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. Following are profiles of some of the region's top attorneys, ranging from civil litigation to family law and several areas in between.
CIVIL LITIGATION/CORPORATE LAW
Lance Rogers, who earned his Juris Doctor from Northwestern University School of Law on the outskirts of Chicago, is the founding member of the firm Rogers & Associates LLC on the Main Line. Among his accomplishments: chair of the Republican Committee of Lower Merion and Narberth; former internal auditor and legislative liaison for the city of Norwalk, Conn.; and one-time White House intern, with the United States Senate and for national pollster Frank Luntz.
When did you realize you wanted to be an attorney?
My interest in law was sparked at a young age. I grew up in Fort Lauderdale, [Fla.], and in sixth grade our school had a program to get people interested in different professions, and I had a mentorship with a [criminal judge]. I went to his courtroom every Wednesday afternoon and got to see trials. I don’t practice criminal law, but there was something special about being in that courtroom that stuck with me. From that age on I knew I wanted to do something in the legal field.
What’s one thing most people probably don’t realize about law or about being an attorney?
Nothing happens as fast as it does on TV; you don’t take a case from start to finish in 60 minutes. Also, DNA evidence doesn’t get used all that much in real life. … The convenience of a plot doesn’t work in real life.
If you had to pick one thing you like most about being an attorney, what would it be?
You can’t spend this much time doing something and not love it. I find myself at work sometimes seven days a week. … The one thing I love most is being able to play a vital role in something that’s very important to someone. You feel like you had a great impact in their lives. That’s what brings you in on Saturday and Sunday and keeps you in the office till 9 p.m. some nights.
Name one person—living or dead—you would like to have dinner with, and why.
Ronald Reagan. I recently took trip to Eastern Europe, and I was shocked to see monuments to American presidents, particularly Ronald Reagan. … I encourage everyone to visit Eastern Europe and see the impact he had on millions of people’s lives there.
Name something that most people don’t know about you.
I’m a licensed FAA pilot; I’m an avid football fan, and the Chicago Bears are my team; and I’m barred in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Arizona. My wife and I love Arizona and got married there; we spent time there vacationing and just fell in love with it.
What’s the best piece of free legal advice you can offer?
When in doubt, contact your attorney. I can’t tell you how many problems we encounter that stem from the fact that someone didn’t want to spend a couple hundred dollars [by contacting an attorney] and ended up with a problem that cost them a couple thousand dollars or more. In a word, be proactive.
PERSONAL INJURY
Although today she is a partner in Doylestown-based Naftulin and Shick P.C., Linda Shick followed an untraditional path to realizing her calling as an attorney. She got married soon after graduating high school and quickly started a family, working toward degrees in higher education through night classes and while her children were in school. She developed an interest in personal injury while working as a secretary for a local law firm, then went to paralegal school and eventually earned her bachelor’s and Juris Doctor degrees. She has been practicing law since 1993.
Describe one of your most memorable moments in court.
Probably my most thrilling moment was when a jury in federal court for an Internet libel slander suit returned with a $2-million verdict for my client. That was a defining moment early in my career as it was a vote of confidence from the jury on the job I did for my client.
What’s one thing most people probably don’t realize about law or about being an attorney?
People think it’s a glamorous and prestigious job and if you achieve your goal of becoming an attorney that life is pretty good and easy. I don’t think most people realize how much hard work and how many hours go into the practice of law. They also don’t think about the incredible stress associated with it. What you’re doing affects people’s lives, so it’s a big responsibility.
If you had to pick one thing you like most about being an attorney, what would it be?
I am especially proud when I can achieve a good result for someone and it helps them deal with a situation that’s been absolutely life altering. Money, be it a settlement, award or verdict, can’t fix what’s wrong with a person who has been seriously injured in an accident, but it at least can provide them with the things they need to take care of their condition.
Name one person—living or dead—you would like to have dinner with, and why.
I think if I could sit down with anyone and just chat, it would be Morris Dees, founder of the Southern Poverty Law Center. He was an attorney and businessman who dedicated himself to completely altruistic pursuits, such as helping people who were wrongly convicted and on death row or victims of hate crimes. He has done a lot to get rid of the Ku Klux Klan and other hate groups, for instance. I greatly admire people who work to avenge wrongs and otherwise find justice.
What’s the best piece of free legal advice you can offer?
Call a competent lawyer when you have a problem. Most consultations in this area of the law—personal injury—are free.
ELDER LAW
Debra G. Speyer is licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania, New York, Florida and Connecticut, as well as Washington, D.C. Her firm, Speyer Law, has offices in Bala Cynwyd and Philadelphia, and concentrates its practice in the areas of investment fraud, elder law and probate law. Before going into private practice in 1990, she was an attorney with the enforcement division of the National Association of Securities Dealers, where she prosecuted brokerage firms and stockbrokers for investment fraud.
