The United States Third Circuit Court of Appeals Appellate Mediation
Program
Staff Personnel
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Office
Joseph A. Torregrossa, Program Director
Carol E. Giordano, Program Administrator
Sharon Yee, Mediation Legal Staff
Penny Conly Ellison, Mediator
Mailing Address: Appellate Mediation Program Room 20716 United States Courthouse 601 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19106 Telephone: (267) 299-4130 (Joe Torregrossa)
(267) 299-4138 (Penny Conly Ellison)Fax Number: (267) 299-5115 Email: Appellate Mediators
Joe Torregrossa is Director of the Appellate Mediation Program for the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Before taking his current position in 1997, Mr. Torregrossa practiced commercial litigation, arbitration and mediation for over 26 years with the law firm of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He also served as a law clerk in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. During his legal career, Mr. Torregrossa has been an active supporter of alternative dispute resolution procedures. He is a frequent lecturer and speaker at CLE programs and law schools on alternative dispute resolution. Joe Torregrossa received an A. B. degree in 1966 from Villanova University and a J. D. Degree in 1969 from Villanova University School of Law.
Penny Conly Ellison joined the Program in May 2005 and is the second full-time mediator for the Mediation Program. Ms. Ellison practiced commercial, employment and insurance law at the Dilworth Paxson firm in Philadelphia for 16 years. She also participated extensively in firm governance and management, serving as chairwoman of the firm’s hiring and marketing committees and co-chairwoman of its strategic planning committee. Penny Ellison received a B. S. Degree in Mathematics in 1984 from Pennsylvania State University and a J. D. Degree in 1989 from University of Pennsylvania Law School.
Program Administrator
Carol Giordano joined the Program in 1997 after working as an Administrative Assistant for Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP for 19 years. Ms. Giordano is the Program Administrator for the Appellate Mediation Program.
Mediation Legal Staff
Sharon Yee is Mediation Legal Staff at the Appellate Mediation Program. Prior to taking this position in 2000, Ms. Yee served as a student law clerk at the Mediation Program and worked as an intern for both the Wisconsin state legislature and the United States Senate. Sharon Yee received an A.B. degree from Smith College in 1992 and a J.D. degree from Villanova University School of Law in 2000.