PITTSBURGH--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Blank Rome LLP is pleased to announce that it is expanding its national platform with a new office in downtown Pittsburgh. As of Friday, January 9, the office will be anchored by five accomplished partners, as the Firm begins its strategic expansion to build a full-service office in Pittsburgh in the coming months.
The Pittsburgh office will be led by George M. Medved. Prior to joining Blank Rome, Mr. Medved served as Partner-in-Charge for Pittsburgh at both Duane Morris and Pepper Hamilton. Also joining from Duane Morris in Pittsburgh are Amy Joseph Coles, James P. Hollihan, and Joseph T. Moran, along with Jayme L. Butcher, who is joining from Reed Smith in Pittsburgh. The five attorneys join the Firm as partners in its Litigation Department and have handled a broad range of complex litigation matters. Collectively, they have handled cases involving corporate, construction, trade secrets, non-compete and employment litigation, class action defense, as well as First Amendment, technology/Internet, antitrust, securities, intellectual property, derivative actions, and creditors’ rights litigation.
Alan J. Hoffman, Blank Rome Chairman and Managing Partner, said, “Blank Rome has earned a reputation for delivering exceptional client service from a collegial, collaborative environment. Our new partners are a great fit with our culture and with our business – they share our values and are eminently capable of meeting the current and growing demand for our services from clients with significant interests in Western Pennsylvania. We are delighted to have them lead us as we open our Pittsburgh office, and look forward to continuing to expand in this market.”
Blank Rome is growing by adding attorneys that bring new business opportunities, can serve current clients, and fit strategically within its preeminent, national platform. Accordingly, a robust office in Pittsburgh further strengthens Blank Rome’s leading presence in Pennsylvania; creates a natural connection for the Firm’s energy practice and clients in its Houston, Philadelphia and New York offices, among others; and increases Blank Rome’s ability to meet the existing and expanding local demand for its legal services.
“This is an invigorating move for us,” said George Medved, Administrative Partner of the new Pittsburgh office. “Pittsburgh is a vibrant commercial market, and Blank Rome has a solid strategy for establishing and increasing its presence here. We are excited most by Blank Rome’s depth, experience and reputation, collaborative culture and diversified practice, and by its strategic geographic platform, with offices where they matter most for our clients. We are happy to be a part of Blank Rome and thrilled to build the Pittsburgh practice.”
Within the last 12 months, Blank Rome has added 25 lateral partners across a number of the Firm’s practices and geographies. Blank Rome currently has more than 500 attorneys in 13 offices in the United States, as well as a Representative Office in Shanghai.
Blank Rome’s Pittsburgh office is located at 500 Grant Street, Suite 2900, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15219. Phone: 412-515-1522.
About the Lawyers
- Jayme L. Butcher, Corporate Litigation Group – Ms. Butcher focuses on complex commercial litigation and arbitration. She has handled matters in diverse areas of litigation, including trade secret and non-compete law, employment law, pharmaceutical, class actions, personal injury, breach of contract, oil and gas, negligence, First Amendment, and general commercial litigation. Ms. Butcher has also led commercial arbitrations at the American Arbitration Association and at FINRA, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. She was Chair of the Pittsburgh Office Women's Initiative Network at Reed Smith.
- Amy Joseph Coles, Corporate Litigation Group – Ms. Coles practices primarily in the areas of general commercial litigation, complex civil litigation, construction litigation, and class action defense work. Ms. Coles has handled a wide range of disputes for construction owners, contractors, subcontractors, and material suppliers; she has also represented banks, financial services providers, healthcare corporations, and pharmaceutical companies in state and federal cases. At Duane Morris, she served as Pittsburgh office liaison to the Women’s Initiative Program. She previously served as judicial law clerk for the Hon. Gary L. Lancaster of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
- James P. Hollihan, Labor and Employment Group – Mr. Hollihan practices in the areas of commercial and business litigation, with a particular emphasis on employment litigation. Mr. Hollihan’s employment practice includes defending claims asserted against clients for race, sex, age, and disability discrimination; sexual harassment; wrongful discharge; and breach of employment contracts. He litigates several other types of complex business cases, including accountant malpractice actions, breach of contract claims, cases involving violations of federal and state securities laws, insurance coverage disputes, and ERISA litigation.
- George M. Medved, Corporate Litigation Group – Mr. Medved is a seasoned trial lawyer who handles a variety of corporate and commercial litigation matters, including antitrust, securities, intellectual property, derivative actions, creditors' rights, construction, class actions, product liability, real estate, and employment litigation, as well as contract and Uniform Commercial Code cases. Mr. Medved has handled matters in state and federal courts at the trial and appellate level throughout the country, as well as in arbitrations both domestically and abroad.
- Joseph T. Moran, Corporate Litigation Group – Mr. Moran focuses his practice on commercial and construction litigation, First Amendment/media law and technology/Internet litigation. He has assisted clients on commercial litigation and appellate matters on ethics and First Amendment issues; privacy, electronic discovery, media and ethical issues relating to Internet usage in workplace and media settings; and technology/e-commerce issues.
About Blank Rome LLP
With more than 500 attorneys serving clients around the globe, Blank Rome is an international law firm representing businesses and organizations ranging from Fortune 500 companies to start-up entities. Founded in 1946, Blank Rome advises clients on all aspects of their businesses, including commercial and corporate litigation; consumer finance; corporate, M&A, and securities; environmental, energy, and natural resources; finance, restructuring, and bankruptcy; intellectual property and technology; labor and employment; maritime, international trade and government contracts; matrimonial; products liability, mass torts, and insurance; real estate; tax, benefits, and private client; and white collar defense and investigations. Blank Rome also represents pro bono clients in a wide variety of cases and matters. For additional information, visit www.blankrome.com.
