About Us

Wiseman & Schwartz handles civil rights cases, and all phases of criminal defense. This includes state and federal trials and appeals, PCRA, and Federal Habeas Corpus.

We are committed to helping our clients at every stage of the process. We'll take a focused and caring approach to your case.

Michael Wiseman

Partner

Michael Wiseman is a criminal practitioner focusing on all aspects of criminal defense at trial, appeal and post-conviction, with an emphasize on capital defense. Prior to entering private practice he was the Chief of Capital Habeas Corpus Unit of Federal Community Defender Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, from 1995 to 2011. Before that Michael was a senior staff attorney for the Pennsylvania Post-Conviction Defender Organization (1994-1995). He has represented dozens of prisoners in capital post-conviction and trial litigation. His thirty-five plus years of legal experience also includes service as the popularly elected...

Karl Schwartz

Partner

Karl Schwartz was honored by the Pennsylvania Innocence Project in 2011 with the Hero of Justice Award for his "tenacious and skillful lawyering that brought about the exoneration" of an innocent man who had been imprisoned for 28 years. For over three decades Karl has brought that same level of commitment and expertise to defending individuals charged in serious and complex criminal matters. He specializes in death penalty and homicide defense, and has had success in trial, appellate, state post-conviction and federal habeas corpus proceedings.

Jon Cioschi
Associate

Jon Cioschi is an experienced criminal defense and civil rights attorney, whose work is informed by over a decade’s experience fighting injustice in the criminal legal system. Prior to joining Wiseman & Schwartz, Mr. Cioschi started his legal career as a public defender with the Defender Association of Philadelphia, where he spent over three years successfully litigating hundreds of trials and hearings in cases ranging from attempted murder to retail theft and earning a reputation as a fierce, dedicated advocate for his clients. He then clerked for the Honorable Beverly B. Martin on the United States Court of Appeals for...

Catherine Trama

Associate

Catherine Trama began her legal career as a public defender at the Defender Association of Philadelphia, where she spent over five years representing hundreds of clients at all stages of their criminal proceedings, ranging from preliminary hearings to jury trials. She also served as adjunct faculty at the Drexel University Thomas R. Kline School of Law, where she coached Trial Team for their nationally ranked program. Ms. Trama graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, where she received the Hal M. Weinstein Memorial Award for special promise in criminal trial advocacy...

Alan Tauber

Of Counsel

Alan J. Tauber has over 30 years experience as a trial and appellate attorney in state and federal criminal courts and has recently led one of the nation’s premier criminal defense offices as Chief of the Defender Association of Philadelphia. Through his experience and his commitment to justice, he has earned a reputation as a zealous and effective advocate and accomplished negotiator...