August 05, 2026
Feldman Shepherd is pleased to announce that partner Bethany R. Nikitenko has been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association (PTLA). Nikitenko began her one-year term in June 2026.
PTLA is comprised of civil and criminal litigation attorneys and is the oldest trial lawyer organization in Pennsylvania. The organization’s members are dedicated to the preservation of the American justice system and the protection of an individual’s right of access to the courts.
Nikitenko previously served as committee chair for PTLA’s Small & Solo Practitioners Committee. She brings to the Board of Directors a long-standing commitment to volunteerism and helping people in need. In 2025, she was honored by The Legal Intelligencer with its Power Players Award for the instrumental role she played in shutting down Philadelphia’s for-profit eviction system following a string of eviction-related shootings. She has served as a volunteer attorney for Philadelphia VIP since 2016 and was honored with the organization’s Champion of Justice award in 2022 in recognition of her work defending VIP clients in debt collection and tort/auto accident cases. In 2018, Nikitenko was honored by the Philadelphia Bar Association with its Craig M. Perry Service Award for her numerous volunteer activities, which have also included serving as a member of the Development Committee for Women Against Abuse and serving on the Executive Board of the Philadelphia Chapter of the American Jewish Committee.
At Feldman Shepherd, Nikitenko represents individuals and families who have been catastrophically injured by medical malpractice, auto and motor vehicle accidents, unsafe buildings, defective products and sexual abuse.
“Throughout my career, I have been driven by the belief that everyone deserves a strong advocate and meaningful access to justice. PTLA has been at the forefront of protecting those principles for generations, and I am deeply honored to join its Board of Directors. I look forward to serving an organization whose mission reflects the values that inspire my work every day,” said Nikitenko.
“Our law firm is committed to the important civil justice work of PTLA, to which we have contributed six Past Presidents. Bethany is an outstanding trial lawyer who, as a member of the Board, will help assure that the legal system in our city and state continues to be a model for other jurisdictions,” said Feldman Shepherd Co-Managing Partner Alan M. Feldman.
