Renee Carnuche has been employed with Erie Insurance Exchange since 1996. She graduated from the Pennsylvania State University in 1992 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Administration of Justice and a minor in Business. Renee has worked for various personal injury law firms in both Virginia and Pennsylvania. She began her career with Erie as a multi-line adjuster handling property and casualty claims in Lawrence County. She was then promoted to the Commercial Liability Specialist position handling commercial lines claims and litigation in various counties of both Pennsylvania and West Virginia. She was then promoted to Litigation Specialist for Erie’s Pittsburgh branch claim’s office.  After eleven years in litigation Renee took a postion as a regional claims trainer facilitating policy and procedure training courses in the Southeast Region.  In 2019, Renee began her role as a Commercial Liability Claims and Litigation Manager for the Northeast Region, with the majority of her work being in the state of New York. In 2023, Renee transitioned to Multi-Line Claims Manager of the Erie, PA Branch Office.

Renee has worked closely with defense counsel on all types of litigation and alternative dispute resolution in numerous counties throughout Pennsylvania including Allegheny, Washington, Greene, Lawrence, Butler, Beaver and Mercer. Throughout her career, she earned the Robert H. Marion Award for outstanding service and "Claims Champion" Award in litigation.  She has obtained the following professional designations:  CPCU, AIC, AIM and SCLA. 

Mr. Creo is a mediator, arbitrator and educator. He has served over 5,000 days as a neutral since 1979. He has been an arbitrator in multiple industries and has served on numerous permanent panels. His roster listings include the American Arbitration Association, CPR, Court of Arbitration for Sport (TAS-CAS), Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service, National Mediation Board, and the Pennsylvania Bureau of Mediation. He is a member of numerous professional organizations, including the National Academy of Arbitrators. He was a salary arbitrator for Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association from 1991 to 1998. He served as a Grievance arbitrator for the National Football League and National Football Players Association to resolve disputes under the collective bargaining agreement from 1995 to 1998. He served as a neutral for the U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics, Office of Fair Employment Practices from 1992 to 1997.

Mr. Creo served as an Adjunct Professor at Duquesne University School of Law from 1991 to 2004 and the School of Law of the University of Pittsburgh since 2003. In 2008, Mr. Creo co-founded the Master Mediator Institute (MMI) a non-profit organization created to explore innovative theories and applications to the art and science of mediation, negotiation and facilitated decision making. Mr. Creo co-founded the International Academy of Mediators and served as its first President. In 2006 he co-founded Mediators Beyond Borders and served as its Secretary-Treasurer until 2009.

Mr. Creo has been recognized in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers for ADR from 2005-2012 and as one of "The Top 50" Lawyers within the Pittsburgh Area beginning in 2008. . He is included in The Best Lawyers in America from 2006-2012 and Lawdragon 500 Leading Judges in 2006.

Mr. Creo has published extensively on arbitration, mediation & dispute resolution, including Alternative Dispute Resolution: Law, Procedure and Commentary for the Pennsylvania Practitioner, George T. Bisel Company, Inc. (October 2006); Chapter 18, Business and Practice Issues of US Mediators; “Mediation 2004: The Art and the Artist” 108 Dickinson Penn State Law Review 1017 (2004); Federal Arbitration Advocate’s Handbook, 2nd Ed. (1993); “An Arbitrator’s Power to Compel Testimony: Part I” Perspective, Labor Relations Press (Dec. 1982), Part II (Jan. 1983); “Comment, Standard for Effective Assistance of Counsel” Washington University Law Quarterly 504 (1976).

Mr. Creo graduated from Washington University School of Law in St. Louis in 1977 and Brandeis University in 1974.

As one of the most experienced members of our Litigation Group, Tom Frampton focuses his practice in business litigation, professional negligence and alternative dispute resolution. He represents businesses, nursing homes, financial institutions and professionals in disputes ranging from trade and employment-related disputes to complex business and personal injury claims.

As a judge for the Mercer County Court of Common Pleas for ten years, Tom presided over hundreds of jury trials. As an advocate, Tom has secured preliminary injunctions stopping the theft of customer lists, enforced contract provisions for natural gas producers and successfully represented his clients in Pittsburgh and throughout western Pennsylvania in state and federal court.

While Tom maintains an active trial practice, since beginning to serve as a neutral in 1997, he has become a well-regarded mediator and arbitrator who provides services to attorneys in state and federal courts throughout Pennsylvania. His alternative dispute resolution practice focuses on commercial and business disputes, medical malpractice and other professional negligence, products liability, employment issues and personal injury.

Tom has recently enhanced his mediation skills by successfully completing forty-hour mediation certification training at Duke University, as presented by Beason & Ellis Conflict Resolution, LLC. This training is also in compliance with the requirements for the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania's alternative dispute resolution program.

Tom is a member of the Academy of Trial Lawyers of Allegheny County, the National Academy of Distinguished Neutrals, and a past member of the Pennsylvania Conference of State Trial Judges. Currently, he serves as a board member of the Allegheny College Board of Trustees, as well as an Elder for the Shadyside Presbyterian Church. Tom also regularly lectures on various civil practice topics for the Pennsylvania Bar Institute.

Tom graduated with honors from Allegheny College and the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.

He is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and before the United States Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania and the United States Supreme Court.

