Blank Rome senior counsel Lawrence J. Beaser, pro bono attorney Krystal Kane, and associate Jourdan S. Garvey will serve as panelists at the 2026 Philadelphia Bar Association (“PBA”) Bench-Bar & Annual Conference, being held September 17 through 18, 2026, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

About the Program

The Bench-Bar & Annual Conference will feature timely CLE sessions and insightful and prominent speakers, including judges from the federal bench, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, Pennsylvania Superior and Commonwealth Courts, and the First Judicial District of Pennsylvania. There will also be a plenary featuring Melissa Murray, Frederick I. and Grace Stokes Professor of Law at New York University School of Law and co-host of the Strict Scrutiny podcast.

About the Sessions

LGBTQ+ Law State of the Union
Thursday, September 17  |  12:05–1:05 p.m.

This CLE session will provide a brief overview of the current state of the legal landscape impacting LGBTQ+ individuals. Topics addressed will include an asylum/immigration update, military service, name change/ID doc updates, sports, marriage rights, education, healthcare access, and more. The asylum update offers a brief overview of the current state of immigration and asylum, with a focus on asylum grounds, particularly LGBTQ+ claims, and changes therein.

Panelists:

  • Paul M. Carrion, O’Hagan Meyer, Co-Chair, PBA Military Affairs Committee
  • Jonathan Grode, U.S. Managing Partner, Green & Spiegel; Chair, PBA Immigration Law Committee
  • Krystal Kane (she/her/hers), Pro Bono Attorney, Blank Rome LLP, Co-Chair, PBA LGBTQ+ Committee
  • Emily Kaufman (she/her), Assistant City Solicitor, Labor & Employment Unit, City of Philadelphia

How to Properly Guide a Client with Their Start-Up Business
Thursday, September 17  |  12:05–1:05 p.m.

Simply file the formation form with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Department of State and then tell the client congratulations and good luck as the client starts the new business venture. That’s it ... right? Wrong! Did you consider the type of entity—partnership, LLC, corporation, or otherwise? Did you consider in what state to form the entity? Did you consider what the near and future goals for the business and how that might impact formation and structuring of the business? Did you prepare the underlying entity and “owner” agreement—bylaws, Operating Agreement, Shareholder Agreement, Partnership Agreement? If there is more than one owner, did you consider conflict issues? Did you advise the client on the formalities of the entity and what they need to do and not do such as commingling accounts and using the proper terminology to try to avoid/limit personal liability? Did you explain the importance of a good accountant for the client (and you) to work with? And so much more! Not so easy. Learn invaluable tips and insights from those who advise start-ups routinely. Panelists provide a holistic framework for counseling start-up clients from ideation through laying the groundwork for future growth and success.

Panelists:

  • Geneva Campbell Brown, Vice President, Corporate Impact, Chief Sustainability & Inclusion Officer, The Cigna Group
  • Daniel L. Fiore, Partner, Corporate & Business Services Group, Reger Rizzo Darnall LLP
  • Jourdan S. Garvey, Mergers & Acquisitions and Corporate Practice Groups, Blank Rome LLP, Vice-Chair, PBA Business Law Section
  • Marissa Piccarreto, Piccarreto Law LLC, Co-Chair, PBA Solo and Small Firm Committee

What Attorneys Need to Know about City Policy and Lobbying in Philadelphia
Friday, September 18  |  10:15–11:15 a.m.

This CLE session will provide attendees with the knowledge they need to understand and navigate city policies and lobbying law in Philadelphia. Attendees will obtain an enhanced understanding of the structure of city government, the Home Rule Charter, essential Philadelphia policies and legislation, and how to propose changes to policies and legislation in Philadelphia. Attendees will also gain valuable insight into the best practices for themselves and their non-lawyer clients regarding lobbying in Philadelphia with discussions about how lobbying is defined, Philadelphia’s lobbying requirements, lawyer compliance with lobbying laws, and the reporting requirements for lobbying activity.

Panelists:

  • Moderator: Matthew A. Fontana, Partner, Faegre Drinker Biddle & Reath LLP; Co-Chair, PBA City Policy Committee
  • Dr. Nina Ahmad, City Councilmember At-Large, City of Philadelphia
  • Lawrence J. (Larry) Beaser, Senior Counsel, Blank Rome LLP; Counsel, Philadelphia Bar Association 
  • Charles M. Gibbs, Member, Law Offices of McMonagle Perri McHugh Mischak Davis
  • Andrew McGinley, Vice President of Policy, Committee of Seventy
  • Rachel Meadows, Director of Legislative Affairs, Philadelphia Mayor’s Office

For more information and to register, please visit the event website.