George A. Donnelly

George A. Donnelly represents individuals and families in all manner of litigation involving catastrophic personal injury, civil rights cases, consumer class action cases, whistleblower claims and qui tam lawsuits under the False Claims Act.

George joined Feldman Shepherd in 2024 after serving as Chief of Staff for Pennsylvania State Senator Nikil Saval. In that role, he managed ten staff members, overseeing all aspects of office operations, and served as the Senator’s senior advisor. George’s extensive accomplishments included: securing more than $100 million in competitive grants for the First District for public interest projects; leading the team that created the first-in-the-nation Whole Home Repairs program, funded at an initial $125 million, to offer income-eligible homeowners funds for critical home repairs; and providing constituent services to thousands of Philadelphians.

Previously, George served as an attorney at the Public Interest Law Center (PILC), where he was a forceful advocate on tenant issues, for which he gained widespread media coverage from major news outlets including Time, The Philadelphia Inquirer and National Public Radio, among others. Highlights of his accomplishments include: winning three of the four largest awards for tenants in Pennsylvania history under the state’s consumer protection law; securing a seven-figure contempt award against the owner of a building on behalf of hundreds of senior residents; and settling a Fair Housing Act case for equitable relief and what is thought to be the largest single-plaintiff award in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he worked to protect tenants, leading a citywide advocacy campaign to stop evictions.

George began his legal career as a Judicial Clerk for the Honorable Stewart Dalzell of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

George earned his Juris Doctor magna cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a Toll Public Interest Scholar and the recipient of the Benjamin R. Jones Award for most outstanding contribution to the public interest, the Dolores K. Sloviter Prize for best paper in the field of judicial administration, and the Philadelphia Bar Association Public Interest Award. He additionally served as President of the Penn Chapter of the American Constitution Society and as Director of the Penn Housing Rights Project, which is a student-led organization that represents low-income tenants in housing court. George received his B.A. in Political Science magna cum laude, also from the University of Pennsylvania.

George is licensed to practice in Pennsylvania and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. He is a prolific writer and lecturer for legal publications and seminars and has held leadership roles with the Philadelphia Bar Association on its Board of Governors, as chair of its Public Interest Section, and as a member of its Commission on Judicial Selection and Retention.

Outside the office, George enjoys rooting for Philadelphia’s sports teams and spending time with his wife and daughter.

Education

University of Pennsylvania Law School, J.D. (magna cum laude), 2015

University of Pennslyvania, B.A. (magna cum laude), 2010

Admissions

Pennsylvania, 2015

Eastern District of Pennsylvania

Affiliations

Philadelphia Bar Association
Board of Governors, 2022
Chair, Public Interest Section, 2021
Commission on Judicial Selection and Review, 2021

Childrens Village
Board of Directors, 2019-2021

Second Ward Democrats
Steering Committee, 2018-2022

American Constitution Society
Penn Chapter President, 2012-2015

Publications

Celebrating Merril Zebe and the Philadelphia Public Interest Community
Philadelphia Bar Reporter, December 2021

Right to Counsel for Tenants Enacted in Philadelphia
Philadelphia Bar Reporter, December 2019

Speaking Engagements

Bridging the Gap Between Case Work and Advocacy
Philadelphia Bar Association, December 2023

Burnout, Wellness and Self-Care for Attorneys
Philadelphia Bar Association, December 2023

Section 8 and Unlawful Discrimination in Philadelphia
Jenkins Law Library CLE, February 2020

Red Lines, Red Tape
Panelist, Penn Law Symposium, February 2020

Eviction Expungement Legislation
Pittsburgh Housing Security Group, October 2019

Right to Counsel in Eviction Cases
Moderator, Philadelphia Bar Association, October 2019

Testimony on Legislation Requiring Lead Inspections in Rental Properties
Philadelphia City Council, September 2019

Limited Prepresentatin for Low-Income Clients
Philadelphia Bar Association CLE, May 2019

Testimony on LLC Transparency Legislation
Philadelphia City Council, November 2018

Retaliatory Evictions, Representing Residential Landlords and Tenants
Pennsylvania Bar Institute, June 2018