The firm's Philadelphia office opened in 1985. In addition to being licensed in Pennsylvania, a number of our attorneys are also licensed to practice in New Jersey and Delaware, and there is a close working relationship among all the firm's regional offices. We provide clients with these services:

Commercial Litigation. The office has extensive commercial litigation capabilities, including attorneys with significant experience in complex civil disputes, class actions, RICO, banking, insurance, restrictive covenant, trade secret and environmental litigation at all levels of the state and federal courts. We also represent governmental entities in complex litigation matters.

Corporate Finance and Securities. Our corporate practice handles complex corporate matters, governance and control issues, corporate financing transactions and public and private securities offerings. Mergers and acquisitions formed the firm's original practice base in Philadelphia, and this emphasis continues. We represent clients in federal and state securities compliance work, partnership and syndication matters, as well as a wide range of general corporate practice.

Corporate Insurance Regulation. We represent insurance companies, insureds and corporations in insurance, reinsurance, surety, and merger and acquisition transactions. It also handles litigation for insurers in disputes stemming from operations or from particular transactions. This work includes insurance-industry mergers, acquisitions, demutualizations and conversions, licensure, formation of companies, and reinsurance/excess liability matters and transactions.

Creditors’ Rights and Bankruptcy. We have a national creditors’ rights and bankruptcy practice based in Philadelphia. This work involves representing and counseling debtors and creditors, banks involved in workout situations, creditors' committees, and corporations and individuals facing financial difficulty. We also have extensive experience in insurance insolvency matters.

Environmental. Our environmental practice addresses sophisticated environmental issues in Pennsylvania and New Jersey, advising on requirements of local, state and federal environmental laws and regulations. This includes counseling on compliance, asset dispositions and acquisitions, due diligence, analysis of environmental issues in commercial, corporate and real estate transactions and in bankruptcy proceedings, environmental litigation and representation of clients before government agencies.

Financial Institutions. In representing lenders, which include international, national, regional and local banks and finance mortgage companies, our lawyers have structured, negotiated, documented and completed hundreds of transactions aggregating billions of dollars. Our experience includes syndicated credit, letter of credit, corporate and real estate transactions, as well as workout, restructuring and litigation matters. We also represent borrowers in all types of real estate and commercial loan contexts. Representative transactions include real estate and shopping center development, communications, manufacturing, acquisition, health care and complex structured finance matters.

Financial Services. Our representation of financial institutions also includes investment firms, broker-dealers and other national, super-regional and regional financial service providers. As such, we structure, negotiate, document and complete license applications and transactions essential to accomplishing our clients' business goals. We also understand the business, executive compensation and employment issues associated with the structuring of relationships with firm officers and executives. The overall scope and quality of our work reflects a high level of familiarity with the problems and products associated with these segments of the financial services industry.

Franchise and Distribution. Our lawyers help clients create franchise systems based on the success of their own businesses and then to establish regional, national and international chains. We assist mature franchise systems with franchise-related problems and other clients in the acquisition of entire franchise systems as well as the establishment of franchised businesses. Our services include litigation, alternative dispute resolution, major transactions, planning and development, advice on strategies, marketing and distribution agreements, licensing and protections of trademarks, service marks and trade secrets, and regulatory compliance for franchisors and franchisees. Our clients have included world and regional. We have handled litigation and transactions for clients in more than 70 countries in six continents.

Government Relations. We provide clients with the opportunity to shape legislation and to have effective input in governmental policies in Philadelphia, Harrisburg, New Jersey, Washington, D.C., and the Virgin Islands of the United States. In addition, we monitor the activities of the Pennsylvania General Assembly and report on issues which may affect clients’ businesses. We also monitor the progress of specific pieces of legislation and present points of view to elected and appointed officials.

Health Care. Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney has the largest health care practice in Pennsylvania, and among the largest in the nation. Our attorneys' experience and knowledge of the heavily regulated health care industry enable them to assist our clients in finding creative and practical solutions to their issues. We primarily represent health care systems, hospitals, foundations, long-term care facilities, home health agencies, physicians and other providers. The head of the Philadelphia Health Care Group was formerly chief counsel of a leading academic health system, and has significant, practical experience from working directly within the health care system.

Labor and Employment. The firm represents private and public sector employers. We counsel, negotiate and litigate employment-related problems and disputes in the areas of equal employment, wrongful discharge, union organizing campaigns, NLRB proceedings, contract negotiations, arbitration, strike litigation, unemployment, workers’ compensation and wage and hour matters. We also review personnel policies and employment handbooks and audit employment practices and procedures.

Project Finance and Energy. Our lawyers have represented the lenders, owners of, and participants in, the development and financing of major independent power and non-energy related environmental projects. Our practice includes sophisticated strategic and structural advice, due diligence and drafting and negotiating financing and project documents. We have also represented clients before the FERC and state public utility commissions and boards.

Public Finance. We serve as bond counsel to underwriters, credit issuers and borrowers in a broad range of tax-exempt financings. These services involve general obligation issues, revenue bonds and tax-exempt leases. We provide these services in the public underwriting or private placement of bonds issued for municipal infrastructure, educational, health care, housing, industrial and commercial facilities.

Real Estate. Our lawyers have substantial financial institutions and commercial real estate capability, representing both banks and borrowers in commercial and real estate loan transactions, workouts and in litigation. Our attorneys are also experienced in real estate development, zoning, real estate acquisitions, dispositions, leases, joint ventures and equity investments, and land use planning.

Tax and Estate Planning. We practice in business and individual taxes and employee benefits. In the business tax area, we assist publicly and privately owned companies and tax-exempt organizations in federal and state tax matters and dispute resolutions. We counsel individuals on income, gift, estate and generation-skipping taxes. This includes advice for acquiring or disposing of business assets, comprehensive estate plans involving lifetime transfers, wills and trusts, and charitable contributions.

Transportation Litigation. We represent most of the nation’s largest rail and motor carriers, as well as household goods carriers, regional carriers, logistic companies, and transportation brokers in a wide range of surface transportation and commercial issues. Our lawyers have served as counsel to industry groups and committees investigating fraudulent activities and challenging federal regulatory authorities. We have represented numerous interests litigating freight related issues.

Ties To The Region

Our attorneys in Philadelphia are involved in a wide range of professional, pro bono and charitable activities in southeastern Pennsylvania and on a broader statewide and national basis.

Locally, our lawyers are active in key roles with the Philadelphia Bar Association, the American Inns of Court, the Philadelphia Bar Foundation, Central Philadelphia Development Corporation, Eastern District of Pennsylvania Bankruptcy Conference, the Mayor's Commission on the Homeless, the Executive Campaign Cabinet of the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, the Board of Directors of the YMCA, the Forum of Executive Women, Philadelphia Building Industry Association, Boy Scouts of America (Philadelphia Council), Settlement Music School, Women's Association for Women's Alternatives Inc. and the Homeless Advocacy Project. We have received many awards for our support of the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania.

Statewide, we are involved in important positions with Pennsylvania for Modern Courts and the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Commission on Women in the Profession.