Law 360 Names Drinker Biddle a “Powerhouse” in Pennsylvania and New Jersey

Drinker Biddle was ranked among the most prominent firms serving clients in Pennsylvania and New Jersey in Law360’s inaugural U.S. Regional Powerhouses feature.

Law 360 said the winning firms stood out for their sizeable presence in the region and for their significant regional accomplishments in the last two years.

In Pennsylvania, Law360 said Drinker Biddle has remained a major player in that legal arena since John Christian Bullitt founded the firm in 1849.

More than 150 years later, with more than 200 attorneys, the Philadelphia office offers a range of legal services to major Pennsylvania-based clients, including Comcast Corp., Urban Outfitters Inc. and Penske Truck Leasing Co. LP.

“Throughout our history, it’s really been 165 years as a business-oriented, commercial law firm that’s been quite prominent in Philadelphia, as time goes by, the world changes. Now, of course, we have offices in Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, D.C. But this is where we started out,” said Drinker Biddle chairman Alfy Putnam.

“Drinker Biddle, back at the beginning, was really known as a prominent banking firm, and from that we have had decades of experience representing significant lenders in major restructurings in Pennsylvania,” said executive partner Andy Kassner. “That’s how we really spread our wings.”

“Although we’ve branched out far beyond the borders of Pennsylvania, a lot of our practice groups are here, and a lot of the high-end work that we’re doing for clients started here,” Andy continued. “We continue to be a dominant and leading firm in the region even as we branch out throughout the country.”

In New Jersey, the firm was noted for its real estate, environmental, product liability and white collar defense prowess, both in Princeton and Florham Park.

Princeton partner in charge Jon Epstein said the office’s work for Princeton University, which includes coordination of zoning and permitting approvals in two municipalities plus design development and negotiations with New Jersey Transit, is representative of the type of full-service client representation the office provides.

The article notes that Drinker Biddle expanded into northern New Jersey in 1999 when it merged with prominent, Morristown-based Shanley & Fisher PC, which paved the way for the opening of the firm’s second New Jersey office in Florham Park.  Andrew Joseph, the partner in charge of the Florham Park office, said ,“One of the things that really holds out Drinker Biddle in New Jersey from other firms is that we’re a national firm with a national platform, yet we have very strong New Jersey roots.”

To read the Pennsylvania Powerhouse article, please click here.

To read the New Jersey Powerhouse article, please click here.