Thomas A. Tupitza
Shareholder
Tom advises clients in the private, public and nonprofit sectors on finance, real estate, and governance matters. An elected member of the American Law Institute and a past president of the Pennsylvania Association of Bond Lawyers, he is active as bond counsel in tax-exempt financing transactions. He is a director of a private business corporation and several nonprofit charitable organizations, and has served as Knox Law’s President since 2007.
Practice Areas
- Harvard Law School, J.D.; cum laude; Executive Editor, Harvard Civil Rights-Civil Liberties Law Review
- Westminster College, B.A.; summa cum laude
Admissions
- Pennsylvania
- New York
- U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit
Certifications
- Title insurance agent, Pennsylvania and New York
- Licensed Consultant, PANO (Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations)
- Standards for Excellence® Licensed Consultant

Ratings
- Bond counsel in over $800 million of financing transactions
- Co-counsel in the affiliation of a regional health care system with a university-affiliated integrated health care provider and insurer
- Counsel to the developers in over a dozen commercial condominium projects
- Louis. J. Tullio Community Service Award, Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership, 2023
- Tocqueville Award, United Way of Erie County, 2022
- Selected as Best Lawyers® "Lawyer of the Year" for the Pittsburgh metropolitan area in Public Finance Law (2024, 2020 & 2015); Health Care Law (2023); and Land Use and Zoning Law (2023, 2021, 2016)

- Included in The Best Lawyers in America®, (Public Finance Law, 2012-2024; Real Estate Law and Land Use & Zoning Law, both 2015-2024; and Health Care Law, 2016-2024)

- Included in Pennsylvania Super Lawyers®, 2004 and 2020-2023

- Honorary Life Member, Board of Corporators, Hamot Health Foundation, 2017
- Four-Way Test Award, Rotary Club of Erie, 2017
- Legends of Iroquois Hall of Fame, Iroquois School District Foundation, 2015
- Humanitarian Award, Eagle’s Nest Leadership Corporation, 2014
- Excellence Award, Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, 2011
- Everyday Leader Award, Pennsylvania Bar Association, 2007
- Alumni Citation, Westminster College, 1998
- Legion of Honor Award, Four Chaplains Memorial Foundation, 1992
Community and Professional Service
- The Erie Community Foundation, Trustee
- Westminster College, Trustee, Former Chair
- Warner Theatre Preservation Trust, Director
- Jefferson Educational Society, Board Member
- Erie Cemetery Association, Corporator
- Former Board Chair: UPMC Hamot, Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership, VisitErie, Erie County Historical Society (currently Member, Board of Governors), Northwestern Legal Services, and Erie City Mission
- Former Director: UPMC (currently, Member, Board of Visitors), United Way of Erie County, The Nonprofit Partnership, Foundation for Erie's Public Schools, Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School (currently, Life Trustee), Hamot Health Foundation, Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, Erie County Bar Association, and Rotary Club of Erie
Professional Affiliations
- Erie County Bar Association
- Pennsylvania Bar Association
- New York State Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- Pennsylvania Bar Foundation
- American Bar Foundation
- Pennsylvania Association of Bond Lawyers, Past President
- National Association of Bond Lawyers
- American Health Law Association
- American Law Institute, Elected Member

Speaking Engagements
- Programs for The Nonprofit Partnership, the Pennsylvania Bar Institute, the Pennsylvania Association of Nonprofit Organizations (PANO), and others on nonprofit governance and the Standards for Excellence®: An Ethics and Accountability Code for the Nonprofit Sector
Audio Presentations
- 14 Knox Law Attorneys Included on 2024 Best Lawyers in America® List
- 14 Knox Law Attorneys Selected for 2023 PA Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars Lists
- Tom Tupitza Presents Four-Way Test for Rotary Club Ethics Symposium
- Tom Tupitza Presents on Nonprofit Management, Governance & Compliance
- United Way Honors Thomas A. Tupitza with 2022 Tocqueville Award
- 13 Knox Law Attorneys Included on 2023 Best Lawyers in America® List
- 10 Knox Law Attorneys Selected for 2022 PA Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars Lists
- Tom Tupitza & Tim Wachter Speak About Tax Exempt Financing
- Tom Tupitza Speaks on Nonprofit Governance for PBI
- 11 Knox Law Attorneys Included on 2022 Best Lawyers in America® List
- 9 Knox Law Attorneys Selected for 2021 PA Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars Lists
- Thomas Tupitza Speaks on Nonprofit Governance for PANO
- Thomas Tupitza Speaks on Legal Compliance & Ethics for PANO
- Knox Law Receives National and Regional Rankings in 13 Practice Areas for 2021 Best Law Firms List
- Tom Tupitza Speaks on Leadership at PANO Conference
- Fifteen Knox Law Attorneys Included On 2021 Best Lawyers in America® List
- Thomas Tupitza Speaks on Legal Compliance & Ethics for Nonprofits
- 9 Knox Law Attorneys Selected for 2020 PA Super Lawyers® and Rising Stars Lists
- Thomas A. Tupitza Joins The Erie Community Foundation Board of Trustees
- Tom Tupitza Speaks at 2019 Nonprofit Day
- Thomas A. Tupitza Selected as 2020 "Lawyer of the Year" for Public Finance Law in Pittsburgh Metro Area
- Twelve Knox Law Attorneys Named to 2020 Best Lawyers in America® List
- Thomas A. Tupitza Licensed as a Standards for Excellence® Consultant
- Knox Law Continues Tradition of Service to the Legal Profession
- Thomas Tupitza Speaks on Legal Compliance and Ethics for Nonprofits
- Thomas Tupitza Featured on WQLN Program for Nonprofit Governance
- Eleven Knox Law Attorneys Named to 2019 Best Lawyers in America® List
- Thomas A. Tupitza Speaks at Rotary Club of Erie's Annual Ethics Symposium
- Thomas A. Tupitza Honored for Service to UPMC Hamot
- Nine Knox Law Attorneys Named to 2018 Best Lawyers In America® List
- Thomas A. Tupitza Receives Rotary Four-Way Test Award