No matter the circumstances, no matter the situation, people living in suburban Philadelphia have a wealth of resources for qualified legal counsel and representation. (Montgomery County, in fact, is the third-largest county in Pennsylvania in terms of the attorney population, behind only Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.) The challenge comes in finding the right attorney to help one navigate the always-changing, sometimes-choppy waters of the U.S. legal system.
We’re here to help. Suburban Life has once again partnered with Avvo Inc., a Seattle-based organization that rates attorneys (among other professionals) nationwide, as a way to highlight the region’s legal elite. Avvo has compiled a comprehensive list of seasoned lawyers in Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties, divided into their particular areas of focus. In addition, we also included the leading vote-getters in a readers’ poll conducted through our website, SuburbanLifeMagazine.com.
On the following pages, meet many of the area’s top attorneys who are fulfilling the legal needs of suburban Philadelphia, whether it’s securing an amicable divorce, completing a business merger or administering a loved one’s estate.
Attorneys in the 2011 Awesome Attorneys List Compiled by Avvo Inc. are ranked in their professional backgrounds based on Avvo’s proprietary algorithm. The Avvo Rating is a score on a 10-point scale distilled from the raw rankings generated by Avvo. All attorneys listed received an Avvo Rating of 7.5 or greater. The ratings and rankings were calculated on September 26, 2011.
Jump to:
Awesome Attorneys list as compiled by Avvo Inc.
Top Attorneys as voted by readers of Suburban Life
BUSINESS LAW
Robert Angst of Angst & Angst P.C., which has offices in Doylestown and Harleysville, earned his Juris Doctor from Villanova University School of Law and graduate degrees in accounting and economics/business administration from Ursinus University. He has experience representing clients in civil litigation, personal injury, family law and various aspects of bankruptcy.
How and when did you realize you wanted to practice law?
My older brother was a lawyer. I began working in his office when I was 17 years old. My attraction to the legal profession is multifaceted: 1.) It provides an outlet for my competitive nature; 2.) I enjoy problem solving, and the profession allows me to work closely with people to assist them in solving their real life problems; 3.) I enjoy learning and the legal profession is constantly changing and evolving; 4.) I enjoy challenges and the legal profession presents new challenges almost every day.
Describe one of your most memorable moments in court.
When I was a young attorney, my first appellate argument was before the Pennsylvania Superior Court was held at the Penn State Main Campus in front of a very large class of students. It was televised on the Pennsylvania Cable Network. It was exciting to be able to argue at the appellate level, and it was my first experience in front of such a large audience.
Name one thing you would change about the legal system.
I would add more judges. There are often long delays in the legal process due to a backlog of cases moving through the system. There are only so many judges available to handle disputes and I believe they all work hard to maintain an efficient system, but the volume of cases that most judges handle is overwhelming and needs to be reduced.
Name one person you would like to have dinner with and why.
I would like to have dinner with the Apostle Paul. I’m a huge fan of his writings and his overall philosophy on life. I’m fascinated by his willingness to endure unbelievable hardship and his uncompromising faith.
Name something that most people don’t know about you.
I’m an active pigeon fancier and I maintain a competitive racing pigeon loft at my house. When I’m not practicing law or spending time with my children, I’m breeding, raising and training homing pigeons.
What’s the best piece of free legal advice you can offer?
Don’t act on legal advice from friends and colleagues. Every situation is different and even if the person offering the advice appears to have a similar predicament, their advice may not be accurate. The law is complex and every situation requires the analysis of a competent professional.
BUSINESS LAW
Michael J. Brooks, who practices business law in the state and federal courts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey, earned his law degree from Ohio Northern University. He studied economics at three prestigious universities and today advises entrepreneurs in how to form and successfully operate the small businesses that have been fueling the country’s slow but steady economic recovery.
What’s one thing most people don’t realize about law or about being an attorney?
An attorney offers entrepreneurs perspective from the legal vantage point. For example, the self-employment tax is set at 13.3 percent, the equivalent of the combined contributions of both employee and employer under the FICA tax. The rule enforces the legal fiction for taxpaying purposes that a self-employed taxpayer is both an employer and employee and pays taxes as both. However, a properly formed business entity, including LLC’s can file for tax purposed as a sub-chapter S corporation, and take part of one’s income as dividends, which are not subject to self-employment tax.
