About Justin Houser

Justin K. Houser is a native of Bellefonte. He graduated magna cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa from The Pennsylvania State University in 2007 with a B.A. in Political Science, and graduated magna cum laude from the Dickinson School of Law of The Pennsylvania State University in 2010. Justin served as Editor-in-Chief of the Penn State Law Review from 2009 to 2010, and was inducted as a member of the Woolsack Society. During law school, he also served as a legal intern to the late Honorable James F. McClure, Jr., of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania in Williamsport, Pennsylvania. Following his graduation from law school, Justin served as a law clerk to the Honorable Thomas I. Vanaskie of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He then worked as an associate for a law firm in Wilmington, Delaware, for three years before returning home to his roots and joining the firm of Coploff, Ryan & Welch in October, 2014. Justin was elected as a partner in the firm effective January 1, 2017. His bar admissions presently include the states of Pennsylvania and Delaware, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He presently serves as Treasurer of the Clinton County Bar Association.

Justin’s practice areas include business law, civil litigation, landlord-tenant cases, real estate, wills and estates, family law (including custody, support, divorce, incapacity and guardianship cases), bankruptcy, protection from abuse cases, child abuse appeals, municipal work, and tax sale litigation. Justin serves as primary contact in the firm’s role as Solicitor for the City of Lock Haven, and also in its role as counsel for the Clinton County Children and Youth Social Services Agency. He has served as court-appointed guardian ad litem for numerous individuals, including both children and allegedly incapacitated persons.

Justin has long been involved in community activities. Presently, he serves as a board member of the Centre County Mutual Fire Insurance Company, P. of H., as a member of the Lock Haven Salvation Army Advisory Board, and as president of his church council. Justin also serves as President of the Clinton County Genealogical Society, as a member of numerous other genealogical and historical societies throughout Central Pennsylvania and beyond, and has authored or edited numerous works on local and family history. From 2003 to 2007, he served as a school director for the Bellefonte Area School District, during which time he chaired the school board’s legislation committee.