Dedicated Trial Lawyer Reappointed to the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

(Harrisburg, Pa.) - Stewart L. Cohen, of the Philadelphia law firm Cohen, Placitella & Roth, P.C., has been reappointed to his second, three-year term with the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. Cohen, an experienced trial lawyer, represents clients across the country in a variety of individual and class action cases.

The Disciplinary Board is an independent agency funded by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and consists of 13 members, of whom 11 are attorneys and two are non-lawyers, from across the state. The Board assists the Supreme Court in carrying out its exclusive jurisdiction over the licensing and discipline of attorneys in Pennsylvania. The members meet regularly to decide cases, policies and board administrative matters.

“It’s an honor to be reappointed to the Board,” says Cohen. “The work we do is important, both to the public and to our profession. It has been a pleasure to serve the last three years with such distinguished members and I look forward to my next term.”

After obtaining his law degree from Temple University School of Law, Cohen was admitted to the Pennsylvania and New York Bar Associations. He practices before the United States District Courts in the Middle, Western and Eastern Districts of Pennsylvania; the U.S. Court of Appeals; the Third Circuit Court; and the U.S. Supreme Court.

In 2010, Cohen is included again in the Best Lawyers of America, the oldest peer-review legal publication. He received the “Distinguished Alumni” award from his alma mater, Pennsylvania State University, where he recently gave a graduation speech. Cohen was also an adjunct law professor at Widener University School of Law for 10 years.

In addition to his prior experience as a Board member for the Disciplinary Board, Cohen was a member and Chair of the Board’s Hearing Committee. He is a member of the American Association for Justice, the Philadelphia Trial Lawyers Association, and the Pennsylvania Association for Justice.

Not only is Cohen very involved in legal associations, but he is also dedicated to advocating for people with disabilities. He is the founding Board Member and former president of the Board of the Brain Injury Association of Pennsylvania, and Vice President of the Board of Directors of United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Philadelphia and Vicinity.

About the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of PA

The Disciplinary Board’s goals are to protect the general public, maintain a high standard of integrity in the legal profession, and safeguard the reputation of the courts of Pennsylvania. The Disciplinary Board was created by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to review conduct and assure compliance by all attorneys to the Pennsylvania Rules of Professional Conduct. For more information about the Disciplinary Board, please visit www.padb.us.

Former President Judge of the Court of Judicial Discipline Appointed Vice-Chair of Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of PA

(Harrisburg, Pa.) - Private practice lawyer and former President Judge of the Court of Judicial Discipline, Sal Cognetti, Jr., has been named the new Vice-Chair of the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania for a one-year term. Cognetti has held the position of Board member since 2006. Cognetti is a partner at the law firm of Foley, Cognetti, Comerford, Cimini & Cummins, specializing in civil litigation.

“I feel deeply honored that my colleagues have shown their faith in me by this appointment. I look forward to utilizing my past experience as a Board member to assist Board Chair Carl Buchholz in fulfilling the duties of the Board,” states Cognetti, a native of Scranton, Pa.

The Disciplinary Board is an independent agency funded by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, consisting of 11 attorneys and two non-lawyers from across the state. The Board assists the Supreme Court in carrying out its exclusive jurisdiction over the licensing and discipline of attorneys in Pennsylvania. The members meet regularly to decide cases, policies and board administrative matters.

In 2000, former Governor Tom Ridge appointed Cognetti to serve as a judge of the Court of Judicial Discipline. In 2003, Judge Cognetti was elected President Judge of the Court, becoming the first lawyer to ever hold that position.

After earning his law degree from Georgetown University of Law in 1973, Cognetti’s professional career has been diverse. He started with the United States Department of Justice in Washington, D.C. He was also an Assistant United States Attorney for the Eastern and Middle Districts of Pennsylvania.

Currently, Cognetti is a member of the Bar of the U.S. Supreme Court, U.S. Courts of Appeals, U.S. District Courts, Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, American Bar Association, and Pennsylvania Bar Association. He has also served on the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Policy Council Violence Prevention.

In addition, Cognetti has a background in the corporate world as former owner, vice-president and general counsel for Jos. Notarianni & Co., Inc., which was then one of the largest fresh fruit and produce wholesaler on the East Coast. Cognetti was also Chairman of the Board of First Family Bank in Clifton, N.J.

About the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of PA

The Disciplinary Board’s goals are to protect the general public, maintain a high standard of integrity in the legal profession, and safeguard the reputation of the courts of Pennsylvania. The Disciplinary Board was created by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to review conduct and assure compliance by all attorneys to the Pennsylvania Rules of Professional Conduct. For more information about the Disciplinary Board, please visit www.padb.us.

Former Vice-Chair Appointed to Chair of Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

(Harrisburg, Pa.) — Carl D. Buchholz, III, who has served as Vice-Chair of the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania since September 2009, was named Board Chair on April 1st. Currently, he is fulfilling his second three-year term as a Board member.