Name one thing you would change about the U.S. legal system if you had it within your power.
Making law firms approachable with flat-rate pricing models. Because we focus on a niche area of law, we can offer flat-rate pricing on almost all our business law services. Clients, especially entrepreneurs and small-business people whom we appeal to, like to know in advance what they need to budget. On the other hand, there are types of legal matters such as litigation where billable hours make more sense than flat fees. All that said, there are plenty of legal services that could be converted to flat fees.
If you had to name one thing you like most about being an attorney, what would it be?
Because of the interpretation and changes in the law, a legal practice is never stale or mundane. Even the traditional sea of paper—printed cases, multiple drafts of every contract, memoranda and more—are almost completely a thing of the past. We now take advantage of the digital age: review and edit on the computer, often limit communication to e-mail with attachments, which are stored electronically, and file documents with the courthouse over the Internet. Becoming “green” means becoming more efficient.
What’s the best piece of free legal advice you can offer?
Do not lose sleep over a legal matter you are concerned about. Stop by the office and explain your legal concerns. We will put in plain words what we can do to redress those concerns or point you in the right direction to find someone who can offer you help. Consultations are free as we do not bill you for services until we explain what we can do for you and how much it would cost should you decide to hire the firm.
FAMILY LAW
Through his Lansdale-based firm Dischell, Bartle & Dooley P.C., Mark B. Dischell has been representing family-law clients in southeastern Pennsylvania for 35 years. Dischell, who earned his undergraduate degree from Dickinson College and his Juris Doctor from Villanova University School of Law, has been named among the Best Lawyers in America since 1999. Also, among his many honors and designations as a family law attorney, he was named “Lawyer of the Year” by The Best Lawyers in America in the Philadelphia area for 2012.
How and when did you realize you wanted to practice law?
I knew I wanted to practice law when I was eight or nine. I’ve been a history lover all my life, and after reading a biography of Abraham Lincoln, who was an excellent attorney and, of course, president, I discovered he was one of the few people around who didn’t have clay feet. That was all that was needed to spark a lifelong interest.
If you had to pick one thing you like most about being an attorney, what would it be?
I see the best and worst in people, but what I love most about it is solving people’s problems and protecting children. … Also, nothing about the law is black and white; there’s always a subtlety or something completely different about every case.
Name one person—living or dead—you would like to have dinner with, and why.
Probably most of all, it would be Lincoln or Oscar Wilde. Maybe the three of us could get together and have some cheesesteaks. I think Oscar Wilde was one of the most talented and clever writers that there ever was; he was the equivalent of a late 19th century rock star who went over the edge. The other person I’d want to have dinner with would be my late father. He would probably complain about the food and the service the whole time, but more than anyone else I would love to have dinner with him.
Name something that most people don’t know about you.
I’m a great music aficionado—I love jazz and blues and old rhythm and blues. Maybe the best thing I like to do when I’m by myself is to read a good book and listen to some hard-bop jazz.
What’s the best piece of free legal advice you can offer?
Work hard to keep your marriage together. What happens next is generally worse.
FAMILY LAW
Mary Cushing Doherty has been practicing law for over 30 years. From a large family in Chicago, she ventured east to earn her B.A. at the University of Delaware and then received her J.D. from the Villanova University School of Law. After over a decade of private practice, she was invited to join High Swartz LLP. She now serves on the Pennsylvania Joint State Government Commission, working diligently to pass legislation she views as an opportunity for her to improve the system.
How and when did you realize you wanted to practice law?
As a girl I admired my dad’s law school class photo, with one woman. I assumed I could be her one day. I also thought of teaching but after teaching summer school to sixth graders [in the inner city] I felt so ineffective, I decided to turn back to my law-school dreams.
Tell me about one of your most memorable moments in court.
In the early ’80s I argued twice—about 13 months apart—before the Superior Court on a custody and later support case for the same client. Both times I was arguing in favor of the ruling of the trial court. Both times I was about seven months pregnant. Both times we won.
