Eckert Seamans Announces Major Expansion in Philadelphia, West Chester and Harrisburg

Adds 22 Attorneys from McKissock & Hoffman

PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 1 /PRNewswire/ — The national law firm of Eckert Seamans Cherin and Mellott, LLC today announced that it is forming a Professional Liability practice with the addition of 22 attorneys from McKissock & Hoffman including name partner Peter Hoffman. The group will join the firm in the continued expansion of Eckert Seamans’ Philadelphia and Harrisburg offices and create a new Eckert Seamans office in West Chester, Pennsylvania, effective October 1st.

The group will consist of 9 firm members, and 13 associates and will be led by Peter Hoffman, who is nationally known and respected in the defense of professional liability cases. Mr. Hoffman will reside in Eckert Seamans’ Philadelphia office. In his new role at Eckert Seamans, Mr. Hoffman will serve as Member and Chairman of the Professional Liability Practice.

In addition to Mr. Hoffman, moving to Eckert Seamans as members are Donald J. Brooks, Jr., Timothy J. Burke, John A. Filoreto, Maureen P. Fitzgerald, Eileen Lampe, Jeffrey P. Lewis, Edwin A. D. Schwartz, and Christopher Thomson. Joining the firm as associates are Ryan N. Boland, Lauren M. Burnette, Ann B. Cairns, Joseph V. Conroy, Melissa B. Gorsline, Gregory L. Kallet, Richard Kim, Steven E. McCord, Richard J. Mosback, Jr., Joan D. Plump, David J. Schertz, David M. Schwadron, and Shannon B. Stewart.

“We are extremely pleased that Peter and his group will be joining our firm in Philadelphia,” said Tim Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of Eckert Seamans. “In addition to this group’s track record of high performance in professional liability defense, they are a diverse group of attorneys steeped with experience and broad understanding of business law and litigation.”

“These are some of the most respected attorneys in the Delaware Valley,” added Albert Bixler, Member-in-Charge of Eckert Seamans’ Philadelphia office. “We are very fortunate to be able to offer the resources of this group, which includes seasoned counselors and trial lawyers to our clients.”

“As we looked toward the future for our people and our clients, Eckert Seamans made a great deal of sense as a platform for development and a place where we could provide our clients with the best service possible for the long term,” said Mr. Hoffman. “The firm has made a true commitment to growth, to its people and to the greater Philadelphia region. We’re confident that we’ll be better positioned to meet client needs from within our practice and provide them with access to more extensive legal resources from throughout the firm.”

Mr. Hoffman’s practice includes complex cases such as antitrust, securities, class action, creditor’s rights, commercial litigation, ERISA and real estate litigation. A substantial portion of his practice is devoted to professional liability, primarily medical and legal malpractice, commercial litigation, construction, products liability, toxic torts and insurance coverage. Nationally recognized for his work in professional liability, Mr. Hoffman was awarded the 1989 Fred H. Sievert Outstanding Defense Bar Leader Award by the Defense Research Institute, and he has received numerous honors from the bar and other independent regional and national professional organizations. He received his law degree from Temple University School of Law. He earned his master’s degree from the Graduate School of Public Affairs, State University of New York, and he received his bachelor’s degree from Washington & Jefferson College. He is a Fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers, International Academy of Trial Lawyers and American Board of Trial Advocates.

With the addition of this new group, Eckert Seamans will now have 63 attorneys in its Philadelphia office.

About Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott

Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC (http://www.eckertseamans.com), a national law firm with ten offices throughout the eastern United States, provides a full range of legal services nationwide to businesses of all sizes, institutions, municipalities, colleges and universities, government agencies and individuals. Its practice areas encompass litigation, including mass tort and products liability litigation, corporate and business law, intellectual property law, labor and employment relations, aviation & aerospace law, bankruptcy and creditors’ rights, employee benefits, environmental law, construction law, municipal finance, real estate, and tax and estate law. Eckert Seamans has offices in Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, Philadelphia, Southpointe and West Chester, Pennsylvania; Wilmington, Delaware; Morgantown, West Virginia; Boston, Massachusetts, Washington, D.C. and White Plains, New York.

SOURCE Eckert Seamans Cherin and Mellott, LLC

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