August 2025

High Swartz | August 30, 2025

High Swartz LLP Recognized by The Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America in 2026

High Swartz LLP is pleased to announce that 14 of its attorneys are included in the 2026 editions of The Best Lawyers in America® and Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America. These recognitions reflect strong peer respect in practice areas that impact businesses, municipalities, and individuals across Pennsylvania.

Why This Matters for Clients

Recognition in Best Lawyers is based on confidential peer review, not paid placements. Fewer than 5% of practicing attorneys nationwide receive this honor. For clients, this signals that High Swartz’s attorneys are consistently trusted by other lawyers in the region.

2026 Best Lawyers in America® Honorees

Doylestown, Pennsylvania

Thomas E. Panzer – Land Use and Zoning Law; Workers’ Compensation Law (Claimants and Employers)
Donald Petrille, Jr. – Litigation – Trusts and Estates
Shari Gelfont Williams – Family Law

Norristown, Pennsylvania

David J. Brooman – Environmental Law; Land Use and Zoning Law; Litigation – Environmental; Litigation – Land Use and Zoning
Mary Cushing Doherty – Family Law; Family Law Arbitration; Family Law Mediation
Mark R. Fischer – Land Use and Zoning Law
Arnold Heller – Real Estate Law
Gilbert P. High, Jr. – Land Use and Zoning Law; Litigation – Land Use and Zoning; Litigation – Real Estate; Municipal Law
Matthew T. Hovey – Land Use and Zoning Law
William F. Kerr, Jr. – Real Estate Law; Litigation – Real Estate; Municipal Law
Thomas D. Rees – Employment Law – Individuals; Employment Law – Management; Litigation – Labor and Employment
Richard C. Sokorai – Personal Injury Litigation – Plaintiffs

Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch® in America 2026 Honoree

Sean G. Livesey – Land Use and Zoning Law; Litigation – Real Estate; Real Estate Law

Peer-Review Selection Process

Lawyers are nominated by peers.
Confidential surveys are conducted within the same practice area and metro region.
Honorees must be in good standing with their bar associations.

This process makes Best Lawyers one of the most recognized peer-reviewed listings in the legal field.

High Swartz | August 28, 2025

High Swartz LLP Recognized in 2026 Chambers Spotlight Guide for Pennsylvania

High Swartz LLP is pleased to announce its selection to the inaugural Chambers Spotlight Guide for Pennsylvania 2026, earning recognition in Municipal Law and Corporate/Commercial Law.

The Chambers Spotlight Guide was created to highlight small and mid-sized firms with fewer than 75 attorneys that provide businesses and municipalities with practical, cost-effective representation. The Spotlight Guide emphasizes the value and regional knowledge that local firms bring to their communities.

“Getting the Chambers nod really shows the trust we’ve built with our clients and communities, especially here in Bucks County. Those connections mean a lot, and you can see the impact in the work we do every day. Our municipal and business teams absolutely earned this one,” said High Swartz partner Tom Panzer.

Chambers looks closely at local markets to identify firms that have earned strong reputations in their communities. These firms stand out for their work in both regional and nationally recognized practice areas and for their practical understanding of local courts, regulations, and business conditions.

High Swartz’s selection reflects its work across two core areas:

Municipal Law – The firm represents boroughs, townships, and municipal authorities throughout Pennsylvania, advising on zoning, land use, code enforcement, employment issues, and governance. Its attorneys regularly appear before local boards and courts, combining legal experience with a practical understanding of public sector operations.
Corporate/Commercial Law – High Swartz advises closely held businesses, nonprofits, and entrepreneurs at every stage of growth. Services range from formation and governance to contracts, mergers and acquisitions, financing, and dispute resolution. The team is focused on helping organizations navigate legal challenges while positioning them for long-term success.

The 2026 Spotlight Guide debuts with just 45 Pennsylvania law firms. The rankings cover 17 practice areas in 8 cities. The guide highlights firms that deliver partner-level attention, local knowledge, and efficiency. It gives in-house counsel and business leaders a reliable resource for high-quality, high-value legal support outside of the typical large-scale Philadelphia law firms.

High Swartz | August 26, 2025

Shari R. Gelfont Williams Joins Doris Jonas Freed American Inn of Court as Master of the Bench

As a Master of the Bench, Shari will collaborate with colleagues and judges to help shape programming and mentoring within the Inn.

The Doris Jonas Freed Inn is a chapter of the American Inns of Court dedicated to family law. It brings together judges and attorneys from Bucks, Chester, Delaware, and Montgomery counties to strengthen the practice of law through continuing education, mentorship, and collaboration. Members meet regularly to present programs on family law issues, with an emphasis on professionalism and ethics.

Shari represents clients in all areas of family law, including divorce, custody, child support, alimony, equitable distribution, adoption, and marital agreements. She has more than 25 years of legal experience and has held a variety of roles during her career. Earlier in her practice, she served as an Assistant Attorney General in Florida and later coordinated a domestic violence legal representation program in North Carolina.

Her commitment to service extends beyond client work. Shari has been recognized with both the Pennsylvania Bar Association Bucks County Pro Bono Award and the Bucks County Bar Association’s Arthur B. Walsh, Jr. Pro Bono Publico Award. She also serves in leadership roles with the Bucks County Bar Association’s Family Lawyers Division and Women’s Law Division and is an active member of the Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Family Law Section.