NEW YORK, N.Y. (September 6, 2007) - Continuing its national expansion, Jackson Lewis LLP, one of the country's largest workplace law firms, announced it opened a Philadelphia office with three partners: Rick Grimaldi, Maria L. Petrillo, and Robert C. Seiger, III. The opening of the Philadelphia office marks the seventh new location for Jackson Lewis in the past twelve months.
"Jackson Lewis's continuing expansion is a direct result of client demand," says Patrick L. Vaccaro, firm-wide managing partner. "We have always had a very robust client base and practice in the Philadelphia area but the one missing ingredient was a physical presence. With Rick, Maria, and Robert we have significant talent 'on the ground' to not only assist us in servicing our current client base but to help us expand into new opportunities and markets. Philadelphia is a great city and the region is well suited for our style of practice."
The firm's Philadelphia office will handle all aspects of workplace law, representing management exclusively. This includes litigation, labor relations and preventive practices, immigration, restrictive covenants and wage/hour issues. Jackson Lewis has many specialized practice groups including benefits, affirmative action compliance, disability management, and drug testing and substance abuse management which will enhance the scope of services the new office is able to offer their clients.
"Having the extensive resources of a national law firm like Jackson Lewis provides the depth and substantive capacity employers need, particularly in a major metropolitan market like Philadelphia," says resident manager, Rick Grimaldi. "By the same token, our local expertise will allow Jackson Lewis to better serve its current and future client base in our local market."
Mr. Grimaldi's practice spans all aspects of domestic and international labor and employment law. Prior to joining Jackson Lewis, he was counsel for White and Williams LLP where he successfully defended age, disability, and wage and hour claims, as well as satisfactorily handled union negotiations for corporate clients. He is a former Senior Counsel and Director of North American Employee/Labor Relations at Unisys Corporation and a former Chief Counsel for the Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry. Mr. Grimaldi is a lifetime member of Continental Who's Who of National Business Leaders, a member of the Americans of Italian Heritage Council, Inc., and a member of the Board of Directors of The Pennsylvania Future Fund. He was selected by his peers and the researchers of Law & Politics as a Pennsylvania Super Lawyer. Mr. Grimaldi is a 1987 graduate of Villanova University School of Law and graduated magna cum laude from Temple University in 1983.
Maria Petrillo handles traditional labor relations issues, union organizing campaigns, and collective bargaining. She counsels clients in all aspects of employment law, with particular emphasis on the defense of workplace claims of wrongful discharge and discrimination. In addition, she advises employers on the development and enforcement of personnel policies, protection of trade secrets, and conducting effective internal investigations. Ms. Petrillo has litigated jury and non-jury cases involving allegations of age, race, gender, disability, and sexual orientation discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, and employee defection, as well as claims under the National Labor Relations Act and the Labor Management Relations Act. She has successfully argued matters before the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court and Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court.
Prior to joining Jackson Lewis, Ms. Petrillo was a partner with Saul Ewing. She served as a law clerk to the Hon. Abraham J. Gafni and the Hon. Alfred G. DiBona of the Court of Common Pleas of Philadelphia County. Following her clerkship, Ms. Petrillo joined the Office of the City Solicitor of Philadelphia where her practice included the defense of tort, civil rights, employment discrimination, and wrongful discharge claims. Ms. Petrillo is a 1982 graduate of the Temple University James E. Beasley School of Law and received her undergraduate degree from Georgetown University in 1976.
Robert Seiger contributes to all aspects of Jackson Lewis's immigration practice. He advises clients about obtaining and retaining work visas for executives and key employees; advises human resources management professionals in the development and modification of internal immigration procedures and protocols; and advises clients about minimizing liability under current complex immigration laws. Mr. Seiger has extensive experience representing clients before the U.S. Customs Service, Federal Trade Commission, and related government agencies.
Mr. Seiger formerly was counsel and head of the Immigration Practice Group at White and Williams. He is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and is currently co-chair of the Philadelphia Bar Association's Committee on Law Practice for New Americans. For two consecutive years he has been selected as a Pennsylvania "Rising Star" attorney by Law & Politics. Mr. Seiger is a 1997 graduate of the Villanova University School of Law and received his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania in 1992.
Jackson Lewis's Philadelphia office is located at:Three Parkway1601 Cherry Street, Suite 1350 Philadelphia, PA 19102.
Attorneys can be reached by email or phone: Rick Grimaldi - GrimaldiR@jacksonlewis.com, 215-264-9197 Maria Petrillo - PetrillM@jacksonlewis.com, 215-837-4579 Robert Seiger - SeigerR@jacksonlewis.com, 856-816-0331
For more information, please contact:Clare Grossman, Marketing Director, Jackson Lewis T: (212) 545-4068, E: grossmac@jacksonlewis.com
Elizabeth Coxe, the bounce agency T: (864) 351-2720, E: elizabeth.coxe@thebounceagency.com