The Implications of Recreational and Medical Marijuana Usage on Employment and Criminal Law

Ben Salvina’s practice concentrates on employees’ labor and employment matters. Ben has represented hundreds of employees in cases involving employment discrimination, wage theft, and union grievances. Ben provides representation to clients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Ben earned his law degree in 2011 from the University of Pennsylvania Law School. During law school, he served as an editor of the University of Pennsylvania Law Review and a board member of the Equal Justice Foundation. Ben also volunteered with the Guild Food Stamp Clinic where he worked with low-income clients to connect them with SNAP benefits.

After graduating law school, Ben represented low-income Pennsylvanians while working at two legal aid organizations in Philadelphia—first at Community Legal Services and then at Philadelphia Legal Assistance.

Ben also worked in the past as an Assistant City Solicitor for the City of Philadelphia Law Department’s Labor and Employment Unit. During his time as an Assistant City Solicitor, Ben learned the inner workings of how large employers handle employment discrimination lawsuit and collective bargaining grievances. Ben appeared before several dozen Arbitrators and presented dozens of disciplinary appeal cases before the City’s Civil Service Commission.

Most recently before joining Marzzacco Niven & Associates, Ben represented employee-victims of employment discrimination and wage theft at a well-respected Philadelphia law firm. Ben effectively advocated on behalf of his clients to secure millions of dollars in monetary awards and provided his clients with a voice to stand up to countless employers who ignored the law. Ben truly is a zealous advocate who fights to get his clients the respect and dignity that they deserve. Areas of Practice: Race Discrimination, Sex Discrimination, Disability Discrimination, Reasonable Accommodation Denials, Family and Medical Leave Act Interference and Retaliation, Age Discrimination, National Origin Discrimination, Religious Discrimination, Criminal Record Discrimination against Job Applicants, Medical Marijuana Certification Discrimination, Retaliation for Reporting Employment Discrimination, Retaliation for Reporting OSHA Violations, Overtime Violations, Minimum Wage Violations, Unpaid Wages, Wage Theft Collective and Class Actions, Breach of Employment Contracts, Unfair Labor Practices, Whistleblower Retaliation, Collective Bargaining Grievances, Labor Arbitrations Bar Admissions: Pennsylvania, 2011' New Jersey, 2011; Third Circuit Court of Appeals, 2011; U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 2011; U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, 2018; U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, 2019; U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania, 2021 Education: University of Pennsylvania Law School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, J.D. – 2011; Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, B.A. – 2008 Professional Associations and Memberships: Pennsylvania Association for Justice, Dauphin County Bar Association and Pennsylvania Bar Association Honors: National Trial Lawyers Association Top 40 under 40

Ed Spreha is a partner at the Harrisburg law firm of Wagner and Spreha. A graduate of Bishop McDevitt High School, the University of Pittsburgh and Widener University School of Law, he has been living in Central PA since 1978. In 1997, Ed started his career as a Deputy District Attorney in the Dauphin County District Attorney's office. He prosecuted criminal cases including DUI's and administered the ARD program while working in the Dauphin County District Attorney's office. He joined his present law firm in 2002 where he defends citizens accused of criminal conduct. Ed is also associated with the PA Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He regularly lectures for the Minor Judiciary Education Board, where he conducts the annual motor vehicle and DUI updates for the district judges across Pennsylvania. He served as the 2016 President of the Dauphin County Bar Association.