Lebanon County Senior Public Defender Michael Light II on Wednesday announced plans to run for the office of district attorney in 2025.
Light is running as a Republican in the May 20 primary election against Republican incumbent district attorney Pier Hess Graf, who has been the county’s DA since Jan. 31, 2020.
Light has served in the Lebanon County Public Defender’s Office since 2023 after being an attorney at the Reilly Wolfson Law Office beginning in 2021.
He said trial representation in a homicide case argued before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, working towards becoming death penalty certified, and broad experiences in practicing law in various counties are among his top qualifications to serve as Lebanon County’s district attorney.
In private practice, he worked as an associate attorney in criminal-court appointed and private criminal cases from summary offenses to homicides, including Post Conviction Relief Act claims.
Light was also involved in family law cases from protection from abuse orders, child custody, child support to divorce proceedings. Other experiences include civil litigation cases, including small claims, landlord/tenant, and civil claims within arbitration limits.
He has experience in child dependencies cases with representation of children or parents, and court-appointed counsel for mother, for father, for child, or guardian ad litem.
Prior to moving to Lebanon County, the North Cornwall resident worked in the public defender’s office in Northampton County from January 2019 through April 2021, and he served as conflict counsel via Zoom in Bradford County from December 2020 through June 2022.
He began his law career at Russo, Russo and Russo law offices in August 2015, where he worked as an associate attorney in criminal defense, real estate, landlord/tenant, estate planning and estate administration, family law, worker’s compensation (New Jersey only), and legal research.
Light holds law licenses in Pennsylvania and New Jersey and obtained his law degree from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 2014.
He is married and has a son. His hobbies include hunting, fishing, refereeing soccer games, and cycling. He is the proud owner of a 13-year-old yellow Lab named Hope.
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