Overview

Michelle R. O’Brien is a commercial lending attorney at Lerch Early and the owner of O’Brien Law in Pennsylvania.

Before forming O’Brien Law, Michelle practiced law in a Wilkes-Barre based law firm and prior to that at Lerch Early from 2002-2005.

Michelle received her undergraduate degree in 1999 from The Pennsylvania State University and her Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland School of Law in 2002. She is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania and New York. Michelle’s legal practice focuses on the areas of business law, real estate, commercial lending, and energy and oil and gas law.

Michelle has also been an adjunct instructor at the University of Scranton since 2010, and currently teaches Masters of Business Administration classes in the topic of Business Law.

Michelle has been named a Rising Star by Law and Politics and was recognized in Philadelphia Magazine, Pennsylvania Super Lawyers – Rising Stars Edition every year since 2013. She has previously been named one of the Top 20 under 40 and one of the Top 25 Women in Business by the Northeast Pennsylvania Business Journal. She is also a graduate of Leadership Lackawanna.

Michelle was an All-American gymnast on vault at Penn State, where she was a tri-captain of the team her senior year and scored a perfect 10 twice on balance beam. She has four children, the oldest of which is following in Michelle’s footsteps by attending Penn State.

Education

  • University of Maryland School of Law (J.D. with honors, 2002)
  • The Pennsylvania State University (B.A. in History and Political Science, 1999)

Admissions

  • Pennsylvania
  • New York

Practice Areas

Commercial Lending

Lerch Early lending lawyers help national, regional, and community banks, credit unions, and SBA lenders in the Washington, DC area and elsewhere close loans on terms that leave both banks and borrowers happy with their transactions.