The Disciplinary Board is an independent agency funded by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and consists of 13 members, of whom 11 are attorneys and two are non-lawyers, from across the state. The Board assists the Supreme Court in carrying out its exclusive jurisdiction over the licensing and discipline of attorneys in Pennsylvania. The members meet regularly to decide cases, policies and board administrative matters.

As Chair, Buchholz will have greater involvement in day-to-day functions of the Disciplinary Board and Office of Disciplinary Counsel that he did not have as Vice-Chair. Buchholz states that he will concentrate on disciplining attorney misconduct that involves the practice of law, and work to assure the public that attorney misconduct will not be tolerated.

“It is an honor and privilege to be appointed Chair and to know that the Justices of the Court have the confidence in me to perform the duties of Chair,” says Buchholz. “I look forward to continuing the excellent work of former Board Chair Bill Pietragallo and attempt to make more of the discipline imposed on lawyers “public discipline” as opposed to “private discipline.”

Buchholz has prior experience in addressing ethical issues involving lawyers, having served on the Supreme Court’s Client Security Fund Committee as both Board member and Chairman. The Client Security Fund reimburses clients whose lawyers embezzled their clients’ funds.

Buchholz is a partner at Rawle & Henderson LLP, which has seven offices located throughout the Mid-Atlantic region, in addition to its main office in Philadelphia, Pa. With over 40 years of experience in law, Buchholz has substantial background in representing clients in appellate, insurance coverage, maritime, and casualty and premises liability matters.

As head of Rawle & Henderson’s Appellate and Maritime departments, Buchholz has appeared before the Pennsylvania Supreme, Superior, and Commonwealth Courts, as well as the United States Supreme Court. Buchholz also provides legal guidance in litigating insurance coverage and indemnity disputes related to commercial contracts and insurance policies.

Receiving his law degree from Villanova Law School in 1970, Buchholz was a member of the Villanova Law Review and graduated with honors. He is a Proctor in Admiralty, and a member of the bars of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the United States District for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, the United States Court of Appeals for Third Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court.

About the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of PA

The Disciplinary Board’s goals are to protect the general public, maintain a high standard of integrity in the legal profession, and safeguard the reputation of the courts of Pennsylvania. The Disciplinary Board was created by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania to review conduct and assure compliance by all attorneys to the Pennsylvania Rules of Professional Conduct. For more information about the Disciplinary Board, please visit www.padb.us.

PERRY COUNTY SUITS UP FOR ACCESSIBLE FITNESS CENTER

Center for Independent Living of Central PA to Open Second Office in Newport

(Newport, Pa.) —It’s time to pump iron in Perry County! The Center for Independent Living of Central PA (CILCP) announces an expansion of its fully-accessible fitness center into Newport. Slated to open in May 2010, the Newport office will provide the people of Perry, Mifflin and Juniata counties with a fully-accessible fitness center and potential assistance services.

Located in the old Newport Hotel, the building also houses apartments for senior citizens and sits across the street from housing for people with disabilities. The new office will feature a fully-accessible fitness center designed to meet the needs of both senior citizens and people with disabilities. Facilities can be used free of charge to CILCP’s consumers.

The fitness center will offer accessible equipment including a Magnum ADA Advantage Trainer with accessories. This piece of equipment provides over 20 different exercise patterns to work the upper body muscles. It also has supportive back padding for individuals using a wheelchair. The MOTOmed, a cycling machine for the arms and legs, is also available, as well as boxing gloves and medicine balls. All equipment is designed for people with disabilities, even those who have no or limited feeling in their limbs.

The center will also integrate services from the Living Well With A Disability program. Living Well With A Disability is a free resource that connects individuals with any type of disability to a qualified Living Well specialist. The specialist meets with the individual and assists the person in identifying needs and goals to live well, and developing a plan for meeting them.

At the new office, the staff will include a program manager, with Living Well specialists periodically available. These specialists can offer any resident with a disability services from Living Well With A Disability.

“We saw the need for an additional office and we are very excited that our consumers in Perry, Mifflin, and Juniata counties now have a place to go without having to travel to our Camp Hill location,” says CILCP’s Executive Director Theotis W. Braddy. “The location itself is also ideal as it’s so close to our built-in customer base.”

The law offices of Reager & Adler sponsored a portion of the fitness equipment, with the remaining funded through CILCP revenue. The fitness center and office will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

To learn more about the Newport office, contact Janetta Green, Director of Operations for CILCP at 717-731-1900. For more information on Living Well With A Disability, call 1-877-TO-LIVE-WELL or visit www.livingwellwithadisability.org.

About Center for Independent Living of Central PA

For over 20 years, CILCP has been serving people with all types of disabilities who live in Cumberland, Dauphin, Perry, Mifflin and Juniata counties. It is a consumer controlled, cross disability organization dedicated to assisting people with disabilities to achieve and maintain independent life styles. From achieving a small task to accomplishing a life-changing goal, CILCP is helping people with disabilities exceed their lifestyle expectations through one point of contact.

For more information regarding this press release, please contact Stefanie Hare at 717-432-2468 or Stefanie@TheSuasionWay.com.

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