Jeanne E. Givner - Sr. Manager Liability Claims -  FedEx Services - Concord, NC. Jeanne Givner is the Sr. Manager of Liability Claims for FedEx Services, a Memphis TN based enterprise.  Ms. Givner joined FedEx in 2010. Her primary role is to oversee the claims teams that address the  Auto/General Liability claims for FedEx Ground, FedEx Express, FedEx Freight, and FedEx Office with the goal of reducing claim costs and duration, while increasing process efficiency. She also analyzes claim trends and develops monthly reports for management and the field to ensure proactive management and resolution of the company’s liability claims and litigation. Prior to joining FedEx Ground, she worked for other Property & Casualty Insurance carriers and Third Party Administrators in the roles of Liability Supervisor, Assistant Manager, and Field Claim Office Manager in Pittsburgh PA, Sandy Spring MD, and Charlotte NC. Ms. Givner earned her BS at The University of Pittsburgh and her MBA at The University of Phoenix. She also holds several insurance designations to include her Associate in Claims (AIC) and her Sr. Claim Law Associate (SCLA).  She is also a member of several Claims Associations, both locally and nationally.

Christopher T. Lee is a shareholder of Dickie, McCamey & Chilcote, P.C., Founder and Chair of the Food and Beverage Industry Practice Group, and a member of the firm’s Executive Committee. He concentrates his practice in the areas of food and beverage liability, commercial law and litigation, and toxic tort law.

For the last several years, Mr. Lee has focused his practice on issues unique to the food and beverage industry. He has represented national restaurant clients, food manufacturers, and distributors in outbreak and contamination claims throughout the United States. In particular, he has represented businesses in the following outbreaks:

Green onion Hepatitis A outbreak (600 ill, including 4 deaths);

Tomato Salmonella outbreak (500 ill) (National Coordinating Counsel);

Peanut butter Salmonella outbreak in Pennsylvania;

Frozen hamburger E. coli outbreak (40 ill) (National Coordinating Counsel);

Quick-service restaurant Hepatitis A outbreak (40 ill) (Coordinating Counsel);

Egg Salmonella outbreak (in excess of 1,900 ill) (National Coordinating Counsel) (largest egg Salmonella outbreak in history);

Quick-service Hepatitis A class action in Alabama (shot class action); and

Quick-service Salmonella outbreak (10 ill).

He has also represented a national quick-service restaurant in connection with a shooting spree where five people were shot and three were killed.

He is a frequent lecturer having made presentations on food-borne illness claims, handling large food-borne outbreaks, nutritional labeling, valuing serious cases, discovery practices and procedures, and security issues involving restaurants. On May 10 and 11, 2012, he presented “Food Fight: A Closer Look at Emerging Trends in Food Product Litigation” at DRI’s Retail and Hospitality Conference in Chicago, Illinois.On February 20 and 21, 2013, he presented “Outbreak Nation 2012: Year in Review” at the GMA Litigation Conference in Miami, Florida.

Mr. Lee is a member of the Claims and Litigation Management (CLM) Alliance and the Pennsylvania and American Bar Associations. He is admitted to practice before the Superior Court of Pennsylvania, Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, and United States District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania. He is also a past member of the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Defense Institute (PDI), representing the Western District of the Commonwealth and previously served on the Board of Governors of the Duquesne University School of Law Alumni Association.

Additionally, Mr. Lee is vice president of the Upper St. Clair Football Boosters, a past board member of the Upper St. Clair Athletic Association, the Football Commissioner, and a representative of Upper St. Clair for the Greater 19 Youth Football League. He also volunteers for the Sheetz Family Christmas Program which provides gifts to disadvantaged children.

In September 2004, Mr. Lee was honored as “Attorney of the Year” by an international quick-service restaurant chain and was selected from counsel who represents the chain nationwide. Additionally, he was named in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers® as one of the top attorneys in the state in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2012, as well as in the Super Lawyers Corporate Counsel edition. He has also been named in The Best Lawyers in America® in the field of personal injury litigation – defense and maintains an AV® Preeminent™ Peer Review Rating from Martindale-Hubbell.

Mr. Lee graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1988 with a B.A. in Political Science/Business. He received his J.D. from Duquesne University School of Law in 1991 cum laude having finished ranked in the top ten of his class. While at Duquesne, Mr. Lee served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Law Review.

Stacey F. Vernallis heads the Litigation Group at the Pittsburgh-based law firm of Goehring, Rutter & Boehm.  Goehring, Rutter & Boehm serves the tri-state region of Pennsylvania with offices in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.

Stacey began her career defending toxic tort and traditional negligence areas, and trying cases throughout Western Pennsylvania.  She has tried tort, employment and commercial disputes.

She currently serves as national trial counsel in toxic tort and products liability claims.  She represents a variety of insurers and businesses in catastrophic loss cases.  Stacey counsels corporations, large and small, in trial and risk management issues.  She also conducts pre-complaint investigations to assist carriers and companies on risk allocation and risk shifting mechanisms.  Stacey is panel counsel to a number of carriers and works to develop national claims handling practices for prompt investigation and evaluation: the best methods to position for mediation versus trial.  In addition to panel counsel, Stacey regularly serves as a private arbitrator.

A frequent presenter at state, regional and national seminars on claims management and handling, Stacey is also written extensively on discovery practices and effective motion practice pre-trial phase.  Stacey is a 2010 Best Lawyer in America and consistent Super Lawyer for Pennsylvania.  Stacey has been a member of Council for Litigation Management since its inception.