Tag: Law Power List 2021

Pier Hess Graf

District Attorney

Lebanon County

Graf was sworn in as district attorney in January. A prosecutor in the office for 12 years, she was previously a senior deputy DA. 

“We handle over 2,400 cases per year,” she said. “In every prosecution, my office fights to protect those who cannot otherwise protect themselves.” 

Graf said she has taken 102 defendants to trial on such cases as murder, rape and robbery. “Convicting violent, dangerous criminals – and keeping our community safe from them – will always be the most rewarding part of my job.” 

Six years ago, she started a fundraiser, “Back the Blue,” which holds an annual event to benefit PACOPS, a police nonprofit. Graf’s husband, Christopher, is a 13-year veteran of law enforcement. “My family remains active with volunteering and charity work, especially when it comes to first-responder-based organizations.” 

 

This profile is part of CPBJ's Law and Lobbyist Power 30 list for 2021. Information used in this profile was sourced from the honoree. See the full list at cpbj.com or in our digital edition.

Rhodia Thomas

Executive Director

MidPenn Legal Services

A legal aid advocate for three decades, Thomas has been in her current position for 18 years. 

“My primary duties include leading, oversight and management of an 18-county nonprofit legal aid organization,” she said, “with a mission of providing civil legal services to low-income residents and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.” 

Thomas said an accomplishment that stands out is “maintaining services for our clients throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

For fun, she enjoys being with family, especially her two young grandsons. “I love reading, and traveling to the places about which I have read,” she said, where she gets to interact with and learn about other cultures. 

 

This profile is part of CPBJ's Law and Lobbyist Power 30 list for 2021. Information used in this profile was sourced from the honoree. See the full list at cpbj.com or in our digital edition.

David Sunday

District Attorney 

York County

DA since January 2018, Sunday leads an office tasked with investigating and prosecuting approximately 10,000 criminal cases annually. 

That office “is committed to vigorously asserting the rights of victims, while also firmly protecting the rights of the accused,” he said. 

Sunday is also an appointed member of the Pennsylvania Sentencing Commission. 

Outside of work, he likes to spend time with friends and family. “I read a lot,” Sunday added. “During the winter, I enjoy snowboarding.” 

 

This profile is part of CPBJ's Law and Lobbyist Power 30 list for 2021. Information used in this profile was sourced from the honoree. See the full list at cpbj.com or in our digital edition.

Josh Shapiro

Pennsylvania Attorney General

“I lead the best public interest law firm in Pennsylvania as the people’s lawyer,” said Shapiro, the state’s attorney general for the past four years. “We represent victims of crime and abuse, defend individual rights, and hold the most powerful interests accountable to the law when they rip off or harm Pennsylvanians. Everything we do is for the people of Pennsylvania.” 

He said he is proud of “taking on fights that impact everyday Pennsylvanians – whether that’s taking on the largest health care companies in Pennsylvania, exposing the cover-up of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church, or returning millions of dollars in relief to Pennsylvania’s businesses and consumers through programs like the PA CARE package.” 

To relax, Shapiro shoots hoops. “I played in high school and still love it,” he said. “I love to watch the Sixers and coach my kids’ travel basketball teams. I love to spend time with my family – my wife, Lori, our four kids and our two dogs.” 

 

This profile is part of CPBJ's Law and Lobbyist Power 30 list for 2021. Information used in this profile was sourced from the honoree. See the full list at cpbj.com or in our digital edition.

James W. Saxton

CEO

Saxton & Stump

Saxton’s role is developing the strategic vision for the firm and ensuring it reaches its long and short-term goals, while maintaining the firm’s business discipline and instilling its culture of creativity and innovation. 

He has been involved in law firm leadership in various positions for more than 20 years and has been CEO of Saxton & Stump since 2015.  

Creating the firm was a true joy, Saxton said. “My longtime law partner and friend Chris Stump and many of our colleagues started this firm with friendship, great chemistry and mutual respect. It is very rewarding to see it more than triple in six years while preserving that desired culture of excellence, collaboration and client-centric service,” he said.  

“Spending time with my wonderful wife, Sally, as well as our five grown children and four grandchildren is a real blessing,” he said. “Fitness is fun for us and extraordinarily important to keep up a busy schedule.” 

 

This profile is part of CPBJ's Law and Lobbyist Power 30 list for 2021. Information used in this profile was sourced from the honoree. See the full list at cpbj.com or in our digital edition.

Timothy Salvatore

Attorney

Katherman Briggs & Greenburg

Salvatore joined KBG nearly two decades ago, according to his online bio, and likes getting to know his clients personally. His practice focuses on representing injured persons, their families and their estates in complex injury claims.  

After law school, he clerked for the John Kennedy, York County Common Pleas judge. Salvatore also has represented veterans pro bono to get service-connected compensation benefits through the Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program. 

An active member of the York County Bar Association, he is co-chairman of the Local Civil Rules Committee and chairman of the Publication Board.  

A motorcyclist, he also serves as a member of his township’s zoning hearing board. 

 

This profile is part of CPBJ's Law and Lobbyist Power 30 list for 2021. Information used in this profile was sourced from the honoree. See the full list at cpbj.com or in our digital edition.

Stanley Rapp

Senior Partner

Greenlee Partners

Senior partner at the firm since 1985, Rapp manages the direction and vision of Greenlee Partners. 

