custody
We handle child custody cases involving divorce, paternity, and grandparents' rights. We will develop a custody schedule that is in the best interests of you and your children.

Child & Spousal Support
During a divorce, you may face additional disputes involving child support and spousal support. We can protect your interests when you want to ensure your support obligations truly reflect your child's needs and your financial situation. We seek enforcement or modification of child support and/or custody after an order has been finalized.

Division of Assets & Debts
We have experience handling the complex issues surrounding the division of property at the time of divorce.

Adoptions & Guardianships
We also help clients needing an adoption or a guardianship.

Prenuptial & Postnuptial Agreements
A prenuptial agreement is an agreement entered prior to the marriage which includes provisions for division of property and spousal support in the event of a divorce. A postnuptial agreement is an agreement entered after a couple gets married to settle the couple's affairs and division of assets in the event of a divorce.

Protection from Abuse
A protection from abuse order is a civil order that provides protection from harm by family or household members, sexual or intimate partners or a person with whom you have a child. We represent people who find it necessary to have a protection from abuse order for reasons of personal safety. If you are accused of domestic violence, you need an expert at Hopkins Heltzel. It happens, protection from abuse orders are used as tools in a divorce or child custody action. If you need to pursue a protection from abuse order or if you need to defend against a protection from abuse order, contact us to discuss the details of your situation.

DUI
If you have been arrested anywhere in Clearfield, Jefferson or Elk counties, our lawyers can help. Pennsylvania DUI law is complex. Hopkins Heltzel has the unique education, training and experience necessary to successfully defend Pennsylvania DUI arrests.

In Pennsylvania, there are three levels of driving while intoxicated:

1. Pennsylvania Vehicle Code Section 3802(a) Driving within two hours of blood alcohol being between .08 and .10;
2. Pennsylvania Vehicle Code 3802(b) Driving within two hours of blood alcohol being between .10 and .16; and
3. Pennsylvania Vehicle Code 3802(c) Driving within two hours of blood alcohol being between .16 and above.

Penalties range from no loss of license to a mandatory term of imprisonment of not less than one year. You need the best. You need Hopkins Heltzel Law Firm. We approach every case as if it were our own because it is our own. It is our reputation that is at stake in each and every case we handle. When we walk into a courtroom, everyone knows that we only represent one person, you.

Drug
Title 35 of the Pennsylvania Statutes covers drug offenses. Many drug charges are felonies that will remain with you the rest of your life. Because of the detrimental effects illegal drugs have on society, Pennsylvania courts are dedicated to punishing individuals charged with drug crimes. Thus, there is a good chance you could be facing jail time. It is extremely important to have the expertise of a seasoned defense attorney to protect your rights to the best of their ability.

Have you been the victim of an illegal search? Is an unknown informant part of the case against you? You owe it to yourself to get a criminal defense attorney that can give you the best possible representation and advice, inside and outside of the courtroom. The law office of Hopkins Heltzel is ready to help you seek justice and get a superior defense.

Assault Charges
Assault charges are extremely serious. Police often overcharge citizens with aggravated assault and other charges, they throw in the kitchen sink. You need a seasoned defense attorney to sort through your case and provide the justice you deserve. Criminal law is not about the police, it is about you.

A Chapter 7 bankruptcy is a federal law that allows individuals and families in financial difficulty to discharge or wipe out their debts and start over. Most credit card debts, lines of credit, bank loans, medical bills and past due accounts are discharged in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy. Congress calls this the "fresh start" approach to financial recovery.

Chapter 7 bankruptcy offers protection from harassing creditors. It stops creditors from calling you, attaching your bank accounts or other collection activity. The vast majority of people who file a Pennsylvania Chapter 7 bankruptcy keep all of their property. You are allowed in a Chapter 7 bankruptcy to keep your vehicle, house, bank accounts and retirement plans.

Step 1. Meet with Hopkins Heltzel attorneys to discuss your options and determine if a Chapter 7 bankruptcy is right for you.

Step 2. Complete a short credit counseling interview over the telephone and obtain a "Certificate of Credit Counseling Completion."

Step 3. Complete a United States Bankruptcy Petition at the law offices of Hopkins Heltzel. It takes about thirty minutes to complete a Chapter 7 United States Bankruptcy Petition with the experience and knowledge of Hopkins Heltzel lawyers.

Step 4. The petition is filed with the United States Bankruptcy Court and a docket number is assigned to your case. When creditors call, tell them you have Hopkins Heltzel. Give them your bankruptcy case number. Federal law prohibits the creditors from contacting you again.

Step 5. You complete a second credit counseling course, which is a budgeting class mandated by the United State Bankrupcty Code. Hopkins Heltzel will provide you with the name of companies who provide this service. You can complete the credit counseling online in the privacy of your home.

Step 6. Attend the 341 meeting of creditors. In this meeting, you will be interviewed by the United States Trustee assigned to your case. Rest assured, lawyers from Hopkins Heltzel will be sitting beside you and we will have told you in advance all of the questions the Trustee will ask. You will be prepared and ready to answer all of the Trustee's questions.

Step 7. Sixty days after the meeting of creditors, you will receive a discharge from the United States Bankruptcy Court of all of your dischargeable debts. Debts that are generally not dischargeable:
Student Loans, Taxes due within 3 Years from the Bankruptcy Filing, Child support, Alimony Call Hopkins Heltzel for a free consultation to determine if a Chapter 7 bankruptcy is right for you.

Trust and Probate Administration
We assist clients grieving the death of a family member by providing trust and probate administration services, estate distribution, trust division upon the death of a spouse, trust funding, trust amendments, and gift and estate tax return preparation.

Trust & Probate Litigation
We assist clients who have been wrongfully denied their rightful share in a decedent's estate by representing them in contested matters, including will contests and probate and trust litigation arising from incapacity, undue influence, fraud, duress, breach of fiduciary obligations, failure to properly account for and mismanagement of estate assets.

Trusts
We assist clients in maintaining privacy and control of their estate while minimizing estate taxes and avoiding probate by setting up a customized estate plan that utilizes one or more of the following:

The Revocable Living Trust (for single and married couples)	Credit Shelter Trusts
QTIP Trust	Family Limited Partnerships
Pour-Over Wills	Limited Liability Companies
Powers Of Attorney	Charitable Remainder and Charitable Lead Trusts
Advance Health Care Directives	Grantor Retained Annuity Trusts
Special Needs Trusts	Qualified Domestic Trusts (QDOT)
Personal Residence Trusts	Qualified Sub-S Trusts (QSST

In order to obtain compensation for your pain and suffering, your attorney must prove that you have been injured as the result of the negligence of another party. Additionally, your attorney must be able to show that as a result of the accident you have incurred lost wages, medical bills and substantial pain and suffering.

Our trial lawyers have more than 42 years experience and have obtained millions of dollars in settlements and awards for our clients.

We get results. If you or someone you know has been injured, call us today. Your first consultation is free, and we don't collect a fee until you win your case.

While asbestos exposure causes diseases ranging from lung cancer to colon cancer, mesothelioma is an especially grave diagnosis because the disease is always fatal.

If you have been diagnosed with any type of mesothelioma or lung cancer from exposure to asbestos, you should contact an attorney at Hopkins Heltzel LLP today to discuss your rights. Don't delay. It costs you nothing to learn if we can be of assistance to you. The initial consultation with an attorney at our law firm is free of charge. You do not pay attorneys' fees unless we recover money damages for you. We may be able to help you recover financial compensation from those responsible for putting you at risk for this fatal disease.

Contact us today to discuss your case.