ABA CONFERENCE

John C. McMeekin II spoke at the 26th Annual Spring ABA Toxic Torts & Environmental Law Conference in April 2017 in Phoenix, Arizona. The conference focused on “Hot Topics in Toxic Torts and Environmental Law.”

John has led the national charge to challenge improper assertion of jurisdiction over his clients and has several published opinions upholding his clients’ challenges to personal jurisdiction. He spoke in the program “Let’s Get Personal: The Renewed Resurgence in Personal Jurisdiction Decisions.” He focused on the differences between general and specific jurisdiction and the strategic aspects of challenging personal jurisdiction. The session explored how the courts have applied the 2014 U.S. Supreme Court’s Daimler and Walden decisions restricting the jurisdiction of U.S. courts. The panel focused on application in the multi-defendant cases so prevalent in mass tort litigation.

John was joined on the panel by Beth M. Kramer of Lockheed Martin Corporation; Adena S. Edwards, Claims Manager, Environmental & Crisis Management Claims, Starr Adjustment Services, Inc.; Sabrina Mizrachi, Esq. Vice President, Environmental Services, Safety & Sustainability & Associate General Counsel, Republic Services; and Scott D. Pfeifer of Cray Huber Horstman Heil & VanAusdal LLC.

John is a partner in our Philadelphia office and a member of our Executive Committee. He was recently elected Section Secretary of the Tort Trial & Insurance Practice Section of the American Bar Association.  He also served as the Section Revenue Officer, Chair of the Toxic Tort & Environmental Law Committee, Chair of the International Law Committee, Chair of the CLE Board and is currently co-Chairing the Corporate Counsel Initiative Task Force.  He represents clients as local, national and trial counsel in environmental, toxic and mass torts product and related class actions, products liability, insurance coverage and aviation litigation. He graduated magna cum laude from the University of Baltimore School of Law. John is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Maryland and related U.S. District Courts. John is a former firefighter and emergency medical technician, and is Hazmat certified. He has been published in professional and law review journals on a variety of topics related to toxic tort and environmental litigation. His significant cases can be found in the BNA Law Reports and Law 360. He has been rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell and has been selected as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer.

John can be reached directly at: (215) 575-4324 • jmcmeekin@rawle.com

ABA TIPS

Zachary M. Rubinich was recently selected as a member of the ABA TIPS Diversity Committee for 2017-2018. He is currently Vice-Chair for the ABA TIPS Workers’ Compensation and Employers’ Liability Law Committee for 2016-2017.

Zach is a partner in our Philadelphia office. He defends and counsels a variety of businesses, insurers and third-party administrators against workers’ compensation claims in Pennsylvania. In addition, Zach assists his clients to identify ways to control rising workers’ compensation costs without litigation and seeks to recover funds already paid on their claims through subrogation and the Pennsylvania Supersedeas Fund. Based on his extensive experience, the Pennsylvania Bar Association Workers’ Compensation Law Section has certified him as Specialist in the practice of workers’ compensation law.  Zach has handled all aspects of litigation before workers’ compensation judges, the Workers’ Compensation Appeal Board, the Commonwealth Court and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court. Zach is proactive in keeping clients informed about changes in the law and routinely counsels employers, carriers and adjusting companies on claims management strategy, workplace safety, return-to-work programs, employment practices and risk management issues. Zach was rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell for the fifth consecutive year in 2017. He has been selected as a Pennsylvania Rising Star by Super Lawyers from 2010 to 2014.  Rising Stars are the top 2.5 percent of attorneys in Pennsylvania who are 40 years old and younger or have been in practice for 10 years or less.

Zach can be reached directly at: (215) 575-4340 • zrubinich@rawle.com

2017 KOMEN RACE FOR THE CURE

(L.-r.) Sheryl Lockerby, Karen Heins, Maureen McCoy and team captain Patrice O’Brien help to raise funds for the 2017 Philadelphia Komen Race for the Cure.

Rawle & Henderson LLP kicked off its fundraising campaign for the 2017 Philadelphia Komen Race for the Cure by sponsoring a “Pretty in Pig” campaign in April 2017. This is the 10th year that the firm has participated in the Komen Race for the Cure. The fundraiser was held at the Widener Building in Philadelphia, home of the firm’s headquarters office. The “Pretty in Pig” campaign featured a larger-than-life piggy bank to generate awareness and encourage donations to save lives and end breast cancer forever. Donations raised funds for the law firm’s race team. In 2016 the firm raised over $8,500. In the last nine years, Rawle & Henderson’s team has raised over $71,500.

