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Schnader advances the objectives of our global clients by providing cost-efficient strategies and solution-oriented counseling. We leverage our business and legal experience to facilitate opportunities for clients both in the United States and abroad by drawing upon our relationships with financial institutions, corporations, individuals, law firms and governmental agencies in those jurisdictions.

For more information about our services and a comprehensive list of representative matters, please view our Cross-Border brochure.

Arbitration and Litigation 

Known for our outstanding trial and appellate work, we represent international clients before U.S. courts and in U.S. and foreign arbitrations. Our attorneys have appeared as advocates before international and domestic tribunals such as the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC), American Arbitration Association (AAA), Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL), and the Sanctions Committee of the World Bank.

Aviation

Our team of highly-experienced aviation attorneys has represented many of the world’s leading manufacturers of commercial, general aviation and military aircraft and equipment, as well as domestic and international airlines and aviation insurers, in accident litigation, claims against government agencies, employment litigation, passenger, baggage and cargo claims, and commercial and regulatory matters.

Bankruptcy

We have substantial experience representing domestic and international clients in all areas of bankruptcy, restructuring, creditors’ rights, workout and related litigation issues faced by distressed companies, creditors and bankruptcy trustees in a variety of industries.  

Commercial Transactions

We provide legal and business advice to foreign companies seeking to do business in the United States in areas such as corporate formation, day-to-day operations, regulatory issues, executive compensation, financing, tax planning and general commercial matters.  

Distribution, Licensing and Franchising

We assist start-ups and established foreign businesses in bringing their products and services to the U.S. Our clients include manufacturers, distributors, franchisors, intellectual property owners, and service providers from around the globe. We structure and document a broad range of inbound and outbound commercial transactions, as well as transactions among foreign nationals, including import, export and foreign distribution, and help provide resolution for attendant customs issues.

Employment 

As outside employment and labor counsel to domestic and foreign-based companies, we offer an array of services, including the preparation of employment agreements for inbound executives and outbound expatriates, advice on tax, employment and data protection law requirements, the management of the implementation of global employment policies, and representation in litigation. 

Intellectual Property

We provide patent, trademark, copyright, licensing, outsourcing and technology agreement services and litigation to corporations, individuals and nonprofit organizations throughout the world. Our clients span a broad range of industries including pharmaceutical, medical device, automotive, clothing, consumer products, higher education, manufacturing and software. 

Mergers and Acquisitions

We counsel foreign companies seeking to do business in the U.S. on all inbound M&A transactions,  including compliance with transactional and regulatory requirements, international accounting and financial reporting standards, executive and employee compensation matters, efficient capital and tax structures, and the requisite comprehensive due diligence. 

Securities

Led by a former associate director of the United States Securities Exchange Commission’s (SEC) Division of Corporate Finance, our group advises public and private companies, venture capitalists, investment bankers and securities professionals in onshore and offshore capital formation, structuring and offering of derivative securities, private placements and listings on U.S. and foreign securities exchanges, and debt and equity securities. We assist clients in complying with periodic reporting requirements, stock exchange rules and regulations, and navigating regulatory matters involving alleged violations of SEC rules and regulations. In addition, we have experience acting on behalf of foreign issuers, investment banks and investors in connection with SEC-registered, Regulation D, Rule 144A and Regulation S offerings.  

Technology and Outsourcing

Our attorneys are continually learning and employing new strategies to meet the growing technological changes. We help businesses navigate the legal issues that arise from government regulations, compliance, social media, and privacy and data protection. We prepare a variety of contractual agreements specific to e-commerce and computer-related activities. We also counsel on compliance with the full-range of applicable laws, including the Digital Media Communications Act, the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, state privacy laws and the EU Data Protection Directive, and regulations, including those of the Federal Trade Commission.

 For more information on our International experience, please see our matters list.

 

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Our Attorneys

Elliot Dater

Elliot Dater

412-577-5214

Pittsburgh, PA

edater@schnader.com

 412-577-5214 Pittsburgh, PA
Sarah Hewitt

Sarah Hewitt

212-973-8123

New York, NY Philadelphia, PA

shewitt@schnader.com

 212-973-8123 New York, NY Philadelphia, PA
Kenneth R. Puhala

Kenneth R. Puhala

212-973-8140

New York, NY Jakarta

kpuhala@schnader.com

 212-973-8140 New York, NY Jakarta
Scott J. Wenner

Scott J. Wenner

212-973-8115

New York, NY San Francisco, CA

swenner@schnader.com

 212-973-8115 New York, NY San Francisco, CA

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The Higher Calling Of The Law Requires...

