Media Coverage Invited to Anniversary Celebration
John F. Kennedy narrowly beat Richard Nixon to become President of the United States, Pittsburgh prevailed over the New York Yanks in the World Series and the most requested song of 1960 was The Twist by Philadelphia's own Chubby Checkers.
Elvis was shakin' to It's Now or Never as it rode to the top of the charts that year – in the United States and the UK – ultimately selling more than 25 million copies. And right here in Philadelphia a couple of young lawyers launched the law firm known today as Zarwin Baum DeVito Kaplan Schaer Toddy, PC.
Founded in 1960 the firm today is a full-service Philadelphia-based law firm with offices in Bethlehem, PA., Jersey City and Marlton, NJ and is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
Norman P. Zarwin and E Harris Baum may have predicted that their friendship, mutual respect, partnership and the way in which clients are handled would be the constant but neither of them would have been able to foresee Facebook, Twitter, e-fax or the prolific use of the internet as the major communication tool it has become. Yet the firm has continued to grow as it adjusted, updated and expanded its practice areas, almost as fast as technology, to best serve its client base.
This is a partnership that has lasted more than most – domestic or business - and the firm has grown to 50 lawyers today and continues to grow. This past fall the firm moved to larger offices on the 13th Floor at 1818 Market Street. Some would be nervous about the 13th Floor speculates Zarwin but he sees this move as just another lucky charm in the circle of life for the firm.
The firm has grown and prospered during these five decades expanding practice areas to include casualty defense, real estate acquisition and financing, commercial litigation, immigration , employment, environmental, banking, casino and gaming and non-profits. Riding the waves of economic times – good and bad – the firm stayed true to the founding partners' goals of hiring top talent and providing excellent legal services at fair and competitive rates.
"We want to help our clients compete," says managing shareholder Mitchell Kaplan, "and that desire continues to prevail. " Firm profits are reinvested in quality talent – lawyers, paralegals, administrative and support staff - and new technology.
The firm "provides clients with quality legal counsel and has seen substantial growth recently - as clients and prospects look to maximize service by selecting our law firm because of the numerous efficiencies we provide."
"Clients recommend the firm to business associates, family and friends because of the highly specialized level of legal maturity, strength and capabilities offered at reasonable cost. That's the best form of compliment we can get," says Kaplan.
"Clients first," says Norman Zarwin who believes that this philosophy has helped the firm retain – and grow with - clients for years. "Often these relationships blossom into more than professional relationships," he said. "Friendships have developed with mutual respect, and we are able to lend a helping hand in civic and community activities with and through these relationships."
"The firm is dedicated to achieving success for our clients, "said Harris Baum. "Norman and I have not altered our basic beliefs of providing excellent work for our clients by growing a loyal, ambitious and highly skilled legal team."
Norman P. Zarwin has been actively involved in a variety of charitable and civic organizations serving as an officer and/or board member including Golden Slipper Club & Charities, Jewish National Fund Council of Philadelphia and as chairman of committees and on boards of numerous philanthropic organizations, including theSociety for the Jewish Aged; B'nai B'rith and Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia. He has served as chairman of the Scholarship Foundation of the Union League. His practice areas include petroleum marketing - a unique niche, representing gasoline distributors and retailers from South Carolina to New York. Zarwin is involved in business and real estate transactional matters, advises and helps in forming professional associations and chairs the firm's non-profit practice area.
Baum is Hon. Consul General for the Republic of Korea by appointment of the U. S. State Department and the government of Seoul, Korea working to encourage and furthering cooperation between Korean and Pennsylvania business in order to mutually expand their markets. He is a past president of Keneseth Israel and serves on the board of the synagogue. He is honorary chair of the Board of Governors of the Civil War Museum of Philadelphia, a past member of the Fairmount Park Commission, board member of the Pegasus Riding Academy. Baum is also a Trustee of the Rodin Foundation which selects 45 Israeli scholarship recipients yearly to attend the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He is a member of Zarwin Baum's Business Practice, Casualty Defense, Professional Liability & Malpractice, and Environmental Practice groups.
Note to Editors:Media Coverage Invited
Anniversary
Celebration – Thursday, April 22 – 6 p.m.
1818 Market Street
– 13th Floor
Contacts:
For Zarwin Baum
Harriet Lessy, 215-985-2899