General Information
Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott, LLC is a national law firm with over 320 attorneys located in offices throughout the eastern United States. The firm's clients represent nearly every facet of the economy, including multinational corporations, small businesses, nonprofit institutions, municipalities, government agencies and individuals. The needs of our national and international clients involve us in virtually every area of the law and most industries. The firm is headquartered in Pittsburgh.

Areas of Practice
The firm's attorneys have substantial experience in many fields of law, including:

Since the firm’s formation in 1958, we have been recognized as a results-oriented firm that offers innovative and creative solutions to client problems, often through the coordinated efforts of several practice groups. We are committed to providing the highest quality of services in an effective and efficient manner. As a full-service firm, we have the resources to respond to the broad spectrum of our clients’ legal needs from all office locations.

Inside Experience

Eckert Seamans counts among its ranks dozens of attorneys who have spent extensive time as in-house counsel, General Counsel and officers in large corporations and governmental agencies, including the U.S. Steel Corporation; Interstate Hotels & Resorts, Inc.; Caliber Systems, Inc. (formerly known as RPS, Inc.); the U.S. Department of Transportation; Bayer; Westinghouse Electric Company; Philadelphia International Airport; Fifth Third Bank; the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities; the Morton Companies and the University of Miami Medical Center. In addition, a former Pennsylvania Attorney General, a state Superior Court Judge, U.S. Army Judge Advocate General's Corps members and several deputy attorneys general now serve the firm in various capacities.

These seasoned attorneys have helped instill in our firm a sensitivity to the requirements of in-house counsel, including the need for prompt communication, an ability to anticipate emerging legal and business issues and a genuine interest in client feedback. Their influence has aided in the firm’s initiative to continuously examine ways in which we can improve upon our interaction with clients and the quality of service we provide to them.

A Diverse Attorney Workforce

Eckert Seamans has as one of its primary objectives to be a firm whose members, associates and staff reflect the gender, ethnic and racial diversity of the communities in which it has a presence. The firm is aggressive in its hiring program to increase in every way possible the diversity of its workforce, consistent with the firm’s stated non-discrimination policy of considering qualified applicants for recruitment and promotion without regard to race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status or sexual orientation.

The firm makes every attempt to create a work environment where all personnel can succeed in their chosen professions. We carefully monitor our activities and attempt to train all personnel to increase an awareness of, and sensitivity to, diversity issues.

This special diversity focus is accomplished within the firm’s basic corporate philosophy of devoting its resources to the continuation and the increase of its placement in the legal and business communities it serves by:

• Maintaining its culture of excellence, common vision, cooperation and the highest professional standards;
• Continuing its breadth and depth of resources in a manner sufficient to deliver the highest quality legal services to its broad range of clients;
• Committing to the hiring and retention of quality attorneys and staff; and
• Maintaining and continuing the firm’s visibility and reputation in the key and growing practice areas in which the firm’s attorneys practice.

We will continue to hire, retain and promote our personnel based on the unique business objectives described above, while simultaneously maintaining our commitment to diversity.

Women’s Initiative at Eckert

Eckert Seamans encourages and supports our women by offering opportunities for advancement, promoting them to leadership roles throughout all our offices and practice groups, creating opportunities to achieve professional success and encouraging them to be voices of authority in the communities in which they live and work. Recently, we’ve reinvigorated our commitment to the advancement of women within the legal profession by formalizing our efforts through “WIE, ” Women’s Initiative at Eckert. WIE is a firm-wide program designed to foster an energetic and supportive atmosphere for women at our firm. WIE provides a platform for our women to market their professional skills and leadership competencies to others in a manner consistent with the high professional standards and business ethos of Eckert Seamans, while continuing the firm’s legacy of excellent service and community prominence.

In addition to the WIE initiative, the firm was named among the top-ranked women-friendly firms nationwide, as determined by Working Mother Magazine & Flex-Time Lawyers.