Inclusion. When Pennsylvania Attorney General William Schnader left politics and sought to return to private practice in Philadelphia, he discovered that no major Philadelphia law firms would hire his protégé, Bernard Segal, a Jewish attorney. In response, in 1935, William Schnader, Bernard Segal and Francis Lewis formed a new law firm, Schnader & Lewis -- the first religiously integrated law firm in Philadelphia.

Innovation. Because Schnader was religiously integrated from its founding, many local clients in the Philadelphia area would not retain the firm in the 1930s and 1940s. Accordingly, the firm sought to represent larger, national companies.

Vision. Firm founder William Schnader was president of the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws, which drafted and developed the Uniform Commercial Code. He successfully campaigned for the Code's adoption in 49 states.

The pursuit of freedom. At the request of President Truman, firm founder Earl Harrison, as Commissioner of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, toured displaced persons camps at the end of World War II and recommended to the President that displaced persons in Europe be permitted to resettle in Palestine. His report was a major factor that led to American support for the establishment of Israel.

The pursuit of justice. Firm founder Earl Harrison testified on behalf of an African-American student denied entry to the University of Texas School of Law because of his race. The case challenged the "separate but equal" doctrine, as applied to state law schools and laid the foundation for Brown v. Board of Education. The Supreme Court eventually overturned the lower courts' decisions and ordered the University of Texas to admit qualified black applicants.

Courage. Firm founder Bernard Segal convinced the Philadelphia bar to defend nine accused Communists pro bono. The defendants were convicted but their cases were thrown out on appeal. As a result, the Justice Department abandoned Smith Act prosecutions across the country.

The pursuit of justice. When George Wallace threatened to block integration of the University of Alabama, Schnader’s Bernard Segal drafted a statement in opposition. He and Jerome Shestack called lawyers all over the country requesting their support. The statement was published in the Birmingham News with 53 prominent lawyer signatories and provided support for President Kennedy's Executive Order federalizing the Alabama National Guard.

The pursuit of justice. In the wake of George Wallace's efforts to impede the integration of the University of Alabama, and at the urging of Schnader’s Bernard Segal, President Kennedy convened 244 lawyers at the White House to ask them to move the battle for civil rights and racial equality to the courts. The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law was born and Jerome Shestack became its full-time executive director while continuing to practice at Schnader.

Inclusion. Firm founder Bernard Segal was chair of the ABA’s Committee on the Federal Judiciary. He advocated the appointment of federal judges of all genders and races.

Inclusion. Firm founder Bernard Segal was the first Jewish person to serve as Chancellor of the Philadelphia Bar Association. He encouraged the bar into public service and expanded its racial horizons.

Inclusion. Schnader was one of the first major Philadelphia firms to hire a female attorney.

Diversity. Schnader was a founding member of the Philadelphia Diversity Law Group, which aims to increase the number of diverse attorneys in-house and in private practice.

Inclusion. The firm appointed Albert Dandridge as Chief Diversity Officer and charged him with increasing and developing our bench of diverse attorneys.

Service. The firm adopted Caton Village (now closed), a halfway house for women in Philadelphia, where we provided free legal clinics and social and educational activities for its residents.

Service. Schnader lawyers regularly represent undocumented children who were abused or abandoned by their parents. We help these children obtain guardians, stop removal proceedings, and begin the path to citizenship.

Service. As U.S. veterans waited an average of four years for a ruling on the denial of their disability benefits, Schnader attorneys led a campaign advocating for a solution to address the backlog.

The pursuit of justice. Schnader attorneys represented Guantanamo Bay detainees, advocating for fair treatment and due process against a byzantine legal landscape.

Service. With a nonprofit partner, Schnader attorneys and staff designed and taught a pilot life skills seminar for young adults aging out of the foster care system. The program included lessons on securing vital documents, opening a bank account, looking for jobs and going to an interview.

Service. Schnader attorneys help middle school students in Pittsburgh set up a youth court, prepare for mock trials and draft a bill of rights for their school. The students learn about Constitutional law, advocacy and restorative justice from participating in these programs.

Service. Bernard Segal, a founder of the firm, believed that Schnader's hallmark is its "dedication to the higher calling of the law," which he defined as "the lawyer's obligation to assume an active role in the pursuit of a just and ordered society, in helping to solve the emerging problems of social, economic and political importance, and to serve the public as his or her client, as she or he would serve a full-paying client."