The Philadelphia Bar Association is celebrating Member Appreciation Week this week, honoring the contributions of all members and giving special recognition to this year’s Champion of the Bar, the City of Philadelphia Law Department, as well this year’s Bar Stars.
Created in 2020, the Champion of the Bar Award is given annually to a law firm, law department, legal services organization or law school in Philadelphia that has fully supported the Association through 100% membership, leadership roles, member engagement and contribution to the community through public service.
The week also includes honoring the 2025 Bar Stars, an award created in 2019 to honor members who have gone above and beyond at carrying out the Association’s values and goals of leadership, education and advocacy.
“Our member volunteers are at the center of everything we do,” said Chancellor Katayun I. Jaffari. “They plan programs and events, serve on our Judicial Selection and Retention Commission, act as CLE faculty, answer ethics questions from other members, serve as mock trial judges, and so much more. In a year when our democracy and the rule of law has been threatened, they have consistently come through, shown up and donated their time, insights, and expertise.”
The City Law Department became an institutional member of the Bar Association in 2023, which extended the benefits of membership to all legal professionals at the organization. Two City Law Department attorneys are currently serving on the Association’s Board of Governors. City Law Department attorneys also chair the Association’s Diversity in the Profession and Government and Public Service Lawyers Committees, and serve on the Executive Committees of the Business Law, Real Property and State Civil Litigation Sections.
“Institutional partnerships – exemplified by as our collaboration with the City of Philadelphia Law Department – have played a vital role in the growth of the Association and in strengthening our ability to speak on behalf of the city’s legal community,” said Christie R. Jones, executive director of the Philadelphia Bar Association. “The Law Department, both as an institution and through the dedication of its individual members, has consistently prioritized active engagement and leadership within our community.”
Andrea Morris-Tracey, director of member services and outreach, added: “We are especially thrilled to recognize the Law Department as our first Institutional Partner and the first non–law firm Bar Champion. Their ongoing commitment and engagement truly exemplify the spirit of this award.”
According to City Solicitor Renee Garcia, “The Philadelphia Bar Association is a vital network connecting legal professionals across the private and public sectors.”
“Through our institutional membership, our legal professionals have developed practical skills, formed valuable partnerships, and exchanged ideas that strengthen our ability to serve the city,” Garcia continued. “In an evolving legal landscape, we are grateful to be part of this community as we work together toward a vibrant and equitable future for Philadelphia.”
The Member Appreciation event will also recognize 20 “Bar Stars,” representing each of the Association’s nine Sections and the Young Lawyers Division. Additional Bar Star awards were presented to Sections and Committees and individuals who have made outstanding contributions to the Association.
Winners of the Bar Stars award are:
Business Law Section: Alexander Selarnick, partner, Holland & Knight, and Adam Yoffie, executive director, head of C&E investigations and BMS integrity line, Bristol Myers Squibb
Criminal Justice Section: Eleni Belisonzi, director, City of Philadelphia Neighborhood Wellness Court, and Helen Levin, attorney, Defender Association of Philadelphia
Family Law Section: M. Régine Charles-Asar, staff attorney, Family Advocacy Unit, Community Legal Services, and Beth Perez, director of intake and pro bono, Support Center for Child Advocates
Probate and Trust Law Section: Michael A. Breslow, partner, Heckscher, Terrill & Sager, and John F. Higgins, partner, Mannion Prior
Public Interest Section: Paul Carrion, attorney, Kane Pugh Knoell, Troy & Kramer, and Mary Kate Kalinich, custody and support supervising attorney, Women Against Abuse, Inc.
Real Property Section: Michael Froehlich, managing attorney, Homeownership and Consumer Rights Unit, Community Legal Services, and Michael McIlhinney, real estate attorney, Toner Law Group
State Civil Litigation Section: Dan Klaproth, trial attorney, Feldman Shepherd Wohlgelernter Tanner Weinstock and Dodig, and Hon. Craig Levin, Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas
Tax Section: Kayci Petenko, partner, Archer & Greiner, and Heidi Schwartz, associate, Cozen O’Connor
Workers’ Compensation Section: Jeffrey Gross, partner, Gross & Kenny, and Heather Sica, associate, Chartwell Law
Young Lawyers’ Division: Melissa Hensinger, trust counsel, Commonwealth Trust Company, and Ryan Spengler, corporate counsel, Aramark
Most Growth by a Section or Committee: Business Law Section, chaired by Harris Chernow, partner, Reger Rizzo & Darnall, LLP, and Intellectual Property Committee, chaired by Andrew J. Costa, associate, ND Galli Law LLC; Emily Newcomer, associate, Troutman Pepper Locke LLP, and Ryan C. Raymond, Raymond, IP Firm LLC, and Paralegals and Legal Professionals Committee, chaired by Courtney Gorman, paralegal, JustLaws, and Terri Smith, paralegal, Feldman Shepherd Wohlgelernter Tanner Weinstock Dodig LLP
Highest Attendance at a CLE: Federal Courts Committee, chaired by Leslie Miller Greenspan, founding partner, Greenspan Patel LLC
Most CLE Programs: Criminal Justice Section, chaired by Eleni Belisonzi, director, City of Philadelphia Neighborhood Wellness Court, and Meredith Zeitzer, associate, VSCP Law
Best CLE Series: Family Law Section, Domestic Violence Month Series, chaired by Nadège Tandoh, supervising protection from abuse attorney, Women Against Abuse
Publications Bar Star: Shelli Fedullo, of counsel, The Weitz Firm LLC
Social Media Bar Star: Courtney Gorman, paralegal, JustLaws