Firm Technology

We are able to communicate among our offices via emai, audio and video conferencing. In addition, to support of the firm's litigation practice, Eckert Seamans created a unique Litigation Management OnlineSM Center (“LMOSM”). The LMOSM mission is to support Eckert Seamans and outside counsel in the coordination and defense of asbestos exposure claims and other large volume litigation matters. The LMOSM staff is organized into functional groups that include complaint processing, discovery, resource management and claims processing. Through the use of advanced technology, including proprietary electronic case management systems, the LMOSM staff provides an efficient and cost-effective means to support all aspects of the litigation process.

Communication with Clients

Firm attorneys communicate changes in the law to firm clients and friends regularly via news alerts and newsletters. Throughout the year, attorneys in our firm conduct seminars for our clients and friends in all of our offices. Our Labor and Employment Law attorneys conduct Human Resource Forums in Pittsburgh and in other offices offering both CLE and HRCI credits. Attorneys have presented CLE seminars in Harrisburg, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

Firm Memberships in Lex Mundi and the State Capital Group

Eckert Seamans is the exclusive member firm for Pennsylvania of Lex Mundi, the world’s leading association of independent law firms. With more than 20,000 lawyers in 560 offices, Lex Mundi member firms are present in more than 100 countries, states and provinces. These law firms provide legal representation and local market knowledge just about anywhere needs may arise. Our firm’s membership in Lex Mundi provides us with global reach and access to legal resources that enhance our ability to serve our clients’ needs around the world. Our primary Lex Mundi contacts are Mark A. Willard and Paul M. Yenerall.

Eckert Seamans is also a member of the State Capital Group, a seamless global network of more than 140 of the profession’s preeminent independent law firms. By uniting their skills, expertise and influence, member firms help leading and growing companies in every industry navigate a complex and ever-changing legal landscape. Our membership in the State Capital Group is chaired by LeRoy S. Zimmerman, Senior Counsel in the firm’s Harrisburg office. Roy was Pennsylvania's first elected Attorney General and is very active with current and former AG's throughout the country.

Community Service

Eckert Seamans serves the communities where we have offices through a pro bono program that involves numerous attorneys throughout the firm. The pro bono program includes representation of indigent clients, referred through local legal services providers and bar association pro bono programs, in civil rights, consumer law/litigation defense, Protection from Abuse, landlord-tenant, unemployment compensation, public benefits, child advocacy and protection, divorce, custody, support, and bankruptcy matters.

Our attorneys have been recognized for their pro bono work by state and local bar associations, legal services providers, and the organizations to which legal services have been provided, including the Pittsburgh Pro Bono Partnership, Allegheny County Bar Foundation, Pennsylvania Bar Association, Neighborhood Legal Services, Alliance for the Mentally Ill of Massachusetts, and Community Partnership for the Homeless.

The firm has also received special awards for pro bono service. In 2004, the Philadelphia office was named the winner of the 2003 Chancellor’s Award given by the Philadelphia Volunteers for the Indigent (VIP) in recognition of its commitment to providing pro bono legal services. The Philadelphia office also won the Award in 2003. In May 2000, led by Philadelphia office Member-in-Charge Albert G. Bixler, the Philadelphia office was awarded the William J. Brennan Award by the Philadelphia Volunteers for the Indigent Program. In 1999, the firm was awarded with the Law Firm Achievement Award by the Allegheny County Bar Association. The firm’s paralegals have won multiple awards including the award for Outstanding Commitment to Pro Bono Legal Services given by the Pittsburgh Paralegal Association as well as the Allegheny County Bar Association Paralegal Pro Bono Award.

In addition, firm attorneys and paralegals serve a variety of civic and charitable, educational, religious and arts organizations, either through the provision of direct legal services, board or committee involvement, or other volunteer service.

Eckert Seamans Web Site

For more detailed information about attorneys and/or practice areas, the firm’s Web site can be accessed at www.eckertseamans.com.