Warner Mariani is Of Counsel to Poerio & Walter, Inc., bringing decades of legal experience across litigation, estate planning, probate, and business representation. His practice is defined by breadth, depth, and a hands-on approach that clients value when navigating complex legal and personal matters.

Prior to joining the firm, Warner served for more than a decade as a law clerk in the Orphans’ Court Division of the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas. In that role, he worked extensively on matters involving estates, trusts, guardianships, and incapacity proceedings—experience that gives him rare, practical insight into how these cases are evaluated and resolved inside the court system.

In addition to his estates and probate work, Warner has represented hundreds of individuals and businesses in a wide range of civil litigation matters. Clients appreciate his ability to assess issues holistically, anticipate procedural challenges, and provide clear, grounded guidance rooted in real courtroom experience.

"Comprehensive Litigation Strategy with Judicial Insight"

Warner Mariani joined Poerio & Walter in 2019 with over 30 years of legal experience spanning business litigation, probate, estate planning, and employment law. His unique background includes 14 years as a clerk for Judge Kathleen Durkin in Allegheny County Orphans' Court, providing invaluable judicial perspective on case strategy and procedural efficiency.

Practice Areas:

• Business litigation and commercial disputes

• Employment law defense

• Estate planning and probate administration

• Trust and guardianship matters

• Nonprofit organization legal counsel

Judicial Experience Advantage: From 2005-2019, Warner handled estate, trust, guardianship, and nonprofit matters in Orphans' Court, gaining comprehensive understanding of judicial expectations and procedural efficiency that benefits all client matters.

Education:

• J.D., University of Pittsburgh School of Law (1991); honors in Legal Research & Writing

• B.A., Duquesne University (1988), cum laude, Political Science

Bar Admissions:

• Pennsylvania (1991)

• U.S. District Court WDPA

• U.S. Bankruptcy Court WDPA

• 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals