Legal News

Former WCJ Joins Pond Lehocky as Of Counsel

By Brian Harris

By Zack Needles
Of the Legal Staff

Peter E. Perry Jr., a former judge and judge manager of the Workers? Compensation Office of Adjudication, Southeastern District, has joined Philadelphia-based workers' compensation boutique Pond Lehocky Stern & Giordano as of counsel.

Perry, who retired from the bench in January 2010 to join private practice, said he contacted Pond Lehocky partner Samuel H. Pond after hearing about the break-up of Pond's former firm, Martin Banks Pond Lehocky & Wilson, last July.

Originially, Perry said, he just wanted to talk to Pond about beginning a referral relationship, but the talk quickly turned to Perry joining the firm on a part-time basis.

"He?ll be an active litigating attorney in the office," Pond said.

Accoring to Pond, the firm felt Perry's experience as a WCJ would make him "a perfect fit" and was attracted to his "no nonsense" approach to law.

"He has the unique perspective of someone that sat on the bench for close to 30 years in workers' compensation cases," he said, adding that Perry also has experience in the area of Social Security disability.

Perry agreed his time on the bench has given him an advantage as a lawyer.

"It helps me now to turn around and try cases on behalf of individuals," he said. "I know what to look for, what the burdens of proof are and what judges expect to hear as far as evidence and presentation of cases."
Pond said that in addition to his decades of experience, the firm also hopes to utilize some of Perry's political relationships.

According to Pond, Perry, a longtime Northeast Philadelphia resident, has already been able to use some of his professional connections in the region to establish a book of business.

"He has a pretty good network of sources where he has already begun that process of becoming a source of business," he said. "In the Northeast Philly area, he's really well respected and has a lot of relationships."

Zack Needles can be contacted by e-mailing zneedles@alm.com.

Full post as published by The Legal Intelligencer Blog on February 17, 2011 (boomark / email).