July 14, 2026
Philadelphia personal injury law firm Feldman Shepherd Wohlgelernter Tanner Weinstock Dodig LLP is pleased to announce that co-managing shareholder Mark W. Tanner will be honored as the 45th recipient of the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association’s Justice Michael A. Musmanno Award — the highest honor bestowed upon Philadelphia trial lawyers by PTLA. The award will be presented to Tanner at a dinner on October 7, 2026.
The Musmanno Award recognizes attorneys who exemplify the same high integrity, scholarship, imagination, courage, and concern for human rights as exhibited by the late Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice. Musmanno rose from humble beginnings working in coal mines and steel mills to serving as a Pennsylvania legislator championing social reform, a Military Governor of Italy, and a presiding judge at the Nuremberg trials. He capped his distinguished career with a twenty-year tenure on the Trial Court of Allegheny County and then a seat on the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, where his eloquent and compassionate opinions fundamentally revolutionized the state’s legal landscape.
For 36 years, Tanner has devoted his practice to helping victims of motor vehicle and trucking accidents, construction and workplace accidents, insurance company bad faith, medical malpractice, catastrophic personal injuries, dangerous premises, defective products and civil rights abuses. His hard work often goes beyond helping his clients. In one case, following a substantial settlement arising from the death of a high school football player who had the sickle cell trait (SCT), Tanner launched a public awareness campaign to educate high school athletic directors, trainers, coaches, parents, and athletes as to how to address and mitigate the serious health risks posed to student athletes who are SCT carriers. Tanner’s body of work has driven meaningful safety reforms across diverse sectors, including commercial trucking, healthcare and higher education.
Tanner served as president of PTLA for the 2007-2008 term and was the 2005 recipient of the association’s President’s Award.
A passionate pro bono advocate, Tanner represents underprivileged and neglected children for the nonprofit Support Center for Child Advocates, where he has also served on the board of directors. Held in high esteem among his colleagues, Tanner is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and the International Academy of Trial Lawyers. He has been named to the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers list every year since its inception and is presently ranked by Super Lawyers as the #2 Pennsylvania Super Lawyer and among the Top 5 Personal Injury Plaintiff Pennsylvania Super Lawyers. He has been recognized by Best Lawyers in America every year since 2013. Tanner holds certifications in Civil Trial Law and Civil Practice Advocacy from the National Board of Trial Advocacy.
A legal thought leader, Tanner has shared his knowledge as a speaker for innumerable continuing legal education programs, and has taught trial advocacy, among other subjects, to law students and graduate LL.M. students at local area law schools. He has lectured throughout the United States and, by invitation, to barristers in London. Other contributions to the profession include previous service as a Hearing Committee member of the Disciplinary Board for the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and as an investigator for the Philadelphia Bar Association’s Commission on Judicial Selection and Retention.
Tanner is the fourth Feldman Shepherd attorney to be honored with the Musmanno award following Alan M. Feldman in 2017, Roberta D. Pichini in 2014, and Carol Nelson Shepherd in 2000.
“I am incredibly honored to have been considered for this award, particularly when I look at those icons of the Bar that preceded me, as many were my heroes and mentors. Obviously, I cannot help but be grateful to all of those persons who guided me early on, the colleagues who pushed me to do better work, and the people who trusted me along the way. I’m deeply grateful to the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers for this honor, and I am very proud of the work PTLA has done and continues to do in order to protect the rights of individuals throughout this Commonwealth,” Tanner said.
“Mark really does it all — a fantastic trial lawyer, a great law firm leader, a compassionate and decent person committed to pro bono service, and an inspiration to all of us here at Feldman Shepherd. We are thrilled with his selection as the 2026 Musmanno honoree and can’t wait to celebrate with Mark’s family, friends and colleagues on October 7th,” said Feldman Shepherd Co-Managing Shareholder Alan M. Feldman.
