December 1, 2015

PHILADELPHIA, PA – Gaetan J. Alfano, a partner with Pietragallo Gordon Alfano Bosick & Raspanti, LLP, will lead the Philadelphia Bar Association in 2016 as its 89^th Chancellor.

Mr. Alfano served as the 2015 Chancellor-Elect for the Philadelphia Bar Association and is a member of the Justinian Society, holding a number of offices including Treasurer. For 10 years, Mr. Alfano served as the Vice Chair, the highest Pennsylvania position, of the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission, a bi-state agency. He was appointed to this position in the agency by both former Governors Edward G. Rendell and Tom Corbett.

Mr. Alfano served as Assistant District Attorney for 5 years under then District Attorney Rendell.  He has served as a Senior Member of the hearing committee of the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. In 2013, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court appointed Mr. Alfano to serve on the Board of Law Examiners.

Mr. Alfano currently serves as Co-Chair of the Litigation Practice Group and is a member in the Employment & Labor Practice Group at Pietragallo. He is consistently recognized as a top commercial litigator by his peers. Mr. Alfano has extensive trial and appellate experience in commercial and employment disputes, insurance insolvency and receivership law, as well as complex white collar criminal defense.

The Philadelphia Bar Association was founded in 1802 and is America’s first chartered metropolitan bar association.  It was originally formed by a small group of Philadelphia lawyers who gathered together to share law books and professional resources. Over the years its members have included some of the nation’s most prominent lawyers, judges, public servants, business, civic and community leaders. Today the Philadelphia Bar Association counts 13,000 members including the Mayor of Philadelphia and the Governor of Pennsylvania. With a strong sense of social responsibility and community purpose the Bar Association funds numerous law-related public interest programs through its charitable arm, the Philadelphia Bar Foundation.

Throughout its history, the Philadelphia Bar Association has been one of the most progressive bar associations in the country through its Chancellor position. By openly advocating for diversity, they hope to continue growing the profession thanks to the many women and African Americans who have served this position previously. The Philadelphia Bar Association is proud to support the first openly gay Chancellor of any state or major city bar association.