- Adoption
- Child AbuseSchnader alumna Ms. Reimann was the firm’s 2015 recipient of the Earl G. Harrison Pro Bono Award. She joined the firm in 1989 and logged thousands of hours on more than 15 separate pro bono matters. The constant theme in these cases was helping children in serious need. Ms. Reimann spent significant time working on matters through the Support Center for Child Advocates and fully embraced—and embodied––the goal of the Support Center “[t]o advocate for victims of child abuse and neglect with the goal of securing safety, justice, well-being and a permanent, nurturing environment for every child.” Ms. Reimann’s work embodied everything the Earl G. Harrison Pro Bono Award was created to recognize: tireless advocacy for vulnerable or powerless clients who might otherwise be denied the benefits and protections of our legal system.
- Criminal Defense
- Sex CrimesIn September, 2014, Schnader attorneys helped to secure an overturned conviction and new trial on behalf of Anthony Wright, who, despite proclaiming his innocence, was convicted in 1993 of the rape and murder of a North Philadelphia woman. Police claimed that Mr. Wright voluntarily gave a signed confession to the crime after only fourteen minutes in custody. In 2003, he obtained the help of the Innocence Project, a national litigation and public policy organization dedicated to exonerating wrongfully convicted people. Following the Innocence Project’s long legal battle to test DNA collected at the time of the crime including a Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruling in Mr. Wright’s favor, the DNA results excluded Mr. Wright as a contributor to seminal fluid and identified another man as the source.
- MurderIn May, 2010, Schnader attorneys successfully obtained a full acquittal on murder charges brought against the Firm’s pro bono client William J. Barnes. Barnes was charged with causing the death of Philadelphia Police Officer Walter T. Barclay in 2007, 41 years after Barnes had shot and partially paralyzed Barclay.
- HomicideMs. Sanghvi, a Schnader alumna and recipient of the 2010 Earl G. Harrison Pro Bono Award, was honored for her leadership role and unwavering commitment to the defense of William J. Barnes in his homicide trial. Ms. Sanghvi not only had a substantial hands-on role in the pre-trial preparation and the trial itself, but also was responsible for organizing and supervising a team of eight lawyers and two paralegals who spent hundreds of hours investigating facts, reviewing complex medical documents, and preparing numerous legal motions and briefs. Ms. Sanghvi’s tremendous work on the Barnes case was only the latest in a series of important pro bono matters to which she has devoted countless hours.
- Corporate Law
- Mergers and AcquisitionsSchnader’s distinction is in the sophistication of our legal work. Among our many honors, The Legal 500 recognized the firm’s Mergers & Acquisitions, Aviation and Nonprofit Groups as among the best in the U.S. Schnader also has been recognized by Chambers USA in the top tier among both New York and Pennsylvania firms in multiple practice areas. In addition, Best Lawyers and U.S. News and World Report have recognized many of the firm’s practice groups in its “Best Law Firms” rankings, and a number of our attorneys are ranked in Chambers and Best Lawyers. The firm also has been recommended by Benchmark Litigation.
- Business DisputesWilliam A. Schnader (1886-1968) dedicated nearly twenty years of his life to the organization, drafting, development and promotion of a nationwide system of business law, which earned him the title, “Father of the Uniform Commercial Code,” much of it accomplished while in a wheelchair following a crippling stroke. For this “conspicuous service to American jurisprudence,” he was awarded the Gold Medal of the American Bar Association in 1960. His public service included many other contributions, including five years’ work as chairman of the American Bar Association Bill of Rights Committee (the forerunner of the present Section of Individual Rights and Responsibilities), service as Attorney General of Pennsylvania under two successive governors, during which he directed major new codifications of the laws of corporations and banking, and service as president of the Pennsylvania Bar Association in 1962-63.
- Business TransactionsSchnader opens an office in Wilmington, Delaware, allowing us to represent Delaware business entities and clients in Delaware-centered business transactions, as well as bankruptcy and litigation matters in Delaware.
- Intellectual Property
- Antitrust
- Employment DiscriminationMr. Titus, counsel in our Pittsburgh office, was recognized for his distinguished pro bono service encompassing such diverse matters as the death penalty, the First Amendment and employment discrimination. His achievements include integral roles in the reversal of several death penalty convictions, continued service to the Pennsylvania Civil Rules of Procedure Committee, participation in the American Civil Liberties Union’s (ACLU) Special Registration Project involving immigrants and the INS (now part of the Department of Homeland Security), ongoing contribution to the Firm’s representation of a Pittsburgh police officer in a First Amendment case, and efforts as a teacher of civics and law at a school in an economically depressed area of Pittsburgh.
- Non-compete AgreementOn January 23rd, Schnader’s Lisa Brauner presented on employment law updates for 2023 to a business networking group, including the FTC’s proposed rule banning non-compete agreements, the U.S. Department of Labor’s proposed rule regarding independent contractors, pay transparency laws, NYC’s law regarding use of automated employment decision-making tools, trends in […]
- Construction LitigationSchnader opens an office in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, with a focus on labor and employment law, product liability, construction litigation and class action matters.
- Real Estate Transactions
- Land Use and Zoning
- Citizenship and Naturalization
- Auto Accidents
- Estate PlanningSeveral of our attorneys are members of the American Law Institute. We also count many Fellows of the American College of Trial Lawyers, the International Academy of Trial Lawyers, the American Academy of Appellate Lawyers, American College of Trust and Estate Counsel, and the American College of Real Estate Lawyers among our ranks. In addition, Schnader includes within its ranks a former federal court of appeals judge who is internationally recognized in the field of alternative dispute resolution.
- WillsTrust & Estates Training: The Trusts & Estates Department trains its associates in drafting Wills, Revocable Trusts, Powers of Attorney, Living Wills, Trusts and other agreements. The associates work with senior attorneys, clients, fiduciary administrators and accountants to learn how to administer a decedent’s estate and to create, fund and administer trusts. Associates are given opportunities to gain experience in areas such as nonprofit creation and representation, tax planning, Orphan’s Court practice and can gain experience working with the IRS and other taxing authorities.
- Trusts
- Power of Attorney
- Probate
- Bankruptcy
- Tax Law