MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER Robert Brace and his businesses have been locked in an environmental dispute with the United States Government for more than three decades. Robert and his wife, Beverly Brace, met Lawrence Kogan — the principal and namesake of the Kogan Law Group (“KLG”) — at a conference in New York in 2016. KLG is an environmental law firm. Kogan agreed to defend Robert Brace, Robert Brace Farms, Inc. and Robert Brace & Sons, Inc. (the “Client Defendants”) in the environmental lawsuit. KLG served as counsel to the Client Defendants for about three years until the Client Defendants terminated their engagement agreement with the firm. KLG sued, alleging that the Braces had not paid their legal bills. Defendants move to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction and, in the alternative, to transfer venue to the Western District of Pennsylvania. The Court has personal jurisdiction over the Client Defendants because they formed an attorney-client relationship with KLG. But the Court lacks jurisdiction over Beverly, Randall, and Ronald Brace (the “Non-Client Defendants”) because they did not sign the engagement agreement. Because the Court lacks jurisdiction over some Defendants and for the other reasons described below, it will transfer this case to the Western District of Pennsylvania. Defendants’ motion to dismiss for lack of personal jurisdiction is therefore DENIED but their motion to transfer venue is GRANTED. I. BACKGROUND A. Facts1 KLG practices environmental law. Declaration of Lawrence A. Kogan (“Kogan Dec.”), Dkt No. 52, 2. Lawrence Kogan is a solo practitioner who manages the practice. Id. It is a New York firm. Id. Both Robert Brace Farms, Inc. and Robert Brace & Sons, Inc. are incorporated and have their principal place of business in Pennsylvania. Compl. 4. Robert and Beverly Brace are shareholders and officers of Robert Brace Farms. Declaration of Robert H. Brace on Behalf of Robert Brace Farms, Inc., Dkt No. 44, 2. Robert, Randall, and Ronald Brace are shareholders and officers of Robert Brace & Sons. Declaration of Robert H. Brace on Behalf of Robert Brace & Sons, Inc., Dkt No. 45, 2. Robert, Beverly, Randall, and Ronald Brace are Pennsylvania citizens and residents. Declaration of Robert Brace (“Robert Brace Dec.”), Dkt No. 40, 3; Declaration of Beverly Brace (“Beverly Brace Dec.”), Dkt No. 41, 3; Declaration of Randall Brace (“Randall Brace Dec.”), Dkt No. 42, 3; Declaration of Ronald Brace (“Ronald Brace Dec.”), Dkt No. 43, 3. In October 2016, Robert and Beverly Brace met Kogan at an environmental law and policy conference in upstate New York. Robert Brace Dec. 14; Beverly Brace Dec. 13. At the conference, Robert and Beverly Brace and Kogan discussed whether Kogan could represent them in an environmental dispute with the federal government in Pennsylvania (the “Pennsylvania Litigation”). Kogan Dec.
10-11; Robert Brace Decl. 15. The parties dispute who solicited whom at the New York conference. Kogan says that Robert and Beverly Brace asked him to represent them. Kogan Dec.