“I’m proud to have worked with many great team members and clients over the 36 years I’ve been in business,” he said. “The fact that we still have our first client speaks volumes.” 

Asked what he does for enjoyment, Rapp responded: “Play golf for therapy, drink good wine for therapy, and do therapy for fun.” 

 

This profile is part of CPBJ's Law and Lobbyist Power 30 list for 2021. Information used in this profile was sourced from the honoree. See the full list at cpbj.com or in our digital edition.

Brian Perry

Shareholder

 Tucker Arensberg Attorneys PC

Perry joined Tucker Arensberg a year ago, after closing the law firm he owned and managed for 25 years. He represents individuals and corporations in criminal matters.

“I am most proud of defending former Hummelstown Police Officer Lisa Mearkle in a Dauphin County case involving a charge of criminal homicide,” he said. Mearkle was acquitted by a jury. Perry also represented actor/comedian Bill Cosby on appeal, which was recently granted by the Pennsyvania Supreme Court, vacating his conviction.

Now retired from coaching basketball for 17 years, including four as a Camp Hill High School assistant, Perry said he values the relationships he made with other coaches and, “hopefully, the positive impact I had on the lives of student athletes. I now enjoy golfing with my family and friends, and fishing and cycling.”

 

This profile is part of CPBJ's Law and Lobbyist Power 30 list for 2021. Information used in this profile was sourced from the honoree. See the full list at cpbj.com or in our digital edition.

Spencer Nauman

Senior Partner 

Nauman, Smith, Shissler & Hall LP

Nauman, senior partner for 20 years, officially joined the firm in September 1961. Prior to that, he clerked for his father, Spencer Nauman Sr., when he wasn’t working on the family farm. “He paid me in lunches!” Nauman said. 

“As senior partner, I preside over partnership meetings and perform as a general partner,” he said. “I spearhead the Tax, Trusts and Estates Law practice area and actively work with small businesses and local nonprofits.” 

Among his many career highlights are the conversion of a community foundation from a trust to nonprofit corporation and the formation of a national nonprofit insurance holding company. 

“In my leisure time,” Nauman added, “I enjoy swimming laps at the Harrisburg YMCA, traveling and reading spy novels.” 

 

This profile is part of CPBJ's Law and Lobbyist Power 30 list for 2021. Information used in this profile was sourced from the honoree. See the full list at cpbj.com or in our digital edition.

Kathryn Mason

Partner

JSDC Law Offices

For eight years, Mason has been a member of JSDC Law Offices, after working as an attorney at Elliott Greenleaf and Stevens & Lee. 

She is a general law practitioner with an emphasis on regulatory and transactional matters, including business transactions, banking, workout and foreclosure, real estate, commercial litigation, municipal law, funeral law and bankruptcy. 

A career highlight was her selection to Central Penn Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 for 2019. 

She enjoys horseback riding, biking and traveling, and spending as much time as possible with her husband and two girls, 4 and 7. “My very sweet and truly fascinating oldest daughter is autistic,” Mason said, “which has resulted in our whole family participating regularly in autism awareness events.” 

 

This profile is part of CPBJ's Law and Lobbyist Power 30 list for 2021. Information used in this profile was sourced from the honoree. See the full list at cpbj.com or in our digital edition.

Jeffrey Lobach

Managing Partner

Barley Snyder

Lobach said he devotes equal time to his roles as managing partner and practicing lawyer. As Barley Snyder managing partner, he is the firm’s CEO, responsible for strategic direction and all operations. He is also a transactional lawyer providing counsel to businesses, nonprofits and individuals. He enjoys both jobs. He has been with the firm for more than 30 years.   

One highlight of his career was the pro bono asylum project for the “Golden Venture” refugees who were survivors of a shipwreck, while he was serving as president of the York County Bar Association. “We helped hundreds of refugees [some of whom are now part of my family], unified diverse elements in the community and showcased compassion in central Pennsylvania,” Lobach said. 

Lobach’s favorite pastimes include travel and outdoor activities, like camping, hiking, backpacking and skiing. He and his family have traveled extensively. “These experiences provide the perfect antidote to any professional challenges,” he said. 

 

This profile is part of CPBJ's Law and Lobbyist Power 30 list for 2021. Information used in this profile was sourced from the honoree. See the full list at cpbj.com or in our digital edition.

Steven Koehler

Counsel 

Stock and Leader

Koehler has been practicing law in the midstate region since 1983. 

With Stock and Leader, Koehler counsels individuals, family businesses and multinational corporations in transactional matters and as well as business, real estate and contractual issues. “In addition, I have an immigration practice focusing on the needs of businesses and institutions in the manufacturing sector, hospitality industry, higher education, engineering and information technology,” he said. 

The accomplishment of which he is most proud, Koehler said, is helping a local nonprofit hire a foreign national as CEO by procuring a rare visa based on extraordinary ability. 

He quoted the saying, “Find a job you enjoy doing, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” That’s good advice, Koehler said. When not in the office, he said he enjoys family, friends, cooking, gardening, the outdoors, the beach and giving back to the community. 

 

This profile is part of CPBJ's Law and Lobbyist Power 30 list for 2021. Information used in this profile was sourced from the honoree. See the full list at cpbj.com or in our digital edition.