Rawle & Henderson’s 2017 team is “HIGGINS & SABO PRESENT HARVAN’S HEROES.” The firm will honor for the third year in a row Christine Harvan, Rawle & Henderson’s long-time law librarian, who lost her battle against breast cancer in March 2015. They will also honor, for the 10th year in a row, the firm’s former partner, Ann-Michele Higgins, who lost her struggle with breast cancer in September 2007, and for the fourth year in a row Nancy J. Sabo, wife of partner Michael G. Sabo, Esq., who lost her courageous fight against breast cancer in January 2014. The firm’s team will also participate in Komen’s 2017 race category “Law Firms for the Fight,” which Rawle & Henderson LLP won in the 2016 Komen Race for the Cure.

DONATE ONLINE: Donations to Rawle & Henderson’s Susan G. Komen for the Cure Race Team can also be submitted online at: https://runsignup.com/HendersonforHiggins

KELLY ANNE DOLAN FUND

Rawle & Henderson LLP sponsored the Kelly Anne Dolan Memorial Fund in conjunction with its “Taste 2017” annual fundraising event. The Fund benefits families caring for children with serious illnesses, disabilities and injuries and offers financial assistance for needs not covered by insurance, Family Fun Day programs, non-cash items, and financial management education to families living or seeking treatment in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. “Taste 2017” was held in March 2017 at Bluestone Country Club in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and featured 30 local restaurant and beverage purveyors.

“Rawle & Henderson has supported the Kelly Anne Dolan Memorial Fund in the past and we are very pleased to be able to help again this year,” said firm partner Scott F. Griffith. Scott concentrates his practice in the areas of environmental, toxic and mass torts, product liability, professional liability, and white collar criminal defense. A veteran trial attorney, he has tried over 60 civil and criminal matters to verdict. Scott is a 1987 graduate of Hofstra University (B.A., Literature) and a 1993 graduate of the Temple University School of Law. He is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and New York, as well as in the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern and Middle Districts of Pennsylvania, the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. He has been admitted pro hac vice in Delaware and West Virginia.

Scott can be reached directly at: (215) 575-4323 • sgriffith@rawle.com

PA LAW ANNUAL REPORT ON THE LEGAL PROFESSION

Rawle & Henderson LLP has been ranked 36th among the top 100 firms in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for 2016, according to the Pennsylvania Law Annual Report on the Legal Profession, a supplement to The Legal Intelligencer. The firm’s ranking is based on total number of attorneys in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Rawle & Henderson was ranked 22nd among the largest firms in the City of Philadelphia, with 61 attorneys in our Philadelphia office.  The firm ranked 39th among Pennsylvania firms ranked by total attorneys worldwide, with 106 attorneys. The Annual Report was published in January 2017.

IN MEMORIAM

It is with deep sadness that Rawle & Henderson LLP announces the passing of our paralegal Victor F. Panieczko. Victor passed away on Thursday, March 9, 2017. He is survived by his wife, Iwona (nee Saraczewska); his children, Jessica (Matt Rodini) and Michael; his sisters, Janina Pisarczyk, Lucja Lipniarski; and many nieces and nephews.

Victor joined Rawle & Henderson LLP in May 2016. He served as the first Vice President of the Philadelphia Association of Paralegals and Chair of its Technology and Litigation Committees. He was a member of the Greater Philadelphia Law Library Association (GPLLA), where he held the offices of member, Board of Directors, Vice President and President; the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL); South Jersey Paralegal Association; the Jagiellonian Law Society, where he served as acting secretary; and the Philadelphia Bar Association.

Victor earned his paralegal certification in 2010 from Boston University. He earned his A.A.S. with high honors in Paralegal Studies (ABA approved Paralegal Studies Program) from the Community College of Philadelphia in 2015.

He will be missed by everyone here at Rawle & Henderson LLP.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Penn State Thon at https://donate.thon.org or to Make A Wish Foundation, One Valley Square, 512 Township Line Rd., Suite 133, Blue Bell, PA 19422 would be appreciated.

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