Professional Activities
American College of Real Estate Lawyers (ACREL), Member
College of Physicians of Philadelphia, Fellow
Counselors of Real Estate, Member
Development Workshop, Inc., Chair, 2008-present
Philadelphia Bar Association, Founding Chair, Real Property Section
Philadelphia Bar Association, Former Chair, Committee on Condemnation and Appraisals
Philadelphia Historical Commission, Chair, September 2002 to February 2008
(Member, 1996 to 2008)
Taught technology transfer, real property, and corporate law in Russia under programs sponsored by USIA and USAID
Recognition & Accomplishments
The Best Lawyers in America, real estate law, real estate litigation, 1993-2021; "Lawyer of the Year," Litigation - Real Estate (Philadelphia), 2012, 2019
2019 Judicial AV Preeminent Rating, Martindale-Hubbell
2018 Lifetime Achievement Award, Legal Intelligencer
2015 Harris Ominsky Award, Philadelphia Bar Association
Chambers USA, real estate law and real estate: zoning/land use law (Pennsylvania), highest ranking (band one) 2003-2020
The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers Real Estate 2013
The International Who's Who of Real Estate Lawyers
The Legal 500 US, real estate and construction – real estate, 2011-2012
Publications
"Economic Force Majeure: The Conceivable and the Foreseeable," a chapter in The ACREL Papers—Fall 2011, American Law Institute – American Bar Association, Fall 2011
"The Valuation of Corridors in Eminent Domain: The Chester Valley Branch," CRE Real Estate Issues, Winter 2005-2006
Speaking Engagements
"Historic Preservation Law: Obligations and Opportunities," Pennsylvania Bar Institute CLE, Philadelphia, November 30, 2018
"Historic Pine Street Passive House Meets the Environmental Bill of Rights," panelist, AIA Forum on Architecture and Design, October 4, 2018
"Historic Pine Street Passive House Meets the Environmental Bill of Rights," panelist, Green Building United 2018 Sustainability Symposium, May 4, 2018
American Planning Association, Pennsylvania Chapter, How to be an Expert Witness, moderator, 2014
American Planning Association, Pennsylvania Chapter, Southeast Section, How to be an Expert Witness, moderator
Ballard Spahr Breakfast Briefings, panelist and author, Pennsylvania Environmental Right Amendment: The Legacy of Robinson Twp. v. Commonwealth, 2014
Pennsylvania Bar Institute program, The Supreme Court's Decision in Robinson Township and the Future of Zoning in the Commonwealth, panelist, "More than an Oil and Gas Decision," 2014
Ballard Spahr Breakfast Briefings, panelist and author, Beyond Zoning: Philadelphia's Other New Land Use Regulations, 2013
Ballard Spahr Breakfast Briefings, panelist and author, The New Philadelphia Zoning Code—As-of-Right Permits, Base Zoning Districts, and the Code's Structure, 2012
Pennsylvania Bar Institute program, Bench-Bar Annual Conference, author and panelist, The Philadelphia Zoning Code, 2012
Pennsylvania Bar Institute program, Overview of the New Philadelphia Zoning Code, author and panelist, "Variances, Special Exceptions and the Process Before the Zoning Board," 2012
Course presenter and author, "Economic Force Majeure: The 'Conceivable' May Not Be 'Foreseeable'," Creative Structures for Dynamic Markets: The Rebirth of Opportunities in the City of Brotherly Love, ACREL program, Philadelphia, October 22, 2011
"Shoring up the Delaware River Waterfront," interview with "Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane" on WHYY, Philadelphia's NPR station, June 23, 2011
Pennsylvania Bar Institute program, Zoning in Philadelphia, author and panelist, "Art Commission, Fairmount Park Commission and Historical Commission," 2010
Pennsylvania Bar Institute program, Navigating Through the Maze: Helping Real Estate Clients Steer Through the City of Philadelphia's Approval Process, author and panelist, "Philadelphia Art Commission," Fairmount Park Commission," "Historical Commission" and "Tax Review Board," 2007
Pennsylvania Bar Institute program, Winning Zoning Cases in Philadelphia, author and panelist, "Appeals to the Court of Common Pleas and Higher Appellate Courts," 2006
Pennsylvania Bar Institute program, Federalization of Land Use, author and panelist, "Telecommunications," 2002
Pennsylvania Bar Institute program, 2001 Municipal Law Colloquium, author and panelist, "Telecommunications," 2001
Pennsylvania Bar Institute program, The Science of Land Use, author and panelist, "Taking Care of Experts" and "Expert testimony: Valley View and Valueless," 2001
Pennsylvania Bar Institute program, The Municipalities Planning Code, author and panelist, "The Protestants' View: Opportunities in the Zoning Process Under the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code", 1998
Pennsylvania Bar Institute program, Locally Unpopular Land Uses, panelist, 1996