How and when did you realize you wanted to practice law?
At age three, I was the most sought-after mediator and pint-sized negotiator in the neighborhood. The other kids increasingly came to me for problems about their toys and siblings. I knew then I wanted to be a lawyer well before I knew what they actually did.
Describe your most memorable moment in court.
It was when an elderly woman had tear-filled eyes after I was able to successfully get money back that she had lost due to stockbroker negligence.
Name one notable person—living or dead—you would like to have dinner with, and why.
John Jay. He was the first chief justice of the United States, founding father, diplomat, revolutionary, statements, politician and one of the leaders of his time fighting against slavery. He retired to become a farmer. What a résumé! I would be interested to speak about his time period vs. the current one.
Name one thing you can share that most people don’t know about you.
I like putting together 5,000 piece puzzles. It has been a pastime since I was six or seven years old. However, I found the picture side too easy, so I’d turn it over and put it together on the reverse, gray side using and memorizing the shapes alone. As a lawyer, there is so much information about every case to keep in my head. I think this approach to puzzles trained me well.
What’s the best piece of free legal advice you can offer?
People need to spend more time researching and selecting who they have managing their stock portfolio than which washing machine they purchase. I often listen to people who have lost money due to a negligent broker and am surprised they did not research the broker or brokerage firm before investing a half-million dollars or more. It is much easier choosing right the first time than hiring someone like me to help recover such losses.
FAMILY LAW
Kate Vetrano has been practicing family law since 1981. She attended the Sorbonne, in Paris, before receiving her undergraduate degree from Rosemont College earning her Juris Doctor from Widener University School of Law, graduating cum laude. Recent among her many honors, she has been selected by her peers for inclusion in the 2012 edition of The Best Lawyers in America.
Describe one of your most memorable moments in court.
Sadly, the most memorable moments in court have often been at the expense, both literally and figuratively, of the other spouse. While the moment may have felt great in the heat of the battle, even my clients recognized that it was a Pyrrhic victory. No matter who wins in court—husband or wife—the whole family loses something in the end. … Anger eventually subsides, and the children need both parents.
Why should people turn to you for legal advice or representation?
If a couple decides to divorce, they should strive to resolve the issues between them amicably and collaboratively. This is how I approach divorce cases because I believe strongly in preserving the family, which doesn’t end with the marriage but goes on forever. The way the divorcing couples handle themselves in the divorce determines how the family will fare after the divorce.
Name one thing you would change about the U.S. legal system if you had it within your power.
We need a unified family court where families can meet promptly with judges to resolve all the issues they face at one time. We have a fragmented system now, where three different courts handle child custody, child support and alimony, and property division. The support court will not act until the child-custody issues are resolved. The property court will not act unless the support obligations are fixed. This process can take years to complete. … Of course, many families avoid the court by achieving an amicable divorce and reach agreement on all issues with the help of a skilled and experienced family lawyer. But not all lawyers are inclined to help families find amicable solutions.
What’s the best piece of free legal advice you can offer?
Divorce may often be the best solution for a couple with problems, but before that determination is made make sure that divorce is inevitable. So often, people leave a troubled marriage only to get into another relationship with a different set of problems. If divorce is necessary, remember that the divorce process can determine the success of the family afterward, as well as the individual happiness of the divorcing couple.
FAMILY LAW
Randi Vladimer heads the Radnor-based firm Randi J. Vladimer P.C., which focuses solely on the practice of family law. In addition to helping families in Philadelphia and its suburbs resolve difficult issues such as child support, custody and visitation, spousal support and alimony, and the division of the marital estate, she has served her community as president of the Women’s Resource Center board of directors and continues to volunteer with PALS for Life.
How and when did you realize you wanted to practice law?
In high school, we studied the Sam Sheppard murder case, which garnered my interest in the legal system and the inequities that some people suffer. I realized at that time that I wanted to make sure that as many people as possible have access to excellent legal representation.
If you had to pick one thing you like most about being an attorney, what would it be?
Finding the right solution for the client and being able to get them from where they are to that point as cost effectively as possible.
Why should people turn to you for legal advice or representation?
Experience has dictated that a domestic matter, whether it be a divorce, a custody dispute or a support issue, does not have to and should not drive a permanent wedge between family members, nor does it have to be a win-lose situation. I work hard to resolve family matters amicably, as the parties will often be in regular contact for years. However, as an experienced trial attorney, I have the skills and resources to litigate when necessary.
Name one person—living or dead—you would like to have dinner with, and why.
Billy Crystal, because at the end of my day I could use some humor!
Name something about yourself that most people don’t know about you.
That I have a really green thumb.
What’s the best piece of free legal advice you can offer?
That when it comes to a domestic dispute a person should not be penny-wise and pound-foolish.
