For more than four decades, Joseph R. Baranko, Jr. has practiced law in the Greater Hazleton community he has called home his entire life. Over that time, he has represented multiple generations of the same families, with grandparents, parents, children and now grandchildren turning to him when they need legal guidance. For Joe, those longstanding relationships are one of the most rewarding parts of the job.

Today, Joe’s practice focuses primarily on workers’ compensation, Social Security Disability, estate administration and planning, personal bankruptcy and municipal law. His workers’ compensation experience dates back to the beginning of his legal career and includes representing both injured workers and the defense side. That perspective allows him to look at a claim from both directions, identify its strengths and weaknesses and give clients a straightforward assessment of where they stand.

Just as important to Joe is making sure clients feel comfortable enough to tell him what is really going on. Legal problems often arrive during some of the most stressful periods in a person’s life, and Joe understands that the person sitting across from him may be worried about far more than paperwork or a court date. He takes the time to listen, explain what to expect and make sure clients know they have someone in their corner. It’s an approach that has helped turn many client relationships into relationships that last for generations.

Joe brings that same practical approach and sensitivity to estate planning and administration. He has spent more than 40 years helping families prepare wills, trusts and powers of attorney and guiding them through estate administration after the loss of a loved one. Working alongside an experienced paralegal team, Joe helps families understand the process and move through it with confidence. 

Municipal law is also a significant part of Joe’s practice. He has served as solicitor to numerous municipalities and authorities throughout the region and currently represents several local boroughs, authorities, planning commissions and zoning boards.

Throughout his career, Joe has also handled Social Security Disability claims, Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 personal bankruptcies and other legal matters. In his workers’ compensation practice, he briefed and argued Reidinger v. WCAB, a case addressing earning power assessments and labor market surveys that was distributed to workers’ compensation attorneys throughout Pennsylvania. 

After decades in practice, Joe chose to bring his experience to Slusser Law Firm and become part of a larger team. Having attorneys with experience across different areas of law and greater resources behind him allows Joe to stay focused on his clients while drawing on the knowledge of his colleagues when a matter reaches beyond his own practice areas.

Joe earned his Juris Doctor from Temple University School of Law in 1983 after graduating from Elizabethtown College with a 

Bachelor of Arts in political science in 1980. He is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, its Workers’ Compensation Law Section, the Schuylkill County Bar Association, Luzerne County Bar Association and Middle District Bankruptcy Court Bar Association. 

Outside the office, Joe is usually happiest staying active. He rides his Harley throughout the warmer months, enjoys live music and concerts and still stays connected to basketball after years of playing and coaching local programs. He also enjoys landscaping and, most recently, spending time with his two grandchildren.