Law firm plans top leadership change

The Center City law firm Hangley Aronchick Segal Pudlin & Schiller P.C. announced Tuesday what it described as the first significant leadership change in its 19-year history.

A co-founder of the firm and chair since its inception, William T. Hangley, will step down as chair, but will continue his trial practice and serve on the board of directors. Mark Aronchick, also a co-founder of the firm and a former city solicitor, will take over as chair, and Ronald Schiller will assume the role of vice chair.

"Letting go of the reins of leadership is a little bit scary, particularly in these challenging times for law firms," said Hangley, 72. "If anybody can preserve the special culture of this place and rise to the challenges of 21st century law practice, Mark can do it."

The firm described the leadership change as part of a succession-planning process.

Schiller led a group of lawyers from the firm of DLA Piper to join Hangley Aronchick in 2009, and two years later his name was added to the firm's name.

Hangley Aronchick lawyers practice in a broad range of disciplines, from environmental to family, commercial to transactional law, and other areas. The firm has a reputation for pursuing prominent pro-bono cases, and has been deeply involved in litigation surrounding the Luzerne County "kids-for-cash" judicial scandal.

Aronchick, who has long been active in firm management through his seat on the firm's board of directors, said he anticipated little in the way of change, noting that lawyer David Pudlin will continue to serve as the firm's president and CEO.

"This is part of an evolutionary transition and we are doing it in our own way," Aronchick said. "I will have as much of a hands-on role as ever and I will be collaborating with Ron Schiller.

"The important thing is, Bill Hangley will continue to be a lawyer with extraodinarily high-profile cases."