Honored

Jeanne Schubert Barnum, chair of the construction industry practice group at Schnader Harrison Segal & Lewis, was honored by the firm on Oct. 19 with the 2017 Earl G. Harrison Pro Bono Award.

She demonstrated a commitment to help undocumented abused or abandoned immigrant children achieve permanent residency status and a new life in America, in coordination with HIAS Pennsylvania and the Support Center for Child Advocates.

Additions

McNees Wallace & Nurick added Erica Townes to its firm.
Townes is an associate in the labor and employment practice group.
She spent her summers interning for McNees Wallace and works in the firm's Harrisburg office.
During law school, Townes also participated in the Central Pennsylvania Civil Law Clinic, representing indigent clients, where she gained experience in labor and employment and family law matters.
Townes also student clerked for Commonwealth Court Judge P. Kevin Brobson.

Elected and Appointed

Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young partner Paula D. Shaffner was appointed to serve as board president of the West Chester University Foundation.
The WCU Foundation supports the goals of West Chester University through fundraising activities, the management of donated resources and the promotion of the university's needs to prospective contributors.
Shaffner, co-chair of Stradley Ronon's securities litigation and enforcement practice group, represents individuals and companies in securities litigation, and defends clients in regulatory matters before the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. and various exchanges and state regulators.
She also represents clients in litigation filed in court or arbitration and conducts internal investigations and provides compliance counseling.
She is actively involved with West Chester University, her alma mater, having served a term on the board once before.
In addition, Shaffner delivered the undergraduate commencement address to the winter graduating class in 2016.

Speakers

Swartz Campbell partner Josh J.T. Byrne presented at the Chester County Bench and Bar Conference on Sept. 15 regarding avoiding legal malpractice.
Byrne is a member of the professional liability group in Swartz Campbell's Philadelphia office.
Byrne is the vice chair of the Pennsylvania Bar Association's professional liability committee and a hearing committee member serving the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

Announcements

The Legal and Pennsylvania Law Weekly are looking for verdicts and settlements to report.
If you're a plaintiffs or defense attorney who has obtained a verdict or settlement in Pennsylvania county or federal court recently, email Zack Needles at [email protected].