What’s one thing most people probably don’t realize about law or about being an attorney?
Nothing is more valuable than an attorney’s integrity.
If you had to pick one thing you like most about being an attorney, what would it be?
I like empowering my clients to rise above adversity, and move on with their lives with hope.
Name one thing you would change about the U.S. legal system if you had it within your power.
I’ve worked hard on alimony reform in Pennsylvania. I’d love to see reform in PA that helps dependent spouses get a fair shake and payor spouses know what to expect to pay so they can settle without a lot of legal aggravation. If we could do that in PA we could be leaders for other states to follow.
Name something that most people don’t know about you.
Probably the fact that I go to tap class every Thursday night and have done so over 15 years. I’m not very good at tapping, but I have a terrific smile.
What’s the best piece of free legal advice you can offer?
Take advantage of consulting a lawyer to assess the legal risks of skipping a lawyer and relying on do-it-yourself legal steps. Good lawyers will tell you if you need help or if you’re going in the right direction. Too often self-help leads to real problems that could have been avoided.
FAMILY LAW
Michael Eisenberg has been practicing law since 1987. His Hatboro-based firm, Michael E. Eisenberg Attorney at Law, handles a variety of cases, including divorces, annulments and other aspects of family law. He graduated from Brandeis University with an undergraduate degree in American studies, and then earned his Juris Doctor from Widener University.
What’s one thing most people probably don’t realize about law or about being an attorney?
It’s not television. My wife likes to watch “The Good Wife.” It’s a well-done show … though the preparation generally isn’t shown, and it’s essential to any case. Also, TV embellishes the adversarial nature of the system. People think lawyers hate each other. We don’t. If an attorney appearing before a judge is well prepared and acts civilly toward opposing counsel and opposing parties, you generally have a better result.
If you had to pick one thing you like most about being an attorney, what would it be?
I can have a real positive impact on my clients’ lives—particularly in family law, with their kids’ lives and their futures. I tend to be an optimist; it’s about impact and outcome.
Name one person—living or dead—you would like to have dinner with, and why.
There are a few, but I would probably say George H.W. Bush because he has lived to see the outcome of his presidency; the perspective is there. I would also say [Abraham] Lincoln, because he was Lincoln, and because of the time he governed and how he governed. If you’re looking at impact and outcome, there’s a big one.
Name something that most people don’t know about you.
I’m a second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, and I competed nationally for a time. I also enjoy rock climbing, especially to Devils Tower [in Wyoming], where I’ve gone an average of twice a year since 2002. I’m also president of an organization called Devils Tower—Sacred to Many People, which we started two or three years ago to help the native people of the region.
What’s the best piece of free legal advice you can offer?
Be prepared to make decisions. It’s not our role to say, “You must do XYZ.” It’s the client’s job to listen to the answers and then be able to make decisions, because the ultimate outcome of a case is often determined by the lawyer but also by the client. Also, tell your lawyer everything and tell the truth. The rules of confidentiality are there for a reason.
TAX LAW
Steven J. Fromm has practiced law since 1977. He is also a CPA and member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He has been recognized by Martindale-Hubbell with its highest rating of “AV Preeminent” and rated a 5.0 out of 5.0, for legal ability and ethical standards, as well as being awarded a 10.0 rating—the highest given to practicing lawyers in the nation—by Avvo Inc.
What’s one thing most people probably don’t realize about law or about being an attorney?
The study of law is continuous, especially for tax and estate lawyers. Tax laws are frequently changed by federal, state and local governments. New cases are routinely being decided that interpret and redefine the law.
If you had to pick one thing you like most about being an attorney, what would it be?
Helping clients establish and maintain their estate-planning documentation as well their tax and business affairs. The hand tailoring of an estate plan to meet each client’s particular family and financial situation is one of the most rewarding aspects of my practice. Estate planning requires carefully listening to and exchanging ideas with clients. At the heart of this challenging process is the preparation of estate and income-tax projections that result in the development and determination of the best estate plan. The final challenge in this process is drafting documents to effectuate the client’s particular estate plan.
Why should people turn to you for legal advice or representation?
