HARRISBURG (Feb. 25, 2021) — The Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA) Conference of County Bar Leaders (CCBL) honored William F. Hoffmeyer, founding partner and CEO of Hoffmeyer & Semmelman LLC in York, with its Chief Justice John P. Flaherty Award. The award was presented virtually at the 55th Annual Seminar of the Conference of County Bar Leaders on Feb. 25.
The Flaherty Award honors the work of an association member for supporting and promoting the projects and purposes of the CCBL and for efforts to improve the legal profession, the justice system and the community.
Since 1993, Hoffmeyer has either served as chair or co-chair of the PBA Unauthorized Practice of Law (UPL) Committee, receiving the Pennsylvania Bar Medal in 1997, as well as two PBA President’s awards, for his outstanding efforts to eradicate UPL in Pennsylvania. In his presentation of the medal to Hoffmeyer, then-PBA President James F. Mundy said, “Bill is relentless, tireless and fearless. He is the lawyer’s version of Superman, avenging wrongdoing at every turn and protecting the rights of consumers.”
Under Hoffmeyer’s leadership, the committee led efforts on a PBA-supported bill to impose tougher penalties for those involved in UPL, which later became law by the General Assembly. The new law toughened criminal penalties for repeat offenders and also made unauthorized practice a violation of the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Act. Hoffmeyer continues to lend his support to county bar associations in their efforts to stamp out the unauthorized practice of law on the local level and serves his colleagues by providing unauthorized practice of law opinions rendered by the PBA UPL Committee. The committee also produced the Manual on the Unauthorized Practice of Law, which is used by lawyers throughout the nation.
A frequent lecturer, author and adjunct professor, Hoffmeyer has spoken for numerous organizations throughout Pennsylvania on topics such as real estate, legal ethics, professional ethics and title insurance. He also wrote five books on real estate-related matters.
In addition to his bar association contributions, Hoffmeyer established the Pennsylvania Bar Foundation Louise Hoffmeyer-Overmiller Scholarship in honor and in memory of his daughter Louise. This scholarship awards $6,000 annually to a third-year Penn State Dickinson Law student with a grade point average of 3.3 or above, financial need and “a fire in the belly for the law.”
At Hoffmeyer & Semmelman, his practice is focused on real estate and zoning law, corporate, estate planning, decedent's estates and elder law. He also serves as an expert witness in real estate, as well as professional malpractice in the legal, real estate and title insurance fields and matters relevant to defects in real estate titles. He was the solicitor for the York County Tax Claim and Tax Assessment Office from 1979 to 1988.
Hoffmeyer graduated from Penn State Dickinson Law and Franklin and Marshall College.
The Conference of County Bar Leaders, whose membership includes leaders from county bar associations throughout the state and from the Pennsylvania Bar Association, organizes a yearly educational conference focusing on the exchange of innovative bar association projects and ideas and on the development of mutually-beneficial relationships among bar leaders that improve the legal profession.
Founded in 1895, the Pennsylvania Bar Association strives to promote justice, professional excellence and respect for the law; improve public understanding of the legal system; facilitate access of legal services; and serve the lawyer members of the state’s largest organized bar association.
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Source: Pennsylvania Bar Association, 100 South Street, Harrisburg, PA 17101