PBA Names Lawyers for 2018-19 Class of Institute Developing Future Leaders

HARRISBURG (June 5, 2018) – Pennsylvania Bar Association President Charles Eppolito III has named 11 Pennsylvania lawyers to the 2018-19 class of the association’s Bar Leadership Institute (BLI).

“These young attorneys are the future leaders of the Pennsylvania Bar Association and the profession,” said Eppolito. “I am thrilled to be working with them this year and am even more excited to watch them flourish as they develop professionally, connect and form relationships with more seasoned members, create a network throughout the commonwealth to share experiences and learn more about the varied paths to leadership within the PBA.”

The new BLI class members include:

Beaver County

Mollie Patterson, Beaver County Public Defender’s Office and Law Office of Mollie K. Patterson, Ambridge
Michelle Ross, The Elder Law Office of Olimpi & Kramer LLC, Beaver

Berks County

Gabriela Raful, Galfand Berger LLP, Reading

Butler County

Andrea Boyle, Boyle & Price, Butler

Monroe County

Jessica Jones, Monroe County Court of Common Pleas, Stroudsburg

Montgomery County

Karen Grethlein, Marshall Dennehey Warner Coleman & Goggin, King of Prussia

Philadelphia County

Raphael Castro, Pond Lehocky Stern Giordano, Philadelphia
Peter Johnson, Superior Court of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia
Zane Johnson, Philadelphia Lawyers for Social Equity, Philadelphia
Skye Nickalls, Dilworth Paxson LLP, Philadelphia

York County

Thomas Markey, McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC, York               

This year’s BLI co-chairs are Melinda C. Ghilardi, Office of the Federal Public Defender, U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania, Scranton, and Philip H. Yoon, Superior Court of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia. Both Ghilardi and Yoon have served in a number of PBA leadership roles.

The BLI class was limited in size. To apply, candidates had to demonstrate leadership ability, commit to attendance and participation in the required events, be currently licensed to practice law in Pennsylvania, be a PBA member, and be age 40 years or younger or have practiced five years or less.

The BLI was originally developed by Arthur L. Piccone of Kingston in 1995-96 during his year as PBA president to strengthen the PBA’s ongoing efforts to recruit and develop leaders of the association. The first chair of the institute, Gretchen A. Mundorff of Connellsville, re-launched the BLI when she became the 2010-11 president of the PBA. Its current purpose is to inform participants on the day-to-day operations, governance, resources and staffing of the association, as well as provide introductions to its various leadership opportunities.

Founded in 1895, the Pennsylvania Bar Association exists to promote justice, professional excellence and respect of the law; improve public understanding of the legal system; facilitate access to legal services; and serve the 26,000 lawyers who are members of the association.