There are basically two key factors in rendering tax and estate advice: education and professional experience. A post-graduate law degree in taxation (LL.M from New York University’s graduate tax program) and a financial and tax background as a CPA have been invaluable elements in providing services to my clients. Being involved in tax and estate advice for over 30 years allows me to bring seasoned expertise, experience, knowledge and practical advice to my clients’ legal and tax problems.
What’s the best piece of free legal advice you can offer?
My best legal advice is to retain an experienced estate-planning attorney that can provide the proper guidance, expertise and attention to detail. Doing this will help ensure that well-designed wills, trusts, living wills and durable power of appointment are drafted. The goal is to implement and draft a comprehensive estate plan that will actually work in operation to protect and provide for the family in a fair and compassionate way while saving and minimizing estate, gift and income taxes.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY LAW
A. Duie Latta concentrates his practice in business transactions and corporate governance for family businesses and other privately held organizations. His practice covers the life cycle of business, from initial planning stages and the formation of corporations, LLCs, partnerships and other entities, to acquisitions, mergers and windups. He also works closely with individuals on a variety of estate and wealth-transfer planning, and with nonprofits in their formation, governance, etc.
How and when did you realize you wanted to practice law?
When I was about seven years old. My six-year-old brother and I traded baseball cards back in those days. There were times when one of us wasn’t happy with a trade that he made. When our parents discovered us writing contracts for baseball-card trades, complete with rescission clauses, they were pretty sure that they had two future attorneys on their hands. They were right.
Describe one of your most memorable moments as an attorney.
Nothing compares to moments when a client reminds you that you’ve been entrusted with the welfare of their business, their family’s livelihood, and their reputation. It happens frequently, it’s always humbling, and it’s what drives you to be the most capable advocate possible.
What’s one thing most people probably don’t realize about law or about being an attorney?
That many lawyers are lousy at gauging risk, better at talking than listening and rotten at focusing on what the client really cares about. Actually, that may be what most attorneys don’t realize about being an attorney. A good attorney doesn't just tell a client about the law and the risks; the attorney gives sound advice to the client about what the attorney would do if the roles were reversed.
If you had to pick one thing you like most about being an attorney, what would it be?
The intellectual challenge. It’s a behind-the-scenes, cross-section view of different businesses, nonprofits and families. I’m constantly learning.
Name one thing you would change about the U.S. legal system if you had it within your power.
The tax code could use a few less pages.
What’s the best piece of free legal advice you can offer?
An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Seventeen ounces isn’t.
CRIMINAL DEFENSE
Elizabeth Louise Lippy of North Wales-based Fairlie & Lippy P.C. attended Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law, where she was a member of the nationally acclaimed trial team. She has been named a “Rising Star” by Pennsylvania Super Lawyers. Known for her deep passion for the law, Lippy also teaches law courses at American University Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C.
Describe one of your most memorable moments in court.
The most recent was when I argued a case before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, which handles less than 1 percent of any cases brought before it. The experience was nerve wracking, but after I made my argument the justices told me how good of a job I did, and complimented me on the job and hard work that went into it. It was very rewarding.
What’s one thing most people probably don’t realize about law or about being an attorney?
Most people probably don’t realize how difficult it is to separate yourself from the case. You’re supposed to be an objective person, but sometimes it’s easier said than done. Every client goes through an emotional roller coaster, and as an attorney it’s easy to get emotionally involved in a case. We do care, and that’s why we work hard for our clients.
Name one person—living or dead—you would like to have dinner with, and why.
I would love to give you some big name to show my intellect or how deep I am, but it would be my father, who passed away when I was a teenager. I worked very hard to make him proud and make sure I’m representing his last name well.
Name one thing you would change about the U.S. legal system if you had it within your power.
Sometimes it’s difficult to explain to people that it could take a year or more to go to trial in a criminal case. This is a client’s life, and they want their time in court. … One thing I’d like to change is the pace. There’s only so much control we as attorneys have over the case.
Why should people turn to you for legal advice or representation?
It’s because we do care. My [law] partner and I joke that when we no longer care and it’s about the money then it’s time to close our doors. I know I care because I still get nervous when I walk into a courtroom.
Jump to:
