Sheila V. O’Rourke

Sheila is a partner in GKH’s Advocacy Group and focuses her practice on land use and zoning, civil rights, and general litigation.

As part of her land use practice, Sheila represents landowners, developers, and citizen groups in all aspects of zoning, land development, and permitting matters.  She has represented clients throughout South Central Pennsylvania, including in Lancaster, Chester, York, Berks, Dauphin, and Lebanon Counties. Sheila also assists clients with real estate matters including preparing sales agreements, leases, and easements.  Sheila has experience related to Sunshine Act issues and handling Right to Know Law appeals before the Office of Open Records.  She also represents municipalities as special counsel.

Sheila has experience with all aspects of civil litigation matters, where she draws on her experience as a former federal and state supreme court law clerk.  Sheila has litigated land use appeals and other real estate disputes before the Court of Common Pleas and Commonwealth Court and also has assisted with cases in federal court.  She is admitted to practice law in Pennsylvania, the Supreme Court of the United States, the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, the Middle District of Pennsylvania, and the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.

Before joining GKH, Sheila served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Thomas G. Saylor of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and, later, to the Honorable John E. Jones III of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

Sheila was named a Super Lawyers Rising Star for 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.

Sheila currently serves on the Board of Directors for MidPenn Legal Services and is a former Board Member and past President of the Lancaster YWCA.  She serves as a delegate to the Pennsylvania Bar Association House of Delegates and on the firm’s Executive Committee.  She formerly chaired the Young Lawyers division of the Lancaster Bar Association.

Sheila is an avid volunteer and has dedicated her time as a domestic violence hotline advocate; mentor to an incarcerated young adult; therapeutic riding assistant; and year-long volunteer at a peace and reconciliation organization in Northern Ireland.

Sheila lives in Lititz with her husband, two young children, and beloved family dog.  In her free time, she enjoys spending time outdoors, hiking, riding horses, and reading for pleasure.

Education

• Roger Williams University School of Law, J.D., magna cum laude
• Mount Holyoke College, B.A., cum laude

Community Involvement

• Lancaster YWCA Board of Directors, past President
• MidPenn Legal Services Board of Directors

Clerkships

• Law clerk to the Honorable John E. Jones III of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, 2013-2015
• Law clerk to the Honorable Thomas G. Saylor of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 2012-2013

Professional Affiliations

• Lancaster Bar Association (Young Lawyers Section Chairperson – 2017)
• Pennsylvania Bar Association (Delegate to the PBA House of Delegates)

Bar Admissions

• Pennsylvania
• United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania
• United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania
• United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
• United States Supreme Court

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Filing a Right To Know Request

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