Samuel G. Encarnacion

Pennsylvania Personal Injury Attorney
Senior Trial Counsel

Samuel G. Encarnacion is a decorated and widely admired trial lawyer with more than 30 years of courtroom experience, dedicated to helping real people find real justice. When someone is seriously injured or facing a life-changing loss, they need more than a lawyer. They need an advocate who has stood in courtrooms across Pennsylvania and fought, time after time, for what is right.

That is the kind of dedication Sam brings to every case.

For more than three decades, Sam has tried complex cases, challenged powerful institutions, and earned a reputation as one of Pennsylvania’s most respected and prepared trial attorneys. His work is defined by integrity, attention to detail, and an unwavering commitment to doing right by his clients.

Beyond his work in the courtroom, Sam has spent decades teaching and mentoring young lawyers on how to prepare, present, and try cases effectively and ethically. His experience and leadership have shaped a generation of advocates who now carry forward his example of professionalism and compassion in trial practice.

Sam began his career serving the community as a public defender in Lancaster County, where he rose to leadership as First Assistant Public Defender. His deep belief in fairness and access to justice continues to guide his work today.

In recognition of his lifelong dedication to justice, Sam has received some of the highest honors in the profession, including:

Selected Awards and Honors

• A. Leon Higginbotham Jr. Lifetime Achievement Award, Pennsylvania Bar Association (2025)
• Civil and Equal Rights Champion Award, Pennsylvania Bar Association (2024)
• Special Achievement Award, Pennsylvania Bar Association Insurance Fund and Trust
• Appointment to the Pennsylvania Indigent Defense Advisory Committee, Pennsylvania Supreme Court
• Appointment to the Maryland Public Information Act Compliance Board, Governor Wes Moore
• Chair, Pennsylvania Supreme Court Rules of Evidence Committee (2014)
• ABA Leadership Fellow (2012–2014)

At Haggerty Silverman & Justice, P.C., Sam represents individuals and families in cases involving:

• Catastrophic injury
• Wrongful death
• Auto negligence and motor vehicle collisions
• Premises liability, dog attack injuries, and unsafe property conditions
• Insurance disputes
• Institutional sexual assault and/or hotel sex trafficking
• Other civil claims involving serious harm or injustice

Originally from the Dominican Republic and raised in Puerto Rico, Sam is fully bilingual in English and Spanish. He takes great pride in helping Spanish-speaking people navigate the legal system with confidence and dignity.

Clients value Sam not just for his results but for his compassion. He listens. He explains the process. He prepares thoroughly. And he shows up ready to protect what matters most.

Bar Admissions

• Pennsylvania
• U.S. District Court, Eastern & Middle Districts of Pennsylvania

Education

• J.D., The University of Texas School of Law
• B.A., Political Science & Government, The University of Texas at Austin