Betcher, Michael J.

Tom was born and raised in a small town located in Elk County, PA.   This area of Pennsylvania has a long history as an industrial hub for powdered metal manufacturing, as well as other businesses such as the coal and lumber industries.  While many of his family members worked in these areas, his family also owned and operated a local gas station where he, too, shared the workload from a young age.   Growing up in this blue collar atmosphere gave him a deep respect for the hard work and sacrifices made by men and women to care for and raise their families.

After graduating high school in 1986, he started college at Indiana University of Pennsylvania majoring in Political Science with a pre-law concentration.  During his college years, he was active in Army ROTC, the Sigma Chi Fraternity and the Political Science Honor Society.  Graduating in 1990 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, he worked various jobs and began planning for law school.

In the fall of 1991, Tom entered Widener University School of Law.   He chose to attend the new Harrisburg campus rather than the Chester, DE, campus so that he could be closer to his family.  During law school, Tom continued to work different jobs and interned with a local law firm learning the practical aspects of the practice of law. In the spring of 1994, he graduated with his Juris Doctor degree.

Beginning his legal career in August of 1994, Tom initially worked for the law firm of Del Collo and Mazzanti, LLP, in Paoli, PA.   He concentrated his practice in the field of workers’ compensation law, primarily representing insurance companies and self-insured employers.  Six years later, he would shift his focus entirely to the other side of the equation.

In the spring of 2000, Tom joined Prince Law Offices, PC, and began a career of representing injured workers in all aspects of workers’ compensation litigation.   Additionally, he started writing articles and presenting seminars on various topics of workers’ compensation law including the Tough Problems in Workers’ Compensation seminars on Specific Loss Claims (Spring 2001) and Mediation Techniques: Claimant’s Perspective (Spring 2005); 5th Annual Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Conference - Proper Claims Form Filing (May 2005); 3rd Annual Bureau of Workers’ Compensation Conference - As the Claim Turns (December 2003); and the 5th Annual Pennsylvania and New Jersey IARP Conference - Vocational Issues, Testimony and Advice (June 2004).

In the fall of 2006, Tom left the firm and spent the next four years practicing in Pottstown with the law firm of Wolf, Baldwin and Associates, PC.    In this practice, he continued his focus on representing injured workers, but also began practicing in other areas of law.  He also continued presenting seminars and writing legal articles.   Most recently, he spoke at the Montgomery County Bar Association’s Workers’ Compensation Section Fall 2010 meeting on the topic “Dissecting Cinram”.  He has also written several legal articles for the 422 Business Journal and the Montgomery County Woman magazine.

By the end of 2010, Tom decided to change firms and soon returned to Prince Law Offices, PC, now armed with an ever expanding practice concentration.  While he remains passionate in his representation of the injured worker and his interest in workers’ compensation law, Tom also practices in the areas of corporate and business law, contract law, estate law, firearms law and equine law.  He is a frequent contributor to our blog on various topics of interest in these areas and is presently preparing additional seminars for professional presentation.

Outside of the practice of law, Tom can be found riding the local mountain bike trails or hunting and fishing throughout PA.   He also is active in the Philadelphia Mountain Bike Association, the Pottstown Lodge of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks and Christ’s Church of the Valley.  As frequently as possible, Tom spends time with his daughter riding horses, racing mountain bikes and playing soccer.   His other interests include art and tattoos, Harley Davidson motorcycles and ghost stories.