Alison C. Finnegan
Litigation Services
Philadelphia Office

Background
I graduated from Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania in 1998, where I majored in Political Science. I then moved to Boston to attend Boston College Law School and graduated in 2001. I clerked for the Honorable James H. Coleman, Jr. of the Supreme Court of New Jersey from 2001 until 2002 and joined Schnader as a second year associate in 2002. I was raised in southern New Jersey and it always had been my plan to return to this area to live and work. I now live in Cherry Hill with my family.

My Decision to Join Schnader
I knew that I wanted to work in Philadelphia following law school, so I interviewed at several large Philadelphia law firms. Everything about Schnader impressed me. I liked the people, the atmosphere, the way that I was sheparded through the interview process, the commitment to pro bono activities and the scope of the work and departments. Ultimately, I learned that an interview is simply a snapshot of law firm life. I liked Schnader better than any place else and followed my instinct that I could fit in and do good work here. That instinct has proven true.

My Work Here at Schnader
My legal career here at Schnader has been rich and fulfilling. I have worked on so many different kinds of cases in state and federal courts and developed practical skills. I have prepared and participated in two trials; a third case bound for trial settled on the first day. At times, I have been the junior associate on a large team of attorneys and at other times, I have worked solely with a senior partner, which gives me the opportunity to have a primary role in the case. I have taken and defended depositions, interviewed witnesses, drafted discovery, motions, briefs and answers and attended settlement conferences and hearings. The great thing about Schnader is that once you work on a case in a particular area, you frequently have the opportunity to do so again, thus developing a sort of specialty. I have worked on cases with issues arising under Articles 3 and 4 of the Uniform Commercial Code, RICO, defamation and lender liability. The work has been split evenly between the plaintiff and defendant side. The partners with whom I have worked encourage me and support my professional development. At the same time, I always have been able to turn to other associates and partners to ask for help or feedback when I have a question.

Associate Life
One of the main reasons that I returned to this area is my family: my mother and sisters live in the area and they are very important to me. And, now that my husband and I have a small child, family has taken on an even more important role. One can never predict when an emergency is going to come up in a case, but Schnader recognizes that its attorneys have lives outside of work and makes a true effort to create a supportive work environment. It is that consistency that really matters and that makes coming to work an enjoyable experience.

If you would like to get in touch with me with any questions about Schnader, please click here.