Christian A. Johnson, Commonwealth Professor of Business Advising, Widener University

Christian Johnson is the Commonwealth Professor of Business Advising at Widener Law Commonwealth where he teaches courses on business and tax law.  Professor Johnson served as Dean at the law school from 2015-2020.  He has spoken and lectured at central banks, U.S. banking and financial regulators, and academic institutions and financial institutions in Europe, Asia, Africa, the Middle East, North and South America and Australia. Professor Johnson received his JD from Columbia Law School and practiced law in New York and Chicago.  He was also a CPA for Price Waterhouse.

Melissa L. Kelso, Managing Attorney at Kelso Law, LLC

Melissa serves as the Managing Member of Kelso Law, LLC, founding the firm in May of 2016.  She focuses her practice in the areas of: Civil Litigation; Labor and Employment; Municipal Law; Business and Commercial Transactions; and Real Estate.  She strives to provide her business and individual clients with efficient, competent, and responsive legal representation.

Melissa, a Scranton native, relocated to Carlisle with her husband, Jason, after earning her J.D. from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.  Melissa currently resides in Carlisle with her husband, two daughters and two dogs, where she remains active in the community and committed to her practice.  She is admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the Federal Courts for the Middle and Eastern Districts of Pennsylvania, and the Bankruptcy Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania.  She is a member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the Cumberland County Bar Association.

Steven J. Koehler, Business, Municipal and Real Estate Practice Group, Stocker and Leader, Attorneys at Law

Steven J. Koehler, Esq., is a member of the Business, Municipal, and Real Estate Practice Groups at Stock and Leader, Attorneys at Law.  He has counseled business and institutional clients for decades as a partner in area law firms serving the York community and broader Central Pennsylvania region.

Steve’s established immigration practice supports businesses and institutions’ needs, particularly those in the manufacturing and hospitality industries, higher education, healthcare, engineering, and information technology. He has extensive experience advising family businesses, individuals and corporate entities, and multinational corporations in transactional matters and a variety of business, real estate and contractual matters. 

S. Graham Simmons, III, Pa. Administrative Partner and Co-Chair of the Business Law Group, Norris McLaughlin P.A.

S. Graham Simmons III, the firm’s Pennsylvania Administrative Partner and Co-Chair of the Business Law Group is a business and real estate lawyer.

In his practice, Graham has served both public and  private  sector clients on all types of M&A transactions, commercial and syndicated credit facilities, economic  development projects, real estate transactions, leases, and land use and zoning matters. Graham has represented clients across a diverse spectrum of industries, and is deeply experienced in the banking and financial services, health care, real estate development, economic development, and automobile dealership industries. Graham has been proud to represent the Lehigh Valley’s area loan organizations in numerous economic development loans funded by the Pennsylvania  Industrial  Development  Authority and Small Business First Fund. He also serves  as Solicitor  to  the City of Easton Parking Authority and the Northampton County Gaming Revenue and Economic Redevelopment Authority.

Graham has been recognized in Philadelphia Magazine as a  Rising Star, a distinction for lawyers age 40 and under or who have been practicing for less than 10 years, and reserved for no more than 2.5% of all attorneys in Pennsylvania. He has been honored by Lehigh Valley Business as one of their annual Forty Under 40, which  recognizes young professionals who exhibit talent and promise and have a well­ documented track record of achievements in business. Graham is an active member of College Hill Presbyterian Church, and is a member of the Board of the Greater Valley YMCA, and of the Greater Easton Development Partnership, where he currently serves as Chairman.